Quote Wednesday - Lowell

Art is the desire of a man to express himself, to record the reactions of his personality to the world he lives in. -- Amy Lowell

While I can't draw to save my life, I have learned that art is much more than painting and drawing.  When we create, it is art.  And every creation is an expression of our self.  We show the world a bit of our soul through our art.  It is a courageous thing to put into the public sphere, and yet it is almost like breathing.  We need to do it to live.   So today share a bit of our soul with another.

Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson

Title: Snow Crash

Author: Neal Stephenson

Publisher: Bantam 1992

Genre: Science Fiction (Cyberpunk)

Pages: 440

Rating:   5 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Science Fiction; Mount TBR; Fall into Reading

How I Got It: J owns it!

One of Timemagazine's 100 all-time best English-language novels.Only once in a great while does a writer come along who defies comparison—a writer so original he redefines the way we look at the world. Neal Stephenson is such a writer and Snow Crash is such a novel, weaving virtual reality, Sumerian myth, and just about everything in between with a cool, hip cybersensibility to bring us the gigathriller of the information age. In reality, Hiro Protagonist delivers pizza for Uncle Enzo’s CosoNostra Pizza Inc., but in the Metaverse he’s a warrior prince. Plunging headlong into the enigma of a new computer virus that’s striking down hackers everywhere, he races along the neon-lit streets on a search-and-destroy mission for the shadowy virtual villain threatening to bring about infocalypse. Snow Crash is a mind-altering romp through a future America so bizarre, so outrageous…you’ll recognize it immediately.

This is one of those books that took me awhile to get into.  The universe building is a bit extensive.  I was confused about how all the pieces of the puzzles and all the characters would eventually come together.  But I shouldn't have worried.  I was satisfied.  What really got me latched me onto the book was the connections between religion, culture, and technology.  The way the author talks of technology, it is a complete society.  It has a language, it has creation stories and myths, it has characters, it has an evolution.  I loved the scenes between Hiro and the Librarian when they were discussing Sumeria and viruses and the connections to Snow Crash.  Sounds confusing until you read the book and then make all the connections. I went into the book turned off by cyber punk fiction, but I found this great symmetry between it and history and anthropology.  This review has turned into babbling (ha ha Babel!), but I truly did enjoy the novel.  For a better explanation, check out the Wikipedia page.

P.S. A movie version is supposedly in the works, directed by the same director as Attack the Block!

Top Ten Tuesday -- Kick Ass Heroines

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.  If you can’t come up with ten, don’t worry about it—post as many as you can!

Just in time for Halloween I present some Kick Ass Heroines.  Dress up as one of these awesome ladies!

1. Katnis Everdeen from The Hunger Games -- She's just awesome.  I think we can all agree that she did the best she could with the lot given.  I love her battle moments and the quiet moments.

2. Hermione Granger from Harry Potter --  I think if these books had come out when I was young, I would have dressed as Hermione for every Halloween.  Even at the beginning of the series, you know she will eventually kick some serious ass.

3. Alexia Tarabotti from Parasol Protectorate -- You wouldn't immediately think proper Victorian lady for this list, but Alexia can kick ass when she needs to.  I love her "proper" fighting!

4. Madame Lefoux from Parasol Protectorate series --  Her inventions are killer (sometimes literally) and she has style.  Even when she betrayed Alexia, she did it for love and family.  I love her character throughout the series.

5. The Female from The Boys series --  Her story is tragic.  She never speaks.  And yet, she's the deadliest weapon The Boys possess.

6. Death from Sandman series -- Come on, she's Death!  How bad ass is that?  Plus, she's a great counterpoint to her brother Dream.  And she still has a kick ass wardrobe.

7. Annabeth from Percy Jackson and Heroes of Olympus series --  The ultimate daughter of Athena (always my favorite of the Greek goddesses).  She is smart, gorgeous, and dangerous.  The perfect woman.

8. Thalia from Percy Jackson and Heroes of Olympus series --  She sacrifices everything first to guard Camp Half-Blood and then becomes a Hunter of Artemis.  She is a bad ass!

9. Alice from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland -- Not an obvious choice.  But she does navigate Wonderland and defeat the Queen of Hearts in a way.  I love her...

10. Cinderella from Fables series -- The ultimate spy posing as a fairy tale princess.  I loved the glimpses of her in the main series.  And she even gets her own spinoff.  From Fabletown with Love.

And for your viewing pleasure, check out the BAMF Girls. Hilarious!

Music Monday -- Duncan Sheik "It's Better to Be Dead"

Not a real happy song, but I love the moody atmosphere of this entire album.  (Whisper House)  The album is a bit of a concept album with interlocking stories throughout.  Give it a listen if you get a chance.

Lyrics (my favorite lines in bold):

I present to you a story Set upon a northern shore The denizens of lighthouse During times of war

The foolish things they did The foolish things they said I'm sure you will agree They would be better off dead

Lily keeps the lighthouse She's afraid of the unknown She's no ray of sunshine So mostly she's alone

And no one cares about her longing Or the dreams on which she's fed And though I'm sad to say it She would be better off dead

Next we have a sheriff Charles is his name He's something of a sideshow Every sheriff is the same

Will he stand for justice Or something else instead? Either way it hardly matters 'Cause he's better off dead

When everything is done And everything is said Life is naught but pain It's better to be dead

Release your heavy heart Rest your weary head When all the world's at war It's better, it's better

Witness Yasujiro He hails from old Japan He searches for redemption In this strange and foreign land

And now he works for Lily To earn his daily bread But the most that one can say Is that he's better off dead

Please, welcome young Christopher He's come here on a train His father flew to heaven In a fiery aeroplane

He's come to live with Lily He's got visions in his head He may be our main attraction But he's better off dead

When everything is done And everything is said Life is naught but pain It's better to be dead

Release your heavy heart Rest your weary head When all the world's at war It's better to be dead

Everything is done All things have been said It's good to be a ghost It's better, it's better to be dead

It's good to be a ghost It's better to be dead

Audio track from the album

A live version with pretty crappy audio, but visuals

The Sunday Salon #32

Listening To: I've made it to the Js in my review all the music we own.  Who knew there were so many J's in our account?  Slowly slowly.  I did rediscover my love of Jimmy Eat World, especially Bleed American.

Book finished: Blackout, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, The Princess and the Hound, The Princess and the Bear

Reading:Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson

On the Nightstand: Girl from Junchow and Jewel of St. Petersburg by Kate Furnivall

MakingLists: Crafting projects.  I have tried to make a list of great crafting projects that I want to complete in the next few months.  Lots of great ideas!

On the Web: More and more GoogleReader posts.  I've found some great new non-book blogs to follow.  Too many cute project ideas and recipes!

Crafting: I continued with scrapbooking Spring Break.  It's the project that never seems to end.  I still have at least 6 spreads for each kid's scrapbook.  Eventually I will finish this.

Last Tuesday's class: Fall Holiday projects.  If I still had a classroom, I would love to make these turkeys for students.  A perfect inexpensive but creative gift.  I like the tags, but won't be buying them this year.  But my favorite has to be the Halloween card.  I love the idea of four different patterned papares as a background.  Too cute!

Sunday's class: Stationary set.  This is such an easy and cute gift idea.  After whipping this out in no time, I decided that I needed to make more of these with some of my own supplies.

Wednesday's meet and greet: Individual projects.  I made a set of Thanksgiving cards and started on some stationary sets.

Watching: We completely finished Sanctuary after watching the series off and on for years.  On the old show front, I watched The West Wing S2-S3 and Gossip Girl S5.  J got me hooked on Reaper, love it!  Plus we caught up on a ton of currently airing shows and started a few newer ones (Up All Night, Arrow, Comic Book Men)

From Nature: It's been two weeks of up and down temperatures.  Rain has come and gone.  Sun has come and gone.  The weather reminds me a bit of the midwest.  Although the falling leaves contrast greatly with 80 degree temperatures.  Weird feeling.

Shopping Scores: I went a little shop crazy these past two weeks.  After trolling the local outlet mall, I only ended up buying five pieces.  The first two are from Banana Republic.  I must say that I'm really coming to love Banana Republic.  While I don't have many places to wear BR clothing, they do have more causal pieces available than I thought they did.  The second piece is a great blue color (can't tell from the picture).  The other three pieces are from Target, my store for everything.  The last one is a dress that I had been eyeing for awhile.  But I just didn't want to pay full price.  It happened to be on clearance and I had to snap up the last large.  The dress is really flattering and cute.  I can't wait to wear it.

I went shopping in Palo Alto with a friend on Thursday.  I didn't pick anything up for myself, but I did get the boys four long sleeved shirts from the Gap.  Four shirts for $18, so exciting!  I also grabbed four cupcakes from Sprinkles: mocha, dark chocolate, smore, and lemon.  Yummy yummy!

Project: I started three large projects these past two weeks.  I kept going with my US History note consolidation.  I finished Chapter 5 this week and started trying to organize the Civil War chapters.  Unfortunately the Civil War folders are just out of control.  Slowly. slowly I'm getting through them.  I also continued my crazy apartment wide reduction.  I'm working on the office right now.  Getting there...  Finally I tried to reorganize my craft supplies.  I think it is a bit out of control.

Day Zero Project Update: Week 55-58

Instead of daily posts, I thought it would be a lot easier for me and you if I did weekly update posts.  These will track my progress each week.  I will highlight what I’ve done, what I want to do, and any interesting tidbits.  Sometimes I’ll add pictures and/or links.  Hopefully these posts will keep me accountable to me list…

What I Did

5. Make a playlist of my favorite 101 songs -- Slowly working through the songs to narrow the list down.  I hope to have Music Monday posts highlighting these starting in January.

9. See 101 new movies (75/101)

• The Expendables -- Thank goodness it was free on Netflix.  A movie that takes itself way too seriously.
• Battleship -- Just a crazy action film.  No substance, but still pretty fun.
• Iron Sky -- Nazis from the ark side of the moon...  hee hee.  Loved it!
• Snow White and the Huntsman -- So much better than Mirror, Mirror.  Loved the supporting cast, especially Charlize Theron.
• Chronicle -- Awesome movie.  We like to think of it was what Episodes 1-3 should have been.
• Rock of Ages -- Cheesy, but Tom Cruise was awesome!
• Tucker and Dale vs. Evil -- Way too funny!  Laughed my ass off.

12. See all of IMDB’s Top 250 movies  (24/250) -- I forgot to notate these for the last few months, so I'm doing it now.  These are all movies I rewatched.

• 132. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part Two
• 181. How to Train Your Dragon
• 131. The Wizard of Oz
• 194. The Princess Bride
• 108. Die Hard
• 75. Monty Python and the Holy Grail
• 101. Up
• 57. Lawrence of Arabia
• 124. Snatch

20. Reread all of Jane Austen’s novels (2/6)

24. Keep a journal for this project

27. Make a list of 101 inspirational quotes (61/101)

28. Blog 1001 times  -- 38 for this period (620/1001)

32. Finish 30 reading challenges (16/30)

• Zombie Reading Challenge -- Another 24 books read for this year!

35.Join or create a book club -- Randomly a crafter friend asked if I wanted to be in a new book club with some fellow crafters.  Of course I said yes!  Which gave me three days to get and read our first book, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.  We are going to meet every month.  Books choices will be presented by the month's "Host" and voted on by the group.  For December we're reading The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott.  I'm really excited to read and discuss some new books!

71. Donate 100,000 grains of rice on freerice.com  (2040/100,000)

What I Plan to Do Next Week.

19. Complete The Artist’s Way -- The local library has a copy.  I plan to pick it up this week and make my preliminary plan.

Overall Progress

25/101

Video Sharing

Here's a few great videos that I've been enjoying in the past week: Ellen and the Bic for Her nonsense

I really want my Community back on...  When will it be October 19th?  Let Troy and Abed explain.

A serious plea from The Nerdist.

God I really love Amy Acker.

Quick go buy some bacon!

Movie Quotes -- 1990s Edition

Back in high school, I kept a quote notebook.  Anytime I ran across an interesting or funny quote I would put it in the book.  I eventually filled that notebook and started another.  I recently unearthed those notebooks to use for ideas for my Quote Wednesday posts.  While perusing the notebook, I ran across a huge section of movie quotes from the 1990s.  These were the movies that I watched over and over again in high school.  For today's fun, I thought I would share those quotes.  But you have to guess what movie they are from...  (don't worry, answers will be at the bottom of the post) 1. What's with you today, Lucas?  Yesterday you were normal, today you're like the Chinese guy from the Karate Kid.

1. What's with today, today?

2. Slappy, Swammy, Swans, Swanson?  Maybe it's on the briefcase.  Ah, Samonsite, I was way off!

3. If I saw myself dressed like that, I'd have to kick my own ass.

4. Yeah, but when the Pirates of the Caribbean breaks down, the pirates down eat the tourists.

5. Men should be like Kleenex: soft, strong, and disposable.

6. I figure we demand some weird stuff so that later we can plead insanity.

7. Go, go Buffalo!

8. I'd like to quit thinking of the present as some minor insignificant preamble to something else.

9. What, you think just cause a guy reads comics he can't start shit?

10. Have I stepped over some line in the sands of coolness with you?

11. What was that?  You're trailing off... and did I catch a "niner" in there?  Were you calling from a walkie talkie?

12. A gun rack?  A gun rack. I don't even own ahh gun, let alone many guns that would necessitate an entire rack!

13. I guess in the end I'm just a trendy ass poser.

14. Are you asking me out?  That's so cute; what's your name again?

15. I think most Scottish cuisine is based on a dare.

Make your guesses now...

Go on... you know you quote some of these at any given opportunity...

And now for the answers...

Answers:

1. Empire Records (1994)

2. Dumb and Dumber (1994)

3. Happy Gilmore (1996)

4. Jurassic Park (1993)

5. Clueless (1995)

6. Airheads (1994)

7. Idle Hands (1999)

8. Dazed and Confused (1993)

9. Mallrats (1993)

10. Reality Bites (1994)

11. Tommy Boy (1995)

12. Wayne's World (1992)

13.  SLC Punk (1998) -- love Heroin Bob!

14. 10 Things I Hate About You (1999)

15. So I Married an Axe Murderer (1993)

Stitch Fix Number 4

I came across Stitch Fix on Loop Looks (check her out!).  For $20 a shipment, you get a personalized style pack of five items.  Then, you try everything on and decide to keep 1, 2, 3, 4, or all 5 items.  The $20 stylist fee is credited to your purchase.  And if you buy all five items, you get an extra 25% off.  The company is currently in beta, but I was lucky enough to get an invite.

My last Stitch Fix didn't go so well.  I didn't like anything and sent the entire box back.  I decided to try again after my health debacles.  I had butterflies in my stomach in anticipation of what goodies I would find after opening. And I wasn't disappointed.

Here's what I got this time... (Ignore the horrid quality iPhone photos)

Item #1: Striped scarf

Pros: So soft!  Beautiful design.

Cons: I live in California (and not the cold part).  If I bought this, I would have limited chances to wear it.

Item #2: Navy pintuck blouse

Pros: Loved the fit.  Loved the color.  Easy to dress up or dress down.

Cons: Just a bit short.

Item #3: Purple silk blouse

Pros: The color!!!!  Beautiful color for a shirt.

Cons: Silk is hard to care for.  Overall it's a bit short.

Item #4: Cream tank top

Pros: Nothing, hated it.

Cons: Short, tight in weird places, don't like the look.

Item #5: Cream ruched cardigan

Pros: Very soft.  Very comfortable.  Easy to layer for cooler nights and warmer days.

Cons: The side ruching is a bit weird (but I could get used to this).  The price is a bit much.

So, what did I keep?

..

..

..

..

..

Item #2 Navy pintuck blouse.  I figure that I can add this into multiple outfits.  And the cut is very flattering.  Ignore the bad picture, it is beautiful. 

The Princess and the Bear by Mette Ivie Harrison

Title: The Princess and the Bear (Princess #2)

Author: Mette Ivie Harrison

Publisher: HarperTeen 2009

Genre: Fairy Tales

Pages: 327

Rating:   3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Telling Tales; Fall into Reading

How I Got It: Library Loan

He was once a king, turned into a bear as punishment for his cruel and selfish deeds.

She was a once a princess, now living in the form of a hound.

Wary companions, they are sent—in human form—back to a time when magic went terribly astray. Together they must right the wrongs caused by this devastating power—if only they can find a way to trust each other.

But even as each becomes aware of an ever-growing attraction, the stakes are rising and they must find a way to eliminate this evil force—or risk losing each other forever.

Meh...  It wasn't great, it wasn't bad.  It was just meh.  I think I might have liked this book more if I read it back in middle school.  I wasn't a big fan of either main character.  I didn't necessarily like the back-and-forth points of view.  I wasn't that emotionally invested with anyone.  I just didn't love the book.  I think I will be stopping with the series now.  On to better reads...

Princess

• #1 The Princess and the Hound
• #2 The Princess and the Bear
• #3 The Princess and the Snowbird
• #4 The Princess and the Horse
• #5 The Princess and the Wolf

Quote Wednesday - Bachelard

To feel most beautifully alive means to be reading something beautiful. -- Gaston Bachelard

What beautiful things have you read lately?  After reading this quote, I immediately thought of Carlos Ruiz Zafon's The Shadow of the Wind.  That book was a gorgeous confession of love for stories and books.  Now I really want to grab the other two books in the series hoping that they will be just as beautiful.  Go check it out!

Top Ten Tuesday -- Spooky Books

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.  If you can’t come up with ten, don’t worry about it—post as many as you can!

It's the haunted holiday season...  I thought I would share my favorite spooky books.  But anyone who knows me, knows that I love love love zombie books.  So my Top Ten is going to be the Top Ten Spooky Zombie Books.  Enjoy!

1. Autumn by David Moody -- Very dark, very adult zombie series.  Full of gore, just how I like it.  And I must say that this entire series really does scare the crap out of me...

2. Allison Hewitt is Trapped and Sadie Walker is Stranded by Madeleine Roux -- I loved the idea of Allison Hewitt blogging the aftermath of the zombie apocalypse.  The second book a lovely treat of zombie books.

3. Newsflesh trilogy by Mira Grant -- A different type of zombie book, but oh so good!

4. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies -- One of my favorite classic books mixed with zombies while still keeping the Austen style and passages... loved it!  I liked Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters a bit less than P&P&Zombies.

5. As the World Dies trilogy by Rhiannon Frater

6. The Walked Dead comic series -- I started reading the comic series after I started watching the TV series, but the comics still hold their own.  I love the stark black and white cells.  A masterpiece of spontaneity.

7. Living with the Dead trilogy by Jesse Petersen -- A more funny zombie novel about a couple reconnecting throughout the ordeal.   I loved this series so much...

8. World War Z by Max Brooks -- Documentary style highlighting the after effects of the zombie apocalypse.  I was really looking forward to the movie version, but I hear it's on the rocks right now.  Boo...

9. The Forest of Hands and Teeth trilogy by Carrie Ryan -- My favorite YA zombie series.  I love the look of the world years afterward.   The first one was my favorite hands down, but the other two were really good also.

10. Zombie Blondes by Brian James -- Stepford Wives meets zombies in this YA novel.  It was plenty creepy to keep me entertained.

The Princess and the Hound by Mette Ivie Harrison

Title: The Princess and the Hound (Princess #1)

Author: Mette Ivie Harrison

Publisher: HarperTeen 2007

Genre: Fairy Tales

Pages: 410

Rating:  4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Telling Tales; Fall into Reading

How I Got It: Library Loan

He is a prince and heir to a kingdom threatened on all sides, possessor of the forbidden animal magic.

She is a princess from a rival kingdom, the daughter her father never wanted, isolated from all except her hound.

In this lush and beautifully written fairy-tale romance, a prince, a princess, and two kingdoms are joined in the aftermath of a war. Proud, stubborn, and bound to marry for duty, George and Beatrice will steal your heart—but will they fall in love?

I actually grabbed the second book in this series, but stopped before reading it.  I went back to the library to grab the first one in the series.  A retelling of Beauty and the Beast.  I wasn't expecting that, but was pleasantly surprised.  The book is told mostly from the side of George.  it took me many pages before I figured out that this was a Beauty and the Beast retelling.  I was thrown by the concept of animal magic and the gender role switch.  After settling into the idea, I started to really like the story.  I loved George's struggle between who he is and who he thinks he should be.  It was a nice internal struggle.  I wish that we could have gotten to know Beatrice/Marit better.  It seems that George falls in love with her, but I couldn't pinpoint why.  For the ambiguous love, I dropped the book a star.  I just had too many questions at the end of it.  Maybe the second book will answer some of those for me.

Princess

• #1 The Princess and the Hound
• #2 The Princess and the Bear
• #3 The Princess and the Snowbird
• #4 The Princess and the Horse
• #5 The Princess and the Wolf

Music Monday -- Current Faves

Instead the usual music monday post, I just grabbed a few songs that I am dying over right now.  Some are new, some are old, all are much loved by me.  Enjoy!

The Lumineers "Ho Hey" -- Love their album

Mumford & Sons "Ghosts that We Knew" -- Been obsessing over the new album, but especially this song

Flogging Molly "Float" -- Love love love this song, especially live

Of Monsters and Men "King and Lionheart" -- My other current album obsession

Fuel "Million Miles" -- Oldie that I rediscovered in my cd box. Saw them live ~2004, great show.

Jason Mraz "No Doubling Back" -- Especially love the live album.

Jamie Cullum "Blame it on My Youth" -- Awesome song!

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

Title: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

Author: Rebecca Skloot

Publisher: Broadway 2011

Genre: Nonfiction - Biography/Science

Pages: 382

Rating:   5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fall into Reading

How I Got It: Loan from a friend

Her name was Henrietta Lacks, but scientists know her as HeLa. She was a poor Southern tobacco farmer who worked the same land as her slave ancestors, yet her cells—taken without her knowledge—became one of the most important tools in medicine. The first “immortal” human cells grown in culture, they are still alive today, though she has been dead for more than sixty years. If you could pile all HeLa cells ever grown onto a scale, they’d weigh more than 50 million metric tons—as much as a hundred Empire State Buildings. HeLa cells were vital for developing the polio vaccine; uncovered secrets of cancer, viruses, and the atom bomb’s effects; helped lead to important advances like in vitro fertilization, cloning, and gene mapping; and have been bought and sold by the billions.

A friend gave me this book to read for our newly formed book club.  I had seen it on a ton of book lists.  I had heard that I should read it, but just didn't get around to it.  Even J's friend told J that he had to read it.  So I dove in without many notions of what it was actually about.  And I was pleasantly surprised by how much I loved it.

My thoughts:

Skloot flips back and forth between the science of the HeLa cells and the life and rediscovery of Henrietta Lacks.  I instantly latched onto the science chapters.  I loved hearing the story of the HeLa cells and their impact on science and medicine.  I loved reading about the ensuing controversies over contamination, informed consent, and ethics.  I had known about the Tuskegee syphilis studies, but didn't realize how many more unethical experiments that were done in science's name.  I also had no knowledge of the so-called Nazi Law.  It was a revelation.  I felt that i added another piece in my understanding of society.  It was a fascinating read.  I would have loved to read what Skloot felt about the controversies, but she seemed to keep those parts much more factual.  The parts about Henrietta's life and death were heartbreaking.  The levels of misfortune, segregation, discriminationand just back luck pained me.  And then to see the cycle continue with her children was almost too much to bear.  At points the biography sections felt almost made up because they were so fantastic.  And yet, the characters inhabiting the story were all fantastic in their own ways.  True life can be more unbelievable than science fiction in many ways.  A fascinating book, now I'm off to book club to discuss.

Book club thoughts:

I'm back from book club to share some of our thoughts on the book...  We had a great discussion about many aspects of the book.  It's funny that the other ladies really loved the biography sections of the book and I gravitated toward the science sections.  But it did lead to some great discussions about the world of medicine and informed consent.  It seems we still don't have the issue clear.  Anyway, I had a lovely time and can't wait until the next meeting.  We're reading The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott for December.

Blackout by Mira Grant

Title: Blackout (Newsflesh #3)

Author: Mira Grant

Publisher: Orbit 2012

Genre: Zombie

Pages: 660

Rating:  5  / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Zombie; Mount TBR; Color Coded - Black; Fall into Reading

How I Got It: I own it!

The year was 2014. The year we cured cancer. The year we cured the common cold. And the year the dead started to walk. The year of the Rising.

The year was 2039. The world didn't end when the zombies came, it just got worse. Georgia and Shaun Mason set out on the biggest story of their generation. The uncovered the biggest conspiracy since the Rising and realized that to tell the truth, sacrifices have to be made.

Now, the year is 2041, and the investigation that began with the election of President Ryman is much bigger than anyone had assumed. With too much left to do and not much time left to do it in, the surviving staff of After the End Times must face mad scientists, zombie bears, rogue government agencies-and if there's one thing they know is true in post-zombie America, it's this: Things can always get worse.

What a conclusion to the trilogy!  I am blown away.  I couldn't have imagined that the conspiracy went so deep and was so insidious.  I love that this series, while keeping the zombie scares, involves a huge political thriller.  This was definitely a departure, especially a departure from my last series (As the World Dies from Rhiannon Frater), but I loved it.  I loved seeing more of my favorite characters, loved Maggie so much!  I loved seeing more action sequences, love the shooting!  I loved hearing more witty quips, hello Alaric!  I must caution readers that this series is super addictive and super dense.  While I flew through the pages, I sometimes needed to take a moment to let certain events and revelations sink in.  A very well-written complicated zombie thriller.

Newsflesh

• #0.4 Apocalupse Scenario #683: The Box
• #0.5 Countdown
• #0.75 San Diego 2014: The Last Stand of the California Browncoats
• #1 Feed
• #2 Deadline
• #3 Blackout
• #3.5 How Green This Land, How Blue This Sea
• #3.6 The Day the Dead Came to Show and Tell
• #3.7 Please Do Not Taunt the Octopus
• #4 Rewind

Quote Wednesday - cummings

The most wasted of all days is one without laughter. -- e.e. cummings

Instead of a quote discussion, I give you some funny videos to get a laugh...

My favorite line is at 6:00...

Music Monday -- The Lumineers "Stubborn Love"

I know their song "Ho Hey" is huge right now.  And I dearly love it.  But since I've already featured it twice on my blog, I thought I would highlight my second favorite song on the album.  For your pleasure, a tale of crazy irrational love...

Lyrics (my favorite lines in bold):

She'll lie and steal and cheat, and beg you from her knees Make you thinks she means it this time She'll tear a hole in you, the one you can't repair But I still love her, I don't really care

When we were young, Oh Oh, we did enough When it got cold, Ooh Ooh, we bundled up I cant be told, Ah Ah It cant be done

It's better to feel pain, than nothing at allThe opposite of love's indifference Pay attention now, I'm standing on your porch screaming out And I wont leave until you come downstairs

So keep your head up, keep your love keep your head up, my love [x2] Keep your head up, keep your love

I don't blame ya dear for running like you did, all these years I would do the same, your best believe The highway signs say we're close, but I don't read those things anymore I never trusted my own eyes

When we were young oh oh, we did enough When it got cold, Ooh ooh we bundled up I can't be told, Ah ah, can't be done

So keep your head up, keep your love keep your head up, my love [x2] keep your head up, keep your love

The Sunday Salon #31

Listening To: Lots of Mumford, Florence, and The Lumineers.  Basically this has been my soundtrack for the last few weeks.

Book finished: Feed and Deadline by Mira Grant

Reading: Blackout by Mira Grant (to finish my 24 zombie books challenge!)

On the Nightstand: Fairy tale books (I really want to push these through to finish the challenge)

MakingLists: Kitchen crap... I am trying to systematically clean out our cabinets by eating everything in them (don't be scared, not at one time).  As such, I am trying to not buy a ton of new food.  So no grocery lists...  it's killing me...

Crafting: Absolutely nothing.  I have been a bit distracted by headaches and tv shows.  I just didn't get around to being inspired and crafting.

Watching: Finished Life Unexpected S2.  J and I finally caught up with a ton of currently airing shows.  My goodness that was a ton of shows, but good things.  Plus we watched a ton of movies.

Project: I started tutoring, but realized that my U.S. History folders were in shambles.  First, I had to rip apart my curriculum boxes.  Even then things are not where they should be.  So, I've been trying to put things back together in order.  I also didn't complete my process of consolidating notes into one document before everything was packed.  I'm slowly working through those.  I spent 3 hours at the coffeehouse on Friday.  I didn't even finish Chapter 4, but I got really really close.  This isn't going to be a quick project, but it really needs to be done.  Especially if I keep tutoring.

Deadline by Mira Grant

Title: Deadline (Newsflesh #2)

Author: Mira Grant

Publisher: Orbit 2011

Genre: Zombie

Pages: 624

Rating:   5 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Zombie; Mount TBR; Fall into Reading

How I Got It: I own it!

Shaun Mason is a man without a mission. Not even running the news organization he built with his sister has the same urgency as it used to. Playing with dead things just doesn't seem as fun when you've lost as much as he has.But when a CDC researcher fakes her own death and appears on his doorstep with a ravenous pack of zombies in tow, Shaun has a newfound interest in life. Because she brings news-he may have put down the monster who attacked them, but the conspiracy is far from dead.Now, Shaun hits the road to find what truth can be found at the end of a shotgun.

The second part of this series continues the saga.  I love this series.  We get away from the political intrigue, or do we?  As much as I missed Georgia, I really grew to love Shaun in this book.  Even his crazy conversations with Georgia added a great character flaw.  And we get to meet some of the beta bloggers who become alpha bloggers.      I especially loved Maggie and all her crazy teacup bulldogs.  Of course, the conspiracy keeps getting deeper and deeper.  I loved the science involved in this series.  The zombies are scary, but I'm more scared of the humans involved.  I stayed up last night way too late trying to finish this book.  I got to the end and sat in my chair stunned.  I knew there would be a cliffhanger, but good graciousness that was big cliffhanger.  Now I must start Blackout.

Newsflesh

• #0.4 Apocalupse Scenario #683: The Box
• #0.5 Countdown
• #0.75 San Diego 2014: The Last Stand of the California Browncoats
• #1 Feed
• #2 Deadline
• #3 Blackout
• #3.5 How Green This Land, How Blue This Sea
• #3.6 The Day the Dead Came to Show and Tell
• #3.7 Please Do Not Taunt the Octopus
• #4 Rewind