Review: A Discovery of Witches

A Discovery of Witches: A Novel

So I read this book recently. It's a very large book. More of a tome. I'd been eyeing it at the bookstore, but wasn't willing to spend that much on a new author in hardback. And I must admit, the sheer size of it was intimidating.

A few weeks ago I saw it on one of the "new books" carts at the library, waiting to be reshelved. I took it as a sign, and grabbed it.

I almost didn't read it after noticing on the inside flap that it is the first book in a trilogy. All I could think was "It's book one and it's this big?"

I have to admit, it was very engaging at first. In a strange sort of way. I say strange, because the writing was heavy, ponderous, almost on the professorial level. Wich kind of fit, because the main character is actually a professor doing research. The premise is good, and different.

I don't know if any of this could be considered spoilers, so read on at your own peril.

Experiences

Watching a commercial for the Kind.le last night, I was struck with a sense of sadness. Although wistfulness might be more accurate. Stylistically appealing and positive, the commercial ends with the tag line "The book is back."

As much as I love my gadgets, I'm still primarily a hard copy reader. I'll take the physical book over the ebook any day. (Although I do have many of my favorites in both versions!)

What struck me about the commercial, is what is being lost in this switch to the electronic format. Books and libraries and bookstores have always been such a large part of my life. To this day, the trip to the library or to the bookstore is filled with a sense of youth and joy and expectation. The discovery, the wonder of rooms full of books. The endless, overwhelming possibilities.

How I remember those summer days when friends and I would bicycle to the library. I remember the Florida heat and humidity and daytime stillness almost as if I'm there now. That blast of cool air as we entered the quiet of the library. Running my fingers along the spines of the books as I hunted for the next one that would whisk me away. Then, finally, the excitement of finding it, the satisfaction in pulling it off the shelf.

Awesome Weekend

Sitrep: Gaining weight and not happy about it! But do you think I can make myself exercise? Nope.

Do you ever have one of those weekends where everything just seems to fall together? I just did. And it was wonderful.

Saturday I had a "free" day. Slept in, then headed down to the bookstore. Then I hit the used bookstore, then the independent bookstore downtown, and the library. After that I went home and read the whole afternoon. It was a beautiful day, sunshiny and breezy, temps in the 80's.

Another Book, Another Day

Read an interesting book yesterday. Interesting enough that I stayed up an hour past bedtime to finish it.

The Disappearance of Irene Dos Santos by Margaret Mascarenhas

It was a good book. Although there were some things that bothered me. The setting is in Venezuela, and the characters are constantly dropping Spanish words throughout the book. In the middle of sentences. Not a huge deal for me, I speak/read Spanish. But jarring enough. I mean, if the book was set in the US, it wouldn't bother me so much. But these people are in Venezuela and, I assume, speaking Spanish. So dropping Spanish words into conversation...doesn't fit for me. I dunno. Maybe I'm too particular. But at times it felt forced, as if the author wanted to remind you this is set outside the US. But I totally got that just from the style of writing and setting. Duh.

Definite flavor of South America. For me, anyway. Felt familiar, a little like being home, in Paraguay. The Spanish/South American culture is different. There's a different flow, way of being, speaking seeing. The premise of the story, the way it was written, all interesting.

Book-a-holic Haze

I managed to read 2 books last weekend, even with a trip to B. tossed in. Good thing it was a long weekend!

Went to B w/Little Sis because car needed 80k mile service. I like to have the big service jobs done at the dealership, just in case. Costs a pretty penny, but oh well. They dropped Shanni and I off at the mall, which just so happens to have a Barn.es & N.o.ble attached. Oh, what hardship. We did some clothes shopping, and I didn't get cranky!!! Imagine that. A little tired, but no noticeable impatience. Shanni did well with her money, checking all the sales before settling on what she wanted. She got a pair of shorts and a t-shirt that look too good on her. Sigh. When did she grow up?

We "had" to spend several hours at the bookstore until the car was ready. Oh, the horror. Shanni was laughing at the stack of books I sat down with to give a "test read". But only 2 into the pile I was fascinated by the book I ended up buying:

Dark Places by Gillian Flynn

The premise is what had me looking at it in the first place. It's about a woman named Libby Day, who survived a brutal attack on her family that left her mother and two sisters dead. She was 7 at the time, and became the star witness that sent her then 15 year old brother to jail for the murders.

Twenty-five years later, unable to really function in society and needing money, she's agreed to help a group that believes her brother is innocent. But they have to pay her for everything she does. A bit of a twisted concept. Most survivor stories are about truth and justice. This one is about survival.

The book is told from Libby's point of view in the present day, but has flashbacks of the twenty-four hours leading up to the murders. Those flashbacks are told from various family members' points of view. Mostly Libby, her mother, and her brother.

It's a pretty grim and unremitting look at a life of poverty. Both when she was young and now. Depression, anger, community biases, prejudices, all those things. "Dark Places" doesn't just refer to where she goes mentally when remembering what happened. Or the dark place her brother was in to have supposedly committed the murders.

The style of writing was captivating. It made me want to know.  It was very hard for me not to flip to the end and see who the murderer was. Maddening. That's not something I usually have problems with! But at some points I had to mentally "sit" on my hands to avoid flipping to the last few pages. The pacing of the book was great, I just wanted to know. [g]

The book is bleak, disturbing at times, but mostly just plain enthralling. Extremely well written. Lots of imagery (At one point Libby describes herself: "Draw a picture of my soul, and it’d be a scribble with fangs.")
 
One little development toward the end was too much too much, if that makes any sense. But I don't want to give anything away. The end, while fitting with the overall story, left me wanting a little more. Probably because I'm used to happy-ever-after endings, and with this kind of story there really isn't one. Can't be one.

The final truth was as startling as it was horrifying. But a strong ending to a riveting book. I'd definitely recommend it. I have the author's first book on reserve at the library. I'd buy it, but have already blown through my book budget and don't want to wait to read it.

Curiosity Killed the Cat

Okay, more like knocked her over or something.

This insatiable drive I have to learn has finally caught up with me. Sometimes I wonder if it's just better not to know things, especially things you have no way of changing.

1) Food Inc: If you haven't seen this documentary, and like eating meat, don't watch it.  Okay, it's about a lot more than just meat. It's got some good info on how we get our food, and how the process has been changed. But disheartening overall. Did you know that something like 80% of the processed foods on the US market have genetically modified ingredients in them? It's just very depressing. And listening to what Mo.nsa.nto (for one example) is doing to the farm industry/individual farmers. You can't fight. No one has the money the corporations do.

But this definitely made me want to cut meat out of my diet (too bad that leaves me nothing else to eat, since I don't like most veggies).  The feed lots of the cows were ugly, ugly, ugly. And I thought I was going to puke when they showed the cow where someone had made an opening into her upper stomach (rudiment?) and kept it open with a plastic tube and cap. We're talking large enough for a man to scoop some of the food out that she was "digesting". OMG. Want to puke just thinking about it. And the chickens. Horrible, horrible, horrible.

I'm going to have to look up several of the books referred to in the documentary.

2) The Immortal Life of Herietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

This one is a little harder for me to pinpoint. It's an astonishing tale on how one woman's cells made an impact on science. It's extremely easy to read, especially considering the science involved. But it's pretty light on that aspect. Enough to give an idea of what is going on, but no so much your eyes glaze over.

There's a suprising amount of interest for this book. At least at my library. I was number 5 on the waiting list, and there are 4 more people waiting for it. Considering it's the author's first book and was just released in February, I'm a bit surprised.

I'm not sure where I stand on the issues this book brings up. Ethical or unethical to use someone's cells without their consent? What about the commercial aspects? Shoudl they be able to make money off it? Off the top, my gut says "Hell, no, that's not ethical". But then I wonder where would science be? Medicine? It might be my cell, yet they're doing the work. But then there's the fact that it's my DNA. Pretty scary stuff to have out there for "all the world to see". So to speak. Tricky topic.

What definitely bothers me is learning that as of 2005

 "...the U.S. government had issued patents relating to the use of about 20 percent of known human genes, including genes for Alzheimer's, asthma, colon cancer, and, most famously, breast cancer. This means pharmaceutical companies, scientists, and universities control what research can be done on those genes, and how much resulting therapies and diagnostic tests will cost." [page 323]

One company owns the rights to the breast cancer and ovarian cancer genes, and charges $3000 to test for those genes. Insane!

"One survey found that 53 percent of laboratories had stopped offering or developing at least one genetic test because of patent enforcement, and 67 percent felt patents interfered with medical research. Because of patent licensing fees, it costs $25,000 for an academic institute to license the gene for researching a common blood disorer...and up to $250,000 to license the same gene for commercial testing." [page 324-325]

That's just to get permission to access the gene. Forget about the costs of the actual research! What the hell is going on here? How can a company be allowed to control our genes? Shouldn't this be open access for researchers and scientists and doctors? So everyone has access to the tests and cures affordably? And how has this happened with none of us knowing about it?

Another Good Book Weekend

Exercise Sitrep: Don't make me laugh. ;)

Read another good book last weekend. Picked it up on Friday, but didn't really get a chance to start on it until Saturday. Little Sis and her cousin ended up staying overnight Saturday, and I pretty much read through their visit. Only surfaced to separate them when the computer squabling managed to get through to me. :) Share and share alike when it comes to computer time. After 3 hours I kicked them off it. Enough is enough. Then they played the Wii for a bit.

I took the book to my bedroom intending to read, but decided it was better to sleep as I'd already stopped to get ready for bed. Stayed up to 12:30am, which is rare for me! When I woke up (early, thanks to the dogs who must eat by 7am), instead of going back to sleep (my usual tendency) I started reading again. Read the rest of the day after stopping for a shower and breakfast. Kicked the girls out - made them take Leia to the park. Didn't even turn the tv on.

So what's the book? The Day the Falls Stood Still by Cathy Marie Buchanan. Very well written for her first novel. It's general fiction, I guess you'd say. Or historical fiction? I enjoyed it though, and will keep an eye out for her future books. Normally I don't like first person viewpoint, but the last two books have been that way, and I've enjoyed them immensely. The writing styles couldn't be more different. This one wasn't as lyrical, but still captivating. She very skillfully wove historical fact about the place with fiction and folklore.

I really liked how the first person view really was first person. You don't get into the heads of the other characters at all, unless it's through the observations of Bess, the narrator/main character. It makes it more narrow, but as an outsider, you observe beyond her narrow interpretations. If that makes any sense. I like how the book dealt with the issues of war/grief/depression/shell shock/faith. Not what I was expecting, but I liked it. Don't read on if you don't like spoilers.

Alice I Have Been

Weekly Goal: Exercise 30 minutes 2x
Sitrep: 20 minute training walk w/Leia

Had a nice weekend. Got to talk with my oldest niece for the second week in a row. I always like that; don't know why I don't call more often. :) I feel bad I got her birthday present to her too late. And just in time for her cell phone to break, making the present moot...Ah well.

Read a good book this weekend. "Alice I Have Been" by Melanie Benjamin. I saw it at the bookstore, and was pleasantly surprised to see it at our library. Picked it up Friday after work and finished it by Saturday evening. When I finished it, I thought to myself "I need to read that again." It was a moving book.

The story is a fictionalized account of the real-life girl that inspired the Lewis Carroll "Alice" books. I usually don't like this type, prefering biographies. But I thought it was a totally fictional book until I got to the afterword. There really was an "Alice" that inspired Carroll. Benjamin took the few known facts of the real Alice's life and spun a pretty good tale. The writing was great, kept me enthralled. It flowed really well. Dare I say it was almost poetic? And the parts of the story that were from the seven and then ten and eleven year old's point of view were crafted nicely. It read like the voice of a child at that age. Thinking, actions, etc.

Note: There are some parts that, while merely alluded too, can be very disturbing. Especially, I would think, to parents.

Overall, I recommend this book. Extremely well written for her first time in historical fiction. I give it an A. I'm planning to look for the contemporary fiction she wrote under another name.

Giggles

Exercise report for last week: 60 minutes @ the gym. Only 1x, but at least it was 60 minutes!
Goal for this week: Exercise 2x, at least 30 minutes each time.

So my horoscope made me giggle this morning:

Your actions may be touched by a very fanciful frame of mind today, dear Aries. Be careful about indulging in recreational substances that take you out of reality for a while. Your tendency will be to want to escape into the cosmos, but sooner or later, you will have to come down. Deal with your issues now before you become even more clouded than you were before. Take action with a clear and sober mind.

Fanciful frame of mind; I can do that. It's what won me the i.P.od To.uch. But the recreational substances is a hoot. Unless you can count Suda.fed and migraine meds...because I "indulged" in spaghetti w/tomato sauce this weekend and ended up with a mirgraine yesterday. Alas. It's a travesty for tomato to be linked with migraines. It's just not right.

Anyway. I don't need recreational substances to take me out of reality. Day-dreaming has always been easy for me. And a good book transports me "into the cosmos" better than anything. Good thing Nalini Singh has a new book coming out tomorrow. Second in the archangels series. [g]

It's nice to start off the day like today: phone call with my sis last night has me planning a visit for March, new pics of my youngest nieces in my email first thing, it's 9:30 am and I've crossed several items off my work to-do list, and now a laugh from my horoscope. A fine beginning to a fine week. :)

The Bliss List

So I recently read this book called “Choosing Brilliant Health” by Greg Hicks and Rick Foster.

A lot of what they have to say I’ve heard already in other forms, etc. But the way they have put it together and the research they have done make it an interesting read. It’s a step beyond just saying “think positive” and has a few concrete steps you can do. I like more than just theories/ideas. Practical how-to’s are my thing. [Which is why I have a hard time implementing Cesar Milan’s dog-training, but do well with Victoria Stilwell’s advice. But that’s a post for another day.]

Alas, it was an inter-library loan, and my timing couldn’t have been worse. Not enough time to do more than a hurried read (no renewal allowed. So I don’t remember all 8 steps.

The ones that stuck with me are regarding the Bliss List and Centralizing. What I got out of it is that you should come up with things that make you happy, that you enjoy. Not just what I'm thankful for having in my life (although there's plenty of that.) But more a focus on what I like to do and have around me. Create this list and then centralize it. Focus on one or two of those things daily; make them happen.

At first I was like, “Huh? I don't know about that.” But the more I thought about it, the more it appealed to me. A bit of a challenge so-to-speak. So here’s my attempt at a bliss list, in no special order: 

• Laughter
• Reading a really good book
• Writing
• Learning (especially history, religion, culture)
• Hanging out with friends
• Family (talking with, visiting)
• Leia & Max (the new dogs)
• How I feel after working out/accomplishing workout
• Belaying for Little Sis
• Scrapbooking

I know; a lot of these things aren’t that concrete. And it doesn’t seem like a long list. But these are the thoughts that come to mind today when I focus on my “bliss” list. These are the things I enjoy, that make me feel good.

So I’m going to try to incorporate as much of this into my daily life as possible over the coming year. Let’s see how I do!

Fait Accompli

Sitrep: 10 min bicycle, 20 min treadmill.  Edited to add: Just read yesterday's post on Charlie Mike. Ouch. Was this post spot on for me or what??? I am so glad I worked out last night.

Yay! I did not get dessert last night. Although I did have most of a 10oz steak. But I opted for the rice pilaf instead of the potatoes. Is rice better than potatoes? I thought it was. But I digress. Got back to the hotel and made myself go work out. 10 minutes on the bicycle for a warm up and then 20 minutes on the treadmill. Did a 20 minute mile. :) That's good for me!

And sheesh, just looked over the last post. Boy, was I in a bitter/cranky mood or what???? Not today. Today I get to go to the bookstore: Barnes & Noble here I come!!! Books, glorious books!

Trying to Be Cheerful

What's that old saying? It never rains but it pours? Well, KT got in a car wreck last night on the way home from work. She's okay; very shaken but unhurt. And very, very lucky. No other vehicle involved. She says she saw something out of the corner of her eye, swerved to avoid it, then overcorrected and rolled the car. She was on cruise control at the time, so I think she didn't brake. She was driving north, the car ended up on the hood facing south. Scary. Thank goodness she was wearing her seatbelt as there were NO air bags in the car.

But her car is totaled. And they only had liability on it. (For Pete's Sake!! On a teen driver? Her dad was not thinking when he got her coverage!) At least no one was hurt, she's okay, and she has a job & few other expenses. So she might be able to get a car and make payments.

So. Focusing on the positive: I've been reading some interesting books. The first I saw in the bookstore, and got from the library after quite a wait:

The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe (hardback, 2009 release)

It was actually pretty good, for a first novel. It's set in modern day with flasbacks to the Salem Witch Trials time period. There were times the heavy wording got to me (very scholarly in parts, but then, the main characters were grad students working on theses, so...) and some aspects of the plot were too lightly/quickly developed for me while others were overdone, but overall a decent read. I do wish there had been more of the book spent on the flashbacks/historical chapters. But that's me. I like that time period. Anyway. I'll keep an eye out for future books by Katherine Howe.

Enemy Women by Paulette Jiles

I just got this at the library on Saturday after seeing it at Costco. (A good source; I browse Costco's book section, enter interesting titles into the notepad feature of my phone, and get them from the library.)

So far it's good. The story is set in the Missourri Ozarks during the Civil War. Admittedly an area of Civil War history I haven't read about. Warning: There are NO quotation marks used to indicate speech. Which is difficult for this grammar freak to deal with. So each time I pick up the book it takes me a bit to get past that and let the story take center stage. But I'm still pausing every little bit going "Wait, did she/he say that or think that?" [Almost makes me giggle, because I have a tendency to wonder that about myself. One of my little idiosyncracies from being single and having a pet!!!] But the book is interesting so far. And I am able to get past the no-quotations thing. I'll post more when I finish the book.

Book Censorship Map

Another lovely Goo.gle Map. Here's one compiled by the ALA showing book bans and challenges from 2007-2009 in the US.


View Book Bans and Challenges, 2007-2009 in a larger map

Banned Books Week 2009

During the last week of September every year, hundreds of libraries and bookstores around the country draw attention to the problem of censorship by mounting displays of challenged books and hosting a variety of events. The 2009 celebration of Banned Books Week will be held from September 26 through October 3. Join the celebration of our freedom to read, visit http://www.bannedbooksweek.org/

A little over a week ago my Little Sis called me in hysterics because her mom was threatening to restrict her from finishing the latest installment in the Gossip Girl series she was reading. Her mom also wanted to know why I don’t “monitor” what Little Sis gets when we go to the library.

Honestly, it really hadn’t occurred to me. Until this past year, the books she got were from her school or public library recommended reading list.

I was surprised her mom was this upset. Little Sis is on book 5, and has been telling me about each one ad nauseum since discovering the series. How her mom hasn’t heard about them until now I’ll never know. I’m thinking she just tuned it out until one day she didn’t. Her objection is that the series is too adult for Little Sis. Too much sex, etc.

Apparently she was threatening to have to read any books first before Little Sis could read them. [Like she has time!] I told Little Sis it was her mom’s right to monitor what she reads, and told her to say “Ok Mom.” I also told her to tell her Mom I’ll read the books myself to see what’s what. [May all the Gods save me!] Little Sis is still reading the book so I guess they worked something out.

But I've never seen either of them get this worked up over the appropriateness of a book before. And I haven't really known Mom M to threaten restricting a book, either. She's as big a reader as I am.

Top 10 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 2008
Out of 513 challenges as reported to the Office for Intellectual Freedom

(Books in bold are ones my Little Sis, her sister KT, Mom M and I have all read)

1. And Tango Makes Three, by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell
Reasons: anti-ethnic, anti-family, homosexuality, religious viewpoint, and unsuited to age group

2. His Dark Materials trilogy, by Philip Pullman
Reasons: political viewpoint, religious viewpoint, and violence

3. TTYL; TTFN; L8R, G8R (series), by Lauren Myracle
Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited to age group

4. Scary Stories (series), by Alvin Schwartz
Reasons: occult/satanism, religious viewpoint, and violence

5. Bless Me, Ultima, by Rudolfo Anaya
Reasons: occult/satanism, offensive language, religious viewpoint, sexually explicit, and violence

6. The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky
Reasons: drugs, homosexuality, nudity, offensive language, sexually explicit, suicide, and unsuited to age group

7. Gossip Girl (series), by Cecily von Ziegesar
Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited to age group

8. Uncle Bobby's Wedding, by Sarah S. Brannen
Reasons: homosexuality and unsuited to age group

9. The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini
Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited to age group

10. Flashcards of My Life, by Charise Mericle Harper
Reasons: sexually explicit and unsuited to age group

http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/banned/frequentlychallenged/21stcenturychallenged/2008/index.cfm

Too Many Thoughts

I've had so many thoughts lately I want to blog about. But when I actually sit down at the computer, my mind's a blank. Things that have skittered through my mind -

• Sotomayor hearing/confirmation
• Health reform
• Returning home
• Books I've been reading

and more I just can't remember. I managed to listen to the Sotomayor hearings while at work. And watched some of it on television. I have to say, I was impressed with her performance. The way she just wouldn't rattle or lose her temper, etc, was great. She came across to me as steady, thoughtful, intelligent. And frankly, someone willing to acknowledge that we all have biases and it's good to recognize that in ourselves and understand our bias for what it is, well...she has my vote. And while I'd love someone who would stand there and say reproductive rights for women come hell or high water (ie, no overturning R v W) it's okay with me that she's moderate. It really was quite the contrast seeing her facing down a table of white haired men. I've long felt that congress doesn't have a clue where I'm coming from as a single female in her thirties. It's a frustrating feeling, really. Am I really represented? Who knows. Oh, and every time someone said (or says even now) "legislate from the bench" it drove (drives) me nuts. They are interpreting based on law and precendent. And people's interpretations/definitions change as culture/society changes. Really. Otherwise, whites could not marry blacks, women wouldn't have the vote, it would be legal to not hire minorities (including women) because of their minority status, abuse would be accepted...Legislation doesn't always keep up with changes in societal beliefs and thinking. It's often controlled by congress pandering to the loudest voting blocks in their districts, not what's best for the majority of the people in their districts, regardless of party affiliation or votes. Or it's motivated by fear; fear of something or someone different, of losing something, of that great unknown change signals. I find it hollowly amusing when legislators complain about the courts and judges not doing what they want them to do when it comes to legislation. In other words, saying that their legislation isn't legal. For Pete's Sake. That's what they were designed to do. The justice system is supposed to be a check and a balance against the legislature. They are supposed to be independent. Did nobody get taught about the deliberate checks and balances of the US system? He-llo-oh...

Review Days [link corrected]

Sitrep: 45 minutes treadmill (too much, apparently, as my left leg is stiff & sore today)

I've been reading a lot more since returning from my sister's over the holidays. Not that I read much there...too busy playing w/my niece. But I've been reading some new-to-me authors (Thanks Janet W) and an old-to-me author. I'll start with that one. "Dark of Night" by Suzanne Brockmann note: I wrote this 2/11 after reading the book, and before coming across some author posts/comments. I just haven't posted until now due to my obsessive need to pare down words and correct myself. Not that it does much good. SPOILER ALERT I didn't enjoy this book. I do believe it is a combination of things. But I'll start by telling you my mindset when I picked it up on Friday night [a week after the release date. It was finally my turn at the library.]

1. I no longer consider her books romance. More suspense with relationships thrown in.
2. I was in the mindset for a cleverly written suspense novel.
3. I was not in the Sophia/Decker camp as neither character particularly jumped out at me to start with. Same with Tess/Nash, Dave, Tracy. Ho-hum. Although I enjoyed Tracy when first introduced to her in Into the Storm. And thought Tess/Nash had found their ho-hum HEA in their book.
4. I was very tired and really wanted a book I could escape into.

Now for the review.

About 20-40 pages into the book, I tossed it (literally) aside and watched TV instead. There was a lot of back story that needed to be explained for any potential new reader. To me, this came across as Show (then explain/tell). Kinda bogged the story line moving as quickly forward as usual. [Cranky Otter calls this "info dump". It fits.]

Sunday I gave it another go, because, well, I hate to give up on an author I like. Pretty much still the same mindset as on Friday night. I read and read, struggling, really. I felt like I was walking through mud. Or trying to run in sand on the beach. The show & tell really started to bug me. I was distracted, found myself thinking DUH, I got it, you don't need to explain what the character just said. I'm not stupid. Not a good thing to be thinking when you just want to get lost in a book.

The relationship portion had two "romantic" couples - Sophia/Dave and Decker/Tracy. For something like 5 years (not sure on the dates) there has been this dangling plot line of Sophia/Decker. After hinting in previous books (especially the last one), the pairing became Sophia/Dave. Only in the last book did I pick up on anything that might be Decker/Tracy. And it was a pretty obvious hint, since I picked it up. I don't usually read her books to pick up hints. I try to just enjoy the current story and go with the flow. Not being in the Sophia/Decker camp, I didn't really mind the pairing. Whatever. Because in my mind these aren't romances anymore, so...

I didn't feel there was much to Sophia and Dave's relationship. He was, shall we say, on the needy side? I felt smothered. Frankly, she should have kicked his ass. And he should have told her to go to hell. Putting up with all that I-love-Decker for years. What is he, some kind of masochist? Where's his pride? No respect for him on my end.

I was irritated with the characters. Especially the male characters. These men are attracted/in love with these spec ops type women, yet kept secrets to the Nth degree to "protect" their woman...Their strong, capable, kick-a$$ women? Oh, how caveman-ish. Decker, Nash, and finally, when Dave wouldn't tell Sophia something, I kinda half screamed out loud. (Scully went and hid at that point.) What, are these guys clones?

This is also the point I said F-this (literally), and skipped to the end of the book. Worked much better for me that way. Jumped around after that, reading scenes that popped out at me, etc.

So please note, that probably does affect my understanding of some points I didn't "get":

1. Why the hell was Jules/FBI involved in this? Even "unofficially".
2. Why the hell was the entire Troubleshooters office gone? Tom's making that much money in the first five years of his business they can do that? Not believable to me. Maybe a small point, but still...
3. Tracy was the only one with the "hope" to pick up the inconsistencies that meant Nash was still alive? yeah, right. Her being best friends with Nash and all that. Not.
4. Decker/Sophia - their "conversation" that tied up the angst that was between them for all those books? Very blah, kinda a "huh?" moment. And I wasn't even rooting for those two.
5. Really Bad Guys are after Nash, and S&A bring their baby along? Uh-huh. Right.

Now we get to my Biggest Pet Peeve w/Ms. Brockmann.

1. sex without a condom. It's in just about every freakin' book she writes, lately. What, is that supposed to mean they're in love? They forget themselves in the passion of love and don't use a condom? Puh-leeze. At least this time she ended up pregnant.

So. That's my personal view of DON. Before I came across an author Q&A on Barnes & Noble. The first part of the Q&A that caught my attention was this line:

“It was like dragging a piano up a hill with a rope the entire time.” S Brockmann on writing Dark of Night. (Date/Time Stamp: 02-06-2009 05:46 PM. About two-thirds of the way down.) I copied the quote out because it perfectly describes how I felt reading this book.

[FWIW, this link starts on pg 1 of the Q&A. If you're up to reading it this late in the game, good luck! It took me almost 2 hours to find the correct page to link!]

The more I read, the more disquieted I got. Many of the same feelings/questions I had were brushed aside rather rudely, I thought. With a "tough s&*t" attitude.

Personally, I can understand how so many people are upset. You can bring a horse to water but you can't make it drink. But if you bring that horse to water, and it drinks, but the water is vinegar, don't be surprised if the horse reacts negatively.

After ten years buying (multiple copies, several languages), reading, and promoting her books to every person I know, and in every bookstore I go to, (and this was way before she was a NY Times best-seller), I am personally insulted that I'm labeled as anti-gay because I don't like this book. That's a mighty big brush to tar & feather with.

But it wasn't enough to do that. Oh, no. She had to make other comments denigrating romance readers and so forth. The very readers that have propelled her to NY Times Best-Seller status.

Seriously, some of her comments are ones I've heard from non-romance readers, writers and press, etc. You know the ones. Who think all romance readers are stupid, uneducated, loser women.

And here's someone that got their start in the romance industry. I understand wanting to move on to bigger and supposedly better things. But to look down your nose at the very people that put you there? Not well done. And people can say all they want about her talent, but it means very little if the readers don't buy the books. That's what makes the publisher more inclined to keep publishing your stuff.

I'm sure it won't make any difference to Ms Brockmann (or her publishers). But I will no longer support someone that looks down on me. Not by word of mouth, and not by sending my hard earned dollars her way. There's no excuse, in my book, for being rude to readers who didn't like your book, and ask you very thought out, nicely phrased questions about your book.

Getting It Right

Last Week’s Sitrep: Tues – 30 treadmill, 10 minutes crunches, 20 minutes bicycle Thurs – 45 minutes Life Fitness Circuit (setup w/1 set on 16 machines - weights, computerized system) Sat – 40 minutes swimming (making games up so my little & I were moving) This week: Goal - 3x workout at gym Completed 1x on Sun – 35 minutes weights (legs, arms, abs); 15 minutes Treadmill

Yet another attempt at adapting “Wuthering Heights” for film aired last night on PBS. It was okay, but disappointing so far. One and a half hours, when normally they go an hour and forty to forty five minutes. Yes, that’s only 15 minutes or so. You’d be surprised how that makes a difference. There was beautiful scenery. But the skips in the story drive me mad. An absolute lack of chemistry between the actors playing Heathcliff and Cathy was jarring to me. And the way they cut lines from some of the most important scenes, or re-worked them. Example: the scene Heathcliff runs away. He overhears the conversation between Cathy and Nelly up to the point she says it would degrade her to marry him. Then he runs off. After making her dramatic declaration “Nelly, I am Heathcliff”, in the book she soon learns he overheard, and she ends up getting sick in the rain trying to find him/waiting for him to return. Thus she ends up at Thrushcross Grange to convalesce. They trashed that whole conversation. This is one of the best scenes of the book, and lays much of the groundwork for Heathcliff’s determined destruction of them all. And then the way they kept switching the order of scenes around. The whole sketchy, jumping around, no explanations with Linton & Catherine (the daughter) at the beginning was so unnecessary. Confusing, detracts from Cathy/Heathcliff…I can only imagine what someone new to the story would be thinking. They have this problem with a lot of the film adaptations of WH. Either they don’t care to dedicate the time needed to fully adapt this book to film, or the person adapting hasn’t read the book, or read it enough. I just don’t understand, especially PBS. Maybe it’s because they’re trying to modernize Masterpiece Theater. I noticed some glaring shortening/editing of the Jane Austen films last year that left them disappointing. Why do they do this when I know they can do it right? Just look at that marvelous adaptation of “Pride & Prejudice” with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle. Of course, I’m probably a bit biased as my first introduction to “Wuthering Heights” was the movie adaptation with Laurence Olivier and Merle Oberon. Granted, it’s an adaptation that only covered the first half of the book, including the end of the book with Heathcliff’s death. But the acting, the passion between the two leads, the fact that they didn’t re-work the order of the book, or alter/omit lines in the important conversations…now that is what makes the difference, I think. Ah, well. I’ll tune in next week no doubt, to see how they butcher the conclusion.

I found a Gem & Wasn't Looking

Sitrep: 1x Swimming, 1x Pilates Class (60 mins), 2x Walk (30 min ea, w/dogs)

Also known as A Trip to the Library. :) I took Shanni & KT to the library Saturday, mostly for their sakes as I have umpteen million books I'm currently reading, and that's not including my TBR pile. Having caught whatever bug Shanni (and everyone else in town) had last week, I could not concentrate on books or TV to save my life. In spite of myself, I found a book while casually browing the new book shelf: My Enemy's Cradle by Sara Young. from B&N website blurb:

Cyrla's neighbors have begun to whisper. Her cousin, Anneke, is pregnant and has passed the rigorous exams for admission to the Lebensborn, a maternity home for girls carrying German babies. But Anneke's soldier has disappeared, and Lebensborn babies are only ever released to their father's custody— or taken away.

A note is left under the mat. Someone knows that Cyrla, sent from Poland years before for safekeeping with her Dutch relatives, is Jewish. The Nazis are imposing more and more restrictions; she won't be safe there for long.

And then in the space of an afternoon, life falls apart. Cyrla must choose between certain discovery in her cousin's home and taking Anneke's place in the Lebensborn—Cyrla and Anneke are nearly identical. If she takes refuge in the enemy's lair, can Cyrla fool the doctors, nurses, guards, and other mothers-to-be? Can she escape before they discover she is not who she claims?

It sounded intriguing - you don't see stuff about the Nazi Lebensborn program all that much. Actually, I can only ever remember one other fiction novel that this is talked about and part of the storyline. Although that's not a good example statistically speaking; I read but I don't read that much! After reading a few pages there, it seemed an okay read so I checked it out. I finished In the Bleak Midwinter that night (also a good read), and Sunday morning picked up My Enemy's Cradle. And finished it by dinner time. Aside from a few plot twists I found a bit harder to suspend reality for, it was a really good book. It's her first adult fiction novel; she's written quite a few children's books under the name Sara Pennypacker. I wish there had been a bit more from the eventual romantic interest's viewpoint prior to seeing him in the latter part of the book. Would have made his "revelation" a bit more believable. But it is very much first person POV; you don't get into anyone else's head but Cyrla's. And some threads are left hanging at the end, just a few minor ones. But I think it is fitting for the time period where people often "disappeared" and no one ever knew what became of them. Anyway, for a good read, with lots of emotion (at least there was for me; I even dreamt about it last night), I recommend finding this book. I'm definitely going to keep an eye out for her next adult fiction novel. And might just look for her children's stuff at the library to see if any of it would be good for my youngest niece. :)

Saying Goodbye to Favorite Authors

Sitrep: last week - 30 minutes swimming
Goals: 2x Boot camp

One of my favorite authors, Suz.anne Bro.ckmann, released a new book last week. And I have yet to buy it. Yes, I know. Coming from the person that scoured used book stores on her vacation in Japan to find copies of her back list, this is shocking.

I haven't enjoyed her last few books as much as I used to. (My post on her previous book) Part of it is that I have changed since I first discovered her books 10+ years ago. Part of it is she has changed, as has the world.

I'm on the library waiting list for this one. I noticed Saturday that I'm now up to number one (from 4 on release day), with the next copy due back around August 14. But I'm so not excited about this. I think I'm actually dreading reading this book. Made evident by a BB post header listing several characters that apparently have secondary story lines in this book. Characters from two of her "triangles"; the seemingly endless soap-opera-like threads. [sigh]

It's so depressing when an author whose books/writing I enjoy evolves into a different style. It happened with J.ude De.vereaux, Ju.lie Ga.rwood, etc. It's the switch over to mainstream, more fiction/suspense, I think. And seems to happen around or after they move into hardback. After they hit the bestseller lists. Reader, publisher, editor or author driven, it seems to inevitably happen.

This weekend it dawned on me that OTE was the last book of hers that I read more than once. Every one after that, once I'd read it, I put it away and that was that.

Her writing style has changed. Slowly at first with the introduction of the Sam/Alyssa/MaryLou triangle. But once that went over so "well" (hey, it generated lots of buzz and people wanting to keep reading to get to the end) it's like that became the sole goal. There are now three continuous story lines or "arcs": Decker/Dave/Sophia, Tess/Nash, Izzy/Tracy. The last book and now this book introduce the hero and heroine for the first time. And they are newcomers to the "world" she's created. Characters we've never heard about. It's like they are foils for these story arcs, and overshadowed. Less detailed, less impressive, less important. At least, that's how I feel.

And her books are definitely more political. It's not like my politics and hers differ. They really don't from what I can tell. I just am tired of the "causes". Maybe they were always there; I'm either too sensitive or the climate politically has changed and it's coming across more stridently in her books. I don't k now. But things like "Cosmo" pulling out the PF.LAG button/emblem (whatever it was) didn't fit in the scene it happened in. Maybe it was the way it was written, like it was added to promote the group, not as part of the character development. I'm so not sure why that was jarring to me and stands out. Hmmm.

The characters no longer stand out for me; they blend together now. It's kind of irritating that the heroines all seem to be of the same type: spunky, law-enforcement type background, etc. The continual use of alcoholism, lack of condom useage. It's becoming repetitive. And I know I've remarked on this before, but the fact that everyone the characters meet has the same type of sense of humor etc. It's like what happened with Davi.d E.ddings. I loved the "Belagariad". The "Belgarion" was pretty good. But after that, especially through the "Sparhawk" and later series, it's like they were pale imitations of the first books.

Or like the Ro.bert J.ordan "Whee.l of T.im.e" series. Wonderful writing, detailed, intricate story lines, great characters. Until what, the fourth or fifth book? Then the characters (especially the women) started to become more like empty shells of themselves, more alike than dissimilar, and way too many threads/story lines for any of them to be satisfactorily written. It was too easy to become lost, confused...and way too much work to read the books as they came out. I'm not sure to this day, almost twenty years after the first book in the series, if he ever finished it.

But I digress. So this is how I feel about Suz' books. Rather a revelation to me. And I'm not sure I even want to read this latest one, In.to the F.ire, when my turn comes up at the library. I'm tempted to wait until she finishes these story arcs. Or maybe not even then. (Which will probably get me banned from the BB.)

Lucky Bookstore Find

Sitrep: no Mount Helena tomorrow. :(

So yesterday I drove to Butte with my little sis and her family. It was bankruptcy court date, and their car is in the shop. Of course. So I "volunteered" to take them. It's only about an hour away, and a pretty drive. I didn't have a clue where we were going, but Steve said he knew, no prob. Riiiiight. Ya know, when a person is driving down the interstate at 75 mph, and you're the navigator, you really have to tell them it's their exit coming up before you pass it!!!!

He said he could get us there taking the next exit, and foolishly I listened instead of just turning around like I wanted to. Sigh. We had 10 minutes to get to the courthouse by the time the attorney had given them (thank goodness he told them to be there 30 minutes before the hearing start time!!!!). I was not exactly happy as I thought they were going to be late for court. Not a good idea. I think judges tend to get irritated by that kind of thing.

Anyway. Steve & Michelle were doing the usual couple-bickering-over-asking-for-directions thing, KT telling me to just "Google it", and Shanni was uncharacteristically quiet. Smart kid. [g] I'm going how the hell do I "Google it" when I'm driving? I don't exactly have the Internet in my car...that's when KT (in that teenager tone - you know the one) informed me that I can text Google for directions. How the heck am I supposed to know that? I usually Google it BEFORE I GO. To put an end to the madness I just pulled over, grabbed my cell and called a coworker that lives in Butte. She told me how to get where we were going and we were there just in time to meet the attorney.

Oh, did I mention that downtown Butte is something like 4 blocks by 4 blocks? Turns out where I pulled over was two blocks from the courthouse, which we could see from where we were. I even pointed to it and said "is that it?" Hah.

After that was done, we ate lunch, and then went shopping. First store was this great little used book store. I spent $25 there. I found a copy of Anne Morrow Lindbergh's "Listen, the Wind" which I've been wanting for a long time. :) Happy happy. And it was only $5.00. Joy, joy I had the worst time figuring out where they put her books. The owner said his wife insists on shelving AML in the classics section. He lead me to the right book case, and I saw it first. I almost knocked him over trying to get it off the shelf. LOL.

Then we hit a couple of antique stores, took the girls to the mall, and came home. It was a good day! Except for when Steve lost his patience and went to haul the girls out of Claire's Boutique. He was a pretty amusing sight standing there in the midst of all that girly stuff. And suitably threatening, as the two made their choices ASAP when they saw him.

Happy, happy, joy, joy...that was me last night fondling my new-to-me books as I tried to read them all at once.

P.S. - Shanni forgot she's babysitting all day tomorrow, followed by an school friend's slumber party, so no hike on Mount Helena. Too bad I promised her months ago that I wouldn't go up there without her. Stupid me. So it's Boot Camp with Alden this weekend.

P.S.S. - Almost forgot! They weren't there last night when I watered, but this morning the onions are peeking through the surface...a whole 1/4"! Whoo-hoo!