Cornelia Funke Challenge: Wrap Up

Zoe's Book Reviews hosted the Corenelia Funke Challenge, which ran from November 29, 2008, to March 1, 2009. The goal was to read three Funke books. I finished this one just under the wire!

I read the following books. Click on the title to see my review (my rating is in parentheses).

Inkspell (A+)
Inkdeath (C+)
Igraine the Brave (B)



Inkspell was by far the best of the three because it highlighted one of my all-time favorite characters, Dustfinger. Inkdeath was a bit of a letdown, but it's a must read to finish out the series. Igraine the Brave was a charming children's tale that I recommend for any young girl.

I have Thief Lord on its way to me, and I can't wait to read it. I'm glad there are more Funke books left for me to explore.

Funke at an Indie
Funke at Powells

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Awards!

Molly from My Cozy Book Nook was kind enough to give me this cool award. Thanks so much, Molly, I really love it! Be sure to check out Molly's blog, which is a terrific one that I visit every day.







Smash over at Great Books and Fresh Coffee gave me this Blogs Friends Award. Awwwww! Thanks, Smash, making new friends has been one of the great things about blogging. Don't forget to click through to Smash's blog, another one I visit on my regular rounds.



Thanks so much to both of you!! I visit a number of fabulous blogs written by my bookish friends daily -- I wish I could give each one of you both of these awards.

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Penmanship Tag

I was tagged by Melody from Melody's Reading Corner for this great penmanship meme. Thanks, Melody, it was lots of fun!

Once upon a time, I had such good penmanship that store clerks would take the time to look at my checks and compliment me on my handwriting. I used to do lots of drafting, and my drawings and blueprints (pre-CAD days) were amazingly clean, and my printing was beautiful. I loved doing calligraphy.

Then I went to graduate school and started my doctoral research. There just wasn't time to make sure each letter was perfectly formed. Then I started working in a profession that required so much writing I would go through two or three pencils a day. And although I have long since earned my degree and now work mostly online, my penmanship never recovered.

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Okay, enough about that. Here's the meme.

1. Write down who tagged you.

2. Answer these:
a. Your name / user name / pseudonym
b. Right-handed or left-handed?
c. Your favorite letters to write
d. Your least favorite letters to write
e. Write "The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog."

3. Tag five other people.

That last item says, "If you want to play along, consider yourself tagged!"

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Friday Finds / Weekly Discoveries (Feb. 27)

Here's what caught my eye this week: As always, some are from fellow bloggers and some are my own discoveries. I've also noted if the book is available in other formats.

For those new to my blog: I list all the books that attract my attention during the week. Some I'll read, many I won't. And later, I might not even remember why I thought I'd like a particular title or author.

For more Friday Finds or to join in the meme, visit MizB at Should Be Reading.

Books to Consider
Songs for the Missing by Stewart O'Nan (contemporary fiction); Kindle, audio
American Rust by Philipp Meyer (contemporary fiction; Pennsylvania); Kindle
The Stolen One by Suzanne Crowley (Tudors, YA); pub date: July

Authors to Check Out
Robin McKinley (fantasy, adult); some on audio
Joanna Trollop (fiction); some on audio
Christopher Barzak (contemporary fiction/fantasy; Japan)

Books Bought or Borrowed
Igraine the Brave by Cornelia Funke (children's fantasy); audio

Books Won or Received for Review
Mum's the Word by Kate Collins (first in mystery series; Indiana)
The Secret by Beverly Lewis (Amish, fiction; Pennsylvania); pub date: March 31

Shop an Indie
Buy at Powells

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Review: Igraine the Brave by Cornelia Funke

My Summary. On the eve of her twelfth birthday, Igraine of Pimpernel Castle dreams of being a brave and noble knight. Unfortunately, her parents and brother are magicians and don't fully understand her passion. Nevertheless, they are indulgent, and Igraine has been able to spend some time practicing her sword fighting with a magical strawman. She has even sneaked over to a neighboring castle to ride a steed worthy of a knight.

Igraine may get her wish of becoming a knight, but not in the manner in which she had always dreamed. A nearby castle has been taken over by a evil magician who is supported by his invincible protector. They plan to attack Igraine's home and steal her parents' magic books. Normally this wouldn't be a problem because the spells protecting Pimpernel Castle are strong. But as luck would have it, Igraine's parents bungle an incantation at just the wrong moment. They turn to their young daughter, who must now slip past the enemy and venture into the forest to find the one thing that will save their home.

My Thoughts. First, I have to admit that I picked up the audio version of Igraine the Brave because it was short and was available as a digital download from my library. I had forgotten that the Cornelia Funke challenge ends tomorrow, and I was running out of time to start and finish the last book by the deadline. The good news is that this is an utterly charming tale of knights, giants, magicians, and dragons.

The book is written for a bit younger audience than I'm used to, but there is much to like about the story. Most important is the way our hero is depicted. Igraine is just twelve years old, but she is strong willed, kind, and brave. Her character is also fairly realistic in the sense that she squabbles with her brother, doesn't always listen to her parents, and needs the help of adults. The principal message of the story is that the characteristics that make up a true knight are not gender limited or determined by age. This would be a perfect book for a fourth- or fifth-grade girl.

The rest of us, including young boys, will enjoy getting to know the assorted characters and accompanying Igraine on her adventures.

The audio was narrated by Xanthe Elbrick, who did an excellent job with pacing and differentiating among the characters. The inflections used for the spirited Igraine is as believable as those used for the male adults. A look at some of the commercial websites revealed that the book is illustrated with many small pen and ink drawings. I think they would have added to the joy of reading this quick tale.

I read this book for a number of challenges (listed below). To learn more about a challenge and to see what others are reading, click on the title in the sidebar.

Igraine the Brave at an Indie

Paperback published by Scholastic, 2007
ISBN-13: 9780439903790
Challenges: Cornelia Funke, A-Z Title, 999, Support Your Library, Audiobooks, 100+
YTD: 18
Rating: B

Other Reviews
Penny's Pages

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Booking Through Thursday: Collectibles

Here is this week's BTT hosted by Deb. To see other answers and to play along, visit the meme's blog.

Hardcover or Paperback?

I love hardcovers, but I usually don't want to spend the money. Most of my books are thus paperback.

Illustrations or Just Text?

Depends! I'm just learning about graphic novels, and I am amazed to see the variety of topics and genres and the quality of the artwork. So here's a yes to illustrations.

When I read nonfiction history, biography, memoirs, or autobiography, I really like to see maps and photos and the like.

I thought the illustrations and drawings in the Inkworld series and the Tales of Beedle the Bard were charming.

When I read fantasy or books that take place in a made-up world, maps are often helpful.

Do I need illustrations? No. Do I appreciate them when they add to my understanding of the text? Yes.

First Editions or Don't Care?

I'm somewhere in between. It's great when I end up with a first edition, but I'm not a collector of them.

Signed by the Author or Not?

I think it's fun and nice when a book is signed, but I don't go out of my way to get those signatures.
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What about you? Do you have preferences?

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Wordless Wednesday (Feb. 24)

Sleepy House

For more Wordless Wednesday photos, click here.

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Books about Food Challenge: Wrap Up

Last week I finished my first challenge for 2009: Books about Food hosted by Historia. The challenge, which started on October 1, 2008, asked us to read five nonfiction books about food. If you're a foodie, check out the challenge's blog to see what everyone's been reading.

Here is the list of my challenge books, with my rating. Click on the link to read my review.

Salt by Mark Kurlansky (B-)
Heat by Bill Buford (A)
House of Mondavi by Julia Flynn Siler (A)
French Lessons by Peter Mayle (B+)
More Home Cooking by Laurie Colwin (B)

I liked all five books. Salt took me around the world and back in time, as I learned about salt's role in trade routes and kingdoms. Heat focused on Buford's journey to become a restaurant chef by following in Mario Batali's footsteps. I read about the soap opera life of the Mondavi family and Robert's influence on the American wine industry in House of Mondavi. And I finished up the challenge with two memoirs: Mayle's essays in French Lessons related his experiences at a variety of French food festivals, and Colwin's essays in More Home Cooking had a more personal touch.

Thanks to Historia for hosting this great challenge.

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Review: Ghost Circles by Jeff Smith

Ghost Circles is the seventh book in the Bone series by Smith and marks the beginning of the third trilogy. The summary assumes you've read the other books in the series. If you haven't, you may want to skip to my thoughts.

My Summary. One night, as the villagers stand outside Old Man's Cave to watch the hundreds of fires lit by the rat creature's army, they are startled by a distant explosion. The volcano has erupted, releasing the Lord of the Locust, who is now free to lead his army on a rampage through the valley. The villagers are finally attacked with the full force of the enemy.

All seems to be falling apart: The dragons have gone underground. The villagers are inexperienced in war and are greatly outnumbered. Lucius lies alone, lost, and wounded on the battlefield. And the valley looks utterly destroyed.

Gran'ma Ben, Thorn, and the Bones have fought their own bloody battles in their race across dangerous and forbidden territory in a desperate attempt to enter the ancient city, where they hope to find a way to save the valley. But before they can reach safety, Smiley collapses, and there is no sure way to keep him alive.

My Thoughts. This is a dark time for the valley, and hope is dwindling. The realities of the battlefield leave the villagers discouraged and scared, while Fone Bone and Thorn are feeling overwhelmed by their responsibilities. Ghost Circles is the darkest volume yet in the Bone series. The focus is on war and the terrible physical and psychological challenges faced by individuals who must live through such horrors.

The colors of the drawings in this volume are more subdued than in most of the earlier books in the series. At Old Man's Cave, the villagers' faces have taken on the haunted look of experienced soldiers. The small party following Thorn appears weary and sad as the arduous trek takes its toll.

I read this book as part of a number of challenges (listed below). To learn more about a challenge and to see what others are reading, click on the title in the sidebar.

Ghost Circles at an Indie

Published by Scholastic 2008
ISBN-13: 9780439706346
Challenges: Graphic Novel, 100+, Buy 1 and Read
YTD: 17
Rating: B+

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Musing Mondays: Library Day

Here's this week's Musing Mondays hosted by Rebecca at Just One Page. Click through to play along and to see other answers.

How often do you visit the library? Do you have a scheduled library day/time, or do you go whenever? Do you go alone, or take people with you?

I go to the library once or twice a month, but I don't have a scheduled day. I like to go mid-afternoon on a weekday, when it's least crowded. I almost always go alone. I use the library's digital download services and databases many times a month.

For those of you who missed it, check out the Library Use Calculator I mentioned in the "Just for Fun" section of my link-up post yesterday.

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Weekly Link Round-Up (Feb. 22)

Here are some posts, blogs, and events that attracted my attention this week.

Conversation

All the Buzz Reviews hosted a five-day conference last week about book reviewing. Each day focused on a different topic: how to be a reviewer, what about negative reviews, advantages of being a reviewer, readers' viewpoints, and authors' thoughts. This was a great discussion and one that all book reviewers should read.

Reviews

⇒ Historical fiction lovers are in for some treats.

Even if you're not a Shakespeare or poetry lover, you'll want to read the review of The Sonnets by Warwick Collins over at Devourer of Books. The book "feels as if it is a snapshot of Shakespeare’s life, it could almost be an excerpt from his lost diary." This is a terrific example of how to review a good book that just isn't the right match for you. We can all learn something from Jen's sensitively written post.

Civil war and global war are often difficult topics to read about, and Amy at My Friend Amy addresses this issue in her review of the novel Winter in Madrid by C. J. Sansom. The book doesn't flinch from teaching us about the darker sides of the Spanish Civil War and its lasting effects; as Amy noted, "In a haunting eerie way, I was reminded of how we are never that far away from . . . hopelessness and poverty."

⇒ And families were big this week.

What happens to a family when it must face a medical tragedy? While My Sister Sleeps by Barbara Delinsky addresses this issue from a variety of perspectives. As Marta of Marta's Meanderings says, the book "makes you wonder if you know your family as well as you think you do." Sounds like a must read.

Valentine Roncalli's family business is in financial trouble, and the young woman has an idea for saving the company. So she and her grandmother travel to Capri to put the plan in motion. This is just part of story told in Very Valentine by Adriana Trigiani and reviewed at Bermudaonion Weblog. I haven't yet read a book by this author, but Kathy says, "No one can write about families the way Trigiani can." Sounds like a great first in a trilogy.

⇒ And here's one for the bakers.

Need an excuse to bake? The holidays are over and winter seems to be dragging in the Northern Hemisphere. And those down under should celebrate the last days summer. Wendi of Wendi's Book Corner has the perfect cookbook for you: Confetti Cakes for Kids by Elisa Strauss with Christie Matheson. The book offers step-by-step instructions of the cutest cakes. And to show how inspiring the book is, Wendi shares photo of the car cake she made for her son's second birthday.

Fabulous Giveaway

Okay, here's a giveaway that you won't be able to resist: Trish of Hey Lady! Whacha Readin'? is giving away two Slankets. What's a Slanket? It's a fleecy blanket you can wear like a robe. It's fabulous way to curl up on the couch on a winter's night and read, watch TV, or knit. Don't miss this one; Trish gives you plenty of chances to win.

Getting to Know You

⇒ I love getting to know my fellow bloggers better and so I have two treats for you this week.

Shelly at Write for a Reader shares her awesome mini-interview with us. If you haven't been following this meme, then you are truly missing out. This has been the most fun way to learn about some of my blogging buddies. Here's just one tidbit Shelly shared: "I have my Masters in Educational Leadership." If you want to be interviewed visit Shelly's blog and make a request.

Want to take a peek into someone else's home? Do you try to imagine your blogging friends hard at work in front of their computers? Your curiosity can be satisfied by visiting Kittling: Books and checking out Cathy's Wednesday feature called Scene of the Blog. We have visited with a blogger from Denmark and another from Canada. You too could be featured, just leave a comment on Cathy's blog.

Just for Fun

Twilight fans: Don't miss the preview of the New Moon movie put together by Tracy of Book Room Reviews. You'll find photos, the new logo, and the date of opening night. And don't miss Stephenie Meyer's latest book recommendation.

Do you use your library? Penny from Penny's Pages posted about the Library Use Calculator. It's a way to tell how much you're getting out of your library. Her family comes in at a whooping $1651 a month! Check it out!

Into word games that tie into literature? Then you have to play Saturday Word Play at The Book Mine Set blog. Each week John makes up a word game. Yesterday he cleverly integrated Wordle into the quizz!

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Some of these links were part of a link-sharing group.

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Review: Old Man's Cave by Jeff Smith

Old Man's Cave is the sixth book in the Bone series by Smith and marks the end of the second trilogy. The summary assumes you've read the other books in the series. If you haven't, you may want to skip to my thoughts.

My Summary: As the story begins, Smiley and Fone Bone are lost in the woods trying to make their way back to the valley after having escaped Rock Jaw. Thorn, Phoney, and a small group of villagers are trying to evade a band of rat creatures. The rest of the villagers are holed up in Old Man's Cave under the leadership of Gran'ma Ben.

After they manage to hide from their enemies, Thorn's group is approached by four Veni Yan warriors, who pledge their allegiance to the young woman and beg her to hurry to the cave to aid Gran'ma. Thorn doesn't know what to do: She wants to find Fone, and she doesn't know if she can trust her grandmother. In the middle of the night, she leaves her friends to search for the missing Bones. The others find their way to the cave.

Each side now prepares for battle. The villagers realize they'll be outnumbered by the rat creatures, the Hooded One begins to gather in its allies, and Thorn's dreams intensify. Who can be trusted? Is Gran'ma who she says she is? Why was Lucius talking to the enemy? Will the villagers turn Phoney over for sacrifice? And just who is the Hooded One?

My Thoughts: In Old Man's Cave, we learn some of the deeper legends of the valley people and several mysteries are explained. As we begin to question the motives and loyalties of characters we were once sure of, we also begin to better understand characters we once thought were shallow. Thorn is coming into her own and is no longer under the thumb of her grandmother. Meanwhile, Fone's dreams are beginning to reveal his bigger role in the valley's fate.

This entry in the Bone series is intense. It is not obvious how the various story lines are going to converge. Like many complex fantasy series, Bone encompasses several cultures and groups, each with its own desires; few characters are all good or all bad. Although the many layers of the saga are more sharply defined in this book, we don't yet have a clear sense of how the series will end.

The quality of the artwork is sustained in this volume. And I'm particularly taken with how the events of the story have changed the look of the characters. Some individuals are filled with weariness and sorrow; others stand tall with newfound strength.

I read this novel to meet a number of challenges (listed below). To learn more about a challenge and to see what others are reading, click on the title in the sidebar.

Old Man's Cave at an Indie

Published by Scholastic, 2007
ISBN-13: 9780439706353
Challenges: 100+, 999, Graphic Novels, Buy 1 and Read
YTD: 16
Rating: B+

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Blog Improvement Project: #4

This week, Kim of Sophisticated Dorkiness has given us the task of getting back to blog basics. We're to spend two weeks getting our blog in order: updating our profile, culling our blogroll, and so on.

Because I have been inspired by Kim and the other members of the BIP, I've already done quite a few major housekeeping tasks since January 1. If I have time, I may add tabs to my blog so I can keep a running list of book reviews in a single place. However, I will probably rest on my laurels and await Project #5!

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Friday Finds / Weekly Discoveries (Feb. 20)

Here's what caught my eye this week: As always, some are from fellow bloggers and some are my own discoveries. I've also noted if the book is available in other formats.

For those new to my blog: I list all the books that attract my attention during the week. Some I'll read, many I won't. And later, I might not even remember why I thought I'd like a particular title or author.

For more Friday Finds or to join in the meme, visit MizB at Should Be Reading.

Books to Consider
The Help by Kathryn Stockett (1960s Mississippi); also audio, Kindle
South of the Border, West of the Sun by Haruki Murakami (contemporary fiction; Japan)
The Musician's Daughter by Susanne Dunlap (YA, 18th-century Vienna, mystery)
The Great Western Beach by Emma Smith (memoir; Britain between the wars)
A Sundial in a Grave: 1610 by Mary Gentle (HF; France); also Kindle
Roanoke by Margaret Lawrence (HF, 1500s; England, New World); also Kindle
Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman (contemporary fiction); also audio, Kindle
Flygirl by Sherri L. Smith (nonfiction; WWII; black woman pilot); also Kindle
Crow Country by Mark Cocker (nature writing; UK)

Authors to Check Out
Henning Mankell (mysteries; Sweden)
Pat McIntosh (mysteries; 15th century Glasgow)
Linda Fairstein (mysteries; New York City)
Dian Curtis Regan (YA fantasy)
Michael Cox (mysteries)

Books Bought or Borrowed
Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher (YA fiction)
Mr. Darcy Takes a Wife by Linda Berdoll (Austen spin-off)

Shop an Indie
Buy at Powells

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Booking through Thursday: Get Shelved

Here's this week's Booking through Thursday, hosted by Deb. To play along or to see other answers, visit the meme's blog.

How do you arrange your books on your shelves? Is it by author, by genre, or you just put it where it falls on?

My books are not in any particular order. Some bookshelves and cases were supposed to be dedicated to a particular genre, but that idea went by the wayside many years ago. Our shelves are stuffed to overflowing, and we have books on almost every horizontal surface, including the floor.

On the other hand, I pretty much know where to look to find a book. I'm rarely stumped—except when I really, really need a particular book for work or for a recipe and I'm well behind schedule. Then the book gods like to play their little game, and I can't find what I'm looking for.

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Review: More Home Cooking: A Writer Returns to the Kitchen by Laurie Colwin

My Summary and Thoughts: More Home Cooking: A Writer Returns to the Kitchen is a collection of essays first published in 1993. Colwin wrote novels, but she also wrote articles for Gourmet magazine. She died suddenly at the age of forty-eight, and although she put the collection together and wrote the introduction, the book was published after her death.

My copy of More Home Cooking is a first edition, which I bought right after it appeared in the stores. I'm not sure why I never read it, because I liked Colwin's first collection of food essays, and I loved reading her column in Gourmet. The book is still in print and readily available.

Colwin's food memoir was compiled just when some segments of the American public began to change their way of eating and when people's lives seemed to be getting busier. Several essays touch on these points, such as how to find time to make dinner for friends and how to figure out what to serve when guests have to watch what they eat. She also notes changes in how we celebrate holidays and wonders about the fate of the traditional family dinner.

In each short piece, Colwin conveys her understanding of food and family, but throughout we are also treated to her sense of humor. For example: "When I gaze at Norman Rockwell's enchanting Thanksgiving picture, why do I suspect that the grandfather drinks more than he should?" In another essay she talks about the "cooking of the refined slob" and offers shortcuts for those of us who no longer have time to spend four hours making dinner.

Almost every chapter touches on the links between food and those we love and between food and memories. And many chapters include a recipe; some are complete recipes and others are more like ideas, along the line of take a little of this and add a little of that.

Just about half of the forty-five essays focus on a particular food, such as biscuits, beets, coffee, and duck. Here is a snippet from the tomato chapter: "One of the joys of summer is to go roaming through the garden, pulling ripe tomatoes off the vine, and biting in. Juice and seeds drip all over your nice white shirt, but who cares?"

In other essays, Colwin contemplates holidays, picnics, vacations, jet lag, and dinner parties.

I was pleased to discover that most of Colwin's work still holds up, even though it has been more than fifteen years since the book was published. This is not necessarily a book to read all in one sitting. In fact, I think it'd be grand to read a chapter each afternoon while taking some time to enjoy a cup of coffee—one of Colwin's and my own personal addictions.

I read this book to meet a number of challenges (listed below). To find out more about a challenge or to see what others are reading, click on the challenge title in the sidebar.

More Home Cooking at an Indie

Published by HarperCollins, 1993, 2000
ISBN13: 9780060955311
Challenges: Winter Reading, 9 in 2009, 100+, 999
YTD: 15
Rating: B

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Wordless Wednesday (Feb. 18)

Market Day, Spring 2008

For more Wordless Wednesday photos click here.

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Where Are You? / Teaser Tuesdays (Feb. 17)

I am only about twenty-two years old, but already I have had two husbands and have become a mother. I am also queen of my country. I recently survived a forty-day voyage over the Mediterranean Sea so I can be in Rome when Julius Caesar has his major triumph. After the processions, my last remaining sister will be executed. I'm still somewhat politically naive, but I'm learning fast.

For more Where Are You? answers, visit Raidergirl3 at An Adventure in Reading.


MizB at Should Be Reading hosts Teaser Tuesdays. Here's how it works: Grab your current read; let the book fall open to a random page; and share 2 “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12. For more teasers, click on through to MizB's blog. Note: this teaser was found by using Amazon's "surprise me" feature.

As gradually as it had crept across the sun, the eclipse passed away. And we were left standing, blinking in the renewed sunlight, which seemed oddly thick and meaty, robust and yellow. (p. 518)

—Both from The Memoirs of Cleopatra by Margaret George

Memoirs of Cleopatra at an Indie

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Review: Mouse Guard Fall 1152 by David Petersen

My Summary. Fall 1152 starts out when Mouse Guards Saxon, Kenzie, and Lieam are sent off to find a grain merchant who was lost in the woods. The three guards find the merchant's overturned cart but cannot tell whether the mouse is missing or dead. If dead? Was he killed by a snake or by some enemy? As the three attempt to solve the mystery, they are startled to find that what they thought were ancient mouse myths may in fact be real.

My Thoughts. The story, which is the first in a series, is based on the idea that medieval mice have a world and technology that parallel the human world. I like fantasy and I like the medieval period, so I'm not quite sure why this book did absolutely nothing for me. I didn't feel any tension during the tense moments, I didn't get a sense of the personalities of the characters, and I didn't really care what happened. Perhaps it was my mood or perhaps I shouldn't have read this graphic novel in the middle of reading Bone.

I must say, however, that the book's illustrations are beautiful. The colors, the animals, and the lettering are simply spectacular. And I absolutely loved looking at the pictures. The page here shows scenes of the mouse town. For more of this incredible art, please see Petersen's website here.


If someone else has read or reviewed Mouse Guard Fall 1152, I will be happy to include a link, especially if you had a more positive experience. My recommendation is to look at the book for the artwork but to not have high hopes for the story.

EDIT: Nymeth offers a more positive review here. And she has links to even more reviews, which I plan to read.

I read this book to meet several challenges (listed below). To learn more about a challenge or to see what others are reading, click on the title above the progress bar in the left margin.

Mouse Guard Fall 1152 at an Indie

Published by Archaia Studios Press
ISBN-13: 9781932386578
Challenges: A to Z Title, New Author, 999, Graphic Novel, 100+, Buy 1 and Read
YTD: 14
Rating: C

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Musing Mondays: Under Review

Here is today's Musing Mondays hosted by Rebecca at Just One More Page. To play along and to see other answers, head on over to Rebecca's blog.

Do you read any non-blogging book reviews? If so, where (newspaper, library etc)? Do you have any favourite sources you'd like to share?

Yes. I read lots of non-blogging book reviews. Here are some sources, in no particular order:

1. New York Times
2. Publisher's Weekly
3. AudioFile magazine (note that the reviews are helpful for print readers too)
4. Mailing lists: (DorothyL and Sounds Like a Mystery are just two of many good lists)
5. Book Report Network (I like Bookreporter)
6. My library has monthly newsletters on a variety of genres

I'm also on a number of professional print mailing lists, some of which include reviews. And, of course, there are the commercial bookstore websites, but I don't put as much stock into their reviews.

I'm sure I've forgotten other sources and will be saying "Oh, yeah!" as soon as I go off to read other people's answers.

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My TwitterSheep Cloud

Here's a word cloud formed by the words in the profiles of my followers in Twitter. Isn't it fun?? Click on the screen shot to get a full-size view.



To try this yourself go to TwitterSheep.com.

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Book Review Blog Carnival for February

Don't miss the newest edition of the Book Review Blog Carnival. This issue is hosted by Nicole at Linus's Blanket.

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Weekly Link Round-Up (Feb. 15)

Here are some posts, blogs, and events that attracted my attention this week.

Conversations

⇒ This was a good week for readers interested in British royalty.

Meghan from Medieval Bookworm asks, "Why is Richard III so often presented as a chivalric figure in modern historical fiction?" She discusses several aspects of chivalry in terms of Richard III's life. This fascinating post prompted several good comments.

You have to have some sympathy for poor Catherine Howard, Henry VIII's fifth wife. Amy from Passages to the Past reminds us that this week is the anniversary of Catherine's beheading. Would you want to have been a queen in the 1500s? Check out the comments Amy's post generated.

⇒ And there was some help for those of you who are wondering what to read next.

Are you are trying to seek out Christian fiction or are you trying to avoid it? Booksellers and marketing departments often fail to distinguish Christian fiction from general fiction. What's a reader to do? Amy at My Friend Amy has a solution. The trick is to be familiar with the publishing houses and imprints that focus on this genre. Amy has done an excellent job of gathering all the needed information into one place. Check out the comments for more thoughts.

This week's Tuesday Thingers, hosted by Wendi's Book Corner, was about adding ratings to your book reviews. After introducing the topic, Wendi asked fellow bloggers to respond to several questions, but the biggies were Do you use a rating system? and Are you influenced by the rating given to a book? The answers are insightful and may make you question your current practices! It's not too late to add your own opinion.

Event, Poll, More on Making Buttons

I love learning new words. If you're like me or if you're looking for a super new weekly event, don't miss Kathy's Wondrous Words Wednesday at Bermudaonion's Weblog. Each week, participants list new-to-them words, use the word in context, and then provide the definition. I guarantee that you'll find new words or at least get a clearer understanding of words you thought you already knew.

Steph at Reviewer X had an interesting poll about whether and when you give up reading a book that is clearly not your favorite. The post generated a lot of comments. I had a good time seeing how other people handle dud books.

Remember my post Making Buttons for Your Posts? In it, I discussed watermarking software. Some of you might have been stumped at that stage or didn't want to spend the money for software. Well, you're in luck. Kris at Not Enough Books wrote a fabulous, detailed post about a free software program called Paint.Net that adds text to your images. If you use a PC, don't miss her post.

Reviews, Giveaways, Interviews

Trish at Hey Lady! Watcha Reading? reviewed The Help by Kathryn Stockett. The story is about three women, black and white, of different generations in 1960s Mississippi during the heart of the civil rights movement. Here's what Trish had to say: "I was giddy with the knowledge that I was reading something wonderful. I loved the friendships, the characters, and the situations. I loved the dialogue. I loved the writing." If it sounds like you would love it too, be sure to enter her giveaway.

If you like history, historical fiction, or exploration stories, Marta from Marta's Meanderings has a great book for you. The Terror by Dan Simmons is based on the true story of the search for the Northwest Passage. According to Marta, "This book brings to life the horrors of men at sea, what they endured in that brutal cold." This page-turner could be yours, if you enter Marta's giveaway.

Shelly at Write for a Reader offers a comprehensive look at Too Tall Alice by Barbara Worton, an illlustrated children's book, whose message is "It's not easy being different, it's okay though. Just be yourself." But wait! There's more! Shelly was also lucky enough to conduct an extensive author telephone interview. Worton is a "wonderful woman" who is happy to share her thoughts about writing, reviewing, and blogging. Don't miss this one.
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Some of these links were part of a link-sharing group.

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Cha-Cha-Cha-Changes!

I'm making a couple of changes! I've decided to move my Weekly Discoveries to Fridays to tie in with the Friday Finds meme. It really makes no sense for me to separate my wish list into two posts.

I'm moving my Weekly Link Round-Up post to Sundays. Most people have a bit more time on Sundays to explore links, so I'm going to switch from Saturday to Sunday for that.

And finally, instead of doubling up posts during the week, I may save Saturday for some the fun memes and tags that come my way. It's a great day to publish some lighter reading.

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Blog Improvement Project: Bingo Wrap-Up

Our last BIP assignment from Kim at Sophisticated Dorkiness was to attempt to write at least one post in the following categories. I managed 8 out of the 10.

1. Link post: My Weekly Link Round-Up post for Feb. 7 counts for this.

2. Short post: I didn't count the words, but my bookmark Musing Mondays post was really short.

3. List post: The following posts count for this: What I Love about F and Weekly Discoveries.

4. Opinion: I gave my opinion in the following posts: Musing Mondays on bookstores, Booking through Thursday on author bios, and my Mini-Interview.

5. Poll or question post:

6. How-to post: My making a button post.

7. Long post: My making a button post.

8. Review post: Eyes of the Storm, Inkdeath, Dragonslayer, Lincoln Lawyer, and Rock Jaw.

9. Definition post:

10. Free post: I'm not going to add links here, but I posted 2 Wordless Wednesday photo posts, 2 Friday Finds posts (could also be lists), 1 Where Are You/Teaser Tuesdays post, and 1 photo meme post.

I couldn't think of a good poll question, and I didn't have time to write a decent definition post. But I'm thinking 8 out of 10 is just fine. Plus, I put up 21 posts since Monday February 2, when this project began. Phew!

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Review: Rock Jaw by Jeff Smith

Rock Jaw: Master of the Eastern Border is the fifth volume in Smith's Bone series. The review assumes that you've read the first four volumes. If you haven't you, may want to skip to my thoughts.

My Summary: Smiley has befriended a baby rat creature, and he and Fone Bone decide to take it into the mountains to return it to its own kind. Along the way, The Bones meet up with the rat creature couple who have been plaguing Fone since he first stepped foot into the valley.

Just when they think they've gotten the creatures off their trail, the Bones come face to face with Rock Jaw, a giant mountain lion, who wants to know whose side they're on. Fone tries to explain that they are strangers and have no other goal than to return the rat cub, but Rock Jaw tells them "The valley is divided in two . . . Everyone must choose a side." Eventually, the Bones have rat creatures, Rock Jaw, and even the locust after them. And to make matters more complicated, Fone and Smiley find themselves in charge of a number of orphaned baby animals. Fone has to find a way to keep everyone safe.

My Thoughts: In this middle volume of the series, Fone and Smiley meet Rock Jaw, a giant lion who lives in the east. The story takes a philosophical bent, and the lines between good and evil begin to blur. Rock Jaw wonders exactly how those concepts are defined and tells Fone and his friends, "There is no good or evil . . . only nature. And in nature, the only thing that matters is power." Is that true? Even the young animals have their opinions.

The drawings continue to amaze, while the story deepens. The humor is still there, but broader moral questions are moving into the spotlight. The age range for Bone is nine to twelve, but there is plenty to hold the attention of adult readers. As always, the story ends with "To be continued . . ."

I read this book to meet several challenges (listed below). To find out more about the challenges, click on the title above the progress bar in the margin.

Rock Jaw at an Indie

Published by Scholastic, 2007
ISBN-13: 9780439706360
Challenges: Support Your Library, 100+, 999, Graphic Novels
YTD: 13
Rating: A

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Tag You're It: The Fifth Photo

J. Kaye of J. Kaye's Book Blog tagged me for this really fun meme: Find your 5th photo file folder, then the 5th photo in that file folder. Then pass the meme to 5 people.

I was a bit worried about what would pop up. This one is too funny:


In the late 1960s or early 1970s my husband was driving this truck as his primary vehicle! At some point he abandoned it on his parents' property. Last spring he towed it out from the woods and asked me to photograph it before he either sold it or junked it.

Here's the side view of the old Ford (which was photo 4 in the folder):

I'm going to tag people that I know for sure have cameras and post photos.

Cathy of Kittling Books
Robin of My Two Blessings
Meghan of Medieval Bookworm
Sandy of You've GOTTA Read This
Margot of Joyfully Retired

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Friday Finds: Feb. 13

I post all my weekly discoveries on Sundays, but I like to highlight one or two books for this meme. For other Friday Finds, please click on over to Should Be Reading.

A Partisan's Daughter by Louis De Bernieres received an earphone award from AudioFile magazine. "It is . . . a meditation on the search for love in a weary world--graphic, profound, affecting, yet so plainly written and transparently narrated that the characters live and breathe and feel, and persist in memory." Set in late 1970s London.

A Partisan's Daughter at an Indie

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Review: The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly

This is the first book in Connelly's Mickey Haller series.

My Summary. Mickey Haller is a defense attorney in the Los Angeles area. Of course, most of his clients claim they're not guilty, but Haller's not sure he's ever seen a client who is truly innocent. As a DA, he doesn't get much sympathy from police officers or from his colleagues on the other side of the court room.

The book starts out with a case involving Haller's usual type of client: a member of a biker gang who is picked up for growing marijuana. In fact, when he learns that a real estate tycoon who has been arrested for beating up a prostitute has asked for his services, Haller's first reaction is to wonder if he's being set up by someone who wants to test his ethics.

While juggling a couple of other clients, Haller and Raul Levin, his friend and investigator, get going on the big-money case of defending Louis Ross Roulet. Haller soon realizes that a rich client can be a difficult client. To make matters worse, Roulet's mother and her lawyer are keeping close tabs on Haller's work.

My Thoughts. This is the first Connelly book I've read. Court-room drama (or legal thriller) is not my usual sphere. I'm not much of Grisham fan, for example. But this book won me over early on. Mickey Haller may defend scum, but he's good at what he does and he does know the law. Although he toes the line of ethical conduct, he stops short of blatantly disregarding his legal restrictions. As a nice contrast to his defense attorney persona, we also get to know Haller through his relationships with his ex-wives, daughter, and Levin.

There is plenty of action and just the right amount of clues and red herrings along the way, so you're never quite sure if Haller is on track, if Roulet is innocent or guilty, and exactly how the case can be won. I absolutely will be reading the second book in the series and will also check out Connelly's earlier Bosch series.

Audiobook. The audiobook received a 2005 Publishers Weekly Listen Up Award in the Mystery/Thriller category and no wonder! The book was narrated by Adam Grupper, who did an amazing job differentiating among the characters, conveying the proper emotions, and setting the pace and suspense. I highly recommend the unabridged audio of this novel.

I read this book to meet a number of challenges (listed below). To find out more about a challenge and to see what others are reading, click on the title above the progress bar in the left margin.

The Lincoln Lawyer at an Indie

Unabridged audiobook, published by Hachette, 2005
ISBN-13: 9781594830884
Challenges: A-Z Author, New to Me Author, What's in a Name, 999, Winter Reading, Audiobooks, Buy 1 and Read, 100+
YTD: 12
Rating: B+

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Booking Through Thursday: Authors Talking

Here's this week's Booking through Thursday, hosted by Deb. To see other answers and to participate, please visit the BTT blog.

Do you read any author’s blogs? If so, are you looking for information on their next project? On the author personally? Something else?

I occasionally visit authors' blogs or websites. Sometimes I am looking for the release date of a new book; usually I'm interested in the publication order of a series.

When I'm reading nonfiction or historical fiction, I like to know something about the author's background. What kind of research has the author conducted? What are his or her credentials?

It's fun to visit a site and discover that the author has written a piece about his or her writing process. That's something I always read.

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Wordless Wednesday (Feb. 11)

Reflections

For more Wordless Wednesday Photos, click here.

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Review: The Dragonslayer by Jeff Smith

This is the fourth volume in Smith's Bone series. The review assumes that you've read the first three volumes. If you haven't you may want to skip to my thoughts.

My Summary: Phoney Bone and Smiley are determined to win the bet they made with Lucius. And Phoney has the added hope of either escaping back to Boneville with the villagers' riches or becoming the head honcho of Barrelhaven. To meet his goals, Phoney is promoting himself as a great dragonslayer who will protect the people of the valley.

Fone Bone, Thorn, and Gran'ma Ben have ventured into the forest, where they meet up with Kingdok, who is the giant leader of the rat creatures. All three of our heroes reveal hidden strengths. Unfortunately, Gan'ma gets lost in the woods, Phoney finds himself face to face with a dragon, and the Lord of the Locust is gearing his army into battle.

My Thoughts: This volume starts a new part of the Bone saga. Humor can still be found, but the horror of the rat creatures and the darkness of the Lord of the Locust begin to move into the forefront. Phoney and Smiley continue to indulge in their antics with little regard to the more pressing problems of the valley's inhabitants, and Fone and Thorn discover what they're made of. This volume is action packed, and I couldn't stop turning the pages. Be warned that the book doesn't end on a conclusion; you'll need rush off to find volume 5.

I read this book to meet several challenges (listed below). To find out more about the challenges, click on the title above the progress bar in the margin.

The Dragonslayer at an Indie

Published by Scholastic, 2006
ISBN-13: 9780439706377
Challenges: A-Z Title, Support Your Library, 100+, 999, Graphic Novels
YTD: 11
Rating: A-

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It's Tuesday: Where Are You? / Teaser Tuesdays (Feb. 10)

I'm a young teenager in ancient Alexandria. My older sisters have recently died and my father has just returned from Rome to reclaim his throne. I am beginning to realize that I am the oldest surviving child of my father and that someday I could be queen. I am a Ptolemy, and I am directly descended from Alexander the Great. My older sisters used to tell me that I was Greek, not Egyptian.

For more Where Are You? answers, visit Raidergirl3 at An Adventure in Reading.


MizB at Should Be Reading hosts Teaser Tuesdays. Here's how it works: Grab your current read; let the book fall open to a random page; and share 2 “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12. For more teasers, click on through to MizB's blog. Note: this teaser was found by using Amazon's "surprise me" feature.

"Finally he leaned toward me and whispered, his breath moving one of my earrings, 'This has been a very long day, and I feel I have met you over and over again, in guise after guise. Which is real?'

I turned my head, not lowering it but moving it most royally. 'And I have seen many Caesars,' I said. 'Which of those is real!' "

—Both from The Memoirs of Cleopatra by Margaret George

Memoirs of Cleopatra at an Indie

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Mini Interview: Me!

The mini-interview meme has been making the rounds. I got my questions from Alea over at Pop Culture Junkie. Here is what she asked me.

1. What's your favorite graphic novel.

This one is easy because I've read only a handful so far. My favorite at the moment is Bone #2 (reviewed here). Fone Bone is really cute in it, and the humor is laugh-out-loud-funny.

2. What's your favorite nonfiction book?

I can never say. For example, If I say Pride and Prejudice, then I'll immediately think, "What about Jane Eyre?" If I say Lord of the Rings, I'll start to think about The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. So my standard answer is, "The book I"m reading now!"

Major Edit (note to self: don't answer questions without first drinking plenty of coffee): My favorite NONfiction book is David McCullough's John Adams.

3. How do you choose what to read next?

I usually have no system or method at all. It's often my newest book, the one my husband just finished, or the next in a series I'm reading. This year, I've decided to join multiple challenges, so I have a rough idea of what I want to read every month. We'll see how it goes. I have a feeling that in a couple of months, my plan will fall apart!

4. Who is one character you would never ever want to trade places with?

I can't think of an exact character, but I promise you that I don't want to be a person who is beaten up, kidnapped, raped, killed, forced to marry someone he or she hates, and so on. That rules out about 75 percent of characters!

5. What is one book you thought would be fabulous and ended up being a
disappointment?

I'll use my latest read: Inkdeath (reviewed here). I had high hopes for it, but it didn't live up to my expectations.
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Thanks Alea!! That was fun. If any of you want to play, I'll send questions to the first three people who leave a comment explicitly asking for questions.

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Musing Mondays: Bookmarks

Here's this week's Musing Mondays hosted by Rebecca at Just One More Page. Click on over to play along or to see other answers.

What do you use to mark your place while reading? Do you have a definite preference? Do you use bookmarks, paper, or (gasp) turn down the pages? If you use bookmarks, do you have a favourite one?

I generally use whatever is handy: a scrap of paper, a receipt, a bookmark, a sticky note, a page point. I never turn down the corner of the page, and I don't leave a book upside down and open. Although I don't have a favorite bookmark, I like ones that are flat and fairly thin.

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Weekly Discoveries (Feb. 8)

Here's what caught my eye this week: As always, some are from fellow bloggers and some are my own discoveries.

For those new to this feature: I list all the books that attract my attention during the week. Some I'll read, many I won't. And later, I might not even remember why I thought I'd like a particular title or author.


Books to Consider
The Lieutenant by Kate Grenville (HF, late 1700s Australia); just published, also audio
All Other Nights by Dara Horn (Jewish soldier in U.S. Civil War); out in April
Mistress Shakespeare by Karen Harper (HF, 1500s England); just published, also ebook, audio
The Vagrants by Yiyun Li (1970s China, fiction); just published, also ebook
The Sister by Poppy Adams (fiction); also ebook, audio

Authors to Check Out
Michael Gregorio (mysteries, 1800 Prussia)
Jo Graham (historical fantasies), also ebook

Buy from an Indie

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Weekly Link Round-Up (Feb. 7)

Here is this week's Link Round-Up. Enjoy!

Conversations

Michele at A Reader's Respite was wondering about the genre Chick-Lit. Does the name offend you? Do you understand what the label means? For a lively discussion, be sure to check out Michele's blog. And for a treat, don't miss her follow-up post.

Most of us want to pass our love of reading onto the next generation and beyond. Amy, at My Friend Amy, talks about the importance of reading to our children but also makes us aware that reading doesn't come easy to everyone. She challenges us to get involved in community literacy programs. Read her post and the comments, and join in the discussion.

Trish from Hey Lady! Whatcha Reading takes a lighter look at reading to kids by introducing four picture books that are sure make at least some of your children giggle. But then asks, "Would you read these books to your kid?" I don't have children, but I can assure you that my brothers would have loved them.

Just for Fun

Maybe it's in the air or maybe we can thank Kim's Blog Improvement Project, but new weekly events seem to be popping out all over. There are sure to be at least a few that will interest you. Here are four new events (I'll try to highlight more in future posts).

S. Krishna's Books is hosting Thursday Tunes for all you music lovers out there. I have discovered some new artists and have been reminded of old favorites. Aren't you curious about what book bloggers listen to when they're not reading?

Every Wednesday on Kristina's Favorites you'll find a Midweek Morsel. This is a chance to discover a new recipe and to share one of your own favorites.

Have you played Friday Feud yet? Kittling Books poses a question each week. Leave your answer in the comments, and remember that humor is encouraged.

If you use your local library, think about participating in Library Loot at A Striped Armchair. This Wednesday event is really taking off.

Reviews

Audiobooks were popular this week:

Marta from Marta's Meanderings reviewed the audio version of 100 Ways to Simplify Your Life by Joyce Meyer and read by Sandra McCollum. Marta says, "All of the ideas will help in some way to make your life a bit simpler--from learning to say no to learning to set boundaries."

Head on over to Bermudaonion's Weblog to read Kathy's review of Little Pink House by Jeff Benedict and read by Maggi-Meg Reed. This is a true story of how ordinary citizens can challenge local government. Kathy notes, "I found myself admiring the people who stood their ground and fought."

By the way, if you're an audiobook fan, you'll relate to Sandy's Confessions of an Audio Book Addict over at You've Gotta Read This!

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For those who prefer their books in print:

Wendi reviewed the beautifully illustrated Cole Family Christmas by Jennifer Liu Bryan with Hazel Cole Kendle. The book takes place during the Depression, and Wendi says, "This wonderful family will work its way into your heart and help you remember what the holidays are really about!" Visit Wendi's Book Corner to read more.

Looking for a great children's book? Shelly from Write for a Reader reviewed Little Skink's Tail by Janet Halfmann. Shelly says, "Children will love the use of onomonapeia, like sniff, sniff; and gobble, gobble, gobble, as well as the author's use of rhyme, like stickly-prickly, as Little Skink makes his way through the forest." The book also contains educational activities for the interested child. This cute story is recommended for 4-8 year olds.

Britt at Confessions of a Book Habitue takes a frank look at War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells. She acknowledges that "Wells was a brilliant, forward-thinking pioneer." But she goes on to take a look at some of the novel's shortcomings.
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Some of these links were part of a link-sharing group started by Amy of My Friend Amy. If you would like to join in, leave your email address in the comments, and I'll send you the information. Link sharing is open to anyone who wants to participate, and you don't need to share links every week.

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