Month: December 2013

Dec 31

Kindred by Octavia Butler

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Hi Ho there, Bookworms!

I hope everyone’s holidays were spectacular! I know I enjoyed myself, but now ’tis the season to get back in the swing of things. Shall we?

I spend an inordinate amount of time daydreaming about how I would cope if I were sucked back in time. I blame Diana Gabaldon for my obsession, but the concept is pretty universal. What would you do? My biggest concern is the fact that I wear contacts. I can’t believe that people back in the day had significantly better eyesight that the current population, which makes me wonder how they coped with the blurriness… Of course, I can afford to focus on trivialities like eyesight because that because my ancestor weren’t enslaved simply based on the color of their skin. Slavery was THE WORST.

Kindred by Octavia Butler explores the story of a woman named Dana. Dana lives in the 1970s in California with her husband. She’s African American and he’s a white dude, but aside from the occasional bigot with an attitude problem (who are sometimes family members), they’re able to live a fairly nice life… That is, until the day when Dana is mysteriously transported back in time and space and winds up in antebellum Maryland.

Time AND space! How much does that suck? She was totally living in California in the 1970s, but back when it became a state in 1850? Slavery wasn’t legal. Still sucked to be black because civil rights were awful, but at least you weren’t OWNED. Poor Dana is linked to this redheaded kid who lives on a frickin’ plantation in Maryland. She gets yanked back across time and space every time his life is in danger, which for this kid is a LOT. Time travels a lot faster in the past than in the present, so five years in the antebellum South is little more than eight days when coming back to the here and now. Oh yeah. That’s the other part. In order to GET back? Dana has to nearly die herself. Sooo, that sucks.

I really enjoyed this book and the concept of time travel being linked to a specific person. Dana’s struggles as a modern woman encountering slavery are stunning. She comments over and over again on the ease of accepting the most outrageous sorts of dehumanization. It gives a unique perspective to a modern reader who simply cannot fathom how slavery ever existed. I do, however, have one small complaint. The ending was a bit abrupt. I felt that Dana’s “straw that broke the camel’s back” moment should have come earlier, but that’s just a tiny objection intermixed with a whole heap of love. If you have any interest in fiction involving time travel or the antebellum period in history, I highly recommend you check out Kindred by Octavia Butler.

So, Bookworms. If you were to be carried back in time (let’s leave out the SPACE part for the sake of argument), what would be your biggest concern? Spectacles? Pestilence? Lack of deodorant? Tell me!

*If you make a purchase of Kindred using a link on this site, I will receive a small commission.*

Dec 23

A Video Christmas Card

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Hi Bookworms!

I wanted to create a video Christmas card for you because I’m going to be going off the grid for a few days to celebrate. I included the text below the video in case any of you wanted to read as opposed to watching. I certainly don’t blame you. (Although the video does include some of our Christmas decorations, and really, who doesn’t want to see the penguin tree?!)

‘Twas the night before Christmas, at Gingerbread House,

No computer was whirring, no click from a mouse.

And though I was nestled all snug in my bed,

I was not sleeping, but reading instead.

While lost in a world of fantastic time travel,

I heard a strange noise, like a skid on some gravel.

Shortly thereafter, the sound of a crash,

And away to the window I flew like a flash!

When what to my wondering eyes should appear

But a miniature sleigh, and no single reindeer.

I stood there confused, and scratching my noggin,

When I noticed the penguins begin to toboggan.

Santa soon shouted, “Dudes, let’s not dawdle,”

And then those sweet penguins took off at a waddle.

They gathered up packages, ribbons, and bows,

And while burdened with sacks, to housetops they ROSE.

I stood there dumbfounded, and no wonder why,

Who would’ve thought that PENGUINS could fly?!

It happened so quickly, and just like a flash,

Santa was shouting, “Fellows, let’s dash!”

“Now Carroll, now Chaucer, now Atwood and Dickens,

On Austen, on Bronte, on Shakespeare and Whitman.

We’ve filled every stocking and left every gift,

Now, buddies, oblige me, and gift me a lift!”

He hopped in his sleigh as the penguins assembled

They squawked and they wiggled, the giggled and trembled

I heard Santa exclaim with a quick backward look,

“Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good book!”

Merry Christmas to all those who celebrate! To all those who don’t celebrate Christmas, Happy (belated) Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy Winter Solstice, Happy Festivus, and Happy New Year!!! (If you celebrate none of those holidays, then I simply wish you hearty good cheer!)

Dec 19

Confession Friday (on Thursday): We Fear the Doorbell

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Bookworms, I have a confession to make.

Jim and I HIDE when the doorbell rings, particularly if it’s after dark. The last winter’s eve visitor we had turned out to be a Mormon missionary. While I respect the rights of all people to practice their respective religions, I would prefer it if I were left alone to practice (or not practice) mine in the privacy of my own home. In any case, we’ve adopted a “don’t answer the door unless you know someone’s coming” policy.

Which is great. Unless your cell phone is set to silent, so you don’t get the memo that your neighbors are coming by to drop off the winnings of the holiday decorating contest. (Because eeep! We won the GRISWOLD!) And you leave your friend outside on the porch in the cold while you hide behind furniture because you think you’re being stealthy by not looking out the window to actually see who’s there. (If you don’t see them, they don’t see you, right?) Except you’ve forgotten to draw the blinds and the sheer curtains totally blow your cover. Did I mention that this is the friend that you trust enough to give KEYS to your HOUSE?

Neighbor Shaming.

Yeah. We’re THOSE neighbors now. The super paranoid weirdos who hide from their friends, never open the door for fundraising teenagers, and give the stink eye to anybody who walks on their immaculate lawn. Tyson, Angie, Jeannie, and Ann, please accept my humble, sheepish, mortified apology. Y’all are the best neighbors in the land, so great that you probably will just laugh at our antics and use them for future good-natured teasing, but seriously. So freaking sorry!

I don’t think I’ve been this full on embarrassed in a while (my shame-meter has been calibrated to be pretty high.) Any of you bookworms want to tell an embarrassing story of your own so I don’t have to feel like such a paranoid loser face? Please?

Dec 17

Authors I “Met” in 2013: Top Ten Tuesday!

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Good Day, Glorious Bookworms!

I’m getting back on the bandwagon this week with The Broke and The Bookish. It’s THE RETURN of Top Ten Tuesday! The week, the ladies asked us to list our favorite “new to me” authors in 2013. I ran into a whole lot of awesome new-to-me authors this year. Let me tell you ’bout them!

1. Rainbow Rowell: In 2013, I read every book Rainbow Rowell has ever published. Sure, her catalog is only three titles (Attachments, Eleanor & Park, and Fangirl), but I cannot get enough. New release in 2014? Heck yes! Rainbow, we should be pals. I’m only minimally creepy. Swearsies. (Reviews here, here, and here.)

2. Mira Grant: I freaking love Mira Grant. I loved her take on zombies in the Feed trilogy. I love her mad scientists. I love her slightly manic characters. I can’t put down her books, and I don’t want to try. Yay, Mira! (Reviews here, here, and here… And here.)

3. Jojo Moyes: I was BLOWN AWAY by Me Before You and I adored The Girl You Left Behind. I respect a writer who can both depress me and make me feel hopeful at the same time. Get back, Jojo! (Reviews here and here.)

4. Carol Rifka Brunt: Debut author? Are you kidding? Tell The Wolves I’m Home was probably the best book I read this year. Obsessed. Will read all future releases. (Review)

5. Justin Cronin: Oooooh scary, scary, scary. The Passage was great fun, I plan to read The Twelve soon, at which point I will begin whining and pining for the final installment in the trilogy. (Review)

6. Margaret Dilloway: The Care and Handling of Roses with Thorns broke a nasty reading slump for me. Hot damn, I love horticulture! (Review)

7. Elizabeth Wein: Because Code Name Verity ripped my soul apart and stitched it back together. (Review)

8. Maria Semple: not only was Where’d You Go, Bernadette funny and weird, a cruise to Antarctica featured prominently. PENGUINS. (Review)

9. Isaac Marion: At this point, everybody knows I’ve got a soft spot for zombie lore. Warm Bodies was basically Romeo and Juliet… If Romeo craved human flesh. Loved it! (Review)

10. Jennifer Crusie: This gal is my new go-to for romance. I like my romance novels cheesy, but tongue-in-cheek. She hasn’t let me down yet! (Reviews here, here, and here)

So, there’s my list. It’s not exhaustive, but I think I covered the high points. What say you, Bookworms? New to you authors in 2013 you absolutely adored? Tell us about them!

*Full Disclosure: Any purchases made from Book Depository via this site will earn your friendly neighborhood book blogger a small commission. Thanks for your support!*

Dec 16

The Fellowship of the Worms: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

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Greetings Fellowship Bookworms,

Yes, it’s still the holiday season, and yes, it probably would have been a good idea just to let December ride as far as the Fellowship goes. Unfortunately, I lack vision. At least I had the good sense to pick a tasty morsel of a book this round! Today we will be discussing The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows.

WARNING: We will be discussing the WHOLE book. This will no doubt include SPOILERS. If you did not read the book and would like to participate, pick up a copy of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and give it a read. This post will be here waiting for you when you finish. Now that the particulars are out of the way, I’ll remind you of the premise here. I’ll pose questions in bold and answer them in regular type. If you don’t want your opinions influenced by my rantings, stick to the bold first. Feel free to answer them in the comments, or if you’re so inclined, on your own blog. A linky list will be provided at the end of this post for anybody who has reviewed The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society on their own blog. Don’t be shy, please link up!

1. Did y’all enjoy the epistolary format of this novel? Being composed entirely of letters offers a different perspective. What did you like about it? What didn’t you like?

Sigh. Letter writing is such a lost art, isn’t it? The patience involved in such an endeavor boggles my digital age mind. I rather enjoyed the insertion of telegrams when really urgent messages needed to be conveyed. Perhaps that’s why shouty capitals seem so shouty? IMPORTANT TELEGRAM! THEFT OF OSCAR WILDE LETTERS AT THE HAND OF DEVIOUS SECRETARY IMMINENT. I love a good epistolary novel. Well done, I say.

2. Alright kids, ‘fess up. Who didn’t know that there were islands hanging out in the English Channel that fell to Nazi Occupation in WWII?

Sheepishly raising my hand… So geography isn’t my strong suit, see? And, well, though I’d heard of Guernsey and Jersey (because COWS) I never realized they were islands. Given the fact that I didn’t even channel islands were a thing before picking up this book , I certainly had no clue they fell to German occupation. Everything I’ve ever heard about England during the war was about fortitude and stubbornly hiding in tube tunnels to avoid being blown to bits by constant air raids. I never thought about the poor folks on the islands, because, again, I didn’t know there WERE islands. Sigh. I saw an article a while back where English people tried to name the US states on a map… It makes me feel a little better about my own shortcomings. Check it out HERE.

3. Numerous Guernsey residents share their memories of the occupation with Juliet. Were there any details that surprised you?

I haven’t really read a whole lot about occupied territories… The last I read about it was in The Girl You Left Behind by Jojo Moyes, though that was about France during WWI. I liked that some of the Germans were given some depth, particularly the random German soldiers nonchalantly kicking potatoes off a truck for the starving English children. Of course, the horrors were never far behind, what with the mini concentration camp they had on Guernsey. The stories are all tales I’ve heard before from different parts of the world during the war, and yet, they never cease to surprise me: the depths of human depravity, the glimmers of human compassion.

4. That Elizabeth, am I right?! What do her actions throughout the occupation reveal about her character and approach to life?

Well, Elizabeth was a feisty one, wasn’t she? Grace under pressure, coming up with a literary society as a cover story for a contraband pork dinner. If she hadn’t such a kind heart, she would have made an excellent con artist. She wasn’t about to listen to convention. Her heart told her to take up with the hot, kind, conscientious objecting Nazi, and she went and had his baby. She reached her absolute breaking point by witnessing one cruelty too many. Vibrant, sassy, and willing to help others at great personal risk. She was a good egg, that Elizabeth.

5. Who was your favorite member of the society?

This is a tough question for me to answer, because I loved so many of them. I liked Dawsey a lot, but I’m taking him out of the running for being the romantic lead. I think my favorite is a tie between Isola and John Booker. Isola and her phrenology, tonics, and pet parrot? John Booker and his posing as his employer, wine theft, and stubborn devotion to Seneca? Yeah. I like the lovable weirdos best.

What did you think, Bookworms? Does anybody want to try baking a potato peel pie? (Just kidding, that sounded pretty gross. Let’s rejoice in the fact that we have no food shortages or rationing!) Please link up below if you have answered any of these questions on your own blog, or have written a review of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society anywhere, ever basically. Don’t be shy!

[inlinkz_linkup id=351782]

Dec 12

Flight by Sherman Alexie

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Howdy Bookworms,

Remember how I went on a crazy Cyber Monday shopping spree snapping up ALL THE DIGITAL BOOKS?! One of those books was Flight by Sherman Alexie, and holy cats, was it a doozie!

Alright, so there’s this kid who calls himself “Zits,” right? Poor guy is 14, in foster care, and suffers from a severe case of acne. He is half Native American, his father is an absent alcoholic, and his mother died of breast cancer when he was 6. Zits has been stuck in the system and wreaking havoc on the Seattle area for years. When we meet Zits, he’s in a foster home of the “we want the monthly stipend” variety. Instead of playing nice in his new surroundings, Zits goes out and gets himself arrested.

The way he sees it, jail is preferable to yet another crappy foster home. On this particular journey to the slammer, Zits meets up with another juvenile delinquent calling himself “Justice.” Justice seems like he’s got his life in order (at least from Zits’ perspective) and they team up. Only Justice? That guy’s got some ISSUES. He manages to convince Zits that they need to start a revolution… A revolution that will be kicked off by Zits shooting up a bank.

Zits is in the midst of his murderous rampage. He perceives that he’s been shot in the head, but instead of dying, he is taken on a Quantum Leap style journey through time and space. (I KNOW!) It sounds crazy, and it is pretty crazy, but it was SO GOOD! You know I’m a sucker for time travel, and jumping into someone else’s body? Well, that just turns things up to eleven! Seriously y’all. Never once has (what I assume to be) Proactiv made me cry. Until today. Wowza.

If you could jump into someone else’s consciousness, whose brain would you want to get inside? You’ve got all of history to pick from, Bookworms. Let’s hear it!

*If you buy a copy of Flight from a link on this site, I make a few cents. Let’s face it. Cents/Sense is something I could use more of. ALSO, did you enter my giveaway yesterday? Take a little scroll down. Free book!*

Dec 11

Review & GIVEAWAY!!! Washing Cars & Wasting Time by John Oliva

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Greetings Bookworms!

I know, I know. I was MIA yesterday. I have a really good reason for going missing that has nothing at all to do with spending my evening having my hair dyed to camouflage my prematurely graying hair… Wait… I mean… Books!

I was recently contacted by John Oliva and asked if I’d be interested in reviewing his book Washing Cars and Wasting Time. I don’t often accept review requests from authors who contact me directly, but the premise of this book piqued my interest. Washing Cars and Wasting Time is the recounting of Oliva’s time working for his family’s business, a self serve car was on the south side of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

I was pleasantly surprised by this memoir! It’s a slim volume, but chock full of slice-of-life tidbits that make a car wash an oddly compelling place to work. Oliva’s eccentric father’s antics had me giggling, and the family’s elaborate system for counting and transporting quarters? Oh man. I’ll never look at a coffee can, a cookie sheet, or a closet the same way again… In fact, I’m a little disappointed that all the coffee cans, cookie sheets, and closets in my house are used purely for their mundane intended purposes.

At times this book reads a bit like a blog, though I say that in the most admiring way possible. (Well done blogs are a whole lot of awesome, dagnabit!) Oliva’s stories were entertaining, but it was his side commentary that really appealed to me. What can I say? I’ve BEEN to a Midwestern car wash in the winter… People are bizarre, and nobody wants road salt stains on their sweet rides, even when their “sweet rides” are held together with duct tape and chewing gum.

You know what the very best part about reviewing this book is for me, though? Getting to share it with you! John Oliva sent me a spare, autographed copy of his book to hand out to a lucky winner. Now get in there, and win yourself a fun, free book, y’all! This giveaway is limited to the US only. (International shipping is a beast, sorry guys!)

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*I received a copy of this book for review and giveaway from the author in exchange for an honest review. If you choose to purchase a copy of this book through a link on this site, I will receive a small commission. I almost never wash my car, even when it’s covered with road salt and grime. I also need a refill of washer fluid.*

Dec 09

Geek Love by Katherine Dunn

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Good Day, Bookworms!

I hope you all had a fantastic weekend! We had our first snow of the season here, and I did some Christmas shopping. It was all very festive, minus the slick roads. Nobody likes a slick road.

In addition to traversing treacherous terrain (say that five times fast) I managed to finish reading Geek Love by Katherine Dunn. The Binewskis are a family of carnival folk. Desperate to create their own brood of travelling human oddities, Al and Lil Binewski employed the help of amphetamines, arsenic, and radioisotopes during each of Lil’s pregnancies. Prenatal vitamins were way too normal for their tastes. Their resulting children were certainly unique. Olympia, our narrator, is an albino hunchback dwarf. Her sisters, Elly and Iphy, are conjoined twins and piano impresarios. The eldest of the children is Arturo. He’s got flippers for limbs and an ego beyond comprehension. Chick, the baby of the clan, while outwardly normal, possesses a strange and wonderful gift that makes him a valuable and dangerous asset.

I went into this book expecting a quirky, fun read. I got quirky in spades, but fun was in shorter supply. Geek Love is a novel unafraid of delving into the darker side of human relationships. Every time I thought things couldn’t get any more bizarre, they did. Just when I thought I was getting a grasp on the message Dunn was trying to get across, it slipped right through my hands. This book kept me guessing, that’s for sure. What it also did was make me uncomfortable.

The physical abnormalities didn’t phase me. The embracing of their deformities as assets made me rather fond of the Binewskis. The fact that Al and Lil resorted to dangerous measures to provide themselves with a meal ticket skeeved me out, though. It’s hard to know how much the children’s personalities were influenced by chemicals ingested in utero and how much was a result of their unusual upbringing, but mental health is not the Binewski family’s strong suit. Because Arty. Whoa.

I can’t say that I LOVED this book, but it certainly made me think. I would highly recommend Geek Love to anyone who enjoys a darkly quirky read. If unusual confrontational situations appeal to you, and you’ve got a soft spot for carnivals, give Geek Love a try!

In the spirit of embracing our own oddities, let’s talk. What’s something unusual about YOU that you’ve chosen to embrace? Talk to me, Bookworms! Let’s be weirdos together!

*Purchases made through links on this site produce a small commission for your friendly neighborhood blogger. Your support is appreciated!*

Dec 05

Digital Book Haul… Oh, the SAVINGS!

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Greetings Bookworms!

If you’re following me on Facebook (and if you aren’t, why not?!?!) you probably noticed that I have been freaking out over the Kindle deals this week on Amazon. Between Cyber Monday sales and Daily Deals, I’ve purchased SO MANY books this week! I think they deserve their own post, don’t you?

1. Fire from Heaven by Mary Renault: Cost= $1.99. Regular Price = $3.03. Savings = $1.04. I have heard so many amazing things about Mary Renault and her stellar historical fiction, but I’ve never read any of it. That’s all about to change!

2. Sophie’s Choice by William Styron: Cost= $2.99. Regular Price = $9.99. Savings = $7.00. Everybody knows the classic Meryl Streep movie… Even if they haven’t actually SEEN it (guilty as charged.) I don’t like the fact that big titles are floating around out there that I haven’t read yet.

3. Unclean Jobs for Women and Girls by Alissa Nutting: Cost = $1.99. Regular Price = $7.69. Savings = $5.70. Andi at Estella’s Revenge inspired me to tackle a confrontational read. For that price? I won’t feel badly if I have to DNF!

4. The Chaperone by Laura Moriarty: Cost = $7.99. Regular Price = $7.99. Savings = $0. Yeah, this one wasn’t on sale, but I got SO EXCITED when I read about Leah at Books Speak Volumes and her Jazz Age January event that I couldn’t resist!

5. North and South by John Jakes: Cost = $2.99. Regular Price = $7.69. Savings = $4.70. My friend Lauren from Filing Jointly…Finally has been telling me to read this trilogy of epic Civil War Novels since forever. Clearly I had to purchase the entire trilogy…

6. Love and War by John Jakes: Cost = $2.99. Regular Price= $8.54. Savings = $5.55. When I told Lauren I had purchased this series of books, her response was classic Lauren…

7. Heaven and Hell by John Jakes: Cost = $2.99. Regular Price= $8.54. Savings = $5.55. “Oh, you’ll like it. If you know what’s good for you.” Gotta love friends who don’t bother to veil their threats :).

8. Flight: A Novel by Sherman Alexie: Cost = $2.99. Regular Price = $9.99. Savings = $7.00. I haven’t read any Sherman Alexie, but if someone’s work manages to get itself banned, it’s usually worth reading.

9 & 10. Exodous & QB VIII by Leon Uris: Cost = $3.99. Regular Price = $10.56. Savings = $6.57. That’s right, guys. TWO books for the price of ONE heavily discounted book. My Mother in Law recommended Leon Uris to me. I figured it was worth a shot.

11. The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt: Cost = $2.99. Regular Price = $7.99. Savings = $5.00. The book blogosphere has been BUZZING with praise for this chunkster of a novel. I hate being out of the loop!

12. Burial Rites by Hannah Kent: Cost = $2.99. Regular Price = $10.91. Savings = $7.92. This book is all over best-of-the-year lists. Plus, how often do you run across books set in Iceland? Not often enough, obviously. My only associations with Iceland are that impossible-to-pronounce volcano and Bjork.

Let’s recap, shall we? That’s a grand total of 12 books for the bargain price of $36.89. That’s an average of $3.07 per book. Total savings = $56.03. Merry Christmas to ME!

Anybody else out there get some stellar deals Black Friday or Cyber Monday shopping? Now’s your opportunity to brag! Spill it!

P.S. If you choose to purchase any books using the links on this site, I won’t see one red cent. Yeah, I bought my books on Amazon for my Kindle which I adore, but Illinois and Amazon just can’t seem to get along, so I can’t be an Amazon affiliate. Two states in the union with this restriction and I live in one of them. Grrrr, Illinois, play nice!

Month: December 2013

Top 10 Books I Read in 2013

Kindred by Octavia Butler

A Video Christmas Card

Confession Friday (on Thursday): We Fear the Doorbell

Authors I “Met” in 2013: Top Ten Tuesday!

The Fellowship of the Worms: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

Flight by Sherman Alexie

Review & GIVEAWAY!!! Washing Cars & Wasting Time by John Oliva

Geek Love by Katherine Dunn

Digital Book Haul… Oh, the SAVINGS!

I Am Katie. I Like Books.

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Month: December 2013

I Am Katie. I Like Books.

Archives

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