I want to be a watermelon when I grow up!!!
P.S. This illustration came from An Awesome Book by Dallas Clayton.
There are place in the world
where people do not dream...
of rocket powered unicorns
and candy cane machines
of magic watermelon boats
and musical baboons
or teeny tiny trumpet players training pet raccoons.
P.S. Kitten Bandit is by Emily Martin.
Jack makes an unlikely friend in Mr. Gladstein who has his own label: Jew. Mr. Gladstein relives his own youth as Jack tries to make Myra his girlfriend. Jack desperately wishes Myra could forget which house he lives in and see him for the person he is. The odds are against Jack since his brother has an ongoing grudge match with Myra's brother, which only worsens when her brother goes missing.
I love a good coming-of-age story and this book did not disappoint. It had a pleasing proportion of mystery, young love, drama, humor, heartbreak, and suspense, with a pinch of magic. This is Stephen Wetta's first novel and I hope he writes more!
P.S. This book counts as my Book With an Emotion in the Title for the What's In a Name Challenge.
How can I think about my brain when it's my brain doing the thinking? So is this brain pretending to be me thinking about it? I can't trust anyone these days, least of all myself. I am a mysteriously generated consciousness, and no comfort to me that it's one of billions.
Still interested?
Andrew's Brain is Andrew talking to his psychiatrist about how he unintentionally brings catastrophe to everyone he's been close to in life. The book is pretty short which was just the right length for me not to lose interest or get frustrated with the style of writing. I liked it more than City of God but not as much as Homer & Langley.
Judging the book by the cover, I thought it would be a dark and scary tale. However, it's actually a YA novel that I would label Science Fiction, which sparked a little debate in my book club. One said no, it's fantasy. One thought it could be called Historical Fiction. Whatever you would like to call it, we all agreed it was a good story.
It begins with 16 year old Jacob sharing how he loves his grandfather because of all the great stories and photos he shares with Jacob from when he was a kid at Miss Peregrine's Home. Unfortunately it isn't long before Jacob finds his grandfather dying in the forest. His grandfather's dying words are pretty cryptic, but it becomes clear to Jacob that he needs to go to Wales to see Miss Peregrine's Home. What he discovers there reveals that what he knew of his grandfather was only a fraction of his peculiar life.
My favorite part of the book is how the author used unaltered vintage photographs to illustrate the story. I think of the author as a very creative person to find photos first and then create a story with them. A few times it felt like he was adding a detail just so he could share a photo, but overall the photos were an asset.
I definitely see myself reading the sequel, Hollow City, which comes out in January. All but one member of my book club agreed they would be doing the same. I'll also be loaning this book to my nephew because he's a WWII buff and this book puts a little twist on one of the battles.
P.S. This book counts as Historical Mystery for my Eclectic Readers Challenge.
This book is actually second in a series but the author filled me in on what I missed from the first book without any issues. This story is about Lizzy Tucker, a pastry chef from Salem, Massachusetts who is partnered with Diesel, a hot magical dude who has to protect her. Their mission is to get the Luxuria Stone, "an ancient relic believed by some to be infused with the power of lust." However, Dielsel's cousin Gerwulf and a scary lady named Anarchy are also trying to get the stone which causes hijinks on the way.
It was an easy read but a little too easy for my taste. I've already forgotten most of the story.
P.S. This book counts as my Urban Fantasy genre for the Eclectic Reader Challenge.
Witches of East End by Melissa de la Cruz - for my Witches & Witchcraft Reading Challenge, also there is a new t.v. show on Lifetime based on this book that I want to watch
Cell by Stephen King - zombie story, to read with the Stephen King group on LibraryThing
The Walking Dead, Vol. 3: Safety Behind Bars by Robert Kirkman - can't wait for the show to start again Sunday!
The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J. K. Rowling - this has been on my shelf for 5 years!
and my book club is reading A Good Fall by Ha Jin (not scary).
P.S. The cover of Haunted Horror was designed by Lee Elias.
Her biggest fear, she says, is if we had government healthcare.
The example she gave of why that would be so terrible is how her private insurance has failed her.
Umm. Debate over?
P.S. I got this picture from Private Arts.
I read 2 Early Reviewers this month, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs and Andrew's Brain: A Novel by E.L. Doctorow. Both were good. Reviews to come.
My favorite this month was Blaze by Richard Bachman (Stephen King). This book solidified Stephen King as a favorite author. It's suspenseful but not scary.
I also loved Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer. I like reading about other people's adventures that I'm too scared/practical to go on.
I'm still reading Beloved by Toni Morrison. This is the second book I've read by her. I like it but it may be the last. I always feel like I have to read each of her sentences twice.
What did you read this month?
P.S. September came from Stephan Britt.
"Guess which vegetable I barf on?"
Before I could decide whether to guess or change the subject she blurted out,
"Broccoli!!!"
I proceeded to read the kids a story about vegetables that animals like, and when we got to the page with animals enjoying broccoli, I heard her mumble,
"I don't care. I don't like broccoli."
P.S. Eat Your Vegetables is by Sebastien Millon.
Back to the trash I intend to fill my head with...This year I'm planning to read Beloved by Toni Morrison, which was banned in the USA for moral reasons. I morally object to slavery too, but I still think we should be able to read books about it! (I'm kidding. I know it wasn't banned because people are opposed to slavery.)
What are you going to read for Banned Books Week? In case you need inspiration, here is a list of books I've read in the past.
P.S. I found this picture at theSteward.
P.S. Arr, I don't recall where I pillaged me picture from.
Even though two of the Pussy Rioters are sitting in jail as I type this, found guilty of this crime, they actually don't have any hatred of religion. Their problem is president Putin and his overreaching connection to the Russian Orthodox Church (the church told their parishioners to vote for Putin).
Reading about how they were not allowed time with their lawyers before the trial on top of the fact that they didn't break any laws, only church traditions, shows me how they must have hit the mark. If Putin didn't do anything wrong, their silly antics would have been dealt with a slap on the wrist.
It's funny to me how Pussy Riot has brought Putin to my attention. I didn't know much about him before their punk prayer, but now my ears perk up when I hear his name. War on homosexuality? Ties with Syria? Wow! I'm pretty sure this guy is a jerk!
America may not be perfect but we at least have some freedom, and the right to speak up when we don't.
FREE PUSSY RIOT!
