No Summer Sisters

As I expected, I didn't have much time for reading over the weekend. We were busy doing other wonderful things! This means I didn't get Summer Sisters started, and now I've decided to skip it and move onto another book called The Sweet By and By by Todd Johnson. It was recommended on a blog I love and so I'm going to give it a try... I'm even going to buy a copy! Well, mainly because they don't have it at the library, or else I'd get it for free. Fortunately, I have a good coupon for Borders, so I'll be picking it up tomorrow at lunch time.

Awesome.

I finished The Amber Spyglass, which completes the His Dark Materials series. The series as a whole was amazing, though I was a little disappointed with the last bit of the last book. It seemed like after all they had been through that the ending was a bit anticlimactic… but maybe that’s because I already had an idea of what would happen.

I still really enjoyed the story and the characters and the creativity. There were points in the last book where I was practically in tears, others where I was on edge wondering what would happen, and finally a bit disappointed because even though the characters were experiencing a lot of emotion, I wasn’t really "feeling it."

There were a couple things I do wish I had written down while I was reading, but I can’t find them now trying to look back through. Darn it, I should have known better than to think I could go back, but it’s hard to stop reading when the story is so awesome!

Moving forward, I’ve decided to read some stuff I have at the condo instead of getting books out of the library when I bring these last two back. I think I’ll start with something I’ve already read (years ago) - Summer Sisters by Judy Blume - because it will be a fun, easy read for me while I’m in RI camping and hopefully going to the beach this weekend.

The Subtle Knife - Finished

I am glad to hear from Karen- especially about her reading of the His Dark Materials series! I suppose I am not reading the series with the controversy in mind, meaning it's not affecting my enjoyment, but I do see where a controversy could stem from. And although I don't agree with a complete overhaul of creation and of the relationship we have with God verses what we know as Christians, I do find the story and characters extremely fascinating.

I finished The Subtle Knife before I left for VT and started The Amber Spyglass, which is the last book in the series. I have already been introduced to some amazing creatures in one new world, and the story line continues to build up to what I'm sure will be a grand battle and finale.

Do Not Recommend

I finished The Book of Air and Shadows and just to let you know how much I enjoyed it, when I read the last word, I threw it across the kitchen. I realize I could have just stopped reading it at any time, but I have a weird thing with not finishing things and I just had to, so I stuck it out. I was thinking it would be more Dan Brown-esque and it really wasn't. The kind of story was similar, but the way it was told and the actual storyline etc. did not live up to Dan Brown's work at all. It didn't flow that well and it wasn't that interesting and it was a little more pornographic than I thought was necessary. Needless to say, I do not recommend this one. Just steer clear.

Grama sent me the Dune series so I've just started on the first one. I really don't have much time to read nowadays but starting in July I should have a better time of it. I'll try to keep up though, I did so well at the beginning of the year. Anyway, this one seems like it's right up my alley so I'll probably post more about it, at least more positively.

Christie: I have read the whole Dark Materials series and I thoroughly enjoyed them. I also read them without knowing there was such a big controversy surrounding them and I did not catch on to that at all when I read them. But I'm a little dim sometimes, and just don't always think that deeply about things. I just read them as really fascinating, creative and unique fantasy stories, which is just the kind of thing I enjoy. I'm glad you're enjoying them. They are definitely books that I would recommend to anyone.

The Subtle Knife

Oh what a bum I am for not posting to this in forever! I finished The Golden Compass and have moved on to the second book in the series, The Subtle Knife.

I'm having a hard time articulating my thoughts about this series of books. I know that some people think the content is controversial, and although I was a bit uncomfortable at the end of The Golden Compass when he altered scripture to fit his storyline, I have viewed the books as an amazingly creative work of fiction, not something scary or offensive in terms of my faith.

I suppose I just believe what I believe and I'm grounded enough in that to not be swayed or offended by someone else's make-believe. His characters are excellent and so far I've taken the story as adventure, not evil.

We'll see how I feel when I finish book two and book three. I'd like to talk with Karen a bit more at some point, or get her ideas about it in a comment, because I know she's read them (or at least the first one).

I'll probably not post again until I'm done with all three (hopefully I can gather my thoughts better between now and then), but don't hold it against me!

well, it is not too awful

I have stuck it out with "The Other Queen", and though it does occasionally make me yell into the air that "I picked up that four disks ago", I have also enjoyed it. There are three perspectives, each read by a different narrator. We see the story from Mary Stuart, Bess of Hardwick, and Lord Talbert's viewpoint. Not bad, and I am thankful that they use different people to help me to be focused. :)

Other books on my list on in progress:
"Two Old Women" a book that is rather interesting. It is based on a legend in a native culture in the Pacific North West. The old women in the band are left behind because there is not enough food, and they have not been able bodied for years. After they realize that this was really happening, they are determined to survive. Though they still have the aches and pains from a few days before, they work through them, and move to a safer place. I actually am looking forward to picking this up again.

"The Lace Reader" is a novel. It based out of Salem, MA, and I haven't gotten too far into it. I think it is a mystery of sorts, and related to talents we are afraid of trusting with in ourselves.

"The Last Lecture", this is a hard read for me at this point. I have set it aside for now.

My car book continues to be the one written by an adolescent with Dyspraxia. I am close to being done with it though.

My next audio book will be "The Memory Keeper's Daughter".

It's Been a While...

I think the last time I posted I had started The Bell Jar, which i very much enjoyed. I only had a vague idea about the book when I started and there were times when I really related to the main character, Esther, particularly in the way she looks at the world and the people around her. It turns out the book is semi-autobiographical, following Sylvia Plath's own descent into mental illness. (Interesting side fact: It was Plath's first and I think only novel and she published it under a pseudonym because she didn't think it had any relevance, literary or otherwise.) Go figure. It was a very interesting read and did not end as tragically as I thought it would. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for Sylvia Plath's own life, which she ended very shortly after this novel was published.

After that, I read The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery, another book Paige lent me from her collection. It took a little while for me to get into it--it was very intellectual and deep and philosophical and I had a hard time relating to the characters for a while, but as is often the case, it picked up and I really enjoyed it. There was a lot of interesting points made about society in general and the behavior of people, particularly between the classes. It was a very good example of the bonds that can be made between unlikely people and how those bonds can affect the course of a person's life. It touches on how even the smallest of things can have the biggest effect on people. I definitely recommend it to anyone who can fit it in.

I didn't bring anything new with me to Colorado but I managed to find a small collection of books in the housing common area and picked out The Book of Air and Shadows by Michael Gruber. It's a very Dan Brown-esque novel that centers around a mysterious and presumably very valuable piece of literature. Already a scholar with important information has been tortured to death! It should keep me entertained at the very least until I get more books in my possession, which I know are coming!

Listening

I finished the Twilight Saga, and was rather disappointed with the ending.

Now, I am listening to books, rather than reading. Well, OK, I am still reading... Just haven't decided which book to discuss....

Any way has any one read "The Other Queen" by Phillipa Gregory? Please tell me it gains some momentum and they stop repeating themselves.... Other wise, I will be shifting to "The Memory Keeper's Daughter"....

My reading at this point is focused on gaining some perspective for my upcoming sermon.
Some Joyce Rupp, Bible, and well Bible Commentary... The Joyce Rupp is more for the PLF worship service I will do on Tuesday night. The others will help in June. :)

Done with Isaac and his storm...

I finished Isaac's Storm last night. I would say that if you are squeamish about the powerful destructive force of water, whether it be in the form of a hurricane, waves, or high water, that you avoid this book. His descriptions of how the water takes over the city of Galveston are detailed, as are his descriptions of the effects the water had on bodies and buildings. Even without the crime story intertwined, like in his other books I've read, it still had a level of suspense and I can tell you my heart beat a little faster the night I was reading and there was a storm flashing lightning outside the bedroom window.

When it was over, I tried to imagine what it must have been like to be there. It nearly choked me up thinking about it. The devastation was immense, and yet that city still stands today. They rebuilt after unprecedented loss and moved forward. Amazing.

I'll be bringing The Golden Compass along with me on the trip to CO. I don't really expect to get it started along the way, but will likely be glad to have it at the airport and on the plane on Tuesday.

Vacation

You would think that with a week off from work, I would have finished one of the several books I have have going. Nope, not one.
So, I will be sneaking in some reading during the next few rainy days. :)