Fill In The ______ 2010

Found this fun activity via Consumed by Books, who found it at The Book Rat.

Pretty much you just answer the questions using the name of a book you've read in 2010. You can go for serious answers that most closely match what your real answers would be, or you can go with the funniest ones you can come up with for your available titles.

I went ahead and linked my answers to my reviews (except for 1, which was from before I started reviewing) so you can check them out if you're curious.

Have fun!

Describe yourself:
Moon Called
What can I say? I'm a night-owl.

Describe where you currently live:
Northanger Abbey
Okay, not really. But I am in the north.

What's the weather like?
Heat Wave
Can below freezing be considered a heat wave?

If you could go anywhere, you would go to...
The Restaurant at the End of the Universe
Now that would be fun!

Your favorite form of transportation is...
Personal Demons
They're speedy, eco-friendly, and automatically reduce the number of other idiot drivers.

Your favorite time of day is...
Homecoming
It'd be a lot better if I had a job to be coming home from.

Your best friend is...
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
What better friend than a book that tells you not to panic?

You and your friends are...
Wizards at War
Don't worry—we made a truce for the holidays.

You feel...
Mostly Harmless
As opposed to Very Nuclear.

Life is...
Paranormalcy
Chocolates are nice, but hawt shapeshifters are nicer.

Your greatest fear is...
The Strangers Outside
Unless it's Ed McMahon and his crew—I want my giant check!

You would prefer to die by...
Fire
Wait, what?! O_O

Your soul's present condition is...
High Wizardry
I swear I'm high on life...

What is the best advice you have to give?
So You Want to Be a Wizard
I hear it's a very lucrative field!

Thought for the Day:
So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish
Now I can open up my own fish store and supplement my writing! As soon as I have my nose removed.

You can find the full list of books I read this year HERE!

Hope You All Have A Safe And Happy New Year!

Welcome to the Family

After much deliberation, I've gone ahead and signed up this blog as an Associate of Amazon, Borders, and Powell's Books.

Pretty much this means is any time someone clicks on an Amazon, Borders (coming soon), or Powell's link, and then makes a purchase, I will be credited with a small percentage (6-8.5%) of their purchase. It doesn't even have to be the item at that specific link - so long as the browser window/tab remains the same, I get credited for 'directing' you to the site.

I want to stress that this doesn't mean I expect you to immediately click these links and buy thousands of dollars worth of stuff. There's no obligation on your part whatsoever. However, if while browsing my site you see something you're interested in buying, or perhaps you're reminded of something you've been meaning to buy, if you wouldn't mind locating one of my links (either in-post or on the sidebar) and using it to get where you want to go...I'd really appreciate your support.

I promise not to overwhelm you with ads, and keep the links discreet. I'm currently going through all my past reviews to edit the format and links. Pretty much what you'll see in each review is this:

~Title of Book Linked to Goodreads~
Series Name
Book #
By Author Name
Amazon ~ Borders ~ Powell's

And that'll be the end of it. Nothing too pushy, I hope. And nothing completely off-target, like random posts about plungers or baby bottles with tons of links throughout. Unless you guys want that type of thing...

Funds received from these Associations will be used primarily for future contests (especially shipping), purchasing books for review, and keeping bills (internet) paid.

Oh, and while I'm thinking about it, I'd like to point you to the left-hand side of the screen where you may have noticed a new Facebook widget where you can "Like" this blog.

That's right, The Wolf's Den has it's own Facebook account! There you will find pictures of books in-progress, reading updates, and discussion boards where you're welcome to talk about what you're reading, what you thought about books reviewed here, and make suggestions for the site. Who knows, maybe I'll even start a book club there. So head on over and check it out!

As always, thank you for your continued support. I couldn't do this without you.

Am I A Bad Person?

The other day, as I was perusing my regular list of blogs, I came across one that made me take a step back.

On Rachelle Gardner's blog, she posted a plea made by guest blogger, Marcus Brotherton. A hardcover a month, that’s all we ask. Essentially, he's asking for writers, readers, anyone interested in books or the publishing industry at all, to help the industry and spend $20 a month on books.

At first glance, I was completely on board. Sure! Anything I can do to help! We writerly people have got to stick together!

But then, I realized that I regularly go months without buying books. The majority of my reading comes from the library, where I can get just about any book if I'm willing to wait a couple weeks/months (depending on popularity and supply).

As much as I love books, that $20 a month is a problem for me. Being unemployed is a matter of making sure you get what you need. I've gotten to the point now that I have to double and triple-check every book I pick up to see if I'm really interested in it, or if I can live with checking the library.

And even the books I do talk myself into buying are usually pre-owned or discounted with coupons. A majority come from Goodwill or Used Bookstores, such that I'm not even sure their sales would make a difference in the publishing industry.

So, I'm asking...does this make me a bad person? What do you think about utilizing the free (or cheaper) resources versus helping the industry?

The Strangers Outside Are Drowning Their Sorrows

~The Strangers Outside~
By Vanessa Morgan
Amazon

Two sisters, Jennifer and Louise, return to their remote holiday cabin after a day at the seaside. But little do they know they’re being surrounded. Shortly after their arrival, the girls will come face to face with THE STRANGERS OUTSIDE. When the assailants make their intentions known, things take a shockingly terrible turn and an intense battle for survival will begin.

As a precursor, I feel the need to say that I don't particularly like horror. I don't watch horror movies, and I usually don't read horror books. When the author contacted me to review her self-published short story and novella, I was a bit leery, but decided perhaps I'd benefit from expanding my interests. After all, I've read Dracula without any negative repercussions. So long as there aren't any needles involved, nor people jumping out at me (I HATE that) from my screen, I figured I would be alright.

Thus, I may not be the best judge of horror, but I shall do my best.

Whisper Stories in My Ear Challenge

I know, I know, I just posted a reading challenge not an hour ago... But in truth, I'd already had that one on my Reading Challenge page for almost two weeks (perhaps I should announce these things sooner?).

Anyway, as soon as I saw this reading challenge, I knew I had to jump in!

Hosted by Bewitched Bookworms

As some of you probably know from reading my reviews, I listen to audiobooks on a regular basis. Not by themselves, mind you. I listen to audiobooks while I read along.

But Vicki, how can you read so slowly? Don't you find it boring?

Well, I might, if I didn't speed up the audiobooks to match my reading speed. Windows Media Player allows for speeding up or slowing down playback (a very handy feature if you ask me) so that I can increase the speed anywhere from 1.01x to 2x the normal speed. I usually find a good pace between 1.7x and 1.95x, depending on the narrator.

But Vicki, how can you understand what they're saying? Don't they sound like chipmunks?

Actually, I usually don't have it fast enough for that. Once you get above 2x speed, the audio usually becomes too clipped and unintelligible for me. So, while the pitch of the reader does increase a bit, I find it still pretty easy to make out.

Also, having the book in front of me helps a lot. If I miss something in the audio, it's right there on the page, so I don't miss anything.

But Vicki, why use the audiobook at all if you're just going to read the book anyway?

You're just full of questions, aren't you? Well, I read along with audiobooks for a few different reasons, actually.

First, I find it helps a lot with internalizing the stories. It's been proven in teaching/learning that we understand lessons a lot better when multiple senses are involved.

Some people are very good with learning through auditory means, such as listening to a lecture; some learn best with visual representations, such as diagrams or videos; and some work best through hands-on (or kinesthetic) techniques, such as performing a lab or skit.

By combining auditory and visual senses, I find it much easier to internalize what I'm reading, and to remember what I've read.

I also find it helps me focus that much more on what I'm doing. Have you ever found yourself reading and realized it's been an hour and you have no idea what you just read? Perhaps you were thinking about what you need to get from the store, or someone just came home and you're wondering what they're doing in the kitchen. Having my eyes and ears both focused on a book helps me stay on point, and thus, finish that book much faster.

Finally, in the case of Fantasy or SciFi books, listening to someone else read them allows me to hear some of those stranger words instead of spending 5 minutes trying to sound it out myself. Names like ed'Rastekeresket t'k Gh'shestaesteh or Aurilelde have thrown me for a loop in the past, but with a narrator taking the guesswork out of it, I'm past the road-bump after a couple seconds and on I go.

But Vicki, aren't there any drawbacks to this?

Alright, but this is your last one. Yes, I will admit, there are a couple problems with my preferred reading method.

Firstly, I have to be by my computer. Because I listen to the books at a higher speed, I can't simply transfer them to my mp3-player and off I go. Likewise, it's hard to read ahead while I'm out and find my place in the audio (unless I stop at a chapter or something). Thus, I have to make time to sit at my computer and listen...which is easier said than done, sometimes. Still, finishing a book in 3-10 hours isn't too bad.

But Vicki—

Nope, that's it from you =P And now here's a short list of what I have planned:

Planned:
1.   The Hunger Games ~ Suzanne Collins
2.   Catching Fire ~ Suzanne Collins
3.   Mockingjay ~ Suzanne Collins
4.   Wicked
5.   Son of a Witch
6.   A Lion Among Men
7.   The Lost Years of Merlin
8.   Eragon
9.   Eldest
10. Brisingr
11. Artemis Fowl
12. Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident
13. Artemis Fowl: The Eternity Code
14. Artemis Fowl: The Opal Deception
15. Artemis Fowl: The Lost Colony
16. Artemis Fowl: The Time Paradox
17. Artemis Fowl: The Atlantis Complex
18. Ender's Game
19. Ender's Shadow
20. Shadow of the Hegemon
21. Shadow Puppets
22. Shadow of the Giant
23. The Amulet of Samarkand
24. The Golem's Eye
25. Ptolemy's Gate
26. Earth (The Audiobook)


That's way over 200 hours, and I'm positive I'll read others over the year too. So that's the plan...wish me luck!

Keep track of my progress on my Reading Challenges page.

Reading Bucket List Challenge

So, come the new year, I'll be nearing my first full year of blogging! Yay! It's been fun so far, and I've gotten a lot of great advice and experience over the past year. Trying things out, finding out what works and what doesn't, has been a lot of fun. And come January 1st, I'll have a whole new year ahead of me...

Naturally that means that I will actually have a full year to complete some reading challenges! During this first year, my reading and reviews have been somewhat sparse, but I hope this new year will have less kinks ... be less kinky ... be somewhat smoother.

And so, without further adieu, here's the challenge I signed up for!

Hosted by The Mad Scientist

The Mad Scientist is certainly not one to stifle creativity, so her explanation and guidelines are extremely broad. The gist of it is to read a list of books that you've been meaning to get to, but haven't found time (or motivation) yet.

For those who need a little more in the way of guidelines, she does provide a Suggestion Page which has various themed lists such as Read 30 Genres, or Find 14 Settings.

As for myself, I'm using it as an opportunity to read some of the unread series I have sitting on my shelves:

Books I Own Are Bold
Unread Books Are Marked With *

Series I Own But Have Never Started:

~Alexander Cold Trilogy by Isabel Allende

1. City of the Beasts *
2. Kingdom of the Golden Dragon *
3. Forest of the Pygmies *

~The Bartimaeus Trilogy by Jonathan Stroud

1. The Amulet of Samarkand *
2. The Golem's Eye *
3. Ptolemy's Gate *

~The Wicked Years Series by Gregory Maguire

1. Wicked *
2. Son of a Witch *
3. A Lion Among Men *

~The Raine Benares Series by Lisa Shearin

1. Magic Lost, Trouble Found *
2. Armed & Magical *
3. The Trouble With Demons *
4. Bewitched & Betrayed *

~The Secret Texts Trilogy by Holly Lisle

0. Vincalis the Agitator *
1. Diplomacy of Wolves *
2. Vengeance of Dragons *
3. Courage of Falcons *

~The Lost Years Of Merlin Series by T.A. Barron

1. The Lost Years of Merlin *
2. The Seven Songs of Merlin *
3. The Fires of Merlin *
4. The Mirror of Merlin *
5. The Wings of Merlin *

Series I've Started:

~The Inheritance Series by Christopher Paolini

1. Eragon
2. Eldest *
3. Brisingr *

~The Lord of the Rings Series by J.R.R. Tolkien

1. The Hobbit 
2. The Fellowship of the Ring
3. The Two Towers *
4. The Return of the King *

~The Belgariad Series by David Eddings

1. Pawn of Prophecy
2. Queen of Sorcery *
3. Magician's Gambit *
4. Castle of Wizardry *
5. Enchanters' End Game *

~The Shadow Series by Orson Scott Card

1. Ender's Game
2. Ender's Shadow *
3. Shadow of the Hegemon *
4. Shadow Puppets *
5. Shadow of the Giant *

~Magic Kingdom of Landover Series by Terry Brooks

1. Magic Kingdom For Sale Sold!
2. The Black Unicorn *
3. Wizard at Large *
4. The Tangle Box *
5. Witches' Brew *
6. Princess of Landover

~Artemis Fowl Series by Eoin Colfer

1. Artemis Fowl
2. Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident
3. Artemis Fowl: The Eternity Code
4. Artemis Fowl: The Opal Deception
5. Artemis Fowl: The Lost Colony *
6. Artemis Fowl: The Time Paradox *
7. Artemis Fowl: The Atlantis Complex *

~Dragonriders of Pern Series by Anne McCaffrey (and Todd McCaffrey)

1. Dragonflight
2. Dragonquest
3. Dragonsong
4. Dragonsinger
5. Dragondrums
6. The White Dragon
7. Moreta: Dragonlady of Pern *
8. Nerilka's Story *
9. Dragonsdawn *
10. The Renegades of Pern *
11. All the Weyrs of Pern *
12. The Chronicles of Pern: First Fall *
13. The Dolphins of Pern *
14. Dragonseye *
15. The Masterharper of Pern *
16. The Skies of Pern *
17. A Gift of Dragons *
18. Dragon's Kin *
19. Dragon's Fire *
20. Dragon Harper *
21. Dragonsblood *
22. Dragonheart *
23. Dragongirl *

~Xanth Series by Piers Anthony

1. A Spell for Chameleon
2. The Source of Magic
3. Castle Roogna
4. Centaur Aisle
5. Ogre, Ogre
6. Night Mare
7. Dragon on a Pedestal *
8. Crewel Lye *
9. Golem in the Gears *
10. Vale of the Vole *
11. Heaven Cent *
12. Man from Mundania *
13. Isle of View *
14. Question Quest *
15. The Color of Her Panties *
16. Demons Don't Dream *
17. Harpy Thyme *
18. Geis of the Gargoyle *
19. Roc and a Hard Place *
20. Yon Ill Wind *
21. Faun & Games *
22. Zombie Lover *
23. Xone of Contention *
24. The Dastard *
25. Swell Foop *
26. Up In A Heaval *
27. Cube Route *
28. Currant Events *
29. Pet Peeve *
30. Stork Naked *
31. Air Apparent *
32. Two to the Fifth *
33. Jumper Cable *
34. Knot Gneiss *

Giving us a total of 109 books! Yeah, I don't know if I'll be reading all of these next year... But my goal is to know if I like the books on my shelves, and if I don't, to clear room for other titles I know I like.

So, FYI, I might not be getting to some of the new releases next year...but I hope to be cranking out a lot of reviews! Wish me luck!

Keep track of my progress on my Reading Challenges page.

When You're On A Hunt, You Do Whatever It Takes

Being the second book in a series, this review may contain slight spoilers for the first book, Terrier. I'd suggest you read the book, or at the very least my previous review before reading this.

~Bloodhound~
Provost's Dog
Book 2
By Tamora Pierce
Amazon ~ Powell's

No one said growing up would be easy.

Beka's back, now graduated from Puppy-hood and patrolling the streets as a full-fledged Dog. Unfortunately, the Lower City hasn't gotten any easier to handle, especially with rumors of a grain shortage making prices and tempers rise. And if riots weren't enough to keep the Dogs busy, Beka's also on the hunt for a coin counterfeiter who seems set on collapsing the economy entirely.

Good thing Beka's not short of friends she can count on. Between her partners Goodwin and Tunstall, her magical cat companion Pounce, and her friends in the Court of the Rogue, she expects there's nothing that can keep her from catching the mastermind behind the counterfeits. But when the trail leads away to Port Caynn, Beka finds herself losing her familiar company in exchange for new faces. Sure, Achoo the scent-hound should come in handy, but what about this overly charming Dale Rowan and his lot?

It won't be enough for Beka to be her usual "terrier" self. She'll have to learn from Achoo to sniff out the criminals—to be a bloodhound.


Once again, I've got to hand it to whoever writes the jacket description for these books, whether it be Tammy herself, or one of the people at Random House. It's descriptive yet concise, intriguing yet mysterious, and perhaps most importantly, it doesn't spoil anything. Well, perhaps one thing...but it's not that big. I just couldn't help but quote it again, if only for the last lines.

BBC's Underestimation (Clarified)

According to a number of my peers, the BBC has decreed that a majority of us are terribly under-read. Of a list of 100 books, they state that most people have not read more than 6 books found on this list. Here's our chance to prove them wrong!

~EDIT~

After doing a little research of my own...there's probably never been such a statement by the BBC. According to this site, this is a meme that has been going around Facebook and various other sites since early 2009. Recently it's made another run and moved on to book blogs (which is where I picked it up).

One commenter (and fellow skeptic) on that site shows his own research into the subject:

I started seeing the “BBC Top 100 Books” meme around Facebook over the last couple weeks, but the "BBC doesn't think you've read more than six of these" part didn't sit right with me.

There’s a BBC Big Read 100 List which was done in 2003. However, the list in the meme is quite different than the BBC Big Read list where some think it started. I thought there might be a list that was closer to the one in the meme. So, I did a little online sleuthing.

First I found this article that mentions a World Book Day survey in 2007 of "100 books Brits can’t live without." And then I found the complete list on The Guardian’s website -- Mystery solved -- it’s the same list as the one in the meme.

So, feel free to see how many of those hundred books you’ve read. As a reader, I always find it fun. However, know that the BBC isn’t judging you. The only thing you'll discover is if you’ve read the same books that a bunch of people in the UK couldn't live without.

So, sorry we thought the worst of you, BBC. But hey, at least you get a bit of free publicity out of this, right? And in return, we get a chance to fill our free-time and share our reading accomplishments.


Instructions:
•Copy this list.
•Bold those books you’ve read in their entirety.
•Italicize the ones you started but didn’t finish or read only an excerpt.
•Tag other book nerds.
•Highlight the ones that you own but haven't read. They are probably in your TBR stack/on your shelf at the back because someone said you should read them.

Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austen (required)
The Lord of the Rings – JRR Tolkien (3 books)

Jane Eyre – Charlotte Bronte

Harry Potter series – JK Rowling (7 books)
To Kill a Mockingbird – Harper Lee

The King James Bible

Wuthering Heights – Emily Bronte

Nineteen Eighty Four (1984) – George Orwell
His Dark Materials – Philip Pullman (3 books)
Great Expectations – Charles Dickens
Little Women – Louisa M Alcott

Tess of the D’Urbervilles – Thomas Hardy

Catch 22 – Joseph Heller
Complete Works of Shakespeare
Rebecca – Daphne Du Maurier
The Hobbit – JRR Tolkien
Birdsong – Sebastian Faulk
Catcher in the Rye – JD Salinger (required)
The Time Traveler’s Wife – Audrey Niffenegger
Middlemarch – George Eliot
Gone With The Wind – Margaret Mitchell
The Great Gatsby – F. Scott Fitzgerald
War and Peace – Leo Tolstoy
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy – Douglas Adams
Brideshead Revisited – Evelyn Waugh
Crime and Punishment – Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Grapes of Wrath – John Steinbeck
Alice in Wonderland – Lewis Carroll
The Wind in the Willows – Kenneth Grahame

Anna Karenina – Leo Tolstoy

David Copperfield – Charles Dickens

Chronicles of Narnia – CS Lewis (7 books)
Emma - Jane Austen
Persuasion – Jane Austen
The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe – CS Lewis
The Kite Runner – Khaled Hosseini
Captain Corelli’s Mandolin – Louis De Bernieres

Memoirs of a Geisha – Arthur Golden

Winnie the Pooh – A.A. Milne
Animal Farm – George Orwell
The DaVinci Code – Dan Brown
One Hundred Years of Solitude – Gabriel Garcia Marquez
A Prayer for Owen Meaney – John Irving
The Woman in White – Wilkie Collins
Anne of Green Gables – LM Montgomery
Far From The Madding Crowd – Thomas Hardy
The Handmaid’s Tale – Margaret Atwood
Lord of the Flies – William Golding (required)

Atonement – Ian McEwan

Life of Pi – Yann Martel
Dune – Frank Herbert
Cold Comfort Farm – Stella Gibbons

Sense and Sensibility – Jane Austen

A Suitable Boy – Vikram Seth
The Shadow of the Wind – Carlos Ruiz Zafon

A Tale Of Two Cities – Charles Dickens

Brave New World – Aldous Huxley
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time – Mark Haddon
Love In The Time Of Cholera – Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Of Mice and Men – John Steinbeck (required)
Lolita – Vladimir Nabokov
The Secret History – Donna Tartt
The Lovely Bones – Alice Sebold

Count of Monte Cristo – Alexandre Dumas

On The Road – Jack Kerouac
Jude the Obscure – Thomas Hardy
Bridget Jones’s Diary – Helen Fielding
Midnight’s Children – Salman Rushdie
Moby Dick – Herman Melville
Oliver Twist – Charles Dickens
Dracula – Bram Stoker (required)
The Secret Garden – Frances Hodgson Burnett
Notes From A Small Island – Bill Bryson
Ulysses – James Joyce
The Inferno – Dante
Swallows and Amazons – Arthur Ransome
Germinal – Emile Zola
Vanity Fair – William Makepeace Thackeray
Possession – AS Byatt
Christmas Carol – Charles Dickens
Cloud Atlas – David Mitchell
The Color Purple – Alice Walker
The Remains of the Day – Kazuo Ishiguro
Madame Bovary – Gustave Flaubert
A Fine Balance – Rohinton Mistry
Charlotte’s Web – E.B. White
The Five People You Meet In Heaven – Mitch Albom
Adventures of Sherlock Holmes – Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
The Faraway Tree Collection – Enid Blyton
Heart of Darkness – Joseph Conrad (required)
The Little Prince – Antoine De Saint-Exupery
The Wasp Factory – Iain Banks

Watership Down – Richard Adams

A Confederacy of Dunces – John Kennedy Toole
A Town Like Alice – Nevil Shute

The Three Musketeers – Alexandre Dumas

Hamlet – William Shakespeare
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – Roald Dahl
Les Miserables – Victor Hugo

Read - 15 (technically 28 counting those in series)
Started - 5
Own But Haven't Yet Read - 13+ (we own a large collection of classics, but I don't recall all the titles)

In short, I'm not fully impressed by this list. Sure, there are a lot of books I've not read, and many of those I have no interest in reading, meanwhile some of the ones I read were forced upon me in school. But the list includes repeats (Narnia & Lion Witch and Wardrobe) and counts series as one entry (HP, His Dark Materials, LotR).

So, how many of these have you read/attempted/bought?

One Good Deed

Okay, call me crazy.

I stayed up all night (finally caught up on Sanctuary and Glee!) in order to go to a 4am opening.

Our family hasn't gone to Black Friday sales in years, and I decided I needed to remind myself how horrible it is. I was pleasantly surprised at how not-horrible it was.

Sure, I had to park in the parking lot of the store next door. Yes, I had a hard time finding what I went for. And okay, I spent most of my time waiting in line as the computers were overloaded... But everyone was very polite, there were no screams or pushing and shoving, and I was in and out in under 40 minutes with exactly what I went for.

I was even helped out by a courteous fellow customer (an older gentleman [perhaps late 30's/early 40's] wearing [yes] a Santa hat) who was browsing in the aisle next to me. I realized that I had forgotten to grab a SD camera card and was already in line and asked if he could pass me one. After a moment's confusion, he kindly picked one and passed it over. Thank you, kind, tall stranger in the Santa hat!

Now that my mood had lightened, I decided to try and pass along the good wishes by making friendly conversation with the cashiers. I asked jokingly if they were keeping tally. A confused look, then, "Um, of what?" Of the sales you've rung up! "Oh... No. Too busy for that." But he did smile all the same. And a minute later (as the computers were still having issues) he turned to those waiting in line and explained the situation, assuring them that he would get them through shortly. And I think he was still smiling.

Then, as I was walking back through the parking lot to my car, I noticed a shiny something on the ground. As I walked past, I realized it was an American Express card. About 10 steps later I turned and went back for it. Though I had no intention whatsoever of going into the store, I walked up to the greeter and handed them the card, saying I'd found it in the parking lot. "Oh, yes, I bet someone'll be looking for that." And while he was still examining the card, I went ahead and proceeded to my car.

So, it's Black Friday. Things can get crazy out there. That doesn't mean it's not worth showing a little civility, or even gratefulness. Thank your cashier, wish them a happy/sane rest of their day. If you see someone having trouble, trying to reach something, or find something you just saw, help them out. One good deed can brighten someone's day.

Now I just have to wait for the other stores to open so I can go out again... Happy Holidays!

In My Mailbox (8)

My sincerest apologies for the delay in posting, both reviews and general updates. I've got a few personal things to take care of, but I do hope to get these distractions out of the way and get back to reading/writing as normal. In the meantime, here's an IMM update.

In My Mailbox is a meme hosted by The Story Siren

In the past 2 weeks I've...


Bought

Magic Burns ~ Ilona Andrews
Good Omens ~ Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
From Goodwill


Won

The Sorcerer's Companion ~ Allan Zola Kronzek
The Magicians ~ Lev Grossman
And various other surprises.
From Jo of Fluidity of Time
Thanks Jo!


And Watched

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Part 1
(and LOVED it)

My Misadventures in NaNoWriMo

Week One didn't go so well for me. I spent the majority of Sunday and Monday in bed, then just felt drained for a couple days more. This gave me time to reflect on things...and I've decided I'm not going to follow through with NaNoWriMo.

I know what you're thinking,
"Don't give up!"
Or, as my region's liaison wrote,
"First, let's talk about if you're behind schedule. This is absolutely not a reason to give up! Why? Because even if you haven't written a single word, if you start today you will still hit 50K on the 30th if you write 2,083 words a day.
If you've already written some words you'll need even fewer every day to stay on track and win. I bet you'll find that your words-per-day to win are not as heavy a load as you were imagining."

Thing is, I have a few reasons why I'm dropping out:

1
Preparation
In a rookie move, I decided to start literally from scratch on day one. No outline, no notes, no research. Creatively speaking, I should be fine, unfortunately I am too much of a nitpicker (left brain analyst) to let things flow freely. Which leads me to...

2
Stress
Because I've not prepared things to my own standards, my analytical side has red sirens blaring, telling me there's no way I'm gonna get things done. And if the voices in my head say no...well, I can't really argue with them. There's also the guilt factor of...

3
Prior Responsibilities
One of which is my blog. Not that I have a problem with leaving off for a month (as evidenced in September), but I've received a number of books that I've agreed to review, and I feel horrible pushing them off for as long as I have already.
Also, I have a job search to be doing and other family obligations that I cannot push aside for an entire month. And that seems to be the case with the schedule my muse has decided to set...

4
Muse Time Disagreements
For some reason, my muse is MIA during the daylight. I mean, I know I'm a night owl, but she doesn't show up at dusk, or even midnight. No, she decides to show up when I'm trying to fall asleep (3-5 AM) and keep me awake for 2-3 extra hours. Okay, I grant you she is a bit of a demon in nature, and I really shouldn't expect anything less, but it's really bugging me. Don't get me wrong, if that's when she wants to show up, I'm fully willing to submit to her time constraints. Just not when I'm supposed to be alive during the daylight hours.


So, that's where I stand at the moment. My official NaNoWriMo journey is over until further notice. Who knows, I might try to add a bit to my 270 words (after I re-write it because I totally got her voice wrong) and see if I can get my muse to comply to my wishes (she seems to love talking when I'm half-asleep). But I'm not really expecting much.

In better news, I HAVE committed to writing this story.
(I know, a bit of conflicting information, right? Stay with me here.)
I've gone ahead and created my book's cover, as well as a (rough) tagline:

Most people think being fired is the end of the world.
For Kali, it's only the beginning...

I know, I could've/should've spent the time making this actually writing the story, but I needed something tangible, something I could see. Now I just need to fill the insides with equally amazing words!

I just need to get things in order first. To help me, I've enlisted the help of some (what else) books that I've acquired over the years:

I've read pieces and parts of the first two for classes, and the third looks simply amazing, even though I'm not specifically writing "Fantasy".

To help me out a bit more, I purchased this book earlier this year:

I'd originally planned on using it through NaNoWriMo, but I think I might benefit from its services better at a slower pace.

I'm sorry that this month's plan (or lack of a plan) didn't pan out, but I'm still very excited. Kali's story will be written (else I might not ever sleep again) and she'll be unleashed upon the masses.

If there are any other NaNoWriMo's reading this, or other people who would enjoy a bit of inspiration, here's an amazing song/vid I discovered last week. Best wishes!

In My Mailbox (7)

In My Mailbox is a meme hosted by The Story Siren

In the past 4 weeks I've...


Borrowed

Bloodhound ~ Tamora Pierce
From My Library

Bought

Magic Lost, Trouble Found ~ Lisa Shearin
Armed & Magical ~ Lisa Shearin
The Trouble With Demons ~ Lisa Shearin
From Goodwill

Received for Review

Zan-Gah: A Prehistoric Adventure ~ A.R. Shickman
Zan-Gah and the Beautiful Country ~ A.R. Shickman
From Bonnie Lenz of Earthshaker Books
The Strangers Outside (e-book) ~ Vanessa Morgan
Drowned Sorrow (e-book) ~ Vanessa Morgan
From Vanessa Morgan

And Won

Vampires: The Occult Truth ~ Konstantinos
From Donna of Bites

Book Blogger Hop (7)

This week's question actually came from... OMG Me!

What are your feelings on losing followers? Have you ever stopped following a blog?

Well, believe it or not, I have lost one or two followers in my 8 (Really?! Wow 8!) months of blogging. It doesn't happen often, but it does happen.

My first thought is usually along the lines of,
"Oh no! What did I do wrong?!"

Of course, this is mostly brought on by my self-esteem issues, and after
a firm talking down by the voices in my head
some reassurance from my cats
my confidence returns I usually experience a short stint of,
"Who was it?! I'll make them come back!"

Luckily (for me and for them), that line of thought passes quickly. Eventually, I just take a deep breath and go about my business as usual. After all, I can't control who likes what I write any more than they can control what I like to write.

As for stopping following blogs...

I posted a long time ago about my first Blog Hop experience
and the mistake I made in following EVERY SINGLE BLOG in the hop.

For me, following is an interactive experience. I follow my blogs daily through Google Reader and I feel committed to reading every blog I follow.

In following over 250 blogs, I've found there's definitely a fine line between having a large variety of blogs I enjoy and having an overwhelming wave of posts I'm obligated to.

I'm currently in the process of whittling down what blogs I follow. I wait until a blog builds up at least 15 posts, which seems to be a good sample-size, then I read through them and see if they catch my interest. Do I enjoy their writing style? Am I interested in the types of books they review? If I find it a chore to get through the 15 posts, or nothing grabs my interest, then I go ahead and unsubscribe.

It's really nothing against those blog owners, and I'm sorry if their heart falls a little when they see that lowered statistic. I just feel I'm not the right fit for that particular writer, and that I'm lying to them if I call myself a follower.

What about you?

Following Jennifer's answer, she issued this amazing challenge:

BLOG HOP CHALLENGE:
This challenge will take some dedication on your part this week. I want you to find ONE blog in the Hop list that you genuinely WANT to follow (try to find a new blog, if you can!) and make at least 5 comments on their blog this week on 5 different posts. Get to know this blogger and what they post about.

Next week, as part of your Hop post, I want you to post about your experience with this challenge. Just tell us what you thought of the challenge, who you found to follow and link to the posts that you commented on. I hope you will participate and help us all to build our community! Let's dig a little deeper and get to know each other! Remember, the point is to be genuine! Not to follow for the sake of following! Because, if you are genuine, you are much more likely to get people to follow you back. Trust me on this.

So? Are you up to it?

Feel free to post a link to your own blog in the comments,
and be sure to check out other blog-hoppers at Crazy-for-Books' blog!

Pierce in Portland + NaNo Notes

Last week, on the 18th, I had the opportunity to meet one of my author idols, Tamora Pierce.

The event was held downtown, at The Old Church, and was attended by (I'm guessing) upwards of 200 teens, parents, and avid fans of an older variety (such as myself).

There were even a couple cosplayers dressed as Beka Cooper and Barzha Razorwing (Stormwing Queen).

After a short reading from Bloodhound and introduction of her experience as a writer, she then opened the floor up for questions.

Time was short, as it was a school night, so not all the questions were gotten to. Luckily, she was quite talkative afterward during the signing. I had wanted to ask her, "Is there a good rule of thumb for deciding whether or not to kill off a character?" ...But I chickened out and merely asked her, "If you could go to a book signing by any author, alive or dead, who would it be?"

She replied without hesitation:
Neil Gaiman or Stephen King

Of course, as you can see, my picture taking skills leave a bit to be desired. This is partly the fault of the location—lighting was horrible—and partly my own fault for not coming out and asking for a picture.

Oh well, just something to shoot for the next time!

You can listen to (and download) a podcast of the event here.

Keep in mind that she wandered around the stage (and away from the microphones), so you might need to adjust the volume throughout.

And here are my spoils for the evening:

♀ rule!

Alright, technically I got this one signed 2 years ago in Chicago...
But here's what I got that night!

Good luck at NaNoWriMo!

♀ rule!

May you always get
the right idea
at the right time-

Which leads me to my next point...

I'm participating in this year's NaNoWriMo!

Or, at least I'm going to try.

I know I still have work I need to be doing, and I hate to just up and abandon the blog for a month (again)...

Well, there I go, already making excuses for myself.

Alright, bottom line.
I'm going to try to have fun with it.
I'm going to try for the 50,000 word mark.
I'm going to try and continue reading and reviewing.

And I would love for your support.
If you're participating, go ahead and look me up,
Add me as a Writing Buddy!

And wish me luck!

Dig Your Teeth In And Don't Let Go!

I've been a long-time fan of Tamora Pierce's books. In fact, she was one of the first (if not the first) authors who introduced me to the realm of fantasy and strong heroines. Before now, I would say my favorite heroine was Tris from the Circle of Magic series: she's stubborn, bookish, a bit plump, and easily riled, but her loyalty and friendship are true.

However, even with Tris as my favorite character, the Tortall books have always been my preference. Alanna's bravery captured my heart, Daine's abilities won my adoration, Kel's determination earned my respect, and Ali's cunning stole my imagination. But even more, the world was one of medieval grandeur. It was rich and detailed, but at the same time open to imagination and interpretation. It was both historically realistic and fantastical with magic and mythology woven in.

Not only that, but with each series, characters we had already grown to love would make reappearances. It was always a joy to see a familiar face even as you're reading along with another heroine's journey.

This time, however, we're given a series set about 150 years before Alanna's journey began. That security blanket is gone, and we're forging ahead alone once again...

~Terrier~
Provost's Dog Trilogy
Book 1
By Tamora Pierce
Amazon ~ Powell's

In 246 H.E., the Provost's Dogs guard Tortall's capital city. Beka Cooper is one of their newest trainees—a Puppy wet behind the ears but eager to learn. But Beka will have to learn faster than she bargained for because she's assigned to the Lower City, Corus's toughest district. It's filled with pickpockets who are fast as lightning, rogues who will knock your teeth out with a smile, and murderers with hidden plans.

Luckily, Beka's got a few tricks up her sleeve. Gifted with the ability to hear murdered spirits, she's already discovered two separate killing sprees. Unfortunately, the dead aren't very detailed, and going on half the facts can get a Dog killed. It'll take all of Beka's smarts and skills if she's going to track down these murderers. If she doesn't get killed in the meantime....


I must admit, Terrier was a wonderful break from the slough of paranormal YA I've been reading recently. Nothing against any of those books, mind you, but this book was a welcome breath of fresh air. It has action, mystery, investigation, and just that tiny hint of magic that lets you know anything's possible. The magic is there, but it's more of a whisper than a major player, leaving the characters to rely on more 'conventional' methods.

Beware the Wrath of a Patient Adversary

I received this book for a fair and honest review from the author, Kate Kaynak. For more information about Kate and her books, check out her Website, Facebook, and Blog.

Being the second book in a series, this review does contain spoilers for the first book, Minder. I'd suggest you read the book, or at the very least my previous review before reading this.

~Adversary~
Ganzfield Novels
Book 2
By Kate Kaynak
Amazon ~ Powell's

For Maddie, life probably couldn't be any stranger.

As a minder (mind-reader), she hears the thoughts and feels the emotions of everyone around her. Her boyfriend, (well, more accurately, her soulmate) Trevor, can lift things in the air and stop bullets without even moving a muscle. Her other friends can start, stop, and control fires, locate people or objects just by thinking about them, heal others in seconds, and force people to do anything they ask.

But that's Ganzfield for you. If something isn't strange, it just wouldn't be normal.

100th Post & Book Blogger Hop (6)

~~~POST 100!!!~~~

I want to thank all of my followers:
Thanks for sticking with me
through good times and bad,
I couldn't have made it this far without you.

When you read a book that you just can't get into, do you stick it out and keep reading or move to your next title?

Wow, that's a great question, one that I haven't yet come up against as a reviewer.

In fact, the only reason I've 'given up' on books in the past was due to time constraints: the book was due back at the library or I had another requirement for school. Now that I'm running on my own schedule and truly reading for the fun of it... I don't know what I'd do.

However, here's what I think I'd do.

I give every book at least 50 pages to hook me.

After that...

If it's a book I own (either have bought myself, or won in a giveaway) and I can't get into it, I might put it down for a while. Maybe I'll pick it up again later, when I'm in a different mood. Maybe I'll try to power through it. Or, maybe I'll give up and give it away/sell it. It will probably depend on what 'the problem' is.

If I pick up a book from the library and just can't get into it, I'll probably return it without much guilt and simply not review it. I might revisit it if I have it recommended to me, or read a stellar review, but I'm not completely committed to completing or reviewing it.

If I was given a book specifically for review (from author, publisher, or an ARC) and I didn't like it, I think I'd push through anyway and finish it. The only reason I can see not finishing a book is if there's something in it that made me physically ill (detailed or extreme gore or sickness has made me nauseous in the past) and had nothing else that drew me in. I've never had an experience where I've hated a book, so I can't say how I'd react. But if it's a matter of boredom, not clicking, or slight discomfort with a book, I can and will most likely still finish it.

What about you?

Feel free to post a link to your own blog in the comments,
and be sure to check out other blog-hoppers at Crazy-for-Books' blog!

Mind Your Minders

Almost a month ago, I received notification that I had won a signed copy this book from Christina's Confessions of a Book Addict giveaway. After confirming my entry, she passed along my information to the author so she could mail me a copy directly.

The next day, I had a Facebook Friend confirmation from none other than the author, Kate Kaynak. Upon learning that I have a book-review blog, she was curious if I'd be interested in receiving and reviewing the 2nd book as well. How could I say no?

Of course, while I'm grateful for receiving signed copies of both books, my excitement at receiving them has passed, leaving me with a level mind. Both reviews will be impartial and honest.

And, as always, this review contains no spoilers.

~Minder~
Ganzfield Novels
Book 1
By Kate Kaynak
Amazon ~ Powell's

Maddie doesn't know how she did it. She didn't use a gun, a knife, or any weapon at all. All she knows is that one moment the three boys were stripping her clothes off, and the next they were all dead.

After the trauma of her abduction and her attackers' inexplicable deaths, no criminal system could punish her as much as she does herself. However, much to her surprise, instead of facing criminal charges Maddie is recruited into the Ganzfield Training Program.

Located on a remote campus in New Hampshire, Ganzfield is a school for children with very special abilities. There are the charms, those gifted with verbally induced mind-control, who pretty much rule the school; sparks, or pyrokinetics, can control, summon, and extinguish fires; RV's, remote viewers, can find anyone or anything no matter the distance; healers speed up the body's own restoration processes; and minders, or telepaths, can hear people's thoughts and feelings.

Maddie is a minder, one of only four in the school, and she's definitely making a strong first-impression. It's only been a few hours and she's already started to topple the charm-imposed social order. But mixing things up doesn't win many friendships, especially when everyone knows she can hear their thoughts. In a high-school populated by super-powered teens, can Maddie survive alone? Or will she have to?

I know what you're thinking—or, rather Maddie does. You think this is all crazy. There aren't such things as telepathy or fire-starters or mind-control. Well, maybe that's just what they want you to think.


Let me first say that I absolutely loved this story. It took a little while to warm into, but once Maddie found her voice, I couldn't get enough. Read the whole thing in one sitting.