I'm back! Run for your lives!

I took a long hiatus from posting to my blog. My Dad died and then The Editor's Dad died and I just felt like falling off the face of the earth for a while. After a long breather, I'm feeling like posting again. I don't know what direction this blog will take now. Things are so very good in my life right now. But, it's my blog and I'm having the time of my life and I gotta write about it!

So...meet Jeeves. The Editor and I made a second quick trip to Memphis (our first trip was to pick Jeeves up at what is the closest Mini Cooper dealer to Little Rock) to have the Union Jack placed on Jeeves' rear view mirror and outside mirrors. Haven't even taken a picture of Jeeves with the Union Jack additions yet but here's a picture the day we picked him up!

More about Jeeves later!

BOOK RATING

TITLE - THE SHARING KNIFE

AUTHOR - LOIS MCMASTER BUJOLD

ON A SCALE OF 1 THROUGH 10 =

10

BOOK RATING

TITLE - LORD OF THE DANCE
AUTHOR - ANDREW M. GREELEY

ON A SCALE OF 1 THROUGH 10 =

10

This book was so good, he could have just stopped writing right here. Really enjoyed it and am looking forward to reading the rest of his books.

BOOK RATING

TITLE - PRISM
AUTHOR - FAYE AND ALIZA KELLERMAN

ON A SCALE OF 1 THROUGH 10 =

7

Not a bad little book for a first try. Aliza's first book (with her mother, Faye's, help). I enjoyed it. Wasn't the best book I've ever read but it held my interest. It's really a young adult book but I wanted to see what it was like!!!!

BOOK RATING

TITLE - JAGUAR MOON

AUTHOR - LINDA L. DONAHUE

ON A SCALE OF 1 THROUGH 10 =

7

The Editor and I met Linda a couple of Sci Fi Conventions ago. Really liked her. The book was good. I'm finding that I really enjoy fantasy fiction better than science fiction. This was a bit inbetween.

BOOK RATING

TITLE - HOUSE OF DOORS

AUTHOR - JULIA S. MANDALA

ON A SCALE OF 1 THROUGH 10 =

7

Julia is part of the Yard Dog Press gang. I liked this book. I liked the boy in the book fighting off monsters behind the doors but the monsters kinda ran together. But I'm not real fond of spaceships and monsters. I like my Sci Fi more on the line of fantasy....not spaceshippy or aliens! The Editor and I met her also at a Sci Fi Con and liked her alot. This book is two books combined in one! Now I'm turning the book over and reading Jaguar Moon by Linda L. Donahue and will rate it after I'm finished!

BOOK RATING

TITLE - THE HOST

AUTHOR - SELINA ROSEN

ON A SCALE OF 1 THROUGH 10 =

7

I liked this book. I had a bit of a problem because three of the vampires in the book had very similar names which was confusing for me. The vampires were very scary! I liked it enough to want to read the 2nd and 3rd book. It was the first in a trilogy. The Editor and I met Selina at a Sci Fi Convention. She owns Yard Dog Press and she is really cool. I'm interested in reading the rest of the series.

BOOK RATING

TITLE - DRAGONKIN

AUTHOR - ROBIN WAYNE BAILEY

In a scale of 1 through 10 =

10

This book was beautifully written. It's the first in a trilogy....I'm going to get the 2nd and 3rd soon. The Editor and I met him in Tulsa at a Sci Fi Convention. He was very nice and signed this book for me.

BOOK RATING

TITLE - BLINDMAN'S BLUFF

AUTHOR - FAYE KELLERMAN

ON A SCALE OF 1 THROUGH 10 =

7

This was not one of my favorites of hers but I did enjoy it. Lots of typos in it though. I still don't understand why they don't do a better job proofing her work!

BOOK RATING

TITLE - THE SHARING KNIFE - VOLUME ONE - BEGUILEMENT
AUTHOR - LOIS MCMASTER BUJOLD

ON A SCALE OF 1 THROUGH 10 =

10

This book was really good. It was a fantasy love story and what I loved the most is that the male and female (Dag and Fawn) liked each other from the beginning. No resentment, no fighting their feelings...and Dag was just a nice guy. But somehow was not boring. Really a cool book. It's the first in a serious of four and I'm going to read them all. The Editor and I are members of a science fiction group and they suggested I read this series. We are all going to a science fiction convention in September and we are going to have breakfast with Lois McMaster Bujold. I can't wait to have her sign my books!!!!!!!

BOOK RATING

TITLE - BITE ME!
AUTHOR - MELISSA FRANCIS

ON A SCALE OF 1 THROUGH 10 =

10

Yes - The Editor and I do know the author.

Yes - We have been patiently (well, maybe not so patiently) waiting for her book to be published.

No - I am not exaggerating. This book is good. It's about a female teenager who is a vampire. Her mom marries her boyfriend's dad and tells her she cannot date him anymore. That they must consider each other brother and sister. It's funny, witty. Just a good read. It's geared toward teenagers but I really liked it. Great twists and turns. Well written.

BOOK RATING

TITLE - FROM FIELDS OF GOLD

AUTHOR - ALEXANDRA RIPLEY

ON A SCALE OF 1 THROUGH 10 =

10

A good read. It ended just like I wanted it to. This is the gal who wrote "Scarlette" the sequel to Gone With the Wind. It was set back in the 1800's. I really enjoyed it.

QUOTE FROM A BOOK

TITLE - FROM FIELDS OF GOLD
AUTHOR - ALEXANDRA RIPLEY

"In the evening, after supper, the gaslights made it easy to read until late. The only sound in the room was the rustle of pages being turned. She would put her finger in the book to hold her place, close her eyes,and savor the peaceful happiness."

I'm so glad I know exactly what that feeling is like. Many times I've felt this way in the room with The Editor.

BOOK RATING

ON A SCALE OF 1 THROUGH 10 =

7

This was not my favorite of her books but it was a good, light summer read.

BOOK RATING - #9 ON THE MODERN LIBRARY'S TOP 100 BEST

TITLE - SONS AND LOVERS

AUTHOR - D. H. LAWRENCE

ON A SCALE OF 1 THROUGH 10 =

8

The first half of this book was just wonderful. I would have given the book a 10 if the second half had been as good. The first half was about a husband and wife and their relationship. It was set in the 1800's (written then also) and man, it was really good. But then it shifted to the life of one of their sons and became a story about the mother and son. They had an unhealthy relationship. She wouldn't let go of him so everytime he met a girl, he would struggle between his relationship with his mother and the new girl. And the mother would always win out. The son didn't realize why he was so unhappy. The second half of the book was about his struggle with this unhealthy relationship. It just wore me out!

BOOK RATING

TITLE -A FRIEND OF THE FAMILY

AUTHOR - MARCIA WILLETT

ON A SCALE OF 1 THROUGH 10 =

10

Marcia Willett is just an awesome writer! This is the second book I've read of hers and I didn't want either book to end. I can't wait to read the next one! If you love Maeve Binchy and Rosamunde Pilcher, you've got to read Marcia Willett. Start with First Friends and then read this one.

QUOTE FROM A BOOK

"TO ME, FAIR FRIEND, YOU NEVER CAN BE OLD...FOR AS YOU WERE WHEN FIRST YOUR EYE I EYED, SUCH SEEMS YOUR BEAUTY STILL"

TITLE - A FRIEND OF THE FAMILY

AUTHOR - MARCIA WILLETT

BOOK RATING

TITLE - THE HOUNDS OF ARDAGH
AUTHOR - LAURA J. UNDERWOOD

ON SCALE OF 1 THROUGH 10

=

10

The Editor and I met Ms. Underwood in Memphis at a Science Fiction Convention and then talked with her again in Tulsa. I bought three of her books in Tulsa. This is the first one I've read. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Full of mages, ghosts, demons, etc. I e-mailed her after I finished it and she replied saying that she is working on a sequel. I'm excited!

BOOK RATING

TITLE - DEAD AND GONE
AUTHOR - CHARLAINE HARRIS

ON A SCALE OF 1 THROUGH 10 =

10

This is the ninth book in the "Sookie Stackhouse" series and it did not disappoint. I absolutely loved it. I especially liked that the whole book was set in Bon Temps (I'm not sure that's spelled right) and Ms. Harris didn't add a bunch of new characters. It was like coming home to an old friend. The series based on these novels "True Blood" starts in one week and I can't wait.

BOOK RATING

TITLE - OVER THE EDGE
AUTHOR - JONATHAN KELLERMAN

ON A SCALE OF 1 THROUGH 10 =

10

This was Kellerman's third book and is the third in his Alex Delaware series. I'm reading them in order and this one was better than the other two. He seemed to really come into his own with this book. It really held my interest. It was written well and I'm looking forward to his next book which is not in the Alex Delaware series. It's a stand alone and I'm really curious to see what it's like.

OH, OKAY, I UNDERSTAND NOW, I THINK!

So about a month ago, I saw this video by “Peter Bjorn and John” called “Nothing to Worry About” and I just thought it was like one of the craziest videos I'd ever seen. I couldn't really figure out what was going on so I showed the video to The Editor and he too was just bewildered. Today, on my lunch hour, I was outside reading my current book. Over the Edge by Jonathan Kellerman. The following is a quote from the book that I think must explain the video The Editor and I viewed.
Watch the video and then read the quote. What do you think?




“Last year, when I was in Tokyo, I saw an exhibition of street dancing by these Japanese youth gangs that dress up like fifties greasers. They're called zoku - tribes. There are several rival groups, and each one stakes out its own turf in Yoyogi Park on Sunday afternoon. They come on like hoods in black leather, sneering and posturing, set down ghetto blasters with cassette decks and dance to Buddy Holly tapes. It shocks the older generation, which, of course, is the whole idea. But if you look closely, you can see that there's nothing spontaneous about any of it. All the dances – every movement and gesture – are rigidly choreographed. Every gang's got its set routine. No deviation, not a trace of individuality. They've turned rebellion into a Shinto ritual.”

I GOT THE MOTTS!

I forget that the Editor is so much younger than me sometimes. He doesn't know what I mean when I say "I got the Motts" because he doesn't remember the commercials. When I was a kid, Motts ran this series of commercials where children would trade things for Motts applesauce. So when I get something valuable (like directions to somewhere we're going, or tickets, etc.) I always say -- I Got the Motts. Do you guys remember this commercial?

BOOK RATING

TITLE - THE BRAMBLE BUSH
AUTHOR - CHARLES MERGENDAHL

ON A SCALE OF 1 THROUGH 10 =

10

This book was written in 1958. This book had so many twists and turns.....it shoved me to the left.....it shoved me to the right....finally, at the end of the book, it spit me out. It was about a small town -- skeletons in closets. I didn't think at first I was gonna like it but Charles Mergendahl's writing drew me in. It was like watching a train wreck...I really didn't wanna keep going but I couldn't stop.

I wanted to think about the book a bit before leaving a book rating. Here's what I've decided. The same kind of life changes that happen now happened in the 50's...it's just that back then, they were not accepted in society and nobody talked about it. This book had everything in it....love, hate, jealousy, pornography, lust, adultery, etc. I wouldn't want to read this book again....it wore me out.....but I'm really glad I read it.

QUOTE FROM A BOOK

TITLE - THE BEST OF THE BUBBAS OF THE APOCALYPSE
AUTHOR - SEVERAL AUTHORS (SHORT STORIES)

"Cousin Merv got towed off fer sleepin' with cousin Yerlin. Never did understand why she didn' have ta go ta jail, too. Jim Bob said it had somethin' ta do with her bein' sixteen an' underage.
Till then I didn' know there was an age limit on sleepin' with yer cousin."

EXCERPT FROM A BOOK

TITLE - THE BRAMBLE BUSH
AUTHOR - CHARLES MERGENDAHL

There was no point in arguing with his wife. She had lived her entire life by the stars – had even married him because her horoscope had convinced her he was the right man. That had been years ago now, and he'd been the wrong man all the time. Everyone said he'd married her for her money. No one knew it had been her decision, and a wrong one, and someday her horoscope would prove it to her. Then she'd probably leave him penniless – a crippled old man who had been made wealthy, then poor again, all by the sign of Scorpio.

BOOK REVIEW

TITLE - SMART WOMEN

AUTHOR - JUDY BLUME

ON A SCALE OF 1 THROUGH 10 =

6

This was a hard read for me. I didn't like this book until the last chapter. I was determined to finish it and I did like the ending. This was the third of the three adult books she has written. I reviewed the other two earlier on this blog. The first one, Summer Sisters, I loved. The second, Wifey, I really disliked. So I read this one in the hopes that it would be more like Summer Sisters. Alas, it was not. A book about women who have gone through divorce, are dating, and the effects their actions have on their children. I wouldn't want to read this book again.

BOOK RATING

TITLE - REVAMPED

AUTHOR - J. F. LEWIS

ON A SCALE OF 1 THROUGH 10 =

8

This was the second in a series. I enjoyed reading it. Loved the Mustang "Fang" that turned into a vampire. Fang would drive over animals and people....eat them while they were under him and deposit the bones in the trunk. he he he

QUOTES FROM A BOOK

TITLE - REVAMPED

AUTHOR - J. F. LEWIS

This is the second in a series about a Vampire named Eric. In this book, Eric's Mustang becomes a vampire. The Mustang's name is "Fang" and below are two bits from the book that I found pretty funny:

When Fang ran over a possum and it didn't come out the other side, I actually laughed.

Was I the only one in the world who had ever eaten an animal cracker feetfirst because it would theoretically hurt more?

BOOK REVIEW

TITLE - WISH COME TRUE

AUTHOR - EILEEN GOUDGE

ON A SCALE OF 1 THROUGH 10 =

7

This was the third in a trilogy. I usually love her books but I didn't like this one as much. But I think it's because the relationship between the two sisters in the book reminded me of the relationship between me and my mother. Anybody else probably would have really enjoyed the book.

BOOK REVIEW

TITLE - BLOOD TEST

AUTHOR - JONATHAN KELLERMAN

ON A SCALE OF 1 THRU 10:

8

This is Kellerman's second book. It was good. I'm not warming up to the lead character, Alex, like I did Faye Kellerman's characters in her series of books. But it was good and I'll read more of his books.