Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Not Wordless Wednesday


What are the cats finding so intersting?


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Saturday, November 26, 2011

Discovery of Witches with a rant

I liked this book. I know a lot of other people have read and reviewed. I love the plot, the set up and I can't wait to read the next installment. That being said there are parts of the book that made me gag, and have to put it down.

It is not as if there is any gratuitous violence or sex in it. I loved the fact that the book was written so that sex was absent. It was great that it was implied, I have an imagination I am an adult I can figure out what two people do in a locked room with a bed. I don't need to read about throbbing manhood or heaving bosoms. I loved that there was no sex. WooHoo one up for the author.

RANT STARTING

No, what made me gag was when they talked about how cool, his flesh felt under her warm hands.Every time the author talks about how cool his flesh felt, how good that was, all I could think about was a steak left on the counter, right before cooking it. EWWWW!! That does not feel good, it is icky.

 I get the lust and desire for power. That some people want power at all cost. I just don't get how vampires can be sexually attractive. They have no heart beat. NONE! (Basic anatomy stuff coming up.) If there is no heart beat, there is no blood flow, blood flow is what is needed to have an erection. How can a vampire have an erection to consummate a relationship? Sleeping with the dead is called necrophilia. A vampire is dead, necrophilia. NASTY.

END RANT.

That being said, I loved the way the books main character was raised by her lesbian aunts. I loved that the main plot of the book was not about who you love, but that you love, and that it should not matter to others who you love. When the next book comes out I am definitely going to read it.

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Oh The Fates

Happy Thanksgiving all.

I thought that today  might be a quiet day. A day of sleeping then work, but the fates had other things in mind. My plans for a Thanksgiving meal is a simple one. A sandwich, or a bowl of chili. Not happening.

I went to work and instead of working the floor, I am working the desk. The first phone call I get is from a nurse that I worked with and still wish I work with. She asked me what my plans are for Thanksgiving, and I told her that I am going to work. So she invited me over to get a plate of food to take to work. YummY!! Not knowing how the night was going to go I told her that if I get up in time I would be over.

The second phone call was from an ICU nurse. She asked to speak to KJ one of the nurses on our floor. KJ then runs over and tells me she needs to speak to the charge nurse. KJ has brought a turkey in for all to share. ICU Nurse has brought something to cook the bird. Who knew that bringing a turkey fryer to the hospital is a fire hazard. Who knew that they would not be able to cook the bird there. I mean its not like deep frying a turkey is dangerous. (Insert Sarcasm Sign Here)

So KJ tried to get Charge Nurse's adult kid to come get the bird and cook it. No go. So then she calls SR a nurse who had been cancelled to come get the bird and cook it. SR had never cooked a turkey before so she said that she would get a few rotisserie chicken and bring those in. WooHoo!! Food!!

Nope.. SR calls after an hour or so and asked me what she should do. There are no rotisserie chicken to be had. The choices are deli meat or chicken wings from a pizza joint. After I stopped laughing I transferred her call to KJ to make the call. KJ told SR to get whatever was easiest. So our early morning Thanksgiving meal had Domino's Pizza chicken wings.

As for the 12 lb turkey that did not get cooked. KJ did not want it she has a larger one at home to cook. So now I am cooking a turkey.

Not bad for being only 6am my time. Can't wait to see what happens tonight when I go into work.

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Monday, November 21, 2011

2012 To Be Read Pile Challenge


I did it. I have my 12 + 2 books picked out. I have been working on the list for about 2 weeks now. Out of curiosity I looked to see what others who have joined the challenge are reading. Wow! Is all I have to say. The challenge is being hosted over at Roof Beam Reader. I could do a copy paste of the rules but, I think going to the original blog is a good thing.

My books are as listed.

#1 Mink River by Brian Doyle (2010)

#2 Duma Key by Steven King (2008) Finished January 8, 2012

#3 Witches Boy by Michael Gruber (2005)

#4 Rose of No Man's Land by Michelle Tea (2005)

#5 The Man Who Loved Books too Much by Allison Hoover Bartlett (2009)

#6 The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova (2005)

#7 Motel of the Mysteries by David Macaulay(1979) Finished February 4, 2012

#8 House of Dark Shadows by Robert Liparulo(2008)

#9 Secret Atlas by Michael A. Stackpole (2005)

#10 Kissing the Witch by Emma Donoghue (1997)

#11 Hen's Teeth by Manda Scott (1996)

#12 Onaedo the Blacksmiths Daughter by Ngozi Achebe (2010)

The alternatives are going to be:

The Poisoners Handbook by Deborah Blum (2010)

Inside of a Dog by Alexandra Horowitz (2009)

When I looked at the other lists that readers have compiled I noticed that there are a lot of classics. I read most of the more popular classics in school. I do think that was a benefit of being home schooled.

Thursday, November 17, 2011

LIbrary Loot

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Claire from The Captive Reader and Marg from The Adventures of an Intrepid Reader that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write up your post-feel free to steal the button-and link it using the Mr. Linky any time during the week. And of course check out what other participants are getting from their libraries!


This week Marg has the link.


So I got Buddha Da by Anne Donovan. I started it at work last night, so far I like it, but it is making me talk funny.


I also got Tell Me Where It Hurts: A Day of Humor, Healing and Hope in My Life as an Animal Surgeon by Nick Trout. This is an audio book. I don't often get them and I am hoping that this one is not read in a way that disappoints me.

Downpour

I read Downpour by Kat Richerson last week. This is the 6th in the Greywalker series, I started reading them not because of the plot, characters, or because they are paranormal. I read them because they are written by a Seattle author and the setting is in Seattle. I love to read books that are written about an area that I have lived in or do live in. That is why I started the Greywalker books.

I enjoy the story, the plots, and the characters. The protagonist is a woman by the name of  Harper Blane. Harper is a PI who was a normal PI until she dies. There are several boyfriends, and one Chaos I mean ferret. Enough background.

Downpour takes place out side of Seattle in the Olympic Peninsula. Aside from the setting this one is a bit different than the others. The mystery was more focused on the supernatural than on the real world. I missed the real world mystery that was in this book. Having said that it was a good quick easy read.

I like the use of the boyfriend, and the ferret in the books. Chaos is a great comic relief from stealing shoes to trying to take on creatures bigger than she is. There is a current boyfriend who is a bit of a mystery him self. Harper and the boyfriend have an interesting relationship. I love the way that the relationship is written out. It is a part of the story, however the romance is not the focus of the books. Harper's dealing with and in the Grey are the focus of the books.

I will read the next one when it comes out.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

What's in a Name 2012 reading challenge

This is the first time I have signed up for this. So, here is how it works...

Between January 1 and December 31, 2012, read one book in each of the following categories:


1.A book with a topographical feature (land formation) in the title: Black Hills, Purgatory Ridge, Emily of Deep Valley

2.A book with something you'd see in the sky in the title: Moon Called, Seeing Stars, Cloud Atlas

3.A book with a creepy crawly in the title: Little Bee, Spider Bones, The Witches of Worm

4.A book with a type of house in the title: The Glass Castle, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, Ape House

5.A book with something you'd carry in your pocket, purse, or backpack in the title: Sarah's Key, The Scarlet Letter, Devlin Diary

6.A book with a something you'd find on a calendar in the title: Day of the Jackal, Elegy for April, Freaky Friday, Year of Magical Thinking

The book titles are just suggestions, you can read whatever book you want to fit the category

Other things to know...

•Books may be any form (audio, print, e-book).


•Books may overlap other challenges.

•Books may not overlap categories; you need a different book for each category.

•Creativity for matching the categories is not only allowed but encouraged.

•You do not have to make a list of books before hand.

•You do not have to read through the categories in any particular order
 
If you are interested in the Beth over at Beth Fish Reads is hosting the challenge again. AND she has a Mr. Linky to link to and see who else is going to do this challenge.

Wednesday, November 09, 2011

Sunday, November 06, 2011

Some Personal Stuff

I don't often post things about me. I talk about books, movies, the cats, what the weather is doing. Part of the reason I do this is my job. Working in a hospital I have to abide by HIPPA laws, patients rights and all of that. I can when I talk about work say that I had a "good" or a "bad" night. I can say that I had X number of patients, or that I got sent home early. Not very good for a conversation.

I could brag about my kid. Though he is not much more of a kid, he is going to be 20 at the end of the month. I could tell all the stories of his life, and embarrass him to death. That might be lots of fun.

I could talk about cooking, how tonight I made my first ever batch of pastes, and will later work on apple crisp.

I could talk about my Honey. How much I miss her, how I miss the things that we could have. She and I have been in a long distance relationship for about 5 years now. Not a a few hundred miles apart, but states apart. Yes, she is well worth it. On days like today though I miss what we have when we are together, and what we could have if we were closer together. I miss coming home knowing that we have about 30 minutes before she has to leave for work, cooking together, lazy days on the couch, busy days running errands. Touches as we pass in the hall, or coffee on the porch. Is it possible to miss things that you do not have?

Personal stuff, that is what it is. Just some of it not all of it, just some.

Saturday, November 05, 2011

Library Loot and A Vote Kind of

This week I got out two books. The Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness and Yule A Celebration of Light and Warmth by Dorothy Morrison.

So, what I need to do now is put a book on hold at the library for next week. I have a list that is 5 pages long and would like some help picking out my next read. So here are four titles that I am thinking about checking out. I can only read one so the the one with the most votes will get read next.

#1 Tell Me Where it Hurts: A Day of Humor, Healing, and Hope in my Life as an Animal Surgeon by Nick Trout.

#2 Buddha Da by Anne Donovan

#3 Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

#4 Tout Sweet: Hanging Up My High heels for a New Life in France by Karen Wheeler

Now, if the book chosen has a long waiting list or is not yet available at my library I will go on the the next one so not only choose A book, but put them in the order that you would read them.

Wednesday, November 02, 2011

Tuesday, November 01, 2011

R.I.P Closes for Another Year

Tonight, is a perfect or almost perfect night for the R.I.P reading challenge to end. (R.I.P is hosted by Carl at Stainless Steel Droppings) There is a crispness in the air, the cats are curled up on the couch helping me to stay warm. The wheel of the year is turning I have two candles lit for the night one a white pillar for remembrance that the sun will again return. The other a black votive for protection. Apples, pomegranates, pears await in the kitchen a taste of summer, left for the winter. The only thing that would make tonight an even better night for the closing of R.I.P is rain.

The kind of rain that bounces off the roof and it is heard twice. The kind of rain that starts off gradually, slowly building in intensity until the sound of if can no longer be ignored. That is all that is missing for the end of R.I.P.

I did Peril the First... read four books. My list was longer than four, I read seven books. That was just about half of what I wanted to read. The books I read are: (Please note that all of these links are to my reviews)
Footsteps in the Dark by Georgette Heyer
The Adventures of the Princess and Mr. Whiffle by Pat Rothfuss
Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger
The Secret of Crickley Hall by James Herbert
Graveminder by Melissa Marr
The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

I also watched three movies for the R.I.P On the Screen those were:
The Haunting (1963 and 1999). Both reviews for this movie tie into the review for the book that it was based upon.
The Watcher in the Woods

I am sorry to see R.I.P leave. I am looking forward to next years R.I.P with all my geeky little heart. Thanks Carl.