50 Shades ... or a waste of money

Delia and I are guest bloggers on SidneyKay's blog. We reviewed the book, 50 Shades of Grey. Thanks to SK for giving us this opportunity.

Serendipitous Read

Over this weekend, I read an inspirational book that was written back in 2009, but I just discovered last week. Becky had recommended a blog that was written about a woman's healing journey following a broken engagement. The blog sometimes features other blog authors, one of whom writes about relationships and writing. So through this long circuitous route, I was reading this writer's blog entry concerning the holidays. He mentioned reading a book, Life's That Way, by one of his former clients. He wrote about sobbing while reading this beautiful and inspirational story by an actor he used to work for out in Hollywood. At the end of his post, he named the actor, Jim Beaver, in which I did a double take. Hubby and I are huge fans of the show, Supernatural. It is one of the few shows we watch together and hubby is willing to watch repeat episodes. Watching Jim Beaver on this show has made me cry and now his story made me sob.

I highly recommend this story for anyone who has lost a loved one as it truly is uplifting, but not in a get-in-touch with your feelings type of way. After his wife was diagnosed with Stage IV lung cancer, Jim began writing daily emails to friends and family to keep them informed of the situation. He maintained this email trail for a year, where he was very open and honest about the journey of loving and surviving a loved one as well as raising a young autistic child during this harrowing experience. What touched me was the love that shines through in these emails, it speaks to each of us. This read was difficult for me since I envisioned our own experience with losing my mother-in-law to leukemia, yet I could relate to so many of the things he said. His story also makes one appreciate your loved ones. A truly beautiful book that I thought I would share.

Weekend

Even with all my own personal drama, I still managed to see the silver lining this weekend. Saturday bloomed a nice cool day reminding me how much I love the fall, though Sunday became a blazing hot day that shows how bad August can be. When stopping by for a visit at my favorite Starbucks, I treated myself to a pumpkin spice latte. Yes, definitely that time of year and I choose to ignore Peggy's comment concerning the 500 calories in my drink. Pumpkin spice anything puts me in a good mood. Sunday also brought an enjoyable lunch with Peggy, Delia, and Tammy as well. The rest of my weekend I spent cat-sitting these adorable monsters. Count them, there are four of these wild playful kids who were so entertaining. The bulk of my weekend was spent readingMockingjay, which is wow! a great ending to the series. I really struggled with remembering I had other things to do after reading page 134.

Must Read

Alright, I should listen to my reading friends, but I can't help holding out due to my misguided notions. Janssen mentioned on her blog this really great book called Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. It sounded like that horrible Arnold movie the Running Man, so I decided no thanks. Michelle and Kelly discussed the book and I asked if it was worth it. Both of them said they couldn't put it down and were upset they had to wait so long for a resolution. I still didn't read it. All the reviews I read said how amazingly great the book was and I couldn't understand the hype. When things are overly hyped, I usually find them terrible. Then Peggy, who couldn't finish Harry Potter or Twilight, said she liked the book and her advisory group was discussing the sequel, Catching Fire (they have an advance copy), I decided I had to try it.

Yes, I admit, you all were right. I read Hunger Games in 2 days and all I could think is AMAZING. I loaned it to Delia for her flight cause I was that positive she would enjoy it. I borrowed Catching Fire and almost finished it in one night, but I had to get some sleep to go to work, so I finished it the next night. Once again, AMAZING. I really can't describe or explain the series, except to say, you must read them.

Also, I promise to listen to my reading buddies from now on.

Books, Books, Books

I love reading! No, it's not the reason I became a librarian, but it's a definite perk that I'm surrounded by people who love reading. All of us have our own tastes in books and share our opinions with each other and there are way too many books to read. I have many discussions with friends concerning books and am always being told, oh, you should read this one next. I love it!

I squabble on Goodreads with several friends. Kay, my romance guru has a wonderful blog, where she reviews books. Delia and I read most of her recommendations and discuss them. Becky, Erin, and I have lively discussions concerning books we are reading. We even enticed Dawne to read one of our recommendations after a lunch conversation. Janssen critiques books on her blog that I've debated reading (I've placed Hunger Games on hold after the last review of the sequel). Michelle recently mentioned an audio book she is reading. I don't particularly like audio books, but after we discussed the original book and movies it's spawned, I decided I would try the audio version. Michelle said the reader is amazing. So I picked up Frank Herbert's Dune and can understand why Michelle wants to drive around town listening to the book. The guy is amazing.

So does anyone else have any recommendations of book discussions, blogs, or just books, in general? Have I covered all that we enjoy?

Random Thoughts

Just some random thoughts on recent events in everyday life.

My hubby loves to make fun of my holiday obsession though he adds to it. I have six boxes of decorations that we begin unpacking the day after Thanksgiving. He forgets he's the one who has bought me a large amount of the items I place around the house. This weekend he brought home the latest Snow Buddy for my collection. Isn't he sweet?

(image courtesy of Hallmark.com)

Another funny moment with the hubby included an old tv show I love. I am currently rewatching episodes via Netflix and hubby walked in and commented on why no one knew the character Cole was evil. I was so proud of him because a. he knew the character name and b. he knew the history of the character. I had to explain that I was watching the episode where the character was introduced, so we didn't know the history yet.

I find it humorous that Dawne, who I deem a very sensible person has become sucked into the Twilight phenom. I asked her to explain to me why she had to read 180 pages after working the night shift, why she couldn't put the book down? She can't explain.

Steve stopped me the other day to ask if I knew the SEC had signed a big deal with ESPN. I was not aware of the deal, so had to look into it. Basically it means more SEC football on ABC and ESPN. Woo-hoo, sort of! I don't subscribe to cable, so I'll only benefit if the games are on ABC. Can't wait for college football season.

Cheryl had sent a request via facebook for someone to join her for the U2 concert in Tampa. I debated it, but decided I couldn't fly down for a concert. Last week she informed me that Muse is the opening act. I am absolutely jealous and wished I had agreed to fly down. After looking to see if there were tickets left for the Chicago show, which there are, I was disappointed to discover Muse was not the opening act up here. I'll have to remain jealous of Cheryl.

Goodreads Discussion

Considering some discussions my friends and I have on certain books, I expected comments on my blog when I brought up certain books, but usually don't receive any. I also place brief reviews on Goodreads and periodically receive feedback. Last week, Michelle finished Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris and I posted a brief comment on her review, which has led to 12 comments that I have found humorous. I love these debates. Feel free to add your opinion if you would like.

M- I can't believe you are still a Bill-hater. He "slightly" redeems himself in this book.

M- Yeah . . . still don't like him.

K- I feel bad for him - I think he really loves Sookie and he blew it. Maybe he'll keep her on True Blood.

M- They made Eric do something despicable on TB that I think Sookie may not be able to forgive, whereas Bill is more redeemable on the show so far. As for the books, my opinion of Bill changed with this book. Hearing Eric's story showed how Bill had no control over his betrayal of Sookie. When he was willing to give his life to protect her, I finally caved and accepted him as a contender again. Yes, I was a Bill-hater, but now I'm in wait and see mode. Where the hell was Eric during this time? During the book, I thought Eric viewed Sookie as a more of a possession or obsession rather than a lover.

K- I think Eric does truly love her, at least in the books. He's amazed he does, but he does. On the show he (at least at this point) seems to enjoy Sookie and equally enjoy pushing Bill's buttons by showing he likes her.

I think they did the Lafayette thing just to have a way to keep him alive yet out of the way for a few days. I'm not sure book-Eric would have done that - didn't seem his style.

M- I still haven't watched TB, though the more y'all talk about it the more I want to go out and buy it.

B- As far as the books go, I was never a Bill-hater but I was never a Bill-lover either. I always thought that he loved Sookie and I understood why he did certain things. That said, I don't think understanding why or believing in the love is enough. Some things just can't be recovered from.

I agree with Kelasher--I think Eric does truly love Sookie.

I haven't watched any TB Season 2 episodes yet--based on the first season though, Bill does come across better than he does in the books.

D- Sorry, I think Eric without his memory loved Sookie, and he kinda remembers that, but I think Eric, a Big Vampire is just drawn to her. Now, Bill really loves her. I think he HAD to do what he's done in the past, but he loves her. I still think he will die in the end though. Wish he wouldn't, but....

K- Why do you think he will die? I've heard Charlaine Harris does kill off major characters sometimes, but I can't see her killing Bill.

D- No, she won't kill him. Maybe if the series had stayed as light as it started (yeah, people died, but they were unknown victims), he would have lived and they would have had a HEA. But I guess my American lit classes are kicking in and, as much as I like Bill, the question is has he been able to redeem himself enough to have an HEA? He's so tortured.... sigh. Now, I can see Eric surviving whatever epic showdown is coming with the forces of *evil* and though he will lust forever for Sookie, he's not the one with whom she will find happiness. I wish it could be Bill.

M- Of course, Eric or Bill will die or something bad will happen to make one of them unacceptable enough that we won't cheer them on. One of the chief complaints about Meyer's books was how easily Bella and Jacob became friends after the final decision. You can't be friends with someone who has been a major competitor for your heart.

With Bill's willingness to die for Sookie, he can't lose her and accept it, so the option is he wins her or ultimately dies for her. He won't simply walk away and accept her love of another man.

Harris is willing to go dark. She's willing to kill off a major character for the plot. I can see it happening. It's not a done deal, but it's a possibility.

M- OK, here's my two cents: I don't think she will end up with Bill or Eric in the end (at least not as the characters are now, they are both too flawed.) I think she will end up with someone else. . . Sam perhaps. I have already told Mel that I love Eric, but if Sookie had a chance with Sam, I would drop Eric in a heartbeat. He is just too sweet. He lets her be herself, he understands her problems and does not try to manipulate her. He cares about her, but still lets her make her own mistakes.

What do you think?

Dead and Gone

Ms. Harris has outdone herself with Dead and Gone, the 9th book in the sookie Stackhouse series. The last few books have been lackluster, but book 9 kept me going. I read this book in one sitting determined to find out what happens to my favorite characters. The story left me with the impression that we should prepare ourselves for book 10 being the finale. I may be wrong, but I really want to know Sookie's final decision.

There is quite a bit of shocking graphic violence in the book, so it is not for the light of heart. Several characters we have grown to love leave during the course of the story, some in a startling fashion. And for those of us who love the men in Sookie's life, well, there is plenty of fodder for us to feed on. In the past few books, I have been torn between Eric and Bill. Dead and Gone does not alleviate this dilemma, but gives us more to debate. At the end of the book (the last few lines are major cliffhanger), I was completely confused on who to choose.

You can also read Lighthearted Librarian to see her review of the book. Let me know what you thought of Dead and Gone. Also, please debate which man Sookie should choose in the end. I know many of us have our favorites, but I think this book might have changed our minds.

Austen Crazed

Jane Austen has been my friend through numerous trying times. She was there when I had my wisdom teeth removed, my divorce, too many break-ups, more surgery... well you get the picture. I love rereading her stories and watching the film adaptions. I also get side-tracked by references to her works. My absolute favorite book is Pride and Prejudice.

I own the UK film version of P&P, and yes, Colin Firth is Mr. Darcy for me. The movie, You've Got Mail featured a full discourse between Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks concerning Elizabeth and Darcy's relationship, while their relationship mirrored the P&P characters.

I wanted to learn more about Darcy and read Pamela Aidan's three book series A Novel of Fitzwilliam Darcy, Gentleman. Excellent P&P book series that shows P&P through Darcy's eyes. I recently read Jane Austen Ruined My Life. A cute humorous book for Austen fans who can somewhat relate to the character. Warning: I thoroughly enjoyed the book until the last two chapters. My girlfriends are currently reading Pride & Prejudice & Zombies. I'm sorry, I can not bring myself to read it. One of my all time favorite authors, Mary Balogh, recently had an assembly scene in her book First Comes Marriage that I reviewed stating she could not reach the same caliber as Austen since the scene was very similar to P&P's first meeting of the characters at an assembly.

I saw the Keira Knightley film version and can't state how emphatically I despise this adaption of the book. I can be particularly picky concerning P&P. That's why when my guru, Kay, told me about Lost in Austen and how much she enjoyed it, I wondered. Kay has exacting taste and the story she described seemed interesting, so I gave it a try. I was amazed that I sat through the whole 3 hours late at night.

It is the story of a devotee of P&P who gets transported into the novel and changes the course of the book. It is a very entertaining tale and I enjoyed seeing the characters interact with someone who knows them from the book. Shockingly, Elliot Cowan was an excellent Darcy (2nd to Firth). There are a few very entertaining scenes; such as when Amanda (the devotee) asks Darcy to jump in the water so she can have her Firth version of Darcy, and when Amanda discovers a secret of Miss Bingley, which sheds light on why Amanda could never understand the character in the book.

I highly recommend watching the series and reading some of the books mentioned in the post. Of course, we should all plan to pull out our edition of Pride and Prejudice and read it as well as watching the UK adaption of the book.

Who would you choose?

Since several of my friends and I are reading the Sookie Stackhouse books, I thought I would bring the debate out to the public. Now, Becky and I are notorious for our good-natured but determined arguments on Goodreads. During the Twilight phenom, I was Team Edward and she was Team Jacob. I want to throw the discussion out for everyone to respond about Sookie.

The next Sookie book will be released in May and with it some hopeful progression in Sookie's love life. There have been many men...Bill, Sam, Eric, Alcide, Calvin, and Quinn. Who do you think she should be with in the end? I know this book is not the final in the series, but with each book, our opinions have altered or remained intact.

Initially I did not like Bill. I found him distant and lacking in his love for Sookie, but I was very intrigued by Eric and his responses to her. I know Eric is selfish and is lacking in his regard, but after reading the fourth book and seeing his reactions to remembering the missing time with her, I think he could possibly be a strong candidate as the man for her. After Bill's multiple betrayals, I believed there was no explanation to redeem the character. The point to remember is both of Bill's betrayals were caused by his inability to deny the demands placed on him as a vampire. I hate to say this, he had no control in those circumstances. Since then, he has continued to try to save Sookie and his professions of love have stirred my heart. The Weres and shapeshifters have held no appeal to me through the entire series.

I don't know how to explain it. I have always enjoyed the vampires in stories since watching Buffy. I was Team Edward during the Twilight phase. Now with Sookie, I am torn between Eric and Bill, both vampires. Both love her in their own ways, but both can hurt her terribly. Who do you think Sookie should choose in the end? Let the debate begin.

The Dog Ate My Homework

You know the saying, "My dog ate my homework", well it's true. Living in a household of librarians, my dog should be comfortable around books. My hubby and I have books lying around. This weekend, James left a book sitting by the chair for a moment. We discovered Bartle eating the book upon our return. Apparently he took issue with the binding. (Not the book in the picture.)

Breaking Dawn

Yes, I went and saw the movie this weekend, but I will discuss that in another entry. First I want to discuss the fourth book in the series. I was very hesitant to read this book since the reviews were quite cruel. I have to say, I went in with no expectations and came out loving the book. Maybe its because I'm an adult rather than a teenager, but I enjoyed the coming of age story. I thought Breaking Dawn reflected the change from childhood into adulthood. Of course, I love happy endings and ones where all the stories are resolved and Breaking Dawn provided that for me. I was not disturbed by the drastic changes that Stephenie Meyer placed in the book. It's her creative vision, she can create her universe the way she wants. Also, many critics felt the character of Bella changed too much, but didn't we all change when we finally accepted adulthood (for those who have).

I enjoyed the series overall. Some parts were extremely painful, but other parts have made my favorite scenes list. Is it the best series out there? No, but it was definitely an enjoyable and personal one. The way the books are written, you feel as if you are reading someone's detailed diary, so it leaves you feeling very involved in the character's lives.

I did read the portion of Midnight Sun on Stephenie Meyer's web site. For fans of the series, I highly recommend it. To see Edward's struggle from his perspective is very eye-opening. Also we see more of the Cullen clan which is truly enjoyable. Tell me what you think, and go ahead make fun! Trust me, you'll have plenty to laugh at when you see my review of the movie. I am obsessed with this series.

New Obsession

So I have acquired a new obsession and I lay the blame at Lighthearted Librarian and my sister-in-law's feet. LL has been writing reviews on the Twilight series and asked if I had read it yet. Being a big Buffy fan, one would think I would have already been swept into the melee surrounding this series. I had debated reading the books, but after reading several reviews decided against it. But LL really enjoyed the series and even loaned me the second book in the series. So I placed my holds request for Twilight (#138 on the list) and figured I'd get around to it.

My sis-in-law had part of the series when we visited and she talked about how much she enjoyed them. She even owned two copies of Twilight, but of course did not have them at the house. So off to the bookstore for an early holiday gift and I am now the owner of part of the series.

I won't deny, I am not impressed with the writing style and I know the story is cheesy, but I am hooked. I am currently reading the third book and plan to reread the first next week. I love the story itself. I always like the bad boy theme and I enjoy Edward's struggle with loving and wanting to kill Bella. I can remember my own teenage romance and how I felt, so I can relate to the book.

So of course, now I am determined to finish the series quickly. And Becky, Erin, and I have plans to see the movie opening weekend. I know make fun! I can't explain it. I have found a new obsession.

Jane Austen

Masterpiece on PBS has been airing movies adapted from Jane Austen novels. My coworkers and I have been watching and commentating on these productions. Some of which are wonderful...the BBC version of Pride and Prejudice, and some not so wonderful...the version of Mansfield Park.

This has lead me to want to know from other library folk, which is your favorite Jane Austen adaption? Or which Jane Austen story do you like the best?