What began as a record of everything I read for one year quickly turned into a place to connect with other book lovers over our shared passion. I'm so glad that I discovered the book blogging world! Please visit as often as you like, and feel free to chime in with your opinions any time.
Ambassador of Books ~ Book Club Madam ~ Blogger Gal
Attention MD/DC/VA Bloggers!
Are you a blogger who lives in Maryland, Virginia, Washington, DC, or someplace nearby? Are you interested in connecting with other bloggers for literary festival and get-togethers? Fill out this form to add your info to the local blogger database - we can't wait to meet you!
That's a good question ... I'm a daughter, a wife, a mother, a sister, a friend ... and there's so much more! But for the purpose of this blog I am a first and foremost a reader.
When I was in the first grade I read The Hobbit and my love of Fantasy took root. By the time I left elementary school I had completed the entire series as well as The Belgariad by David Eddings. Seventh grade brought me the beginning of Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time series ... which is still not complete. High school and college introduced me to the classics and to history. My reading disappeared for several years when I had a child. Then I started a book club and it came back in full force.
Today I read anything that catches my eye ... at the moment that includes historical fiction, fantasy, literary fiction, and any titles I find interesting. I'm always on the lookout for the next great find ... any suggestions?
What is better than discussing a great book with your book club? Having cookies to eat with it, that's what! Here's your chance to provide both books AND cookies for your club's next meeting. Your fellow club members will love you forever for that, right?!
At the start of World War II, Jack and Sadie Rosenblum flee Berlin for London with their baby daughter, Elizabeth. Upon arrival, Jack receives a pamphlet from the German Jewish Aid Committee on how to act like a proper Englishman. He follows it to the letter—Saville Row suits, the BBC, trips to Covent Garden, a Jaguar—and it works like a charm. The Rosenblums settle into a prosperous new life.
Just one item on the list eludes him: “An Englishman must be a member of a golf course.” No golf course in England at the time will admit a Jew. But the list is now the guiding document in Jack’s life, and he must check off the final item. So he decides to build his own golf club in the Dorset countryside. For the second time, Sadie leaves a home she loves. And despite ancient customs, British snobbery, mythical beasts, and a shrinking bank account, they triumph once again.
I recently added this book to my TBR list and am REALLY looking forward to reading it!
In case I haven't convinced you that this is a great book to try, check out this charming book trailer that was created for the UK version of the book (titled Mr. Rosenblum's List):
Leave a comment that includes the name of your book club (if you have one), the number of members, and the US state in which you live
Make sure I have a way to contact you if you win
The contest runs through next Monday (11/15/10); I'll contact the winner via email on Tuesday. The winner has 24 hours to respond before I select a new winner.
The Small Print, per the publisher: This contest is open to US residents only. A maximum of 12 books and boxes of cookies will be shipped to the winning book club.
This story is from Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book. It tells of a young mongoose named Rikki-Tikki who comes to live in the home of a man, his wife, and their young son. Rikki-Tikki, like others of his kind, is very curious and very brave. When he finds deadly snakes living in the garden and planning to attack the human family, he sets out to kill the snakes and save the family.
*** Why I Listened To It ***
This was available as a free download from Audible.com a while back. Recently Kiddo and I listened to a creepy story and Kiddo needed something to lighten the mood before he went to bed. I remembered that I had this on my phone so we listened to it while eating snack together.
*** My Thoughts ***
Does anyone else remember the cartoon based on this? I just LOVED it!
Anyway, it was a real treat for me to revisit this story with Kiddo. It is an exciting story, albeit a bit brutal (it IS nature after all, and nature isn't always nice) and I remember really enjoying it when I was young.
For once, a story that I loved as a child stood up to the test of time and I still enjoyed it as an adult. I've never read or listened to all of The Jungle Book (though I am, of course, familiar with the Disney movie, and Cub Scouting draws heavily on imagery from the book) but I might have to do that now ...
*** Kiddo's Thoughts ***
Let me tell you, Kiddo was hooked on this story from the very start. I had to keep reminding him to finish his snack, to pay attention to eating, because he was so caught up in the story that he just sat at the table staring into space, listening with all his might.
As soon as the book ended I sent Kiddo off to brush his teeth and get ready for bed. A few minutes later, over the sound of running water and brushing teeth, here's the conversation we had:
Kiddo: "Mom, can I have a mongoose for a pet?"
Me: "Maybe if we lived in India."
Kiddo: "Oh. Because I'd really like one to cuddle up with."
Me: "Sorry Kiddo."
After he got in bed and snuggled in I heard him calling me from his room:
Kiddo: "Mom, do they make stuffed mongooses? You know, like regular stuffed animals?"
Me: "I'm sure they do, but I don't think I've ever seen one. Would you like me to look for one for you?"
Kiddo: "Yeah! I really want one."
Me: "Ok, I'll see what I can do."
Unfortunately all I found was this one, which although cute is also ridiculously expensive. Anyone know where I can find a reasonably priced stuffed mongoose toy that I could give Kiddo for Christmas?!
*** Your Thoughts ***
Did you read this story or see the movie as a child? What did you think of it? How does it compare to the other stories in The Jungle Book?
Catching Fire, by Suzanne Collins (11.6 hours) - much better than the first book in the series (The Hunger Games)
Mockingjay, by Suzanne Collins (11.75 hours) - not as good as book 2 (Catching Fire) but a very fitting end to the trilogy
The People of Sparks, by Jeanne DuPrau (7.9 hours) - continues the story of The People of Ember but gets a bit heavy handed, though still enjoyable
Bleak House, by Charles Dickens (39.25 hours) - not as good as I remembered from high school but still a good read - I love all the complicated details!
The Gathering Storm, by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson (33 hours) - this was a re-read in preparation for the next book in the series, and I REALLY enjoyed listening to this book again
Rikki-Tikki Tavi, by Rudyard Kipling (.67 hours) - what a treat to revisit this beloved story with Kiddo!
Since my birthday just passed it's time for me to recap my reading year so I'm off to start totaling things up now. I'll have a list of my best reads of the year for you later this week!
Financial journalist Mikael Blomkvist is in trouble. His magazine, Millennium, published an expose he wrote about a dirty industrialist named Wennerstrom. Wennerstrom in turned sued Mikael ... and won. Now Mikael has been convicted of libel and sentenced to 90 days in prison. He's also taking a leave of absence from the magazine to allow it to recover. At this very low point in his life he's offered a freelancing job by a wealthy, retired industrialist named Vanger. Vanger's beloved niece disappeared over 40 years ago, possibly at the hands of another family member. Vanger is an old man and wants Mikael to find out the truth about the disappearance before he (Vanger) dies.
Then we have Lisbeth Salandar, a secretive 20-something who freelances as a background investigator. Her work bring her into contact with Mikael and the other main players in the Millennium, Wennerstom, and Vanger dramas.
*** Why I Read It ***
I'd never have picked this up if not for my book club; it was chosen as our November book. It was impossible to get it from the library considering that there were 224 people who'd reserved it prior! So I purchased it via the Kindle App on my phone and read it that way.
*** My Thoughts ***
It is clear that this book was meant to be the start of a series. Like many other firsts-in-a-series it spends a great deal of time setting up character background. It was slow going for a while but when I looked at it as part of a series rather than an individual book I was able to enjoy the journey.
That said, the story didn't really pick up until more than half of the book had elapsed, though at that point things began to happen very quickly. I guessed the solution to one of the big mysteries long before the truth was revealed, which could be a good thing or a bad thing; it means that the climax didn't come out of nowhere but it also means that part of the story was a bit predictable.
The author's wording choices often seemed awkward to me, but this could be the fault of the translator rather than the author. Still, some portions were consistently difficult to read. Lisbeth's dialogue is a good example. One line reads as follows: "If you even try to hurt me I'll have to do you an injury. You'll be sorry." See what I mean? Can you actually imagine someone speaking those words? Also, the word "anon" was used quite often. I wonder if the translation of that word is common in Sweden or if the translator could have picked a better word in English.
I don't read a lot in the mystery/thriller genre so this is definitely not a book I'd have picked up on my own. That said, it was pretty good (though slow to start) and I enjoyed it. What I don't get is why this book is so wildly popular. Is it really that different from others in the genre? It didn't seem so to me, but again I don't read a lot in this genre. It wasn't a bad book but it wasn't a great book either. I just don't get the reason for all the hype ...
WARNING: There is a fair bit of sexual violence in this book. Sexual harassment of women is one of the main themes, and Larsson reiterates this fact by quoting crime statistics at the beginning of each book division in addition to includes it in the various plots.
*** The Movie Version ***
I haven't seen the movie yet but I do plan to. Like I said in my warning above though, there IS a lot of sexual violence in this book. I'm not sure how that will be played on in the movie and I'm very leery of it. Here's the official trailer if you want to check it out:
*** Your Thoughts ***
What, exactly, is it about this book that made it such a huge hit? It is really that different from other mystery/thriller novels?
Did anyone have the same thoughts regarding the translation?
For those who have read the rest of the series, is it worth continuing?
For those saw the movie, what did you think of it?
I love birthdays - no stressing about getting a year older for me! It's all about enjoying whatever age I currently am and getting the most out of it. Of course, it doesn't hurt that Kiddo often tells me I'm not old at all (he has 4 grandparents and 2 great-grandparents to compare me to and I'm definitely younger than them!).
On my birthday I get to:
go work (boo!)
spend time with Kiddo after school (yay!)
help run tonight's Cub Scout meeting in which Kiddo's Den puts on a funny skit for the rest of the pack (yay!)
finally get to relax with Hubby late tonight (phew!)
But my real present (to myself) comes tomorrow when I get to:
have dinner with a group of Wheel of Time fans, only some of whom I've met before (fun!)
join hundreds more fans at Brandon Sanderson's book signing after dinner, where I'll be steadily reading Towers of Midnight while I wait in line to get it signed (WOOHOO!)
I am SO EXCITED about this! And to top it off, while I'm out having bookish fun Hubby and Kiddo are having their own Dad & Son night in which they eat homemade popcorn, drink root beer in glass bottles, and watch the Caps (ice hockey) game at full volume on TV. Friday will be a great night for everyone!
Thanks to everyone has dropped by today to say happy birthday here, on Facebook, or on Twitter. You guys make my day!
PS. Since my blogging year goes from birthday to birthday, check back over the next few days to see which books I've picked as the best of the best from this year's reading!
NOTE: This mini review is spoiler-free except for the mention of a few characters names (meaning that they are still alive by this point in the series.)
I read this book when it came out last year in hardback and when I reviewed it I raved about how good it was. Yes there were flaws but it was a very, very good step along the way in the Wheel of Time. Now that the next book is coming out (release date 11/2/10, I'm getting on 11/5/10) I of course had to revisit this book to make sure I'm up on all the plot/character developments.
This time around I listened to the audio version via Audible.com. It took me about a week to get through all 33 hours, which is the same amount of time it took me to read it the first time (I took it slow so I could enjoy it). The two narrators might as well be know as the "voice of the Wheel of Time" because they have narrated EVERY book in the series so far (there are 12 in the main series plus one prequel). In general I enjoy their work very much, but there were a few pronunciation issues that bugged me in this book. And also, a few time Redding's narration of particular characters seemed a bit off. Maybe I was just paying more attention to this book, but I don't remember those issues with previous books.
I mentioned in my first review that Mat's characters didn't feel quite right but that I still liked him. I noticed it a lot more this time though. Yes his parts are often laugh-out-loud funny and I enjoyed them, but it really didn't feel/sound like the Mat I've come to know through the series. Sanderson acknowledged that fact in several interviews and stated that he put much more time into correcting Mat's character in the new book (The Towers of Midnight); I'm looking forward to seeing how that plays out.
Also in my first review I mentioned three main characters and their climactic scenes: Rand, Egwene, and Verin. This time I was struck again by the awesomeness that is Egwene. She's never been a particular favorite of mine (though I didn't dislike her either) but her part of the story is simply fantastic. It made me tear up yet again, even knowing ahead of time what was going to happen! Rand's climactic scene didn't impress me as much this time, though it was still very dramatic. And Verin's big scene seemed more low-key than I remembered, though I still find her to be the most interesting character in the book.
I'm super excited to pick up The Towers of Midnight on Friday. I'll be having dinner with a group of Wheel of Time fans then we'll be going over to the book signing together. Woohoo!
Continuing the story that began in The City of Ember (my review here), the Emberites try to adjust to their new life on the surface.They find a town where they are grudgingly welcomed – there are more people from Ember than from the town! – and they begin to learn about their new lives.Tensions escalate, however, as the two very different groups of people are forced to live in close contact on a daily basis.Will they learn how to live peaceably or will they come to blows?
*** Why I Listened To It ***
Kiddo and I enjoyed book one in this series and we wanted to continue with it.We got the audiobook from the library.
*** My Thoughts ***
I have a hard time reviewing middle grade books like this.Part of me was really bothered by the simplicity of the plot and the way the author almost beats the reader over the head with the message (it’s a good message, it’s just REALLY obvious).Then again, this book is not designed for adult readers so I don’t feel I can hold it to the same standards of complexity.Kiddo really enjoyed it and I’ll bet that he understood the message that working together, listening to others, and making compromises is the best way to live (we haven’t had much time to discuss it so I can’t be sure).
Still, I enjoyed the series so far and am definitely interested in seeing what happens next.
*** Thoughts on the Narrator ***
Wendy Dillon does a reasonable job with most of the characters in this book but there are times when she tries too hard; every person does not need a completely unique voice. Her tendency to do just that leads to some rather painful-sounding voices for a few characters. The rest of her narration is quite good though.
*** Your Thoughts ***
Are the next two books in the series worth reading/listening to?My library only has them in the audio format that my mp3 player does NOT use so I’ll probably have to buy them if we do decide to listen …
To celebrate the 11/5/10 tour date for the latest Wheel of Time book, The Towers of Midnight, by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson, I'm flashing back to this same time last year when the 13th book in the series came out.
For the release of The Gathering Storm, publisher Tor recruited several volunteers - called Storm Leaders - to help with each tour stop. I was thrilled to be selected for the Maryland event! Below is the (very detailed) recap that my team put together for Dragonmount.com, the main fan site for The Wheel of Time book. I had planned to simply link to that post today, but Dragonmount recently transferred to a new server and lost all their old content (at least temporarily) so I'm giving you the complete recap here.
And in case you are interested, here's my review of The Gathering Stormfrom last year - I'm currently listening to it on audio to get ready for The Towers of Midnight!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On October 29th, 2009 THE GATHERING STORM hit Baltimore … and what an evening it was!
Around 5:30pm the four Storm Leaders – Susan, Mike, Matt, and Heather (me) – met up with Brandon, Harriet, and their media escort, Paul, for dinner. We were supposed to meet at 5:15pm but the restaurant staff seated us in two separate places so each group was wondering why the other was late. (A great way to start the evening, no?) Dinner was a real treat for us Storm Leaders; simply to be sitting at the table with Brandon and Harriet was fantastic, but of course we had some great conversations as well. There was definitely no lull in the chatter!
After our meal we walked through the mall to the Books-A-Million store. Our entourage was spotted by the large crowd gathered in the bookstore café and applause broke out at the site of Brandon and Harriet. After Brandon said a quick hello to the fans, we headed to the back of the store. While our two celebrities were being interviewed, we Storm Leaders reviewed our notes and tried to contain our excitement. Then it was 7:00pm and time to get started.
“For those of you here today, the Wheel of Time needs no introduction.” Standing at the podium, I was thrilled to be speaking to WoT fans and honored to lead them in a moment of silence honoring Robert Jordan. After that I introduced Brandon and Harriet … and inadvertently referred to Harriet as Brandon’s wife rather than Robert Jordan’s. *flushes with embarrassment*
Brandon stood to thank the fans for coming and then asked Harriet to read a selection from the book. She took the floor and read a portion of the Prologue, the part from the Prophet’s point of view. (That’s video 1 in the playlist, which you'll find at the end of this post.)
Then it was time for audience questions. Fans wanted to know how Brandon was chosen to complete the series and his reactions to that choice, which characters were the most difficult to write, the fate of the prequel and outrigger novels Jordan planned to write, and more. We captured the entire QandA on a series of videos so you wouldn’t have to miss a thing. (Check out videos 2-6 in the playlist.)
the line leader
Around 7:30pm Brandon and Harriet moved to their table at the back of the store and fans began lining up to get their books signed. Line numbers had been given out starting at 9am so it was easy to organize the fans in numerical order. This guy got the very first spot in line – I think he was pretty happy about it!
Storm Leader Mike spent the first hour or so stuffing bookmarks and other promotional material into the books after Brandon and Harriet signed them. Mike had a front row seat for the wonderful interactions between our celebs and their fans. Here’s his report from the trenches:
At the front of the signing line the over 200 enthusiastic fans each got a chance to meet Brandon and Harriet. And both were as gracious and friendly as they could be, answering questions, posing for photos, and sharing their own thoughts about The Wheel of Time.
The first person in line was already halfway through The Gathering Storm and had been reading the series since The Eye of the World was first published. He and Brandon talked about how Rand, Perrin, and Mat were like high school friends to them. He asked Harriet how much time had passed in the timeline of the story, and when told only two years, responded “I didn't figure they had aged along with me!” The coolest interaction at the signing table came near the end of the night, though, when a young boy asked if he could show Brandon his Magic cards... It was quite adorable...
Brandon talking about Magic cards with a young fan
As he spoke with fans throughout the night, Brandon talked about learning to turn off his inner fanboy during his final Wheel of Time read through (Harriet called this “getting into editorial thinking”), encouraged aspiring writers to get their stories down on paper, and repeatedly apologized for his atrocious handwriting (but it's definitely not!). Also, if your name is Tom or Matt, be prepared to be asked “Do I spell that with an 'h'?” or “One ’t’ or two?”
It was truly touching to be able to witness the mutual exchange of heartfelt gratitude between the fans, Harriet, and Brandon. The excitement was palpable. It made me proud to be part of this awesome community of WoT fans. All in all, a wonderful evening...
If you’d like to see some of Brandon and Harriet’s interaction with the fans be sure to check out videos 13-14 in the playlist.
While Mike was busy at the signing table, I was chatting with fans farther back in line and also taking some videos (videos 7-12 in the playlist). I must admit that I was rather jealous of those who got to stand in line and simply read; I had just picked up my copy of TGS that afternoon and had not yet been able to read a single page. *sigh*
Some things I learned while taking videos and watching them afterward:
The “average” fan at this event has been reading WoT for about 10 years.
WoT fans know the answers to the most obscure trivia questions.
There are phrases I say WAY too often, like “very, VERY cool” and “alriiiight!”
When I record all the videos that means I’m not IN any of the videos. Go figure.
Matt
Speaking of obscure trivia, Storm Leader Matt outdid himself with the pop quiz questions he came up with to entertain fans in line.
Here’s Matt to tell you all about it:
The combination of over 200 people and Brandon and Harriet’s sweet penchant for taking the time to talk to every fan made for a very loooong line. Enter the Wheel of Time pop quiz and interviews!
After everyone had been given their complementary swag (one of 3 bumper stickers), a couple of the Storm Leaders spent the rest of the evening engaging the line with interviews and pop quiz questions. (Check out videos 9-12 in the playlist.)
The quiz questions ranged from freebies (“Name Rand’s two living blood relatives.”) to the tricksy (“The Head Clerk is the head of which Ajah: Gray or Brown?”) to the downright mean (“Cadsuane has 8 hair ornaments, 5 of which have known uses. Describe these ornaments and their abilities.”)
Normally, questions were answered by a hand-raising quick draw, but some of the tougher and multiple answer questions forced the line to group up and share knowledge come up with the right answers.
Of course there were the Smarty-pants of the lines that knew all the answers (I’m looking at you, Beardface! (in video 12)), but all in all it was a wonderful experience and I think everyone truly enjoyed themselves while they waited for the main event.
Storm Leader Susan kept busy as well. She spent the first half of the event talking up JordanCon to all the fans in line. She had flyers to hand out, and since she actually attended JordanCon this year she had lots of info to share about it. I think I overheard something about belly dancing lessons being offered ... must find out more about that! For the second half of the evening she took over Mike’s stuffing job at the signing table, a job I also got to sample near the end of the night.
Toward the close of the evening Brandon and Harriet signed the TGS promo poster (Harriet said she’d sign on Aviendha’s bosom but I guess she thought better of it …) and chose a random winner from the entries we’d collected. (Watch Harriet draw the winning name in video 15 in the playlist.)
I spoke to the winner by phone the following day and she was very excited about her prize!
By 10:00pm about 215 people come through the line and the store was almost empty. One fan was still there though. Our Perrin look-a-like was # 70 in line but he wanted to take a few more photos with Brandon and Harriet so he waited around (reading contentedly) until everything else was finished.
our would-be-Perrin
Since we were all calling him Perrin, Harriet suggested that they howl like wolves while taking the photo, which she then demonstrated – how I WISH I had that on video. I did catch our Perrin howling though (its video 16 in the playlist).
At this point Harriet was ready for her escort to take her to the hotel so we said our goodbyes. Speaking for all the Storm Leaders and the fans as well, we were incredibly honored to have Harriet at this event and we are very grateful to her for coming.
After Harriet left we helped Brandon sign store stock of TGS (if you are local, be sure to pick up a copy before they’re all gone!), and thanked the bookstore staff for having us. The store manager was thrilled with the event, as were we. She even provided us with complementary snacks and drinks from the café before we left.
As a side note, I never thought of myself as particularly short, but compared to these guys, Susan and I might as well be Cairhienen!
Brandon, Mike, me, Matt, and Susan
Brandon, abandoned
The four Storm Leaders headed outside with Brandon … where we left him, all alone, waiting for his escort to return. Seriously. We all offered to stay but he seemed to want some peace and quiet (I wonder why?) so this was our last view of Brandon.
The Baltimore Storm Leaders are so tremendously grateful for the opportunity to help out with this event. We truly enjoyed our time with Brandon and Harriet and all the WoT fans. Personally, I had a strong desire to go down the line hugging people to share my excitement … but I restrained myself. We all agree that this was a fantastic evening and that we were privileged to be a part of it. A huge thank you goes to Tor and Dragonmount for allowing us to participate and to report back to all of you.
The Wheel of Time turns and the next tour date draws ever closer … so be sure to get to your nearest event – it is definitely worth it!
*** About the Book ***
In the 1930s Bartolomeo Rossi comes across an antique book, blank inside except for the image of a horrible dragon. This book leads him on a journey across Eastern Europe and Western Asia in search of the true history of Vlad Tepes, otherwise known as Vlad the Impaler, or Dracula. Twenty years later Rossi’s graduate student, Paul, discovers another dragon book. When Rossi disappears shortly after this discovery, Paul sets out on his a journey to find his friend and mentor. Then in the 1970s Paul’s daughter ventures out on her own to find her father who left her alone under mysterious circumstances.
These three stories, along with the history of Vlad Tepes, combine in anything but chronological order to create a complicated and fascinating tale.
*** Why I Read It ***
I’ve owned this book for a long time. In fact, I think it was Bermudaonion who sent me her copy last year when I mentioned on Twitter that I wanted to read it. It was just so huge that I kept putting off reading it, even though it was on my list for the TBR 2010 Challenge. Then I heard about the On the Ledge Readalong and decided that was the perfect excuse to dive into this book.
*** My Thoughts ***
When I started reading this book I was sucked in right away. The story moves slowly but each page brings a slight increase in the spookiness factor; there is definitely a gothic feel to this tale! It is very atmospheric throughout and I really loved that aspect of the book.
The middle section includes many, MANY detours in the plot and a whole ton of historical detail. This section was both fascinating and frustrating. I loved learning about the various cities and I thought the context of the “history lessons” made a lot of sense, but I also wanted to get on with the Dracula-centric portion of the plot.
The last several chapters moved at a much quicker pace and brought the various storylines together in a compelling conclusion.
Part of me is complaining because I didn't "believe" some parts of the story. Things seemed to just happen and people seemed to just appear, always at the perfect time; it was too coincidental for me. Yet at the same time those "coincidences" were a huge part of the story weren't necessarily meant to be coincidences at all. (Does that even make sense?!)
Here’s my dilemma:
Although I really enjoyed the book I thought it was rather slow. BUT that could very likely be because I split it up over so many weeks so I could keep pace with the readalong. There were times – even in the middle of the book – when I didn’t want to stop reading but I'd stop anyway just so I wouldn’t get ahead of the group. I think that, for me, stopping and starting really destroyed the momentum of the story and the mood of the book.
As I said in my review of Bleak House, if I’m reading a book for a readalong and I’m really into the story, I should just go ahead and read at my own pace – I think I’ll be happier in the end.
*** Thoughts on the Read-a-long ***
I don’t know if Coffee and a Book Chick and Tedious and Brief plan to host read-a-longs in the future but if so I highly recommend that you check them out over at On The Ledge Readalongs. They did a FANTASTIC job of providing pictures (!!!) and background to enhance each week’s reading. I don't ever take the time to look up things as I read so this was a real treat for me. I was amazed as some of the things they posted – it really made the experience of reading the book better.
*** Your Thoughts ***
What did you think of The Historian? Were you sucked into the story or did it drag for you? How does this book compare to Kostova’s newer novel, The Swan Thieves? (Honestly I have not a bit of interest in the subject of that one … am I doing it a disservice by passing on it?)
At the start of World War II, Jack and Sadie Rosenblum flee Berlin for London with their baby daughter, Elizabeth. Upon arrival, Jack receives a pamphlet from the German Jewish Aid Committee on how to act like a proper Englishman. He follows it to the letter—Saville Row suits, the BBC, trips to Covent Garden, a Jaguar—and it works like a charm. The Rosenblums settle into a prosperous new life.
. It tells of a young mongoose named Rikki-Tikki who comes to live in the home of a man, his wife, and their young son. Rikki-Tikki, like others of his kind, is very curious and very brave. When he finds deadly snakes living in the garden and planning to attack the human family, he sets out to kill the snakes and save the family.![Rikki-Tikki-Tavi [VHS]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_tRVdG0uoWlHH1OlAeohP1x8WBCyFbQ8qeSIar630XIXX67-KiYBKSLJZ_dH6uB9lPFXnof54Ulik5B7Ij6QwYTTz1dNJui6Js-aQ0Wo6VvJ0LnV-oZ7_-sS0Z312nevTfFrnyfzwLfCn8jSC3C677losHg_tFG-XZ5yIc1uYvHav3qgQbIy3ANRlH4uuIa8ZHSTu8i_YMWgR8mpVJ2JqqURayo-7ABivEiTjxWMA=s0-d)
based on this? I just LOVED it!
, and Cub Scouting 
, which although cute is also ridiculously expensive. Anyone know where I can find a reasonably priced stuffed mongoose toy that I could give Kiddo for Christmas?!
after work (squee!)
(release date 11/2/10, I'm getting on 11/5/10) I of course had to revisit this book to make sure I'm up on all the plot/character developments.
(
? (Honestly I have not a bit of interest in the subject of that one … am I doing it a disservice by passing on it?)
