I signed Sophie up for t-ball today. Its a league run through the county rec center, games start in April. When a friend from my moms' group first forwarded an email about it, I honestly didn't even really consider it.
Up until now, all of Sophie's activities have been uni-sex. Swim, tumbling, crafts, nature center; there was no question of their interest and appropriateness for both boys and girls. But we're getting to the age where I would like to get Sophie involved in team sports. She's a very physical, active kid and we think that organized sports will be a good outlet for her.
Despite that, when the idea was floated of t-ball, I almost dismissed it without a second thought. Unconsciously, I had separated it out into a "boy" activity. But I saved the email. And as other friends responded to the thread either affirming that they wanted to register their children or that they weren't interested, the idea germinated in my mind.
Sophie is very good at hitting a ball with a bat. She can reliably hit a pitched ball and can hit the stuffing out of a ball on a stand. We played baseball in the back yard with the neighbor boys for two summers, hitting and catching and running bases. And she loved it.
When I was just a little older than Sophie is now, I wanted to play in Little League. I think I was a lot like Sophie when I was a child, exuberantly athletic. At that time, in my small town, Little League was the only team sport available for kids my age. But it was only for boys, so I couldn't play. With the abundance of team sports available for both sexes now, it seems insane that just 30 years ago, things were so different, but they were.
I think of myself as a fairly progressive parent. While I do think there are areas where one or the other sex is stronger, I don't necessarily think that means that children of the opposite sex are barred from that activity. Which is why it surprises me that I dismissed t-ball at first. I'm a modern mama. But some things are rooted deep and perhaps that early experience with baseball tainted my views today.
But the more I thought about it, the more right it seemed. So I signed her up. She will likely be in the minority, but I know there will be at least a few other girls. But even if she is the only one, I know she is going to be an all star.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Monday, January 9, 2012
What I'm Reading 2012
Here we are with a new year and an ocean of books on my to read list. My reading dropped off a little in 2011, I somehow only made it through 24 books, but I'm back in the saddle and ready to delve into some literature in 2012! As in the past, please feel to leave comments on books you read, opinions on my "reviews" or suggestions.
The Year in Books 2011
The Year in Books 2010
The Year in Books 2009
December
Beautiful Disaster - Jamie McGuire (genre: Fiction) Chronicling a dysfunctional college relationship. Grade: B-
Daughters for a Time - Jennifer Handford (genre: Fiction) After struggling with infertility, Helen and her husband decide to adopt a child from China. But their happiness is cut short when tragedy strikes their family. Grade: B+
Summer of the Mariposas - Guadalupe Garcia McCall (genre: Young Adult) After five sisters discover a dead man floating in their idyllic swimming spot in the Rio Grande River, the girls begin an odyssey to return the man to his family that takes them on an unexpected journey through the myths of Aztec legend. In the process, the bonds that hold the girls together are further cemented and they discover some unpleasant truths about their own missing father.
This book has a number of elements that should have made it a big hit for me: sisters, complicated paternal relationships, ancient mythology; unfortunately it just didn't quite hit the mark. I struggled to get into the adventure because I kept saying to myself "no one would ever do that" whenever one of the girls did something that led them into another harrowing situation. Perhaps if I were more familiar with the legends that were featured in the book, I could have been more invested in the girl's journey but the constant insertion of mythological creatures felt forced and overdone.
I loved McCall's first book, Under the Mesquite, a lyrical story that had me in tears in several places. While I enjoyed this book, it didn't have the emotional punch or connection for me. I suspect a younger audience might find this book quite enjoyable but for me the story felt somewhat flat. Grade: B
The Twelve - Justin Cronin (Science Fiction) The second in the trilogy begun so promisingly with The Passage. Middle books are a troublesome sort. They're a connector, so they don't have the clear cut ending of a standalone novel. Its always hard to tell until you've read the third book just how much was actually needed in the second and how much was fluff. This book was reasonably entertaining but often felt like filler. I guess the third book will tell. Grade: B+
November
Tell The Wolves I'm Home - Carol Rifka Brunt (genre: Young Adult) It doesn't happen often, but maybe once or twice a year I will read a book that burrows its way down into my psyche, that even after I'm done reading it, I'm still actively ruminating on it. A book that makes me feel so much that it almost becomes a part of my own story. This was one of those books. Such a beautifully written, poignant story about a 14 yo girl who loses her favorite uncle to AIDS and the relationship she develops with his boyfriend as they both try to make peace with his passing. Grade: A+
Legend - Marie Lu (genre: Young Adult) In a United States that is now comprised of two warring factions, The Republic and The Colonies, those in the Republic live in a strictly regulated class based society. When June, a 15yo prodigy, begins the hunt for her brother's killer, she has no idea the revelations about her government she will unearth. Grade: B-
Running With Scissors - Augusten Burroughs (genre: Memoire) This book was painful for me to read. Grade: C-
October
Where She Went - Gayle Forman (genre: Fiction) The follow-up to If I Stay, the story of a young girl, Mia, who loses her family, and nearly her life, in a car accident. Now, we're following Adam, Mia's high school boyfriend. Now a hugely successful rock singer, he struggles with his newfound fame and with his unresolved feelings for Mia. Predictable, but that's not always a bad thing because this book was still very GOOD. Grade: A-
Looking for Alaska - John Green (genre: Young Adult) A 16 year old boy goes off to boarding school and finds the friendships of a lifetime in his roommate and a handful of other students, including the beautiful Alaska, the troubled girl he falls in love with. When tragedy strikes, the friends rally to find answers. Grade: A-
Skinny - Donna Cooner (genre: Young Adult) After not especially loving last month's Stone Girl, I was a little nervous coming into another book that dealt with weight issues in teens. But the premise seemed different enough that I hoped I would enjoy it more. And I did. So much more. This is the story of Ever, who lost her mother to cancer when she was 10 and began eating to compensate for her grief. Now 15 and 300 pounds, she is miserable within her own body, her worst thoughts and fears voiced by Skinny, the mean girl who taunts her from within. When all other diets have failed, she decides to have gastric bypass surgery. With the support of her best friend, Rat, she faces the challenges of recovering her health and her self-confidence.
When I read the synopsis, I was afraid this book would focus on the procedure and the more clinical physical aspects. While there was certainly plenty of information about the medical side, it was purely in support of the story. This novel isn't about gastric bypass surgery, it's about a young girl and her struggles with self-esteem. Overcoming the doubts created by our negative inner monologues and finding self-worth is a common struggle, making Ever very easy to identify with, regardless of whether you've been overweight.
I can't say that I was surprised by any of the plot twists, but I still really enjoyed this book and was rooting for Ever to the end.
Grade: A-
The Center of Everything - Laura Moriarity (genre: Young Adult) Some books hit too close to home for me to enjoy them as much as they should be. This was one of those books for me. Well written but sometimes painful for me to read because I identified in so many ways. I can't see the forest for the trees here, so it's getting a B. I wish I could go higher, because it is a GOOD book. But I just can't. Grade: B
Trapeze - Simon Mawer (genre: Historical Fiction) This book follows the experiences of a young woman who becomes a spy for the British in occupied France during World War II. I was deeply interested in the subject, as a francophile and a lover of history, but I feel a little let down by this book. Clever wordsmithing and interesting characters but just not enough meat to the story. Grade: B-
September
Insurgent - Veronica Roth (genre: Young Adult) Set in a future where society has been broken out into factions that each serve a distinct purpose, those who don't fit into their faction are anathema. Tris is one of these people. As the factions begin to battle, we learn more about how their city came to be.
Insurgent picks up exactly where Divergent left off and answered a few of the questions that lingered from the first book. I actually enjoyed this book more than the first and am excited for the third in the trilogy. Grade: A-
Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter - Seth Grahame-Smith (genre: History/Paranormal) I listened to this in the audiobook format, which I believe was to the detriment of my experience. I fell asleep while listened at least 8 times. There was enough there to keep me going until the end but I really struggled. Maybe someday I'll go back and actually read this book as I've heard so many positive reviews but I doubt it. Grade: C
The Stone Girl - Alyssa Sheinmel (genre: Young Adult) Going into her senior year at a prestigious New York City all girls prep school, Sethie struggles with body image issues. As the year progresses, her emotional state and personal relationships degenerate as she becomes more and more obsessed with her weight and appearance.
When I received this book, I was interested to see how the author demonstrated the hot topic issue of eating disorders. They are not something I have faced personally, but I have seen their devastating effects on friends. I wish I could say that after having read it, I feel I have had a glimpse into the mind of a person who battles these demons, but I really don't.
This book was written in the third person, however we only see Sethie's point of view. I feel this was a serious detriment to my involvement in her story. If ever a story called out for first person narrative, this is it. The bigger issue for me, though, is that this book tried too hard to be too many things. While it's easy to say it's about a girl with an eating disorder, so little of the book is actually spent delving into her thoughts. A considerable amount of time is spent on the three significant relationships in her life, her boyfriend, best friend and mother. However, we still don't see enough of any of these to make a real connection.
I wanted to like this book more because I do feel the author can turn a phrase. She created a believable character in a flawed and interesting world. I definitely saw myself in some of her actions, I was that self-destructive teenager, but I left this book wanting. And not in a good way. Grade: B-
Monument 14 - Emmy Laybourne (genre: Young Adult/Science Fiction) When a series of natural disasters turn their world upside down, 14 children barricade themselves in a big box superstore in an attempt to survive the aftermath. An engrossing read. Can't wait to see what happens in the next book. Grade: A-
The Selection - Keira Cass (genre: Young Adult) The Selection is set in a post-apocalyptic world where the US has been reorganized into a new group of states and is now ruled by a monarchy. In order to make the "little people" feel like part of the family, whenever there is an eligible prince, they hold a lottery to choose 35 potential brides for him. From there a "Bachelor" style selection process ensues, complete with televised "dates" and eliminations. Sadly, my opinion of this book suffers in that I am so weary of books that needlessly draw out the story to create a trilogy or, ugh, more. I don't know what happens in the following books but I am 100% certain it could all have easily fit into one slightly longer book with some judicious editing. Despite this, an enjoyable read, just wait until they've all come out so you can power through them without having to wait. Grade: B+
August
The Death Cure - James Dashner (genre: Young Adult/Science Fiction) Oy vey. I really, really wanted the third in the trilogy begun so promisingly with The Maze Runner to bring a satisfying conclusion to the story. I wanted the time that I spent reading the dismal second book, The Scorch Trials, to have been worth it. I wanted to understand how in the sam hell torturing and killing children could possibly provide the information that would find a cure for the zombie virus. Sadly, none of that was the case. I struggled through every one of the 336 pages. Not good. Not good at all. Grade: D-
The Age of Miracles - Karen Walker (Young Adult/Science Fiction) When the earth's rotation suddenly starts slowing, Julia quite literally finds her world in chaos. While I had a hard time believing the science in this book, I loved the lead character and empathized with her plight. More a coming of age tale than science fiction, this book was lyrical and beautiful. Grade: A-
If I Stay - Gayle Forman (Young Adult/Supernatural) Following a devastating car crash, Mia, a talented cellist, struggles to come to terms with her new situation. At turns heartbreaking and uplifting with occasional humor, I loved this book. Grade: A
Thirteen Reasons Why - Jay Asher (Young Adult) After a girl he had a crush on kills herself, Clay receives a series of tapes that she recorded explaining why she did it. A heartbreaking read about teenage suicide. Grade: A-
Gone Girl - Gillian Glynn (genre: Fiction/Mystery) A real page turner, I was completely hooked from the beginning. The story of a New York couple who after losing their writing jobs moves back to Missouri to help care for the husband's dying mother. But their marriage falters under the strain of their new life and dark questions are raised when the wife disappears on their 5th anniversary. This book kept me guessing right up until the end. Loved. Grade: A+
July
Forsaken - Lisa Stasse (genre: Young Adult/Science Fiction) I went into The Forsaken with some dystopia weariness. There has been a dearth of series in this genre in recent years. Many of them really quite good: Hunger Games, The Maze Runner, Divergent; some not quite so fantastic. I quite enjoy the genre, but even fans can find themselves a little tired of the subject from time to time. After stalling a bit starting it, I finally jumped in with both feet.
I wish I could say that I was sucked in immediately, but the first half was slow to catch my interest. The action is fast paced from the beginning, which makes it a page-turner but we don't really get to know Alenna or the supporting characters. Without an emotional connection to the lead, it was hard for me to get involved. I understand that Alenna is supposed to be "everykid" but she's the hero of our tale, so I expect a little more. But as the book progressed, I found myself more engaged and invested in the storyline, so much so that by the time there were major reveals in the second half, I was totally hooked and surprised. There were definitely some great twists!
When I began the book, I found myself constantly comparing plot elements to other books in the genre. But despite some early similarities, The Forsaken took turns that definitively set it apart from its fellows. And while I would like to see a little more character development, it is a unique and well-thought out world. I am excited to see what happens in the next books! Grade: A-
Let's Pretend This Never Happened - Jenny Lawson (genre: Memoire) I've read The Bloggess off and on since I began blogging. She is hilarious but often disconcertingly manic and this book is true to that form. Occasionally laugh out loud funny, this book was interesting but I found myself struggling at times to finish it. It was a good book for the treadmill. Grade: B+
June
The Unidentified Redhead - Alice Clayton (genre: Romance) When Grace returns to Hollywood at the age of 34, she never expected to begin a romance with the hot, YOUNG new star of an upcoming movie but that's exactly what happens and she's loving every minute of it. Fun, funny book. Less erotica than I was expecting, given this book was recommended as a quality alternative to the 50 Shades books, but enough titilation to keep things interesting. Grade: A-
Sun of Suns - Karl Shroeder (genre: Science Fiction) In a galaxy comprised of a giant balloon with artificial suns and gravity, Hayden comes to Slipstream with the intention of killing Admiral Chaison Fanning but gets embroiled in a much larger situation that has him questioning his motives and allegiances. Grade: B-
May
The Dark and Hollow Places - Carrie Ryan (genre: Horror, Young Adult) The final novel in the trilogy begun with the Forest of Hands and Teeth. In this book, we follow Annah, the twin sister of Abigail (Gabry). Fending for herself in the city, Annah is scarred, scared and alone. But a surprise discovery changes her world and escape seems possible. Grade: B+
Will Grayson, Will Grayson - John Green (genre: Young Adult) In the suburbs of Chicago there are two 16 year old Will Graysons, each facing their own challenges. On one fateful night, the two boys, previously strangers, meet and their lives are changed. I love this book. It very positively portrays young homosexuals and their relationships. Grade: A+
The Kitchen House - Kathleen Grissom (genre: Historical Fiction) I am honestly surprised by how many glowing reviews I have seen for this book. It fell completely flat for me. The characters were stereotypes in nearly every way. The dual narrative added nothing. I felt there was a lot of promise to this story. I have not heard much about the lives of indentured white servants during that era. But this book disappointed. Grade: C
When You Were Mine - Rebecca Serle (genre: Young Adult) A modern day retelling of the Romeo and Juliet tale, told from the perspective of the jilted Rosaline. Only now it's Rosie, Rob and Juliet. There is the requisite familial chasm and all the teenage snarking and bickering you'd expect from a group of hormonally charged adolescents.
I really liked Rosie. Probably because I've been Rosie on an occasion or twelve. Falling for someone who seems to fall for you only to have them fall for someone else. And the anguish and hope and betrayal and depression that goes along with that experience. I loved the relationships Rosie had with her two best girl friends and the surprise love interest she developed.
For the most part I enjoyed this book, but I felt the back story lacked substance. It felt like the author didn't really focus on the plausibility of the rift, only that it is there to set the stage for the current scenario. For such rational, down to earth people as Rosie's parents seemed to be, their past behavior and complete dismissal of her father's only brother seems surprising and out of character. Furthermore, the entire book paints Juliet's family as a bunch of crazies, with Juliet as the most vindictive and hateful of the bunch. We did get a glimpse of a more rational and humane Juliet at the end but by then the die is cast and we all know how it turns out for her. I think this book would have been more enjoyable if the author had veered away from villainous stereotypes (cheating politician! spoiled rotten rich girl!) and introduced believably flawed characters who did bad things. Grade: B+
The Night Circus - Erin Morgenstern (genre: Fiction) In the late 1800s, two ageless magicians make a wager, pitting two young people with no knowledge of the rules, each other or the price of victory against each other. Set in a magical circus, the competitors battle over the years to a dramatic conclusion. Beautifully detailed and narrated, I really enjoyed this book. Grade: A
Warm Bodies - Isaac Marion (genre: Fiction, Horror) Although I'm getting a little burnt out on the zombie thing, I had heard good things about this book so I thought I'd give it a try. This is the story of R. He's a zombie. He doesn't know what his name was or what he did but he knows that he has a real penchant for human brains. But on a routine human hunting expedition, he unexpectedly finds himself drawn to a human girl, Julie, who he saves and takes back to the airport where he lives. An unlikely friendship develops between the girl and the zombie. I would not have expected to be emotionally invested in this admittedly disgusting relationship, but I was. Grade: A-
April
Dead Reckoning - Charlaine Harris (genre: Fiction, Paranormal) The latest installment in the Sookie Stackhouse saga. As with all of the other books, Dead Reckoning was light fare: entertaining to read but doesn't require much in the way of deep thought. Grade: B-
The Dead - Charles Higson (genre: Young Adult) The prequel to The Enemy, The Dead takes us back to London immediately following the outbreak of the "sickness" that has created zombies out of all humans over the age of 16. We follow a group of schoolchildren as they flee their school in search of a safe haven. While this book was reasonably satisfying, it is clearly the middle of a three book series, so there's a great big question mark at the end. I will definitely read the next book when it comes out, but I'm a little frustrated at the ending. Grade: B+
Goodnight Tweetheart - Teresa Medeiros (genre: Fiction) Four years ago, Abby Donovan wrote the great American Novel. Oprah even gave it her stamp of approval. Fast forward to now, and she's stuck on Chapter 5 of her next book. For three years. To appease her publicist, she gets on to Twitter to engage her fans but she makes an unexpected connection. I read this book in about 3 hours. It was clever and fun. Grade: A-
The Art of Hearing Heartbeats - Jan-Phillip Sendeker (genre: Fiction) After her father's disappearance, Julia goes to Burma to find out what happened to him. Along the way, she discovers there was so much more to her father than she ever expected. This is a beautiful and tragic love story. Grade: A
The Girl in the Park - Mariah Fredericks (genre: Young Adult)
When her former best friend, Wendy, is found murdered in Central Park, Rain starts looking for possible suspects among her fellow students at an elite New York City prep school. Rain was a compelling protagonist. We've all felt different at one point or another and I felt enormous empathy towards her because of her condition. While I often felt she was careless in her behavior, it was believable for someone of her age and experience. I enjoyed discovering more about Wendy through Rain's memories, revealing more of their friendship and Wendy's past as the book progressed. I figured out the killer fairly early in the story, but it was an enjoyable read and kept me entertained through to the end. Grade: A-
March
Mistborn - Brandon Sanderson (genre: Science Fiction/Fantasy) I was a little leery going into this book because it is the first in a series and I have been pretty disappointed in series lately. Too often, the books are not standalone stories that can be read independently of the series. However, I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed reading this. It follows a skaa (peasant) girl who has extraordinary powers that she is only just learning how to use and control. Grade: B+
Getting Over Garrett Delaney - Abby McDonald (genre: Young Adult) Sadie is in love with the boy of her dreams. He's smart, handsome, witty, interesting and completely unaware of her affections. He's also her best friend. When they're separated for the summer while he goes away to literary camp, Sadie embarks on a mission to purge him from her heart. In the process, she discovers she's not the girl she thought she was.
I enjoyed this book. I would call it the quintessential beach read. The story is solid, the characters interesting, if a bit flat, and the pace is quick. But. There just isn't anything that really stands out for me. There were no twists that surprised me, the ending was entirely expected, the dialogue was witty but not too terribly clever, and there were no really outstanding characters, even Sadie herself. This book is the literary equivalent of Chinese food. Thoroughly enjoyable but you're hungry again a couple hours later. Grade: B
February
Born Wicked - Jessica Spotswood (genre: Young Adult/Paranormal/Historical Fiction)
Front Porch Prophet - Raymond Atkins (genre: Fiction) We got this as a Free Friday book on our Nook. We download a lot of these, with the thought that "someday" we'll get around to them. I found myself on the treadmill with no internet and no way to watch Doctor Who, so I browsed through the books on my iPad and this one looked interesting. I might not have read it otherwise, but I'm glad I did. I really enjoyed it. Grade: B+
Maine - J. Courtney Sullivan (genre: Fiction) This was one of my book club books. It was proposed as a "beach read" type book and maybe if I had read it at the beach, my opinion would be better. It is the story of three generations of women in a New England family. This book was so uninteresting that I struggled through every single one of the 385 pages. The characters were roundly unlikable, there wasn't a single one that I could identify with and root for. But the much bigger problem is that there was no story, just a collection of scenes. There was no development, no climax, no resolution. Huge disappointment. Grade: D
January
The Fault in our Stars - John Green (genre: Young Adult) 16 year old Hazel is a terminal cancer patient. She's spends most of her life in and out of hospitals. She thinks she knows what the rest of her short life will be like, but then she meets Augustus and suddenly a world of possibilities erupts. Beautiful, uplifting, real, heartbreaking, I fell in love with the characters. Grade: A+
Fuzzy Nation - John Scalzi (genre: Science Fiction) My first foray into the world of audio books. I was a sceptic, but I was intrigued by the story premise and I had a few hours to kill. The story begins with Jack Halloway finding a huge deposit of precious jewels on a distant planet, but then he comes into contact with an animal that might be sentient and things get very complicated. Quick, fun read. Grade: A-
Ready Player One - Ernest Cline (genre: Science Fiction) Set in a not too distant future where the planet's fossil fuels have been depleted and people literally live inside a virtual world, OASIS, kids go to school there, people work there, fall in love there. When the creator of OASIS dies, himself a product the 1980s, he leaves his entire wealth to whomever can solve a game he created within the virtual reality. A race ensues. Loved this book! Grade: A
Graffiti Moon - Cath Crowley (genre: Young Adult) Remember when one night could mean everything? When you could chase your dreams, and find them, in the space between sunset and sunrise? In Graffiti Moon, we relive one of those nights.
Graffiti Moon is narrated by three characters: Lucy, Ed and Leo. Lucy, who's greatest desire is to meet Shadow, a graffiti artist with such talent and depth, she has fallen in love with him through his art. Ed, who is, of course, secretly Shadow, but because of a disastrous first, and only, date with Lucy, he keeps that from her. And Leo, the other half of Shadow's graffiti team, the Poet. While the boys kill time leading up to planned late night shenanigans, they help Lucy and her friends in an attempt to track down Shadow that leads them all over Melbourne, Australia.
Beyond the principals, this book was full of real, multi-dimensional characters. Lucy's parents were quirky and unpredictable, Ed's late boss was wise and funny; supporting characters Jazz, Leo, Daisy and Dylan were flawed and believable. In fact, everyone in the book, with the exception of the psycopathic villain, were absolutely relatable.
I loved the he said/she said writing style. Being inside the principal characters' heads allows readers to see both sides of the situation. I felt their longing and their anguish. A beautifully written story. Officially my first book of the year and we're off to a banging start. Grade: A+
On Deck:
Prized - Caragh M. Obrien
Bitterblue - Kristin Cashore
City of Fallen Angels - Cassandra Clare
Unbroken - Laura Hillenbrand
A Little Wanting Song - Cath Crowley
A Visit From The Goon Squad - Jennifer Egan
Here Lies Bridget by Paige Harbison:
The Opposite of Me - Sarah Pekkanen
Disquiet - Julia Leigh
Truth - Robin Wasserman
Wake - Lisa McCann
Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
Blue Bloods - Melissa De La Cruz
Uglies - Scott Westerfeld
Still Alice - Lisa Genova
Outlander - Diana Gabaldon
The Road - Cormac McCarthy
The Happiness Project - Gretchen Rubin
Willow - Julia Hoban
Private Life - Jane Smiley
The Domino Men - Jonathan Barnes
Eat Pray Love - Elizabeth Gilbert
Going forward this post will be updated after I read each book and can be reached by clicking the "What's On The Bookshelf" link at the top right of the page. I pick almost all of my books based on suggestions from friends, so please feel free to leave a comment with a recommendation at any time during the year!
The Year in Books 2011
The Year in Books 2010
The Year in Books 2009
December
Beautiful Disaster - Jamie McGuire (genre: Fiction) Chronicling a dysfunctional college relationship. Grade: B-
Daughters for a Time - Jennifer Handford (genre: Fiction) After struggling with infertility, Helen and her husband decide to adopt a child from China. But their happiness is cut short when tragedy strikes their family. Grade: B+
Summer of the Mariposas - Guadalupe Garcia McCall (genre: Young Adult) After five sisters discover a dead man floating in their idyllic swimming spot in the Rio Grande River, the girls begin an odyssey to return the man to his family that takes them on an unexpected journey through the myths of Aztec legend. In the process, the bonds that hold the girls together are further cemented and they discover some unpleasant truths about their own missing father.
This book has a number of elements that should have made it a big hit for me: sisters, complicated paternal relationships, ancient mythology; unfortunately it just didn't quite hit the mark. I struggled to get into the adventure because I kept saying to myself "no one would ever do that" whenever one of the girls did something that led them into another harrowing situation. Perhaps if I were more familiar with the legends that were featured in the book, I could have been more invested in the girl's journey but the constant insertion of mythological creatures felt forced and overdone.
I loved McCall's first book, Under the Mesquite, a lyrical story that had me in tears in several places. While I enjoyed this book, it didn't have the emotional punch or connection for me. I suspect a younger audience might find this book quite enjoyable but for me the story felt somewhat flat. Grade: B
The Twelve - Justin Cronin (Science Fiction) The second in the trilogy begun so promisingly with The Passage. Middle books are a troublesome sort. They're a connector, so they don't have the clear cut ending of a standalone novel. Its always hard to tell until you've read the third book just how much was actually needed in the second and how much was fluff. This book was reasonably entertaining but often felt like filler. I guess the third book will tell. Grade: B+
November
Tell The Wolves I'm Home - Carol Rifka Brunt (genre: Young Adult) It doesn't happen often, but maybe once or twice a year I will read a book that burrows its way down into my psyche, that even after I'm done reading it, I'm still actively ruminating on it. A book that makes me feel so much that it almost becomes a part of my own story. This was one of those books. Such a beautifully written, poignant story about a 14 yo girl who loses her favorite uncle to AIDS and the relationship she develops with his boyfriend as they both try to make peace with his passing. Grade: A+
Legend - Marie Lu (genre: Young Adult) In a United States that is now comprised of two warring factions, The Republic and The Colonies, those in the Republic live in a strictly regulated class based society. When June, a 15yo prodigy, begins the hunt for her brother's killer, she has no idea the revelations about her government she will unearth. Grade: B-
Running With Scissors - Augusten Burroughs (genre: Memoire) This book was painful for me to read. Grade: C-
October
Where She Went - Gayle Forman (genre: Fiction) The follow-up to If I Stay, the story of a young girl, Mia, who loses her family, and nearly her life, in a car accident. Now, we're following Adam, Mia's high school boyfriend. Now a hugely successful rock singer, he struggles with his newfound fame and with his unresolved feelings for Mia. Predictable, but that's not always a bad thing because this book was still very GOOD. Grade: A-
Looking for Alaska - John Green (genre: Young Adult) A 16 year old boy goes off to boarding school and finds the friendships of a lifetime in his roommate and a handful of other students, including the beautiful Alaska, the troubled girl he falls in love with. When tragedy strikes, the friends rally to find answers. Grade: A-
Skinny - Donna Cooner (genre: Young Adult) After not especially loving last month's Stone Girl, I was a little nervous coming into another book that dealt with weight issues in teens. But the premise seemed different enough that I hoped I would enjoy it more. And I did. So much more. This is the story of Ever, who lost her mother to cancer when she was 10 and began eating to compensate for her grief. Now 15 and 300 pounds, she is miserable within her own body, her worst thoughts and fears voiced by Skinny, the mean girl who taunts her from within. When all other diets have failed, she decides to have gastric bypass surgery. With the support of her best friend, Rat, she faces the challenges of recovering her health and her self-confidence.
When I read the synopsis, I was afraid this book would focus on the procedure and the more clinical physical aspects. While there was certainly plenty of information about the medical side, it was purely in support of the story. This novel isn't about gastric bypass surgery, it's about a young girl and her struggles with self-esteem. Overcoming the doubts created by our negative inner monologues and finding self-worth is a common struggle, making Ever very easy to identify with, regardless of whether you've been overweight.
I can't say that I was surprised by any of the plot twists, but I still really enjoyed this book and was rooting for Ever to the end.
Grade: A-
The Center of Everything - Laura Moriarity (genre: Young Adult) Some books hit too close to home for me to enjoy them as much as they should be. This was one of those books for me. Well written but sometimes painful for me to read because I identified in so many ways. I can't see the forest for the trees here, so it's getting a B. I wish I could go higher, because it is a GOOD book. But I just can't. Grade: B
Trapeze - Simon Mawer (genre: Historical Fiction) This book follows the experiences of a young woman who becomes a spy for the British in occupied France during World War II. I was deeply interested in the subject, as a francophile and a lover of history, but I feel a little let down by this book. Clever wordsmithing and interesting characters but just not enough meat to the story. Grade: B-
September
Insurgent - Veronica Roth (genre: Young Adult) Set in a future where society has been broken out into factions that each serve a distinct purpose, those who don't fit into their faction are anathema. Tris is one of these people. As the factions begin to battle, we learn more about how their city came to be.
Insurgent picks up exactly where Divergent left off and answered a few of the questions that lingered from the first book. I actually enjoyed this book more than the first and am excited for the third in the trilogy. Grade: A-
Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter - Seth Grahame-Smith (genre: History/Paranormal) I listened to this in the audiobook format, which I believe was to the detriment of my experience. I fell asleep while listened at least 8 times. There was enough there to keep me going until the end but I really struggled. Maybe someday I'll go back and actually read this book as I've heard so many positive reviews but I doubt it. Grade: C
The Stone Girl - Alyssa Sheinmel (genre: Young Adult) Going into her senior year at a prestigious New York City all girls prep school, Sethie struggles with body image issues. As the year progresses, her emotional state and personal relationships degenerate as she becomes more and more obsessed with her weight and appearance.
When I received this book, I was interested to see how the author demonstrated the hot topic issue of eating disorders. They are not something I have faced personally, but I have seen their devastating effects on friends. I wish I could say that after having read it, I feel I have had a glimpse into the mind of a person who battles these demons, but I really don't.
This book was written in the third person, however we only see Sethie's point of view. I feel this was a serious detriment to my involvement in her story. If ever a story called out for first person narrative, this is it. The bigger issue for me, though, is that this book tried too hard to be too many things. While it's easy to say it's about a girl with an eating disorder, so little of the book is actually spent delving into her thoughts. A considerable amount of time is spent on the three significant relationships in her life, her boyfriend, best friend and mother. However, we still don't see enough of any of these to make a real connection.
I wanted to like this book more because I do feel the author can turn a phrase. She created a believable character in a flawed and interesting world. I definitely saw myself in some of her actions, I was that self-destructive teenager, but I left this book wanting. And not in a good way. Grade: B-
Monument 14 - Emmy Laybourne (genre: Young Adult/Science Fiction) When a series of natural disasters turn their world upside down, 14 children barricade themselves in a big box superstore in an attempt to survive the aftermath. An engrossing read. Can't wait to see what happens in the next book. Grade: A-
The Selection - Keira Cass (genre: Young Adult) The Selection is set in a post-apocalyptic world where the US has been reorganized into a new group of states and is now ruled by a monarchy. In order to make the "little people" feel like part of the family, whenever there is an eligible prince, they hold a lottery to choose 35 potential brides for him. From there a "Bachelor" style selection process ensues, complete with televised "dates" and eliminations. Sadly, my opinion of this book suffers in that I am so weary of books that needlessly draw out the story to create a trilogy or, ugh, more. I don't know what happens in the following books but I am 100% certain it could all have easily fit into one slightly longer book with some judicious editing. Despite this, an enjoyable read, just wait until they've all come out so you can power through them without having to wait. Grade: B+
August
The Death Cure - James Dashner (genre: Young Adult/Science Fiction) Oy vey. I really, really wanted the third in the trilogy begun so promisingly with The Maze Runner to bring a satisfying conclusion to the story. I wanted the time that I spent reading the dismal second book, The Scorch Trials, to have been worth it. I wanted to understand how in the sam hell torturing and killing children could possibly provide the information that would find a cure for the zombie virus. Sadly, none of that was the case. I struggled through every one of the 336 pages. Not good. Not good at all. Grade: D-
The Age of Miracles - Karen Walker (Young Adult/Science Fiction) When the earth's rotation suddenly starts slowing, Julia quite literally finds her world in chaos. While I had a hard time believing the science in this book, I loved the lead character and empathized with her plight. More a coming of age tale than science fiction, this book was lyrical and beautiful. Grade: A-
If I Stay - Gayle Forman (Young Adult/Supernatural) Following a devastating car crash, Mia, a talented cellist, struggles to come to terms with her new situation. At turns heartbreaking and uplifting with occasional humor, I loved this book. Grade: A
Thirteen Reasons Why - Jay Asher (Young Adult) After a girl he had a crush on kills herself, Clay receives a series of tapes that she recorded explaining why she did it. A heartbreaking read about teenage suicide. Grade: A-
Gone Girl - Gillian Glynn (genre: Fiction/Mystery) A real page turner, I was completely hooked from the beginning. The story of a New York couple who after losing their writing jobs moves back to Missouri to help care for the husband's dying mother. But their marriage falters under the strain of their new life and dark questions are raised when the wife disappears on their 5th anniversary. This book kept me guessing right up until the end. Loved. Grade: A+
July
Forsaken - Lisa Stasse (genre: Young Adult/Science Fiction) I went into The Forsaken with some dystopia weariness. There has been a dearth of series in this genre in recent years. Many of them really quite good: Hunger Games, The Maze Runner, Divergent; some not quite so fantastic. I quite enjoy the genre, but even fans can find themselves a little tired of the subject from time to time. After stalling a bit starting it, I finally jumped in with both feet.
I wish I could say that I was sucked in immediately, but the first half was slow to catch my interest. The action is fast paced from the beginning, which makes it a page-turner but we don't really get to know Alenna or the supporting characters. Without an emotional connection to the lead, it was hard for me to get involved. I understand that Alenna is supposed to be "everykid" but she's the hero of our tale, so I expect a little more. But as the book progressed, I found myself more engaged and invested in the storyline, so much so that by the time there were major reveals in the second half, I was totally hooked and surprised. There were definitely some great twists!
When I began the book, I found myself constantly comparing plot elements to other books in the genre. But despite some early similarities, The Forsaken took turns that definitively set it apart from its fellows. And while I would like to see a little more character development, it is a unique and well-thought out world. I am excited to see what happens in the next books! Grade: A-
Let's Pretend This Never Happened - Jenny Lawson (genre: Memoire) I've read The Bloggess off and on since I began blogging. She is hilarious but often disconcertingly manic and this book is true to that form. Occasionally laugh out loud funny, this book was interesting but I found myself struggling at times to finish it. It was a good book for the treadmill. Grade: B+
June
The Unidentified Redhead - Alice Clayton (genre: Romance) When Grace returns to Hollywood at the age of 34, she never expected to begin a romance with the hot, YOUNG new star of an upcoming movie but that's exactly what happens and she's loving every minute of it. Fun, funny book. Less erotica than I was expecting, given this book was recommended as a quality alternative to the 50 Shades books, but enough titilation to keep things interesting. Grade: A-
Sun of Suns - Karl Shroeder (genre: Science Fiction) In a galaxy comprised of a giant balloon with artificial suns and gravity, Hayden comes to Slipstream with the intention of killing Admiral Chaison Fanning but gets embroiled in a much larger situation that has him questioning his motives and allegiances. Grade: B-
May
The Dark and Hollow Places - Carrie Ryan (genre: Horror, Young Adult) The final novel in the trilogy begun with the Forest of Hands and Teeth. In this book, we follow Annah, the twin sister of Abigail (Gabry). Fending for herself in the city, Annah is scarred, scared and alone. But a surprise discovery changes her world and escape seems possible. Grade: B+
Will Grayson, Will Grayson - John Green (genre: Young Adult) In the suburbs of Chicago there are two 16 year old Will Graysons, each facing their own challenges. On one fateful night, the two boys, previously strangers, meet and their lives are changed. I love this book. It very positively portrays young homosexuals and their relationships. Grade: A+
The Kitchen House - Kathleen Grissom (genre: Historical Fiction) I am honestly surprised by how many glowing reviews I have seen for this book. It fell completely flat for me. The characters were stereotypes in nearly every way. The dual narrative added nothing. I felt there was a lot of promise to this story. I have not heard much about the lives of indentured white servants during that era. But this book disappointed. Grade: C
When You Were Mine - Rebecca Serle (genre: Young Adult) A modern day retelling of the Romeo and Juliet tale, told from the perspective of the jilted Rosaline. Only now it's Rosie, Rob and Juliet. There is the requisite familial chasm and all the teenage snarking and bickering you'd expect from a group of hormonally charged adolescents.
I really liked Rosie. Probably because I've been Rosie on an occasion or twelve. Falling for someone who seems to fall for you only to have them fall for someone else. And the anguish and hope and betrayal and depression that goes along with that experience. I loved the relationships Rosie had with her two best girl friends and the surprise love interest she developed.
For the most part I enjoyed this book, but I felt the back story lacked substance. It felt like the author didn't really focus on the plausibility of the rift, only that it is there to set the stage for the current scenario. For such rational, down to earth people as Rosie's parents seemed to be, their past behavior and complete dismissal of her father's only brother seems surprising and out of character. Furthermore, the entire book paints Juliet's family as a bunch of crazies, with Juliet as the most vindictive and hateful of the bunch. We did get a glimpse of a more rational and humane Juliet at the end but by then the die is cast and we all know how it turns out for her. I think this book would have been more enjoyable if the author had veered away from villainous stereotypes (cheating politician! spoiled rotten rich girl!) and introduced believably flawed characters who did bad things. Grade: B+
The Night Circus - Erin Morgenstern (genre: Fiction) In the late 1800s, two ageless magicians make a wager, pitting two young people with no knowledge of the rules, each other or the price of victory against each other. Set in a magical circus, the competitors battle over the years to a dramatic conclusion. Beautifully detailed and narrated, I really enjoyed this book. Grade: A
Warm Bodies - Isaac Marion (genre: Fiction, Horror) Although I'm getting a little burnt out on the zombie thing, I had heard good things about this book so I thought I'd give it a try. This is the story of R. He's a zombie. He doesn't know what his name was or what he did but he knows that he has a real penchant for human brains. But on a routine human hunting expedition, he unexpectedly finds himself drawn to a human girl, Julie, who he saves and takes back to the airport where he lives. An unlikely friendship develops between the girl and the zombie. I would not have expected to be emotionally invested in this admittedly disgusting relationship, but I was. Grade: A-
April
Dead Reckoning - Charlaine Harris (genre: Fiction, Paranormal) The latest installment in the Sookie Stackhouse saga. As with all of the other books, Dead Reckoning was light fare: entertaining to read but doesn't require much in the way of deep thought. Grade: B-
The Dead - Charles Higson (genre: Young Adult) The prequel to The Enemy, The Dead takes us back to London immediately following the outbreak of the "sickness" that has created zombies out of all humans over the age of 16. We follow a group of schoolchildren as they flee their school in search of a safe haven. While this book was reasonably satisfying, it is clearly the middle of a three book series, so there's a great big question mark at the end. I will definitely read the next book when it comes out, but I'm a little frustrated at the ending. Grade: B+
Goodnight Tweetheart - Teresa Medeiros (genre: Fiction) Four years ago, Abby Donovan wrote the great American Novel. Oprah even gave it her stamp of approval. Fast forward to now, and she's stuck on Chapter 5 of her next book. For three years. To appease her publicist, she gets on to Twitter to engage her fans but she makes an unexpected connection. I read this book in about 3 hours. It was clever and fun. Grade: A-
The Art of Hearing Heartbeats - Jan-Phillip Sendeker (genre: Fiction) After her father's disappearance, Julia goes to Burma to find out what happened to him. Along the way, she discovers there was so much more to her father than she ever expected. This is a beautiful and tragic love story. Grade: A
The Girl in the Park - Mariah Fredericks (genre: Young Adult)
When her former best friend, Wendy, is found murdered in Central Park, Rain starts looking for possible suspects among her fellow students at an elite New York City prep school. Rain was a compelling protagonist. We've all felt different at one point or another and I felt enormous empathy towards her because of her condition. While I often felt she was careless in her behavior, it was believable for someone of her age and experience. I enjoyed discovering more about Wendy through Rain's memories, revealing more of their friendship and Wendy's past as the book progressed. I figured out the killer fairly early in the story, but it was an enjoyable read and kept me entertained through to the end. Grade: A-
March
Mistborn - Brandon Sanderson (genre: Science Fiction/Fantasy) I was a little leery going into this book because it is the first in a series and I have been pretty disappointed in series lately. Too often, the books are not standalone stories that can be read independently of the series. However, I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed reading this. It follows a skaa (peasant) girl who has extraordinary powers that she is only just learning how to use and control. Grade: B+
Getting Over Garrett Delaney - Abby McDonald (genre: Young Adult) Sadie is in love with the boy of her dreams. He's smart, handsome, witty, interesting and completely unaware of her affections. He's also her best friend. When they're separated for the summer while he goes away to literary camp, Sadie embarks on a mission to purge him from her heart. In the process, she discovers she's not the girl she thought she was.
I enjoyed this book. I would call it the quintessential beach read. The story is solid, the characters interesting, if a bit flat, and the pace is quick. But. There just isn't anything that really stands out for me. There were no twists that surprised me, the ending was entirely expected, the dialogue was witty but not too terribly clever, and there were no really outstanding characters, even Sadie herself. This book is the literary equivalent of Chinese food. Thoroughly enjoyable but you're hungry again a couple hours later. Grade: B
February
Born Wicked - Jessica Spotswood (genre: Young Adult/Paranormal/Historical Fiction)
I went in to this with high expectations. I enjoy historical fiction, throw in witches and I'm in heaven. Unfortunately, this book did not live up to my hopes. My primary complaint is that this book does not hold up as a stand alone story. I understand that it is part of a trilogy, but a well paced series allows for each book to be a solid, enjoyable read, one that contains all the required story elements and leads into a continuation. The characters were poorly developed and there was very little focus on the relationships between them. The sisters, the girls and their father, Cate and Sachi/Rory. The love story, or stories, are extremely shallow. I get that she's 16 and impetuous, but deciding to marry Finn? After a few weeks infatuation? When she never noticed him before? How can she so easily dismiss Paul? It strains believability for me.This book didn't hold my attention enough to even want to read the next in the series. Grade: C-
Front Porch Prophet - Raymond Atkins (genre: Fiction) We got this as a Free Friday book on our Nook. We download a lot of these, with the thought that "someday" we'll get around to them. I found myself on the treadmill with no internet and no way to watch Doctor Who, so I browsed through the books on my iPad and this one looked interesting. I might not have read it otherwise, but I'm glad I did. I really enjoyed it. Grade: B+
Maine - J. Courtney Sullivan (genre: Fiction) This was one of my book club books. It was proposed as a "beach read" type book and maybe if I had read it at the beach, my opinion would be better. It is the story of three generations of women in a New England family. This book was so uninteresting that I struggled through every single one of the 385 pages. The characters were roundly unlikable, there wasn't a single one that I could identify with and root for. But the much bigger problem is that there was no story, just a collection of scenes. There was no development, no climax, no resolution. Huge disappointment. Grade: D
January
The Fault in our Stars - John Green (genre: Young Adult) 16 year old Hazel is a terminal cancer patient. She's spends most of her life in and out of hospitals. She thinks she knows what the rest of her short life will be like, but then she meets Augustus and suddenly a world of possibilities erupts. Beautiful, uplifting, real, heartbreaking, I fell in love with the characters. Grade: A+
Fuzzy Nation - John Scalzi (genre: Science Fiction) My first foray into the world of audio books. I was a sceptic, but I was intrigued by the story premise and I had a few hours to kill. The story begins with Jack Halloway finding a huge deposit of precious jewels on a distant planet, but then he comes into contact with an animal that might be sentient and things get very complicated. Quick, fun read. Grade: A-
Ready Player One - Ernest Cline (genre: Science Fiction) Set in a not too distant future where the planet's fossil fuels have been depleted and people literally live inside a virtual world, OASIS, kids go to school there, people work there, fall in love there. When the creator of OASIS dies, himself a product the 1980s, he leaves his entire wealth to whomever can solve a game he created within the virtual reality. A race ensues. Loved this book! Grade: A
Graffiti Moon - Cath Crowley (genre: Young Adult) Remember when one night could mean everything? When you could chase your dreams, and find them, in the space between sunset and sunrise? In Graffiti Moon, we relive one of those nights.
Graffiti Moon is narrated by three characters: Lucy, Ed and Leo. Lucy, who's greatest desire is to meet Shadow, a graffiti artist with such talent and depth, she has fallen in love with him through his art. Ed, who is, of course, secretly Shadow, but because of a disastrous first, and only, date with Lucy, he keeps that from her. And Leo, the other half of Shadow's graffiti team, the Poet. While the boys kill time leading up to planned late night shenanigans, they help Lucy and her friends in an attempt to track down Shadow that leads them all over Melbourne, Australia.
Beyond the principals, this book was full of real, multi-dimensional characters. Lucy's parents were quirky and unpredictable, Ed's late boss was wise and funny; supporting characters Jazz, Leo, Daisy and Dylan were flawed and believable. In fact, everyone in the book, with the exception of the psycopathic villain, were absolutely relatable.
I loved the he said/she said writing style. Being inside the principal characters' heads allows readers to see both sides of the situation. I felt their longing and their anguish. A beautifully written story. Officially my first book of the year and we're off to a banging start. Grade: A+
On Deck:
Prized - Caragh M. Obrien
Bitterblue - Kristin Cashore
City of Fallen Angels - Cassandra Clare
Unbroken - Laura Hillenbrand
A Little Wanting Song - Cath Crowley
A Visit From The Goon Squad - Jennifer Egan
Here Lies Bridget by Paige Harbison:
The Opposite of Me - Sarah Pekkanen
Disquiet - Julia Leigh
Truth - Robin Wasserman
Wake - Lisa McCann
Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
Blue Bloods - Melissa De La Cruz
Uglies - Scott Westerfeld
Still Alice - Lisa Genova
Outlander - Diana Gabaldon
The Road - Cormac McCarthy
The Happiness Project - Gretchen Rubin
Willow - Julia Hoban
Private Life - Jane Smiley
The Domino Men - Jonathan Barnes
Eat Pray Love - Elizabeth Gilbert
Going forward this post will be updated after I read each book and can be reached by clicking the "What's On The Bookshelf" link at the top right of the page. I pick almost all of my books based on suggestions from friends, so please feel free to leave a comment with a recommendation at any time during the year!
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Friday, December 16, 2011
Real Women Of Pinterest: Card Holders and Peanut Butter Cup Brownies
As some of you know, there is a special place in my heart for Pinterest. I luff it. I can distract myself endlessly on there. Contained within its bits and bytes are a million and one ideas for projects and decorations and clothes and things that I would like to do. However, after several months of "pinning", I have actually done exactly zero of the projects I have found on there. Pinterest FAIL. I have followed my dear friends mep and E... as they tackle projects as part of their Real Women of Pinterest challenge and every week I am inspired but the busyness of everyday life gets in the way and somehow another week passes without me doing anything.
But that changed this week!
I present my first project:The Card Holder
Majestic, isn't it? I know, I know. You all want one. Every year we get holiday cards from all of our nearest and dearest and they wind up cluttered on every available flat surface: dining table, mantle, bulletin board, refrigerator. I needed some way to display them but I hadn't really settled on anything. My first thought was a french memo board. I've made a few and I quite like them. But I didn't want it to be a permanent installation and we are not exactly overburdened with storage here, so I was reluctant to create something that would take up valuable space the other 11 months of the year. When I saw this idea on Pinterest, I was smitten. The original was hung on a hook over a door, but we don't have a door that would be good for that, they are all either out of the way or see too much use, so I hung it on a nail in the dining room. There are a few things I would change but I'm mostly happy with it, especially considering it was almost entirely constructed of things I had on hand. I would like to point out the level of attention to detail I committed to this: I dyed the clothespins to match the color scheme. Bow to my craftiness, minions.
My next project was a recipe for a cookie exchange: Peanut Butter Cup Brownies
I'll grant you, this recipe isn't exactly rocket surgery. Basically, it's a brownie mix with peanut butter poured on top, but it's peanut butter and chocolate, HELLO two great tastes that taste great together, and they looked cute. I keep trying overly complicated recipes and completely screwing them up, so I wanted something foolproof. Well, as with EVERYTHING in my world, nothing is foolproof, and I'm not overjoyed with how mine turned out. I'm going to blame my oven. (It certainly can't be MY fault. Pfft.) I couldn't seem to get the brownies to the exact right doneness wherein the center collapses and the peanut butter goes in perfectly. But reports were that they tasted good. I doubt I will make them again, but it was a fun experiement.
So that's it for this week! If you aren't already, get thee to Pinterest! If you want to see what I'm pinning, I'm Carabee74. And to see what some other Real Women of Pinterest are creating, check out Not to Brag.
But that changed this week!
I present my first project:The Card Holder
Majestic, isn't it? I know, I know. You all want one. Every year we get holiday cards from all of our nearest and dearest and they wind up cluttered on every available flat surface: dining table, mantle, bulletin board, refrigerator. I needed some way to display them but I hadn't really settled on anything. My first thought was a french memo board. I've made a few and I quite like them. But I didn't want it to be a permanent installation and we are not exactly overburdened with storage here, so I was reluctant to create something that would take up valuable space the other 11 months of the year. When I saw this idea on Pinterest, I was smitten. The original was hung on a hook over a door, but we don't have a door that would be good for that, they are all either out of the way or see too much use, so I hung it on a nail in the dining room. There are a few things I would change but I'm mostly happy with it, especially considering it was almost entirely constructed of things I had on hand. I would like to point out the level of attention to detail I committed to this: I dyed the clothespins to match the color scheme. Bow to my craftiness, minions.
My next project was a recipe for a cookie exchange: Peanut Butter Cup Brownies
I'll grant you, this recipe isn't exactly rocket surgery. Basically, it's a brownie mix with peanut butter poured on top, but it's peanut butter and chocolate, HELLO two great tastes that taste great together, and they looked cute. I keep trying overly complicated recipes and completely screwing them up, so I wanted something foolproof. Well, as with EVERYTHING in my world, nothing is foolproof, and I'm not overjoyed with how mine turned out. I'm going to blame my oven. (It certainly can't be MY fault. Pfft.) I couldn't seem to get the brownies to the exact right doneness wherein the center collapses and the peanut butter goes in perfectly. But reports were that they tasted good. I doubt I will make them again, but it was a fun experiement.
So that's it for this week! If you aren't already, get thee to Pinterest! If you want to see what I'm pinning, I'm Carabee74. And to see what some other Real Women of Pinterest are creating, check out Not to Brag.
Thursday, December 8, 2011
ICE!
I love Christmastime. It is undeniably my favorite holiday. I love the tree and decorations and carols and the convivial spirit that everyone has. There is so much to enjoy. There are all of the little moments that will embody the season for Sophie as she grows older and my hope is that each year we can bring a little extra magic to the holiday for her. That extra this year came in a "cool" package.
The beautiful ladies of Momzshare organized a special event just for local bloggers. We were given the opportunity to visit the Gaylord National Hotel on the National Harbor in Washington DC to view their ICE! attraction. ICE! features ice carvings of all of the characters from Merry Madagascar, the upcoming holiday sequel to the beloved Madagascar films. In addition, within the Gaylord National atrium, a special Christmas village was set up with characters from many of the Dreamworks movies including Shrek, Kung Fu Panda and Puss in Boots. Hanging over the village was a 60 foot Christmas tree which, even before it was lit, was dramatic and beautiful.
Our first stop was a milk and cookies reception in the atrium where I sampled the white chocolate and cranberry rice crispy treats (note to self: figure out how to replicate these, STAT) and Sophie sipped on Ogre Milk (presumably not the milk of ogres, but it was green) and nibbled on sugar cookies in between jumping up and down while she waved furiously at Shrek below.
Scheduled for a 3:30 tour of ICE, we took our time strolling around National Harbor before heading over to the enormous white tents that house the famous ice sculptures. Living where we do, National Harbor is a special visit for us and while I visited once a couple years ago, I haven't been back since. It is a wonderful area, many great restaurants, galleries and shops, plus a spectacular view of the Potomac. I would love to get back down there for an afternoon or evening out.
During the opening film, they told us the tent holding the ice would be cold and I believed them, but I didn't REALLY believe them. As you enter, they give you long, heavy parkas to wear over your own coats. Flattering? Not really. But once you step inside you begin to understand why, because, brother, is it cold in there. So cold that I quickly abandoned taking pictures or attempting to tweet on my iPhone because it was simply too cold to go without gloves for more than a few seconds. But bundled in my extra layers, cap and gloves securely in place, I was cozy enough to take in the amazing ice sculptures. According to the film, more than 2 million pounds of ice were whittled down by 40 international artists to create the wonders we were viewing.
Each room left us more amazed than the next. Giant ice versions of our favorite Madagascar characters greeted us at every turn. Alex the lion, Marty the zebra, Melman the giraffe, Gloria the hippo, the penguins and, of course, Santa were all there. But it was when we got to the ice slides that Sophie really went crazy. Here is where we were glad to have the extra long coats to cover our behinds when we slid down the ice chutes. Sophie went down by herself and was back in line to go again so fast it made my head spin.
We finished up the ice pavilion and headed back over to the hotel for some dinner at the hotel's sports bar and grill where Neil caught a bit of the Ravens game before a visit with Shrek and the gang. Unfortunately, when it came to actually talking to Shrek, Sophie unexpectedly turned shy. But from a safe perch in mommy or daddy's arms, she met all of her favorites.
We had hoped to stay for the grand lighting of the hanging tree, which includes a light show, singing, dancing fountains and an indoor snow fall, but unfortunately our little bean was just too pooped, so we had to depart. But we left already making plans to come back again to see the lighting on another visit and see all of the wonders again.
Disclosure: We were given tickets to ICE and the other holiday attractions at the Gaylord National in exchange for a post. We paid for our own dinner. All opinions are my own.
The beautiful ladies of Momzshare organized a special event just for local bloggers. We were given the opportunity to visit the Gaylord National Hotel on the National Harbor in Washington DC to view their ICE! attraction. ICE! features ice carvings of all of the characters from Merry Madagascar, the upcoming holiday sequel to the beloved Madagascar films. In addition, within the Gaylord National atrium, a special Christmas village was set up with characters from many of the Dreamworks movies including Shrek, Kung Fu Panda and Puss in Boots. Hanging over the village was a 60 foot Christmas tree which, even before it was lit, was dramatic and beautiful.
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| The view overlooking the Christmas village. He's tough to see, but that's Shrek just underneath the tree. |
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| Cutest ogre EVER. |
Scheduled for a 3:30 tour of ICE, we took our time strolling around National Harbor before heading over to the enormous white tents that house the famous ice sculptures. Living where we do, National Harbor is a special visit for us and while I visited once a couple years ago, I haven't been back since. It is a wonderful area, many great restaurants, galleries and shops, plus a spectacular view of the Potomac. I would love to get back down there for an afternoon or evening out.
During the opening film, they told us the tent holding the ice would be cold and I believed them, but I didn't REALLY believe them. As you enter, they give you long, heavy parkas to wear over your own coats. Flattering? Not really. But once you step inside you begin to understand why, because, brother, is it cold in there. So cold that I quickly abandoned taking pictures or attempting to tweet on my iPhone because it was simply too cold to go without gloves for more than a few seconds. But bundled in my extra layers, cap and gloves securely in place, I was cozy enough to take in the amazing ice sculptures. According to the film, more than 2 million pounds of ice were whittled down by 40 international artists to create the wonders we were viewing.
Each room left us more amazed than the next. Giant ice versions of our favorite Madagascar characters greeted us at every turn. Alex the lion, Marty the zebra, Melman the giraffe, Gloria the hippo, the penguins and, of course, Santa were all there. But it was when we got to the ice slides that Sophie really went crazy. Here is where we were glad to have the extra long coats to cover our behinds when we slid down the ice chutes. Sophie went down by herself and was back in line to go again so fast it made my head spin.
We finished up the ice pavilion and headed back over to the hotel for some dinner at the hotel's sports bar and grill where Neil caught a bit of the Ravens game before a visit with Shrek and the gang. Unfortunately, when it came to actually talking to Shrek, Sophie unexpectedly turned shy. But from a safe perch in mommy or daddy's arms, she met all of her favorites.
We had hoped to stay for the grand lighting of the hanging tree, which includes a light show, singing, dancing fountains and an indoor snow fall, but unfortunately our little bean was just too pooped, so we had to depart. But we left already making plans to come back again to see the lighting on another visit and see all of the wonders again.
Disclosure: We were given tickets to ICE and the other holiday attractions at the Gaylord National in exchange for a post. We paid for our own dinner. All opinions are my own.
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
What's in a name?
As the parent programmer for Sophie's pre-school co-op, I help out with planning and prep for all holiday parties. When the selection of our ideal class jobs was made, this was top of my list and I was over the moon when I got it. With my background in the service industry, I know a thing or two about putting on a party. For the most part, it's pretty light stuff: a few decorations and favors as well as the snacks that will be served.
Today was her class Thanksgiving celebration, so I was there to help out. All of the parents were asked to bring in an element of the Thanksgiving "dinner" that we would be prepared and served by our little ones. The parents then returned a half hour earlier than usual so the kids could sing songs and we could eat our feast together. As part of the festivities, the kids wore crafts they had made. Among these were a paper headdress and necklace, both of which were Native American inspired. When the teacher welcomed the parents to our party, she introduced her tribe of little "Indians."
When I grew up, the term Indian was in common use to refer to Native Americans. We played cowboys and Indians, we sat Indian-style and, prominently, Thanksgiving was about the pilgrims and the Indians. It hails back to Columbus' expedition more than 500 years ago in search of a westbound route to India and while its fallacy was quickly established, the name stuck.
At some time in the last 25-30 years, there has been a shift towards the politically correct, and more accurate, "Native American." And while I don't consider Indian to be derogatory, its use has certainly fallen out of favor, particularly in schools. Which is why I was a tad surprised when the teacher used that term. This is a non-public school, so we aren't bound by the same rules and practices as our public counterparts, but there is still an expectation that certain conventions will be followed.
Personally, I am not offended by the term Indian. In fact, there are many situations where it feels down right weird to use the PC version. Cowboys and Native Americans? Just doesn't have the same ring for me. I also know that many Native Americans continue to call themselves Indians.
But today I got to thinking. Because there is a little girl in Sophie's class who is actually Indian, as in, born in India, bona-fide Indian, Indian. And I wondered what she thought of the use of the term Indian to refer to Native Americans. Because even at three going on four, she must understand the difference. Does it confuse her?
What do you think? Are we over-sensitive to these things? Not sensitive enough?
Today was her class Thanksgiving celebration, so I was there to help out. All of the parents were asked to bring in an element of the Thanksgiving "dinner" that we would be prepared and served by our little ones. The parents then returned a half hour earlier than usual so the kids could sing songs and we could eat our feast together. As part of the festivities, the kids wore crafts they had made. Among these were a paper headdress and necklace, both of which were Native American inspired. When the teacher welcomed the parents to our party, she introduced her tribe of little "Indians."
When I grew up, the term Indian was in common use to refer to Native Americans. We played cowboys and Indians, we sat Indian-style and, prominently, Thanksgiving was about the pilgrims and the Indians. It hails back to Columbus' expedition more than 500 years ago in search of a westbound route to India and while its fallacy was quickly established, the name stuck.
At some time in the last 25-30 years, there has been a shift towards the politically correct, and more accurate, "Native American." And while I don't consider Indian to be derogatory, its use has certainly fallen out of favor, particularly in schools. Which is why I was a tad surprised when the teacher used that term. This is a non-public school, so we aren't bound by the same rules and practices as our public counterparts, but there is still an expectation that certain conventions will be followed.
Personally, I am not offended by the term Indian. In fact, there are many situations where it feels down right weird to use the PC version. Cowboys and Native Americans? Just doesn't have the same ring for me. I also know that many Native Americans continue to call themselves Indians.
But today I got to thinking. Because there is a little girl in Sophie's class who is actually Indian, as in, born in India, bona-fide Indian, Indian. And I wondered what she thought of the use of the term Indian to refer to Native Americans. Because even at three going on four, she must understand the difference. Does it confuse her?
What do you think? Are we over-sensitive to these things? Not sensitive enough?
Monday, October 31, 2011
Boo
When I was young, we lived in a big old house. Built in the late 1800s, it had history. There were rumors of the families that had lived there. Of tragedy and mystery. But we didn't know anything for sure and at that age, I didn't really think about those sorts of things.
My first floor bedroom was across from the door to the unfinished basement. More of a cellar, really, it had a dirt floor and crumbly brick walls. We almost never went down there. Only in tornadoes. And in Kansas, that was more often than I care to say. Even then, we were none too excited to open that door and descend those steps. None of us had ever had a bad experience down there, it was just a general unpleasant sense that everyone that went down there felt.
The first time something unusual happened to me, I was 8. I lay in my bed. The light in the bathroom across the hall was on and both my door and the bathroom door were open. I don't know what I was thinking, not sure how deep my thoughts were at that age, but I am certain that I was very awake. Quite suddenly, the blankets on my bed were roughly pulled off and under my bed. With the fearlessness of a child certain there are no monsters, I leaned over the edge. My head nearly touching the floor, I looked under my bed, fully expecting to see my sister playing a trick on me. But there was no one there.
After that, I would lay in bed at night staring at the partially cracked door to the basement. A door that wouldn't close all the way, no matter how hard you pushed on it. I stared and I waited. There were no repeats of the sheet snatching but few were the nights that didn't involve troubled dreams and I never truly felt comfortable in that house again. Mercifully, we moved a few years later.
Over the years, a number of other unexplained things have happened to and around me. Shifting shadows, noises, doors opening and closing, objects moving, voices. Some houses have a stronger presence than others. One apartment in a fairly new building I lived in when I first moved to Maryland was particularly active, while some older places have been entirely quiet.
The rational side of me says there are no ghosts, that bumps in the night are no more than settling or wind or little living creatures working their way through walls and floors or perhaps even an over active imagination. But the emotional side. The side that remembers my name clearly whispered into my ear when I sat alone on the sofa watching television. That side says there ARE things we can't explain. And that side will insist on a nightlight this all hallows eve.
As it does every night.
Happy Halloween!
My first floor bedroom was across from the door to the unfinished basement. More of a cellar, really, it had a dirt floor and crumbly brick walls. We almost never went down there. Only in tornadoes. And in Kansas, that was more often than I care to say. Even then, we were none too excited to open that door and descend those steps. None of us had ever had a bad experience down there, it was just a general unpleasant sense that everyone that went down there felt.
The first time something unusual happened to me, I was 8. I lay in my bed. The light in the bathroom across the hall was on and both my door and the bathroom door were open. I don't know what I was thinking, not sure how deep my thoughts were at that age, but I am certain that I was very awake. Quite suddenly, the blankets on my bed were roughly pulled off and under my bed. With the fearlessness of a child certain there are no monsters, I leaned over the edge. My head nearly touching the floor, I looked under my bed, fully expecting to see my sister playing a trick on me. But there was no one there.
After that, I would lay in bed at night staring at the partially cracked door to the basement. A door that wouldn't close all the way, no matter how hard you pushed on it. I stared and I waited. There were no repeats of the sheet snatching but few were the nights that didn't involve troubled dreams and I never truly felt comfortable in that house again. Mercifully, we moved a few years later.
Over the years, a number of other unexplained things have happened to and around me. Shifting shadows, noises, doors opening and closing, objects moving, voices. Some houses have a stronger presence than others. One apartment in a fairly new building I lived in when I first moved to Maryland was particularly active, while some older places have been entirely quiet.
The rational side of me says there are no ghosts, that bumps in the night are no more than settling or wind or little living creatures working their way through walls and floors or perhaps even an over active imagination. But the emotional side. The side that remembers my name clearly whispered into my ear when I sat alone on the sofa watching television. That side says there ARE things we can't explain. And that side will insist on a nightlight this all hallows eve.
As it does every night.
Happy Halloween!
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