2009 - A Look Back

The end of the year is the perfect time to reflect on everything that has happened over the past twelve months.  I've mentioned before that I feel 2009 was probably one of the most fun, most powerful, most enlightening years I have ever experienced.  When I think of how I started the year and where I am now, I marvel at the changes that have occurred in my life and, more importantly, within me.

I started out the year with six months left in my MBA.  I had a boss I detested and was absolutely miserable in my job.  I was even revising my resume and had taken steps to start looking for a new job because I knew no one should be that miserable.  I questioned my ability to do anything.  I deferred to my husband more often than I should have.  I was angry and unhappy. 

Shortly after the new year, I started blogging.  It took me a while to get comfortable with it and to discover/decide just how I wanted to manage it.  I struggled with the idea of being popular and getting lots of followers versus staying true to my interests.  I had to decide what and how often I wanted to post.  As I got more comfortable with blogging in general, I started feeling comfortable playing with the code to make my blog truly mine.  I threw away the desire to be popular and focused on writing what I wanted and when.  I stopped apologizing for my opinions and no longer hesitated to share negative and positive book reviews.  In general, I created an electronic mirror of who I truly am.

Simultaneously, I started participating in a personal development course at work.  The first exercise was a 360-degree evaluation, where friends and co-workers and managers rated me.  It was a very painful but eye-opening experience to see just what others thought of me.  I followed this exercise up with another one that also required my co-workers to define me using adjectives.  Again, it was quite the experience.  The rest of the year followed along the same vein.  Every month required me to take a look at who I am, my relationships with others, my core values,  what items about which I refuse compromise, and so forth.  One of the most powerful exercises I did for this group was the StrengthFinders quiz, where I found out just what my strengths are.  This quiz (and reading the book to help analyze the results) single-handedly helped me understand just what makes me tick.  I cannot begin to express how empowering this knowledge is.

I received my MBA in June and felt a tremendous weight lifted off my shoulder.  I took a few months off and decided that it was time for me to take the next step on proving to myself that I was capable of in the business world.  I studied for and sat for the first two of four exams to become a Certified Management Accountant (CMA).  The relief and power I feel upon passing each section and the knowledge that I am accomplishing something so rare and unusual makes the stress worth it in the end.

Added to that, I finally took ownership of my anger issues.  I got tired of constantly yelling at my husband and blowing up at my children.  I hated endangering my relationships with my friends because I could not get my anger under control.  I went to the doctor and discovered that hormones truly were affecting me as badly as I thought they were and have been working with my doctor to get that under control.  That has helped tremendously, but I still was struggling.  I started researching meditation and finally took a meditation course in December.  The changes in my mental state, even after four weeks, is almost unbelievable.

If I were to define 2009 for me, it would be one of self-discovery.  I started out the year an emotional wreck - unhappy and not in control.  I end the year calm, happy and relaxed.  I have a sense of self-confidence that I have never felt before in my life.  I am not afraid to express who I am and my opinions.  I no longer worry about what others think and rather worry about what I can control.  I am empowered, content, and not afraid to stand up for ideals and values that are truly important to me.  I no longer get bogged down in the details but rather look towards the big picture because in the end, the big picture is more important than the details.  I feel that I am a better wife, mother, friend, co-worker, and most importantly, a better person than I was a year ago.  I could not ask for a better year and can't wait to see what 2010 holds for me. 

Life is awesome.

REVIEW - The Things That Keep Us Here by Carla Buckley

Title:  The Things That Keep Us Here

Author:  Carla Buckley

No. of Pages:  392

First Released:  February 2010

Synopsis (Courtesy of B&N):  "How far would you go to protect your family?

Ann Brooks never thought she’d have to answer that question. Then she found her limits tested by a crisis no one could prevent. Now, as her neighborhood descends into panic, she must make tough choices to protect everyone she loves from a threat she cannot even see. In this chillingly urgent novel, Carla Buckley confronts us with the terrifying decisions we are forced to make when ordinary life changes overnight.

A year ago, Ann and Peter Brooks were just another unhappily married couple trying–and failing–to keep their relationship together while they raised two young daughters. Now the world around them is about to be shaken as Peter, a university researcher, comes to a startling realization: A virulent pandemic has made the terrible leap across the ocean to America’s heartland.

And it is killing fifty out of every hundred people it touches.

As their town goes into lockdown, Peter is forced to return home–with his beautiful graduate assistant. But the Brookses’ safe suburban world is no longer the refuge it once was. Food grows scarce, and neighbor turns against neighbor in grocery stores and at gas pumps. And then a winter storm strikes, and the community is left huddling in the dark.

Trapped inside the house she once called home, Ann Brooks must make life-or-death decisions in an environment where opening a door to a neighbor could threaten all the things she holds dear.

Carla Buckley’s poignant debut raises important questions to which there are no easy answers, in an emotionally riveting tale of one family facing unimaginable stress."

Comments and Critique:  This was another LibraryThing Early Reader prize from Bantam Dell.  The timeliness of the subject matter cannot be ignored, and Ms. Buckley does a tremendous job of showing what could have happened (or may yet happen) with H1N1.  Given all the hype over that particular virus, the fact that I was reading about H5N1 rather than H1N1 was surreal but made the story that much more realistic.

I found the what-if scenario the most compelling part of the story.  Not only did I get an idea of what could happen during a pandemic, Ms. Buckley gives the reader ideas on how to prepare for future events.  I never considered the full implications on our infrastructure if a large portion of the population died or was forced into isolation and quarantine.  As a result of the story presented by Ms. Buckley, I am now contemplating changing my own state of preparedness for emergencies and crises.

Unfortunately, there is no doubt this is a debut novel.  While the story itself was interesting, the backstory is not well-developed.  In fact, I found myself guessing at the different pandemic phases mentioned throughout the story to understand the characters' actions better.  Character development is also lacking, as I never felt what compelled each character to act the way he or she did.  While I understand that Ms. Buckley was trying to build suspense by not giving away the full story, there were holes left in the story that were never completely resolved and that prevented me from truly becoming enveloped in the story.

Overall, I am very impressed with Ms. Buckley's effort.  The story itself is quite enjoyable and suspenseful in spite of the holes.  I liked it enough to pass it along to my husband and request that he read it as well.  I look forward to future efforts by Ms. Buckley!

REVIEW - The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

Title:  The Lightning Thief

Author:  Rick Riordan

No. of Pages:  375

First Published:  2005

Synopsis (Courtesy of B&N):  "Twelve-year-old Percy Jackson is about to be kicked out of boarding school . . . again. No matter how hard he tries, he can't seem to stay out of trouble. But can he really be expected to stand by and watch while a bully picks on his scrawny best friend? Or not defend himself against his pre-algebra teacher when she turns into a monster and tries to kill him? Of course, no one believes Percy about the monster incident; he's not even sure he believes himself.

Until the Minotaur chases him to summer camp.

Suddenly, mythical creatures seem to be walking straight out of the pages of Percy's Greek mythology textbook and into his life. The gods of Mount Olympus, he's coming to realize, are very much alive in the twenty-first century. And worse, he's angered a few of them: Zeus's master lightning bolt has been stolen, and Percy is the prime suspect.

Now Percy has just ten days to find and return Zeus's stolen property, and bring peace to a warring Mount Olympus. On a daring road trip from their summer camp in New York to the gates of the Underworld in Los Angeles, Percy and his friends–one a satyr and the other the demigod daughter of Athena–will face a host of enemies determined to stop them. To succeed on his quest, Percy will have to do more than catch the true thief: he must come to terms with the father who abandoned him; solve the riddle of the Oracle, which warns him of failure and betrayal by a friend; and unravel a treachery more powerful than the gods themselves."

Comments and Critique:  I LOVE mythology, and this book just fed that love even more.  This was such a fun read to see those myths brought to life.  My only concern is that this book becomes very difficult to follow if a reader does not already understand the myths mentioned throughout the book.  I picked up the book to pass along to my son once I was finished, and I must say that I am quite surprised that this is a kid's book.  Mythology is not necessarily a subject taught to the target audience, and there are so many of the myths that are mentioned in passing without full explanations that I feel a reader who is unfamiliar with the stories would miss out on the danger, the explanations, and the subtext interwoven throughout the plot.

However, that did not stop me from thoroughly enjoying the book.  It has action, adventure, and history rolled into one story.  The writing is engaging and not overly simplistic.  While there is quite a bit of detail, it is not as vivid as I might have wished.  I felt the message behind Percy's quest, of being true to yourself and to your friends and ultimately to have faith, is an important one to learn at a young age. 

I absolutely cannot wait to read more of the series, but I am uncertain just what my son will think of it.  Will the myths be over his head?  Will he grasp the context?  It will be interesting to watch his reaction once he gets around to reading it.  For myself, I will be hard-pressed not to pick up the rest of the series immediately, but I may be biased with that whole love of mythology thing. 

Has anyone else read the book?  What did you think?  Have you seen the movie yet?  Worth going to see or waiting until it is released on DVD? 

REVIEW - Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins

Title:  Gregor the Overlander

Author:  Suzanne Collins

No. of Pages:  311

First Published:  2003

Synopsis (Courtesy of Amazon):  "When Gregor falls through a grate in the laundry room of his apartment building, he hurtles into the dark Underland, where spiders, rats, cockroaches coexist uneasily with humans. This world is on the brink of war, and Gregor's arrival is no accident. A prophecy foretells that Gregor has a role to play in the Underland's uncertain future. Gregor wants no part of it -- until he realizes it's the only way to solve the mystery of his father's disappearance. Reluctantly, Gregor embarks on a dangerous adventure that will change both him and the Underland forever."

Comments and Critique:  I discovered this book after reading Stephanie's review of it.  Having loved both The Hunger Games and Catching Fire, I knew I wanted to read some more of Ms. Collins' work.  The fact that I could then pass it along to my son to assuage his passion for reading was a definite bonus.  I was not disappointed.  In fact, I can see where Ms. Collins has had so much success with The Hunger Games.  While her writing ability is not polished, her ability to weave a story and create an entire world is spectacular.

There were a few issues I found with the book.  Gregor is not completely fleshed out as a main character.  While he is sympathetic, I never felt true concern with his plight.  At no point in time was I fearful for him and knew without a doubt that the ending would be a happy one.  As with other Collins' works, the happy ending is not without its price, which also did not come as much of a surprise.

Spiders, bats, cockroaches, and rats - oh my!  Ms. Collins does a great job of bringing them to life, instilling a personality into each of them that I never would have considered possible.  I never would have considered cockroaches as particularly endearing, or bats for that matter, but Ms. Collins found a way to do so.  This is a testament to her writing ability.

In general, this was another excellent, fast-paced read.  I devoured the book in just a few hours and have been pressing my son to pick it up since then.  There is an amazing message about family and what it means to be a phenomenal brother and son that is valuable for any child to learn.  I would definitely recommend this to other kids, even though I would hesitate to recommend it to other adults.  Actually, it would be a great book to read together to discuss the implications of Gregor's actions and truly drive home the message about family.  Thank you, Stephanie, for recommending this book!

REVIEW - Soul Catcher by Leigh Bridger

Title:  Soul Catcher 

Author:  Leigh Bridger 

No. of Pages:  250

First Released:  October 2009

Synopsis (Courtesy of Amazon):  "From the gothic eccentricity of Asheville, North Carolina to the terrifying recesses of the Appalachian wilderness, from modern demonology to ancient Cherokee mythology, SOUL CATCHER follows the tormented journey of folk artist Livia Belane, who has been stalked through many lives by a sadistic and vengeful demon.

Livia and her loved ones, including her frontier-era soulmate and husband, Ian, a Soul Hunter, have never beaten the demon before. Now, in this life, he's found them again."

Comments and Critique: I won this during BBAW from Bell Bridge Books and just never got around to reading it until now.  It was the perfect vacation read - fast-paced and thrilling.  It kept me entranced, slightly horrified and totally nervous from page to page.  Livia is the ultimate ass-kicker, very reminiscent of Buffy.  She has the same vulnerability and fear by her mission that you found in Buffy season after season but which made it so compelling a series.  Livia Belane is just as compelling a heroine.

The idea of souls finding each other from one lifetime to the next is equally fascinating and oddly comforting.  I have panic attacks at the thought of my death, but Ms. Bridger gives us the idea that we never truly die.  It reminds me of the idea of reincarnation.  There are other similarities to Hinduism, namely in the idea that everything, including rocks, have souls.  While I was born and raised Catholic, I also find the idea of this oneness with nature very comforting.

The demons themselves are not necessarily scary.  I found Livia's indecision and fears to be the scariest part of the story.  Again, this could be considered a metaphor for life - our fears and indecision in life is more frightening than whatever life actually throws our way.  I was captivated by Livia's struggles to accept her path and to make the difficult decisions, knowing that a part of her symbolizes my own struggles to accept my path.

Ian and Livia - hot, hot, hot!  Their love is beautiful and reassuring in that when they say that they will love each other forever, they truly mean it.  That, to me, is the ultimate in romance.  However, their love is very refreshing in that they struggle to find happiness and have to work at their relationship as much as we do in real life.  The idea of souls searching for each other may not be exactly normal, but souls bickering and arguing certainly is normal!

Overall, I found this an amazing book.  The entire premise was intriguing and, as I've mentioned more than once, comforting.  The overall idea that every soul has a mission reinforces the idea that our life has purpose.  For one who struggles to determine her place in life, this is a profound idea.  I look forward to reading the second book in the series to see what else Livia and Ian must overcome!

REVIEW - Cherries in Winter by Suzan Colon

Title:  Cherries in Winter

Author:  Suzan Colon

No. of Pages:  200

First Released:  2009

Synopsis (Courtesy of B&N): "What is the secret to finding hope in hard times?

When Suzan Colon was laid off from her dream job at a magazine during the economic downturn of 2008, she needed to cut her budget way, way back, and that meant home cooking. Her mother suggested, "Why don't you look in Nana's recipe folder?" In the basement, Suzan found the tattered treasure, full of handwritten and meticulously typed recipes, peppered with her grandmother Matilda's commentary in the margins. Reading it, Suzan realized she had found something more than a collection of recipes—she had found the key to her family's survival through hard times.

Suzan began re-creating Matilda's "sturdy food" recipes for baked pork chops and beef stew, and Aunt Nettie's clam chowder made with clams dug up by Suzan's grandfather Charlie in Long Island Sound. And she began uncovering the stories of her resilient family's past."

Comments and Critique:  Given what has happened with the economy this past year and the fact that winter is now upon us, I thought that it was a timely read.  If anything, I felt that it gave an interesting perspective on the recession and our current economic woes.  I have been fortunate to not have struggled personally through the recession because both my husband and I are fortunate enough to have steady jobs in a recession-proof industry.  While I'm not taking our jobs for granted, I have to admit that I am not too worried either.  Reading about the firsthand experiences of someone who has lost their job as a direct result of the economy was interesting and eye-opening.

Unfortunately, I felt that the narrative was quite disjointed.  As Ms. Colon flashes back and forth between stories, it took me half the book to figure out the relationships between the main characters and the sequence of events described.  In addition, I did not understand the point behind the stories at first.  While I eventually realized the reason behind them, I was left confused and detached from them until I did.  The lessons behind each story is very subtle, which I found refreshing that Ms. Colon felt that her readers were intelligent enough to not be force-fed the meaning of each story.

Speaking of messages, I felt that they were pragmatic and a much-need reminder that life will continue in spite of the economy and that it will even improve again.  This is seen by the other generational stories in which they each faced their own crises and survived.  Each story was important because it reinforced the idea that you do what you have to do to survive.  Through her family's history, Ms. Colon also reminds the reader that no matter how bad things might seem today, our life is still better than what people faced in the Great Depression and even World War I and II. 

Interspersed throughout the book were a few family recipes.  The focus was on comfort foods, which makes sense given that people in distress are in need of comfort.  There are one or two that I would love to try, but I was most impressed with the personal aspect of the story that they add.  Each recipe includes a picture of the original recipe in either her grandmother's handwriting or hand-typed.  These pictures help emphasize the humanity of the story and are more powerful than mere words. 

At first, my overall impression of the book was that it was too depressing a topic.  It was too current and too closely mirrored the nightly news stories we face each and every day.  I did not feel as if there was enough distance between the events to allow for the proper perspective.  However, upon reflection, I felt that the book itself was not depressing at all.  The idea that there is good that comes out of everything bad and the emphasis on human resiliency is important enough to repeat over and over again.  There are great lessons to be learned regarding the importance of appearance and how one answer to a simple question can impact your life.  Even though Ms. Colon may not be the most sympathetic of main characters (it is hard to feel sympathy for someone who talks about paying $600 for a pair of shoes), I finished the book thankful for my own blessings.  That's the best lesson of all.

Thank you to the LibraryThing Early Reader program and Doubleday for this review copy!

Checking In

How is everyone?  Are you enjoying your holidays so far?  I'm sitting here listening to my husband crack the whip on our various nieces to clean their very dirty rooms and bathrooms.  I don't think they have ever been asked to do so before, or at least not to our standards, so we are definitely getting looks of evil.  It's actually pretty funny to watch, but at least the house is getting clean.  It also releases some of the tension that has been building up around here, at least in me.  Thirteen kids of various ages and eleven adults roaming around the house is beginning to take its toll.  Trust me.

Did everyone get what they asked for from Santa?  Jim and I decided not to exchange gifts this year because he surprised me with a new Mazda Miata a few weeks ago.  Technically, it is our new toy, so that sufficed as our Christmas gift.  His family did a not-so-secret Santa gift exchange this year, so my sister-in-law took my hint and went shopping using my Wish List from B&N.  It's the first time in a very long time when I've gotten books of any kind as a gift.  It was great. 

As gifts to the nieces and nephews, I bought gift cards to Barnes and Noble.  I took advantage of the Buy-$100-in-GC-and-Get-a-$10-GC promotion and ended up walking away with $60 in gift cards.  I knew the bill seemed rather large, but it was the last stop we made on our date night of Christmas shopping.  Jim was texting me from the car telling me to hurry up, and I knew we had promised the babysitter that we would be home at least thirty minutes prior to me even entering the store.  So, I walked out of B&N puzzling over how I could have spent so much on 17 $15 gift cards plus two books and a few other goodies I purchased for my Blogger Swap Secret Santa, but then promptly forgot about it.  Then, one of my nieces went to B&N to spend her money.  If you've done the math, then you know that those gift cards weren't $15 but $50.  Aunt Michelle and Uncle Jim were very, very nice this year, even though we didn't mean to do so.  Oops.  The in-laws are very upset and keep trying to give us back the cards or buy us books, but so far, we've been able to stand our ground and insist that Christmas is about the kids, and the mistake is all ours.  We have two more days here, so we shall see if they continue to make it a big deal about it.  Our philosophy is that what is done is done, and it is a harmless mistake.  Beside, I got $60 of free books out of the deal.  I was able to do some damage to my Wish List.

So far, I have been able to finish five books, two of which were YA that I've since passed along to my son.  It's been an eclectic reading mix, from Gregor the Overlander to The Lightning Thief to one about demons and a demon catcher (Soul Catcher) to one about a flu pandemic (The Things That Keep Us Here) to the true story of the Wineville murders.  I've enjoyed them all for various reasons but now need to finish four more reviews.  With reading comes a bit of responsibility, I guess.

I finally bit the bullet and decided to try my hand at finding a writing job.  There are some things that are happening at work that have soured me a bit on my boss and my company.  Namely, I busted my butt to finish my MBA and am working hard to get a professional accounting certification that no one else at work has, but my boss has failed to acknowledge my work with any form of pay raise.  In fact, he was absolutely shocked when I presented current industry data that shows that I am grossly underpaid.  I now have to defend my reasons for wanting a pay raise, even though I got nothing when my job duties shifted last year and I undertook additional responsibilities and now make business decisions that impact the company.  The discussion is still ongoing, and I remain hopeful that things will work out in the end.  However, that doesn't mean that I can't look for something else that better fits my personality.  So, if you know of any writing jobs or editing jobs for someone who has no experience other than writing on a blog or starting and editing her company newsletter, then please send them my way!

It's been an interesting vacation so far.  While I have been able to get a lot of reading and sleeping done, and I love visiting with my brother- and sister-in-law, I don't do well with this many kids around.  I've been keeping my kids to a normal schedule, but that causes problems when the rest of them aren't held to the same standards.  We're getting close to wearing out our welcome, I think, so it is a good thing we will be leaving in two days to go visit friends we knew in Germany.

I plan to write one 2009 Year in Review post and need to finish up those reviews, so that I can start fresh in 2010.  I love new beginnings and the clean slate the new year affords.  I hope everyone is able to get some rest and enjoy these last few days of 2009.  I know I am!

REVIEW - The Road Out of Hell by Anthony Flacco

Title:  The Road Out of Hell: Sanford Clark and the True Story of the Wineville Murders

Author:  Anthony Flacco with Jerry Clark

No. of Pages:  287

First Released:  November 2009

Synopsis (Courtesy of B&N): "From 1926 to 1928, Gordon Stewart Northcott committed at least 20 murders on a chicken ranch outside of Los Angeles. His nephew, Sanford Clark, was held captive there from the age of 13 to 15, and was the sole surviving victim of the killing spree. Here, acclaimed crime writer Anthony Flacco—using never-before-heard information from Sanford’s son Jerry Clark—tells the real story behind the case that riveted the nation.

Forced by Northcott to take part in the murders, Sanford carried tremendous guilt all his life. Yet despite his youth and the trauma, he helped gain some justice for the dead and their families by testifying at Northcott’s trial–which led to his conviction and execution. It was a shocking story, but perhaps the most shocking part of all is the extraordinarily ordinary life Clark went on to live as a decorated WWII vet, a devoted husband of 55 years, a loving father, and a productive citizen.

In dramatizing one of the darkest cases in American crime, Flacco constructs a riveting psychological drama about how Sanford was able to detoxify himself from the evil he’d encountered, offering the ultimately redemptive story of one man’s remarkable ability to survive a nightmare and emerge intact."

Comments and Critique:  I have never read a book like this in my life.   When I finished, I wanted to crawl into a ball and sob but also wanted to throw up at the thought of everything that little boy had to suffer.  I'm still shaken up by the book that my stomach is still churning several hours after finishing, but I wanted to write this review while my feelings were so raw. 

Unfortunately, I had no idea what the Wineville murders were.  My knowledge of them unfolded only as I kept turning the page.  My horror at Sanford's story increased from page to page, and yet I kept reading.  I wanted to make sure that he survived, to find out how he was found, and to make sure that devil incarnate burned in hell for what he did to those boys.  The need to make sure Sanford was okay kept me reading long after I knew I should have stopped.  I don't do horror stories, and this was that much more horrific because it is a true one.

Flacco does a tremendous job of presenting the story from Sanford's point of view.  Visceral and haunting don't even begin to cover the adjectives to describe the book, while the emotions that run through the reader as Sanford struggles to assuage his guilt at the experiences his uncle forces him to have run the gamut from denial to horror and back again.  The first-person narrative makes the story that much more powerful.  Thankfully, just at the point where the reader cannot possibly take any more evil, Flacco transfers to a third-person narrative and describes Sanford's rescue and recovery.  Such a hellish book ends on a note of hope that someone so abused that he feels guilty about what he was forced to do can lead a life of normalcy and become a well-beloved model citizen.  Sanford's redemption proves that there is still good in the world even after the reader questions this very idea in the beginning. 

I received this book as part of the BBAW giveaway from Sterling Publishing.  I am glad I read it but I can't help but feel that I lost just a bit of my naivete at learning the full story of what went on in Wineville, California in the 1920s.  It is a story that is going to haunt my dreams for a long time to come. 

REVIEW - The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas

Title:  The Three Musketeers


Author:  Alexandre Dumas 


No. of Pages: 598 

First Released:  1844

Synopsis (Courtesy of B&N): "This swashbuckling tale, beloved around the world, follows the fortunes of D'Artagnan, a country boy who travels to Paris to join the Musketeers, save his queen from scandal, and outwit the devious Cardinal Richelieu."

Comments and Critique:  In the Introduction to my book, written by Jacques Le Clercq, he states that "[Dumas] loved his characters, he put his own exuberant nature into their delineation" (p. xvi).  "He wrote for pleasure" (p. xvii).  He also wrote about the "lesson of generosity and of courage...[a] lesson in moral courage, in naturalness, in sincerity" (p. xviii).  I mention this because I spent the latter half of this book trying to determine just why it is considered a classic.  I feel classics are books that have meaning decades, even centuries, after it is first published.  So what lesson did I learn from this book?

In general, The Three Musketeers is a great, highly entertaining story.  It truly is a swashbuckler in the very traditional sense.  I can also see Le Clerq'a point about the lessons being taught by the book, but to me, the main lesson is not one of naturalness or generosity.  It is the idea that friendships make the world go round.  Without friends, you have nothing.  This message is extremely important given the disconnection and remoteness brought about by the Internet era.  It is so easy to make friends online while avoiding the daily connections with friends that make your life wonderful.

I also feel there is a tremendous lesson in the idea of not taking yourself too seriously.  Goodness knows, the three Musketeers certainly did not. The exuberance and and love for his characters mentioned by Le Clercq in the Introduction certainly make their appearance in the lack of seriousness the Musketeers had.  In fact, Dumas' excitement and affection for his heroes practically leaps from each page. 

This book is definitely a page turner.  I was extremely interested in the fate of the main characters throughout the story.  In fact, when the ending came, I was highly surprised.  I thought I had the story figured out, but Dumas managed to throw in one or two curve balls that made the ending that much more enjoyable.

The Three Musketeers is not without its faults, however.  I was disturbed by the shift in narration from focusing on D'Artagnan and the Musketeers to focusing on Milady.  It was abrupt and caused some disconnect in the flow of the story.  I also feel the title is a HUGE misnomer.  Yes, there are three Musketeers, but the story really revolves around D'Artagnan, who is not.  In addition, I felt the ending was incredibly rushed.  There was a great build-up, and then you all but blink and the story is over.  It was disconcerting and does not do the story justice.

In spite of that, one of my favorite things about the book was the surprisingly strong female characters.  In fact, I would argue that they are stronger, more in control than the men.  The men are portrayed as easily swayed by anything in a skirt that shows them interest.  Yet, the women are all determined capable and persevering.   When you realize that this is not necessarily a popular opinion in the 1800s, you appreciate the characters and Dumas that much more.

In all, I highly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone looking for a fun read.  The characters are flawed but lovable, and the plot moves along quickly enough to prevent even the slowest reader from getting bored.  I read this for my online book club and am extremely glad it was selected!

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas!

 

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas!

REVIEW - A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

Title:  A Christmas Carol: Special Edition 

Author:  Charles Dickens

No. of Pages:  126

First Published:  1843

Synopsis (Courtesy of B&N):  "Celebrate the season with Scrooge, Bob Cratchit, Tiny Tim, Jacob Marley, and the Spirits of Christmas Past, Present, and Future—and discover how the greatest Christmas classic was based on the greatest story ever told."

Comments and Critique:  In the spirit of the day, I thought it would be fitting to take the time to re-read A Christmas Carol.   The last time I read it, I was in junior high, and we had to do a detailed analysis of each section plus went to see the play performed on stage.  While I have seen various versions multiple times since then (the Mickey Mouse version being my favorite), I figured it was time to remind myself just what the original entailed.

Who does not know the story of Ebeneezer Scrooge and his ghostly visitors?  This story has been told and retold so many times that it could become very easy to lose the original intent of the story - salvation and redemption.  The version I read was an annotated version, written specifically with Christian insights and questions.  While this aspect of the story now seems completely obvious to me, I had never put the Christian beliefs of salvation and redemption of man through Jesus' birth in the same context as Scrooge "seeing the light" and changing his ways.  It is an interesting connection that now makes me appreciate the story and Dickens' writing ability that much more.

According to my annotated version, Dickens was an extremely religious man and put many of his ideas of redemption, suffering, goodwill towards others, and salvation into the story.  The repetition of the number three has obvious ties to Christianity.  Again, this took my understanding of this extremely famous story to an entirely new level.  The symbolism and message behind them is that much deeper.  A Christmas Carol is not just another feel-good holiday story.  It truly belongs to this Christian season of redemption. 

Another aspect of the story I had forgotten but about which I was reminded is Dickens based much of the stories of poverty, apprenticeship and other hardships on his own experiences.  He lost a beloved sibling to illness due specifically to malnourishment from the family's poverty.  Knowing this, Tiny Tim's plight is so much more poignant.

In all, I am glad that I did not rely only on the movies this year to remember the story.  There is so much more to the story than what the movies show.  The annotated version and the connection to the true spirit of the season reminded me just hos special this story truly is.  Thank you to Julie Harabedian at FSB Associates for sending me this review copy!

Welcome Elizabeth Gaskell!

Today is the last stop on Elizabeth Gaskell's Classics Circuit Tour.  At this stage in the tour, you all know more about Ms. Gaskell than you probably ever thought you would.  Rather than repeat what has already been said, let me get right to it.  I chose to read North and South, considered her best novel.  I was not disappointed.   

Title: North and South

Author: Elizabeth Gaskell

No. of Pages:  428

First Released: 1854

Synopsis (Courtesy of B&N): "Gaskell's North and South examines the nature of social authority and obedience and provides an insightful description of the role of middle class women in nineteenth century society. Through the story of Margaret Hale, a southerner who moves to the northern industrial town of Milton, Gaskell skillfully explores issues of class and gender, as Margaret's sympathy for the town mill workers conflicts with her growing attraction to the mill owner, John Thornton."

Comments and Critique:  As I mentioned above, I chose this particular novel because it is considered her best.  Having never read anything by Ms. Gaskell prior to this tour, I wanted to make sure that I was focusing on one that would allow me to enjoy all of her talents.  I was definitely not disappointed by what the book contained.  In fact, I was quite surprised at what was between the pages.  I was not expecting the rich details of class struggles, the strong female character and a love story.  This proves that sometimes, not having any idea about a book is the best way to read it.

Margaret Hale deserves our applause, and Ms. Gaskell deserves an award for her portrayal of Margaret.  Written at a time when women were still considered inferior and limited by their social class and sex, Margaret pushes the boundaries beyond the societal norm.  She portrays masculine characteristics and mannerisms within a very feminine body: she holds herself erect, she looks others directly in the eye, she is not overly emotional, and when she is, she tries to hide her emotions, and most importantly, she chafes under her "womanly duties".  It is such a subtle revolt against conventions that it took me almost half the book to truly appreciate Margaret.  By the end, all of the other females in the books could be called insipid and unworthy and still bound by outside forces: Edith controlled by her husband, Aunt Shaw by conventions, Dixon by class, and Mrs. Thornton by her son.  Kudos to Ms. Gaskell for creating a character that breaks those bonds and sets out on a path not normally forged by women at the time!  (For this reason, I am going to count this book towards the Women Unbound Challenge because Margaret Hale represents a new way of thinking and acting that forged the way for future women.)

The dichotomy between the North and South was fascinating.  I thought the differences closely mirrored those same differences here in the U.S. between the North and the South - agriculture versus industry, progress versus stagnation.  The union debate was also interesting, given my own personal opinion about unions today and my experiences with them.  I remain impressed that Ms. Gaskell showed both sides of the argument.  I also feel she did an excellent job traversing the two opinions.  She suggests at possible solutions and compromises but does not actually resolve anything, which is the most realistic portrayal of this fight.  She does not take the easy way out of the argument but rather shows that there are no easy answers when it comes to this debate between workers' rights and owners' expectations.

Mr. Thornton definitely grew to be a favorable character, in my eyes.  He had the perfect strength to counterbalance Margaret.  However, I loved the fact that he needed to be knocked down a peg or two before being considered worthy of her.  I felt their relationship was very much like yin and yang. 

In all, I felt this was an amazing book.  While it started out slowly, I realized as I was reading that it was slow reading not because it did not hold my interest but rather because there was so much to absorb from each page.  In addition, the class commentary is still very valid in today's society.  I found North and South to be extremely worthwhile for the history and the life lessons it presents as well as for the introduction to some very memorable characters. 

We're Here!

After driving all night through Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and finally Texas, we pulled up to my brother-in-law's house around 5:30 AM.  We didn't think we would ever get in the house because they didn't hear Jim knocking on the door (or ringing the doorbell three times).  Eventually, they let us in, and we could finally relax.

The kids were able to get a decent night's sleep thanks to pillows, blankets, and ear plugs.  I had ear plugs too, but I tried to stay awake to keep Jim company.  My eyes kept crossing, so I wasn't a very good navigator.  I think I managed four hours of interrupted sleep.  Thank goodness for rumble strips because Jim did cross over them at least once or twice.  He did a great job of getting us here safely though.  (The trick?  Mountain Dew, 5-Hour Energy Shot, pepperoni bites and lots of bathroom stops.)  And I did let him take a three-hour nap this morning.  Me?  I've been up since 5 AM... 

Random Reading Challenge - Update

I've been remiss in actually randomly choosing a book to read.  Well, technically since I let my interest choose books for me, all of my books are chosen randomly, but there is something fun about letting a random number generator choose which book I am to read next.

For book number three of this challenge, I picked among books I did not purchase but were given to me, either as gifts, by authors, as review copies or winning various giveaways.  The list only included nine books in all.  The random number generator selected book number two on that list:

Soul Catcher by Leigh Bridger

It was sent to me by Bell Bridge Books as part of a giveaway during the Book Blogger Appreciation Week.  It's been catching my eye lately as one I need to read sooner rather than later, so I am very glad it was selected!

Tis the Season...

Over the river (the Mississippi) and through the woods (do the Smokey Mountains count?), to Grandmother's house we go...

Okay, so maybe not exactly to Grandmother's house since we'll be staying with my brother-in-law but the kids' grandparents do live five minutes away.  That counts, right?  Jim is picking me up from work, and we are starting our 17+ hour trip to the suburbs of Houston, Texas to spend the holidays with Jim's family.  We should arrive early in the morning on Wednesday.  We'll be staying there through New Year's Eve, at which time we will head to Dallas to meet up with friends we knew from the Army when we were all living in Germany together.  We rang in Y2K together; I can't think of a better way to ring in the new decade than with them!

I'll still be around, mainly because Jim's family is loud and big, and I need my alone time to keep my sanity; it's the downside of growing up in a small family with no extended family nearby to cause chaos during your holidays.  And because I won't be at work, I'll have lots of time to read (and study and work on that baby gift I promised my co-worker...)!  I love vacation time!

Any wonderful plans or vacation time coming your way?  What are you doing this holiday season?

Musing Mondays - December 21, 2009

Mizb17 over at Should Be Reading decided to fill in for Rebecca in her absence during the holidays.  Therefore, we have a Musing Mondays this week! 

When you buy books, do they immediately go onto your bookshelf to wait until you’re ready to read them (even if that means months/years from then!), or do you read them right away? What makes you do this? If you’re a ’shelver’, why do you think you don’t read the books right away? Do you ever feel guilty for letting the books sit there, unread? If you’re a ‘read-em-now’ person, why do you feel they have to be read right away? Do you give away the books when you’re done, too?

Have I mentioned I am more than a little OCD?  I cannot stand having my things, especially my books, in piles scattered throughout the house.  Therefore, I am not ashamed to say that I am a 'shelver'.  What's worse?  I shelve my newly purchased books in a completely different section in my bookshelf, so that the unread books are kept completely separate from the ones I've read.  It isn't so much that I won't read them right away.  I just cannot stand clutter.  It keeps me sane. 

Do I feel guilty letting them sit on my shelves, unread?  Absolutely, positively not!  In fact, seeing all those glorious books waiting to be read and the unlimited possibilities and potential they hold fills me with a special kind of joy that most bibliophiles will understand.  I actually start getting nervous when I am down to less than ten unread books waiting for me, as if the lack of choices might prevent me from finding a book I truly want to read when I go to select a new book. 

Do I give the books away when finished?  It depends upon the book.  If it is a classic, then I will keep it.  I have special bookshelves devoted specifically to classics.  I honestly have not met a classic I haven't' liked for some reason or another, and I like being surrounded by a touch of history.  If the book is more modern fiction or non-fiction, then it depends on how much I liked it.  If I truly liked it and can see myself reading it again, then the book gets a spot in my permanent library.  If it was okay or I did not like it, then I will either give it away to friends or to Goodwill.  I will even go and purge my library every few months to make sure I truly want to re-read everything that is there.  Anything removed from it gets the same treatment - either friends or Goodwill. 

Thanks, Mizb17, for continuing the tradition during the holidays!!  You just made my Monday a little brighter!

Now, it's your turn!  Are you a shelver or a read-it-immediately kind of person?  Why?  What compels you to do either?  What do you do with your books when you finish them?

Fall Into Reading Challenge - Check!

I did it!  I did it!  I finished a challenge!!  This one started on the first day of fall (hence the title "Fall Into Reading") and required us to read any number of books we have been wanting to read but have not yet had the chance to do so.  I did not sign up for that many books - eight in all - because I wanted to keep to a realistic number, but considering I started my eighth, and largest, book on the list last Sunday, I am amazed I finished at all.  Yet, I did, and that fills me with hope that I will be able to finish the many challenges for which I signed up in 2010!

My favorite book by far was the last one I read, Outlander.  People had been recommending it to me for months now, and it was the first one on the list of books I wanted to finish during the challenge.  I saved it for last due to its size and because with that much hype, I was slightly afraid that it would not live up to all the raving.  It did, and I am forever grateful to people recommending it to me.  I finished the 800+ page book in five days, and I didn't even bring it to work!  If you haven't yet picked up the Outlander series, I highly recommend it!

As for all the other books I read during the challenge and my thoughts about them, they can be found in the list below. 

• 1. Sweet Mary by Liz Balmaseda
• 2. The Man Who Loved Books Too Much by Allison Hoover Bartlett
• 3. Across the Endless River by Thad Carhart
• 4. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
• 5. Everything Sucks by Hannah Friedman
• 6. The Missing Ink by Karen E. Olson
• 7. The Imposter's Daughter by Laurie Sandell
• 8. Playing House by Fredrica Wagman

My list never deviated from the moment I chose the books.  Some of them I did not like as much as the others, but I am glad that I read all of them.  Many were those that I knew I wanted to read but just needed a little extra incentive to pick them up versus others on my list.  The Fall Into Reading Challenge was that extra push I needed.  Thank you to Katrina at Callipidder Days for hosting this great challenge!

Did anyone else participate in this challenge?  How did you do?

REVIEW - Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

Title:  Outlander

Author: Diana Gabaldon  

No. of Pages:  850

First Released:  1991

Synopsis (Courtesy of B&N): "The year is 1945. Claire Randall, a former combat nurse, is back from the war and reunited with her husband on a second honeymoon — when she walks through a standing stone in one of the ancient stone circles that dot the British Isles. Suddenly she is a Sassenach — an 'outlander' — in a Scotland torn by war and raiding Highland clans in the year of Our Lord ... 1743.

Hurled back in time by forces she cannot understand, Claire is catapulted into intrigues and dangers that may threaten her life ... and shatter her heart. For here she meets James Fraser, a gallant young Scots warrior, and becomes a woman torn between fidelity and desire ... and between two vastly different men in two irreconcilable lives."

Comments and Critique:  Where has this book been in my life, and why has no one demanded I read it until this year?  Seriously,  I was absolutely stunned by the deliciousness of this book.  Even though it came very highly recommended to me by others - I believe many mentioned it was their favorite book of all time - I remained dubious and tried to keep my expectations low.  That may or may not have played in my favor.  All I know is that this book left me an emotional and mental wreck; my heart raced, my stomach churned, and I could not get Claire and Jamie out of my mind the entire time I was reading the book.

Speaking of Claire, I love the fact she is such a strong female main character.  She is not afraid to make the tough decisions, even though she knows how much trouble it may cause.  However, I was left wondering if this were more her character itself or the generation into which she was born.   Another question that kept running through my mind is whether she truly loves Frank.  She doubts his fidelity during the War; she mocked his interests/passions and did everything possible to ignore them.  To me, I did not see the love there, especially when compared to her love for Jamie.

As to Jamie, all I can say is "Hot Damn!"  He has a childlike abandon to life that is very endearing, but the reader is never left with any doubt that he is ALL male.  One can't help but fall in love with him and weep over his plight.  His pragmatism is both frustrating and yet one of his best characteristics.  And let me just say how nice it is to read about a major male lead who has chest hair.  I get tired of reading about all these smooth chests and arms.  Granted, that may be my personal preference, but it also seems more realistic to me.

Captain Randall is the villain we love to hate, isn't he?  I also liked how Frank's research of him differed from the true man.  If that isn't a not-so-gentle reminder that history can easily be distorted through the years and that we should not believe everything we read in history books, then I don't know what is.  It also serves as a reminder not to romanticize the past.  Unfortunately, because of the romanticization of Black Jack, his appearance, in my opinion, makes it impossible for Claire to choose any other path than the one she chose.  If she had gone back through the stone circle, she would have never been able to forget either Captain Randall, and subsequently Jamie.  Because of their physical likenesses, her attraction/love for Frank would always be tainted by her experiences with Jack.  It is an interesting conundrum but adds great tension to the book.

One can't discuss the book without mentioning the backdrop, as they are very much another character.  The Scottish Highlands are charming but tough, beautiful but extremely dangerous, mystical but yet realistic.  They reflect the characters of the Scots themselves.  The dialect was easy to understand and made me feel like I was really in Scotland.  I would get a rude awakening each time I finished reading, and someone would speak to me without using a Scottish lilt.    I was completely immersed in the book, and I feel it is due in large part to the realistic portrayal of life in the Scottish Highlands in 1743.

Overall, if you can't tell by now, I feel that this was one of the best books I have read all year, if not the very top of my list.  I will gladly put this in my top ten favorite books of all time.  I thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of this book and cannot wait to read the rest of the series.  Thank you to all my friends who recommended this to me.  You all were absolutely correct in your estimations of it.  This is the last book for my Fall Into Reading Challenge.  I definitely saved the best for last. 

The Sunday Salon - December 20, 2009

I am sitting here this morning, coffee cup by my side, actually beginning to feel more Christmas-y for the first time this season.  Maybe it's the fact that my Christmas cards were finally sent out yesterday.  Maybe it's the fact that other than two gift cards to be purchased on the way to work tomorrow, I am officially done Christmas shopping.  Maybe it's the fact that I finally took down my Fall decorations and put up minimal Christmas/winter ones.  Or maybe it is due to the dusting of snow we got yesterday, enough to turn the roofs white and cover some of the grass.  Either way, I think I'm finally ready. 

Granted, being ready means packing up clothes, shoes, and books (you know, the essentials) and our presents for our trip down to Houston.  We are driving, which means uninterrupted reading time.  We'll be staying down there through the New Year, so that much time away from work (and the house) will be refreshing, but it does make it difficult to anticipate just how much reading I will get done while there.  Not to mention the fact that I do need to start studying.  I know that I have been saying that for a few weeks now, but really, my exam is in a month.  Still, it has been such a crazy month at work that I am eagerly anticipating the opportunity to not have to set an alarm each morning.  What are your holiday plans?

I finally got around to signing up for my last few reading challenges for 2010.  I think I went a bit overboard, but at the same time, there is so much room for overlap that I know that I can finish two or three with all the same books.  Speaking of reading, I finished two books this week, one of which was the monstrosity Outlander by Diana Gabaldon.  Eight hundred pages read in five days - to say that I steamrolled through it would be a bit of an understatement, but it was SO good!  I'll be reviewing it later, but suffice it to say that I already purchased the second book in the series and am chomping at the bit to open it up.  The only thing that is preventing me from doing so is the fact that I want to space out the series a bit.  Jamie Fraser is too delicious a hero to burn out on the series by reading them too close together.

That's about it for me this week.  Packing, finishing up some last-minute work at work, wrapping up Santa presents, and our eighteen-hour drive to the in-laws will keep me busy through Wednesday.  After that?  I'm on vacation, so I'll be playing it by ear.  Elizabeth Gaskell will be making her final tour stop here on Thursday, as I review her North and South.  And what better way to celebrate Christmas than to discuss Dickens' A Christmas Carol? 

To all of those stuck on the East Coast with that huge snow storm, I hope you stay safe and warm.  To everyone who may be traveling this week, safe journey.  And to all, have a great week and a Merry Christmas!  Happy reading!

This is it, I swear (or I sign up for yet more reading challenges)

I said I wasn't going to do this.  I've already signed up for over ten challenges during 2010 as it is.  And yet, I keep finding ones that sound so interesting and seem to mesh with my reading habits oh-so-nicely.  So, here I am, with yet another list of reading challenges for which I am committing myself.

Amy at My Friend Amy is hosting this one.  The premise is so easy, I couldn't pass it up!

Buy One Book and Read It was started when I realized over 50% of Americans had not read a single book in a year. This is the most disturbing news possible to a book lover like myself, so I wanted to encourage an easy fun way to make sure people read a book in a year!

Seriously?  Over 50 percent of Americans have not read a book all year?  That is so sad, but I digress.  Like all challenges, this one comes with commitment levels.  I'm going for the big one - Level Three - for which I must buy twelve books and read them in 2010.  That's it.  Considering I purchased...ahem...more than twelve last year, I think this one is a lock.  See?  That's why I had to participate in this one!

Isn't that a beautiful picture?  Sue is hosting this challenge, designed to put a little fun in our reading choices.  The challenge is to read books in which each title starts with a letter of the rainbow (ROYGBIV) or each author's name starts with each of those letters.  Sounds easy, right?  So, really the books have nothing to do with colors, just the first letter in the title.  I can handle that!

That's right.  I succumbed to the pressure.  I didn't even watch The Gilmore Girls that often, but I am a sucker for a book list.  Lisa from Lit and Life is hosting this challenge, which is in honor of the show for which books played a huge part.  The idea is to read from a (very long) list of books mentioned during the show's run on television.  I'm going for Lorelei on this one: reading ten books from at least three different categories.  I could probably compete with Rory, but have you seen all my other challenges?  It's definitely wise that I keep this attainable.

This one is another no-brainer for me.  Wendy is hosting the Chunkster Challenge this year, which is devoted to long books, defined as anything over 450 pages of adult literature.  I LOVE big books and I cannot lie.  So, I'm going for the big one - The Mor-book-ly Obese - for which I am committing to six or more books over 450 pages or three books over 750 pages.  Piece of cake.

Hosted by Elizabeth from As Usual, I Need More Bookshelves, the 451 Challenge got its start from Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 and 451 Fridays. 

451 Fridays is based on an idea from Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. In his novel, a group of people (Bradbury calls them Book People) are trying to keep the ideas found in books alive. Instead of actually saving the books, the Book People each "become" a book - memorizing it, word for word, and passing it down to the next generation.

451 Fridays asks what books you feel passionate about. What book do you think is so important that you would be willing to take on the challenge of "becoming"?

Great book and even better idea - to promote those books which would truly be a crime to lose.  I'm going for it on this one and am signing up for the top level - Blaze - committing to seven or more books from the master list. 

As with my previous lists, I'm choosing the books as the year progresses.  Part of the fun is going to be choosing books that can fit into multiple challenges.

And with this, I am officially done.  I can't believe I signed up for more than twelve challenges.  It's going to be fun and interesting to see if I complete even half of them!

My Secret Santa is Awesome!!

It was one rough week - long hours at work, late hours due to social obligations, extremely early hours in the morning for various reasons.  I was so thankful it was Friday that I almost cried tears of joy.  My happiness increased exponentially when I opened my mailbox and saw a package for the Book Blogger Holiday Swap!

Jess at Find the Time to Read was my Secret Santa this year, and I have to say that she did an awesome job! 

The bookmark is great.  The quote, "Happiness is not a destination.  It is a method of life." by Burton Hills is absolutely perfect for summarizing my year of growth and development (that is for another post).  Chocolates, because one can never have enough, holiday pencils, because there is a dearth of pencils in the house for whatever reason, and best of all, Evermore!  This has been on my Wish List for quite some time now.  When I opened up the wrapping, I gave a squeal of delight and knew that it would be coming to Texas with me for the holidays. 

So, thank you, Jess, for making my day and my week!  I couldn't have planned a better ending to it.