I haven't been in reading mode the last week or two. I have been waiting to get books I requested at the library and I have been playing Guitar Hero. I haven't finished the 2 none-vampire books I mentioned in the last post.
This weekend a lot of my books finally came in. I was fairly busy, since Marc came up and we went out with friends, but I did manage to read one yesterday.
Nichole and I have been looking for a good place to go dancing. We really like Aqua Shi... but that is 2 hours away where my family is at. We tried out Roe this weekend. It was okay. It was nice inside, but the DJ wasn't very good, the dance floor was smaller, it was more expensive, and although it is in a nice part of town and there are a lot of rich people there; most of them weren't too "classy." Aqua Shi is nice too, but it doesn't have the majority of people dancing/looking like they are having sex.
We are going to have to find another club to go to. Nichole and I have taken a liking to going dancing and Marc is always mentioning the Dane Cook skit about dancing.
Here it is:
Monday, March 31, 2008
Monday, March 24, 2008
What to read...
So at the moment, I have started reading several books:
The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
and The Turning by Jennifer Armintrout
I have read both the Phantom Tollbooth and the Little Prince when I was younger, but I thought I would revisit some old favorites. I practically wore out the Phantom Tollbooth movie when I was little and I was always fascinated with the sweet little drawings in The Little Prince.
Another book I am kind of reading on and off is the Vampire Encyclopedia. It's non-fiction and has many entries about different authors, movies, myths, countries, etc. that deal with vampires. It is pretty interesting. It doesn’t go into great depth, but it provides lots of interesting things to research further.
The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
and The Turning by Jennifer Armintrout
I have read both the Phantom Tollbooth and the Little Prince when I was younger, but I thought I would revisit some old favorites. I practically wore out the Phantom Tollbooth movie when I was little and I was always fascinated with the sweet little drawings in The Little Prince.
Another book I am kind of reading on and off is the Vampire Encyclopedia. It's non-fiction and has many entries about different authors, movies, myths, countries, etc. that deal with vampires. It is pretty interesting. It doesn’t go into great depth, but it provides lots of interesting things to research further.
Friday, March 21, 2008
They are so much more quotable.
So after being a bit weird in my last entry I started browsing through Bookworms with Ink and I have to say; I am inspired to read more books that have such beautiful and touching words. I already have 2 post-it notes full of books and authors that I feel I must read right now.
I may just have to change the title of my blog... or read both at the same time, which I may do.
I may just have to change the title of my blog... or read both at the same time, which I may do.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
For Some Reason I Feel the Need to Explain
Today, while feeling embarrassed/ashamed about my recent interest in vampire fiction I thought about why I am on vampire book kick. I think I have come up with a few reasons.
1) It’s like junk food. It may not be great for you, but it usually tastes good and everyone once and while it might have some nutrition to it.
2) I’m bored. I am in need of some adventure. I just graduated college, I am working at a decent but boring job, nothing new in any other areas of my life. It’s an escape of sorts.
3) I like day dreaming. I have an avid imagination. I am in an almost constant state of day dreaming. I am not really in the mood about fantasizing about more serious/realist concerns.
4) I am not in the mood for drama or real life. I have read some great books that deal with the everyday struggles of life and death, but I am just not in the mood to read something dramatic or emotional. I want something light and unrealistic please.
5) Maybe I’m still a little burned out. Maybe. Part of it may be because I have been so burned out from school and I don’t want anything educational at the moment… I don’t know how strong this reason holds true.
6) It’s hard to find a book to enjoy. Or I am too lazy to find a good book? If I stick to reading all vampire-related books, there really isn’t much change. They all have the same similar story: feisty chicks, sexy vampire, some danger, maybe a touch of romance… maybe not, some mystery, some danger; either way the plot doesn’t vary too much.
7) It's a quick read. I read most of them in about 4 hours or so. Some less some more.
I also have to question why do I feel embarrassed/ashamed about my recent vampire kick? And why do I feel the need to explain my actions?
I am not quite sure. Maybe I fear that someone will stumble upon these musings and think I am some goth, weirdo, wannabe with no life and a low IQ.
Well you know what? I should not worry about such things. I can waste my time as I want. At least I am having fun with it. At least I am reading. Reading anything is better than nothing, right? Yes? Maybe? Possibly?
I need to go to the library, some of the books I requested finally came in. Which is a good thing, because the only thing I have left is a paranormal romance… not the bodice ripper ones, more like the ones for the feminine, non-reader types.
I am also quite curious how many books I can read throughout the year and more specifically, how many vampire books I can read in one year.
1) It’s like junk food. It may not be great for you, but it usually tastes good and everyone once and while it might have some nutrition to it.
2) I’m bored. I am in need of some adventure. I just graduated college, I am working at a decent but boring job, nothing new in any other areas of my life. It’s an escape of sorts.
3) I like day dreaming. I have an avid imagination. I am in an almost constant state of day dreaming. I am not really in the mood about fantasizing about more serious/realist concerns.
4) I am not in the mood for drama or real life. I have read some great books that deal with the everyday struggles of life and death, but I am just not in the mood to read something dramatic or emotional. I want something light and unrealistic please.
5) Maybe I’m still a little burned out. Maybe. Part of it may be because I have been so burned out from school and I don’t want anything educational at the moment… I don’t know how strong this reason holds true.
6) It’s hard to find a book to enjoy. Or I am too lazy to find a good book? If I stick to reading all vampire-related books, there really isn’t much change. They all have the same similar story: feisty chicks, sexy vampire, some danger, maybe a touch of romance… maybe not, some mystery, some danger; either way the plot doesn’t vary too much.
7) It's a quick read. I read most of them in about 4 hours or so. Some less some more.
I also have to question why do I feel embarrassed/ashamed about my recent vampire kick? And why do I feel the need to explain my actions?
I am not quite sure. Maybe I fear that someone will stumble upon these musings and think I am some goth, weirdo, wannabe with no life and a low IQ.
Well you know what? I should not worry about such things. I can waste my time as I want. At least I am having fun with it. At least I am reading. Reading anything is better than nothing, right? Yes? Maybe? Possibly?
I need to go to the library, some of the books I requested finally came in. Which is a good thing, because the only thing I have left is a paranormal romance… not the bodice ripper ones, more like the ones for the feminine, non-reader types.
I am also quite curious how many books I can read throughout the year and more specifically, how many vampire books I can read in one year.
Kind of Scary
Anyone want a scary looking "haunted" doll? Shoeboxblog is right, "who is crazier the seller or the buyer?"
And something that may be even more scary (was sent to me as a fwd):
And something that may be even more scary (was sent to me as a fwd):
Anyone notice what her "shirt" is made out of?
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
It Bothers Me Just a Little
Work has been really boring lately. Actually work has been really slow so I in turn I am really bored. I hope it picks up soon because I am tired of dealing with data and statistics.
My mom is reading Stephanie Meyers' Twilight Series. I thought I would take this time and talk a bit about these books. I really enjoyed these books, to an extent. The books held my attention, but I was in a state of aggravation through half of it though. The main character – Bella is cute and clumsy until she falls head over heels with the other lead – vampire Edward. After which, she is crazy, obsessed, co-dependent, and only wants Edward. She can’t live without him, she can’t sleep without him, she doesn’t want to do anything or go anywhere without him. If Edward told her to kill herself she would. It is one thing to portray the characters “in love” but Bella’s reaction to Edward is way beyond that.
Being books meant for the young adult audience I think that it is great that Stephanie Meyer cut out the graphic sex scenes that are so prevalent in vampire fiction, but she is still sending a strong message to young girls about relationships. Edward and Bella’s relationship is UNHEALTHY. I hope young girls don’t read these books and think they need to “love” in a similar fashion or try and find a relationship in which they are utterly infatuated and co-dependent upon someone else.
Although these books are aimed at the more high school aged crowd, they were the most dramatic and emotional books I have read yet. But then again, the teen crowd is known to be dramatic and emotional so maybe it fit. I seriously had to scan through the books as fast as I could because I was wondering what in the world was going to happen and I didn’t want to read page after page of things I wasn’t interested in. I actually wished it was a little bit lighter on the “emotional” aspect of the books. I had to read them as fast as possible because I was aggravated with what was going on and wanted to know how it turns out.
The last thing that bothers me is the high school setting. So you are a vampire, clearly older than most people, yet you want to go to high school? Sure you might want to blend in, but why high school? After the second time around you probably wouldn’t learn anything new. Why not just go to college? Who would want to go to high school after years of maturing? They may still look like high schoolers… but maturity, education, and experience-wise they are long past that stage in life.
I look forward to the fourth book when it comes out in August, but I know that it won't turn out the way you want it to... of course, no suprise there. Maybe I will just ask someone else how it ends.
While I am ranting on the various things that bug me about the books I have been reading, I have a few things to say about Octavia Butler’s Fledgling. Sure the book touches on issues of race and prejudice, but there is something a little disturbing about the 10 year old look alike. So the protagonist is a vampire… a “child” in the vampire community, but really about 50 or so human years old. She looks like a 10 year though. Even so, people have no problem having sex with her.
I would think there would be some serious psychological issues in being physically intimate with someone who looks 10 years old. Not just someone who is as short as, but literally, a 10 year child’s body. That just bothered me.
My mom is reading Stephanie Meyers' Twilight Series. I thought I would take this time and talk a bit about these books. I really enjoyed these books, to an extent. The books held my attention, but I was in a state of aggravation through half of it though. The main character – Bella is cute and clumsy until she falls head over heels with the other lead – vampire Edward. After which, she is crazy, obsessed, co-dependent, and only wants Edward. She can’t live without him, she can’t sleep without him, she doesn’t want to do anything or go anywhere without him. If Edward told her to kill herself she would. It is one thing to portray the characters “in love” but Bella’s reaction to Edward is way beyond that.
Being books meant for the young adult audience I think that it is great that Stephanie Meyer cut out the graphic sex scenes that are so prevalent in vampire fiction, but she is still sending a strong message to young girls about relationships. Edward and Bella’s relationship is UNHEALTHY. I hope young girls don’t read these books and think they need to “love” in a similar fashion or try and find a relationship in which they are utterly infatuated and co-dependent upon someone else.
Although these books are aimed at the more high school aged crowd, they were the most dramatic and emotional books I have read yet. But then again, the teen crowd is known to be dramatic and emotional so maybe it fit. I seriously had to scan through the books as fast as I could because I was wondering what in the world was going to happen and I didn’t want to read page after page of things I wasn’t interested in. I actually wished it was a little bit lighter on the “emotional” aspect of the books. I had to read them as fast as possible because I was aggravated with what was going on and wanted to know how it turns out.
The last thing that bothers me is the high school setting. So you are a vampire, clearly older than most people, yet you want to go to high school? Sure you might want to blend in, but why high school? After the second time around you probably wouldn’t learn anything new. Why not just go to college? Who would want to go to high school after years of maturing? They may still look like high schoolers… but maturity, education, and experience-wise they are long past that stage in life.
I look forward to the fourth book when it comes out in August, but I know that it won't turn out the way you want it to... of course, no suprise there. Maybe I will just ask someone else how it ends.
While I am ranting on the various things that bug me about the books I have been reading, I have a few things to say about Octavia Butler’s Fledgling. Sure the book touches on issues of race and prejudice, but there is something a little disturbing about the 10 year old look alike. So the protagonist is a vampire… a “child” in the vampire community, but really about 50 or so human years old. She looks like a 10 year though. Even so, people have no problem having sex with her.
I would think there would be some serious psychological issues in being physically intimate with someone who looks 10 years old. Not just someone who is as short as, but literally, a 10 year child’s body. That just bothered me.
Friday, March 14, 2008
Brief Review
This is a list of the various vampire books I have read throughout my short reading career. I am sure I probably missed some of them, especially when I was younger, but these are the ones I remembered and that's what counts most.
Drumroll please .....
The Dark Angel Triology from Meredith Ann Pierce:
These books were probably my first vampire books I ever read. They aren't specifically "vampire books" but one of the main characters is a vampire. These books have a lot of mythology wrapped in them. I originally read them in elementary school and then reread them in high school. I think they're great. I would definitely recommend them.
Now this book isn't a vampire book, but I thought I would add it since it is the book that led me to never want to read Ann Rice. I think perhaps I may give it another try. You have to admit, Interview with a vampire and the other vampire chronical books are classics.
This book by Annette Curtis Klause is one of the few vampire books I read pre-highschool that didn't involve the Buffy the Vampire Series ... I read A LOT of those. I also was obsessed with the show, and more specifically David Boreanez. Once he left for his own show though, I stopped watching after the first season of Angel. Thinking about it, that is probably where my vampire interest stemmed.
From what I remember, it is kind of sad and I didn't like the ending. But I think for being a youth book, it was pretty good.
Now to the Laurell K Hamilton Anita Blake Books.
I read all the books up to Obsidian Butterfly when I was in high school. I gave them up for the sheer fact that telling someone I was enjoying a book about a vampire hunter who has a love triangle between a vampire who owns a circus and a nightclub and a werewolf who is a teacher is kind of embarrassing. Not to mention the other various weres... like Anita's good friends the leopards and the rats.
Not sure why, but I picked them back up about last summer/fall. It is sad, but true that I have enjoyed them. If you have started from the beginning you kind of want to finish it. Unfortunately, her books have become worse, and the last ones are mostly about Anita having to have sex with any male character in the room in order to save herself and others.
I picked up this book by Elizabeth Kostova not too long after it came out. At the time I wasn't reading much for fun, since I was in college, but it made me want to read more vampire books again.... oh yes now I remember. That is why I picked up the Laurell K Hamilton books once more.
I actually really like this book. It is a unique story and she does very well to make the classic/historical story of vampires interesting and fun to read.
Next I found the 6 Victory Nelson books by Tanya Huff:
I really enjoyed the first 4 1/2. She is a private detective and I like the characters. I was greatly disapointed to what happened at the end of book 5 and it was hard to get through book 6.
I really enjoyed the Rachel Morgan books by Kim Harrison.
Rachel Morgan is a witch, she lives with a vampire, even dated one, and she works with a pixie too. I was so very disapointed at the end of book 5... it seriously ticked me off. Book 6 I didn't enjoy because of the ending of book 5, but the series itself I really enjoyed. The author also has some neat extras on her site, like music related to the characters and such.
Probably the series I have most enjoyed. Charlain Harris' Sookie Sackhouse books.
I really hate the name "Sookie" but I love the story and the characters and I am anxiously awaiting her 8th book to come out in May!
Stephanie Meyers' Twilight series.
Aimed at the young adult audience, but I found that these books were the most dramatic out of all of them (I guess high school will do that). I enjoyed them, but I almost wished they were lighter on the emotional content. The 4th book comes out later this year, and the movie comes out sometime too. The one things I have to say really bothers me about these books though: the undying obsession of the main character. She is absolutely infatuated with Edward, the vampire, but so much so that she can barely live/think/breath without him, and that ticks me off a little bit.
I have mixed feelings about these books by Kate Carey (who also writes under Erin Hunter with another female writer).
If you are more into the classic Dracula story then you may like this one. I had a hard time reading through the first one, but the second one I really enjoyed.
And here is where I had nothing to read for a while and got desperate:
I mentioned Erin McCarthy's books in a previous post:
Tate Hallaway's book Tall Dark and Dead did a bit better:
It was also full of sappy and shallow relationships and sex, but the plot was more improved and the author went into a lot detail about witchcraft things. I don't really care for it, but it adds to the book I guess.
I am reading a couple books right now as well. The next couple of days I am going to be pretty busy so I won't be able to read as much as I have been. I am also looking for some good books to read. I think that I need to read Dracula and some Anne Rice stuff though.
Drumroll please .....
The Dark Angel Triology from Meredith Ann Pierce:
These books were probably my first vampire books I ever read. They aren't specifically "vampire books" but one of the main characters is a vampire. These books have a lot of mythology wrapped in them. I originally read them in elementary school and then reread them in high school. I think they're great. I would definitely recommend them.
Now this book isn't a vampire book, but I thought I would add it since it is the book that led me to never want to read Ann Rice. I think perhaps I may give it another try. You have to admit, Interview with a vampire and the other vampire chronical books are classics.
This book by Annette Curtis Klause is one of the few vampire books I read pre-highschool that didn't involve the Buffy the Vampire Series ... I read A LOT of those. I also was obsessed with the show, and more specifically David Boreanez. Once he left for his own show though, I stopped watching after the first season of Angel. Thinking about it, that is probably where my vampire interest stemmed.
From what I remember, it is kind of sad and I didn't like the ending. But I think for being a youth book, it was pretty good.
Now to the Laurell K Hamilton Anita Blake Books.
I read all the books up to Obsidian Butterfly when I was in high school. I gave them up for the sheer fact that telling someone I was enjoying a book about a vampire hunter who has a love triangle between a vampire who owns a circus and a nightclub and a werewolf who is a teacher is kind of embarrassing. Not to mention the other various weres... like Anita's good friends the leopards and the rats.
Not sure why, but I picked them back up about last summer/fall. It is sad, but true that I have enjoyed them. If you have started from the beginning you kind of want to finish it. Unfortunately, her books have become worse, and the last ones are mostly about Anita having to have sex with any male character in the room in order to save herself and others.
I picked up this book by Elizabeth Kostova not too long after it came out. At the time I wasn't reading much for fun, since I was in college, but it made me want to read more vampire books again.... oh yes now I remember. That is why I picked up the Laurell K Hamilton books once more.
I actually really like this book. It is a unique story and she does very well to make the classic/historical story of vampires interesting and fun to read.
Next I found the 6 Victory Nelson books by Tanya Huff:
I really enjoyed the first 4 1/2. She is a private detective and I like the characters. I was greatly disapointed to what happened at the end of book 5 and it was hard to get through book 6.
I really enjoyed the Rachel Morgan books by Kim Harrison.
Rachel Morgan is a witch, she lives with a vampire, even dated one, and she works with a pixie too. I was so very disapointed at the end of book 5... it seriously ticked me off. Book 6 I didn't enjoy because of the ending of book 5, but the series itself I really enjoyed. The author also has some neat extras on her site, like music related to the characters and such.
Probably the series I have most enjoyed. Charlain Harris' Sookie Sackhouse books.
I really hate the name "Sookie" but I love the story and the characters and I am anxiously awaiting her 8th book to come out in May!
Stephanie Meyers' Twilight series.
Aimed at the young adult audience, but I found that these books were the most dramatic out of all of them (I guess high school will do that). I enjoyed them, but I almost wished they were lighter on the emotional content. The 4th book comes out later this year, and the movie comes out sometime too. The one things I have to say really bothers me about these books though: the undying obsession of the main character. She is absolutely infatuated with Edward, the vampire, but so much so that she can barely live/think/breath without him, and that ticks me off a little bit.
I have mixed feelings about these books by Kate Carey (who also writes under Erin Hunter with another female writer).
If you are more into the classic Dracula story then you may like this one. I had a hard time reading through the first one, but the second one I really enjoyed.
And here is where I had nothing to read for a while and got desperate:
I mentioned Erin McCarthy's books in a previous post:
Tate Hallaway's book Tall Dark and Dead did a bit better:
It was also full of sappy and shallow relationships and sex, but the plot was more improved and the author went into a lot detail about witchcraft things. I don't really care for it, but it adds to the book I guess.
I am reading a couple books right now as well. The next couple of days I am going to be pretty busy so I won't be able to read as much as I have been. I am also looking for some good books to read. I think that I need to read Dracula and some Anne Rice stuff though.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Yes, it is Monday
Ah yes Monday, the start of a new week. It is also one of the most hated days. My Monday has not been too bad. I actually did a bit of work so far today. As the week goes on my desire to be somewhere other than work grows but my hope for the weekend also increases, so I guess they cancel each other out in some wierd way.
I am out of good books at the moment. This weekend I read three vampire books... which were quite sappy, not very entertaining, and pretty shallow. The light girly romances do not interest me. Some of them were a little funny, but they were more a waste of my time than anything else, especially the Vegas Vampire books. Let me summarize the plot for you: girl meets guy, guys thinks she's sexy, girl thinks he's attractive too, but she "hates" him. They fight back and forth, not knowing that each one actually "loves" each other. Then finally they cave in and have sex. The next day (or that night) they profess their love to each other and soon get married... vowing to spend all eternity together. And all of this occurs within a week and there is usually some danger to one, the other or both while this is happening. Oh, and the chick is usually damaged in some way; i.e. parents died when young, lived on the streets, was molested, etc.
This plot is actually fairly popular in many books. These 2 books, and the only other vampire romance I have read follow these guidelines. I am leaning towards the assumption that most romances follow this sequence. I don't read many romances, but it is no suprise that they don't follow a very good story, and the characters differ less than the descriptions used to describe male genitalia.
I half-heartedly made a goal to read all the vampire fiction out there (there is A LOT though). But that would also have to include those trashy romance novels; which I have little to no desire to read. I think if I was to commit to the goal it would be cheating to define all the details; but it is my goal so I could do what I want. Who knows. It's not like one of those things I would put on a resume under awards and acheivements (read all 10091348039... vampire books). I think that would just let anyone who found out about such thing think I was a bit crazy, and had no life. Maybe I will file this thought under "things that should not be shared with others." It will go right there next to "What I thought Fiddler on the Roof was actually about" and "How I remember which value is which concerning nickels and dimes."
Further proof that I am a geek/dork/nerd/weirdo/loser (I am not sure which one matches better... I am going to pretend it's not the loser label); I am thrilled (let me reiterate; I am SUPER thrilled) about the 8th Sookie Sackhouse book coming out. The first chapter to From Dead to Worse is up on her site.
If you read it, don't judge to harshly... we have history. I seriously got a bit giddy over being able to read it (getting a bit giddy just thinking about it actually). Maybe I should file that comment away too. Actually, maybe I should rename this blog. I may be decieving myself and/or others that this blog is actually about planning a wedding and not someones hobby of reading vampire books.
I am out of good books at the moment. This weekend I read three vampire books... which were quite sappy, not very entertaining, and pretty shallow. The light girly romances do not interest me. Some of them were a little funny, but they were more a waste of my time than anything else, especially the Vegas Vampire books. Let me summarize the plot for you: girl meets guy, guys thinks she's sexy, girl thinks he's attractive too, but she "hates" him. They fight back and forth, not knowing that each one actually "loves" each other. Then finally they cave in and have sex. The next day (or that night) they profess their love to each other and soon get married... vowing to spend all eternity together. And all of this occurs within a week and there is usually some danger to one, the other or both while this is happening. Oh, and the chick is usually damaged in some way; i.e. parents died when young, lived on the streets, was molested, etc.
This plot is actually fairly popular in many books. These 2 books, and the only other vampire romance I have read follow these guidelines. I am leaning towards the assumption that most romances follow this sequence. I don't read many romances, but it is no suprise that they don't follow a very good story, and the characters differ less than the descriptions used to describe male genitalia.
I half-heartedly made a goal to read all the vampire fiction out there (there is A LOT though). But that would also have to include those trashy romance novels; which I have little to no desire to read. I think if I was to commit to the goal it would be cheating to define all the details; but it is my goal so I could do what I want. Who knows. It's not like one of those things I would put on a resume under awards and acheivements (read all 10091348039... vampire books). I think that would just let anyone who found out about such thing think I was a bit crazy, and had no life. Maybe I will file this thought under "things that should not be shared with others." It will go right there next to "What I thought Fiddler on the Roof was actually about" and "How I remember which value is which concerning nickels and dimes."
Further proof that I am a geek/dork/nerd/weirdo/loser (I am not sure which one matches better... I am going to pretend it's not the loser label); I am thrilled (let me reiterate; I am SUPER thrilled) about the 8th Sookie Sackhouse book coming out. The first chapter to From Dead to Worse is up on her site.
If you read it, don't judge to harshly... we have history. I seriously got a bit giddy over being able to read it (getting a bit giddy just thinking about it actually). Maybe I should file that comment away too. Actually, maybe I should rename this blog. I may be decieving myself and/or others that this blog is actually about planning a wedding and not someones hobby of reading vampire books.
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