The Friday 56, Keep Your Enemies Closer

Rules:
* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of Storytime With Tonya and Friends.
*Post a link along with your post back to Storytime With Tonya and Friends.
* Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

Okay. So the book this week is Keep Your Enemies Closer by Sharon Oliver. It is closest to me because I’m sitting at the front desk in the library where I work (where I should be working but am doing this) and someone just returned it. So I don’t know anything about the book except that it says ‘the finest in Christian fiction’ at the bottom.

The sentence:

She wanted to keep Otis busy and away from his drinking cronies.

Harder than it sounds, I’m sure.

The Luxury of Reading

Luxury Reading is giving away more stuff!

For the Adopt a Dog Month Book Giveaway go here. Open until November 10th to the US and Canada.

For the Clinton St. Baking Company Cookbook by DeDe Lahman and Neil Kleinberg go here. Open until November 10th to the US and Canada.

For Lost Dogs by Jim Gorant go here. Open until November 15th to the US and Canada.

For Virgin and the Crab by Robert Parry go here. Open until November 15th to the US, Canada, and European Union.

For Stories: All New Tales edited by Neil Gaiman go here. Open until November 15th to the US only.

WWW Wednesdays (October 27th)

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

* What are you currently reading?
* What did you recently finish reading?
* What do you think you’ll read next?

Leave a link to your post (or the answers themselves if you do not have a blog) in the comments of Should Be Reading.



What are you currently reading?

Front Porch Prophet by Raymond Atkins
So far I’m really enjoying it. It is definitely a book that is character driven.

Casino Royale by Ian Fleming
What can I say? I like Bond books.


What did you recently finish reading?

Vampire Zero by David Wellington
I keep hoping that I will start to like the heroin in these books and I just never do.

Mouse Guard: Fall 1152 by David Peterson
I love the art in this graphic novel. I also like that it doesn’t have tons of words and the art really gets to help tell the story. That is probably because it’s written for children.


What do you think you'll read next?

Probably either Sky Burial by Xinran or Mouse Guard: Winter 1152 by David Peterson or both.

Appaloosa Movie vs Book

Appaloosa by Robert B. Parker
Appaloosa with Ed Harris

Appaloosa is about Virgil Cole and Everett Hitch, two lawmen, who are asked to come to Appaloosa to get rid of Bragg who is taking over the town.

And the movie is about exactly the same thing.

But it is about more than the fight against Bragg, it is also about the kind of men that these two friends are and about their friendship as well. The way the two play off of each other can be hilarious at times but the story has a tragic side too. There is the worry for the heroes when it looks like the bad guy has gotten the upper hand. There is the exasperation at Cole who seems bent on things that are not good for him. There is the genuine caring for these two good guys and their quiet but certain friendship. The villain is slimy, the heroes nice guys the town’s people interesting and the love interest convoluted to say the least. I liked it a lot.

And I can say the same thing about the movie as well. It did a good job of capturing the feel of the book and the characters. Much of the dialogue is taken word for word from the book. There are no scenes when you are wondering where that was in the book. There are no new characters that you have to wonder where they came from (mostly anyway). The witness against Bragg is a different person in the movie than in the book but that is really the only change in cast that you see. There are a few scenes that didn’t make it to the movie. But most of them you really don’t miss. They are things are along the lines of Hitch has a conversation with someone and tells Cole about it later and in the book you see both the original conversation and the one with Cole and in the movie you only see Hitch talking to Cole. And although the scenes do not feel redundant in the book you can surmise enough from the second conversation that you don’t even know anything is missing. In all it is a very faithful book to movie conversion.

I would have a hard time trying to say which I liked better. So I’m going to pronounce this one a tie. I saw the movie first so I had the actors in my head as I read but in this case I was okay with that. If you want to make up your own mind about what people look and sound like than you should obviously read the book first. But I don’t think you will be disappointed in either of them no matter what order you choose.

Donegal: Irish Justice Review

Donegal: Irish Justice by James Lower

(from the back of the book)
In this historical novel, the Ku Klux Klan thought the town of Donegal, Indiana, would be the perfect place to organize a new chapter. They intended to run out the blacks, Jews, Irish, Catholics, and immigrants so they could gain economic control of the area. What the Klan did not count on was the determination of an Irish Catholic baker who was determined to save his town.

Historical facts are skillfully woven into this absorbing story of conflict that pits former good friends, neighbors, and customers against one another while struggling with a declining business environment, family issues, and religious tenets.


Lower does a wonderful job of setting the scene here. Donegal comes to life and you get to know the characters. He shows you their lives and makes the story not just about the Klan but about the people. By showing their past was well as the present he gives context and depth to them. You get to live with these people for a while and that makes the story a much more personal one. I like that he does not focus on the Klan to the exclusion of all the other issues and problems in these people’s lives. The Klan is part of the story but it is very much a story about the people of Donegal. It is also an interesting look at the Ku Klux Klan itself. It is an insidious force that starts to take over the town making promises that sound good and claiming to believe in moral values. In a time when times are hard, where the people are scraping by and they have come through so much already it can almost make you understand why people are drawn to the promises that the Klan gives but without ever making excuses for them. And knowing the history and the strength of the people you can also see why some have the need to stand and fight to save the town no matter what. There is enough tension to keep you wanting to know more and enough suspense to keep you guessing and enough of a twist at the end to surprise you. The fact that it is based on real events just makes it that much more interesting.

The Friday 56, Vampire Zero

Rules:
* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of Storytime With Tonya and Friends.
*Post a link along with your post back to Storytime With Tonya and Friends.
* Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.


Okay. It's still Friday for another 20 minutes or so, so technically I made it.

This week the book is Vampire Zero by David Wellington. I'm having trouble remembering why I thought I liked Wellington's books so much that I wanted to read them all. But I keep plugging away at them for reasons I'm not completely sure of.

The sentence:

The body was still decaying at an accelerated rate, and by the time they arrived he would probably be nothing more than stinking goo and splintered bones.

Isn't that nice? If that doesn't make you want to read this book nothing will.

Spooktastic ARC Giveaway

Frual Plus is having a Spooktastic ARC Giveaway.

What can you win?

Prize Pack #1 – Two Winners:
The Witches’ Kitchen
The Saga of Larten Crepsley: Birth of a Killer
Bloodthirsty
Dark Song

Prize Pack #2 – Two Winners:
Dewey the Library Cat: A True Story
The Adventures of Nanny Piggins
Tumtum & Nutmeg: The Rose Cottage Tales

Prize Pack #3 – One Winner:
The DUFF
The Daughters
The Daughters Break the Rules

What are the rules?

Valid for Residents of the U.S. and Canada, age 18 and older. Please no PO Boxes.
This Giveaway will end Friday, October 29, 2010.

How do you enter?

You must be a subscriber to Frugal Plus. And remember that your subscription must be active so check your email to activate it.

There are also many ways to get extra entries. They include (but are not limited to):

Place Frugal Plus’ Button on your Blog
Become a Member of Frugal Plus via Google Friend Connect
Like Hachette Book Group on Facebook and let them know that Jill @ Frugal Plus sent you.

Good luck!

WWW Wednesdays (October 20th)

That's right. My last post was last week's WWW Wednesdays. I haven't blogged anything for a week. But everything has gone a little crazy at work and I have had a lot to adjust to. And to be honest I don't think I've adjusted yet. I am tired all the time. In fact I should be in bed right now. But I'm doing this instead. I hope I can still get up in time for work tomorrow.

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

* What are you currently reading?
* What did you recently finish reading?
* What do you think you’ll read next?

Leave a link to your post (or the answers themselves if you do not have a blog) in the comments of Should Be Reading.


What are you currently reading?

Vampire Zero by David Wellington
It is slow going. Everything is slow going at the moment though so it might not be the book. But the more I read Wellington the more I wonder why I read Wellington. I think I have myself convinced that I should like his stuff but in reality I don’t like it as much as I imagine I should.

What did you recently finish reading?

Arizona Free by Doug Martin.
Umm, well the dialogue was awkward and the plot a little hokey. It had moments of the kind of cheesy fun you get from bad sci fi but overall it was unsatisfying.

What do you think you'll read next?

The Front Porch Prophet by Raymond Atkins
This is a book that has been on my TBR list for a long time. I didn’t want to go and buy it though and my library didn’t have it. Until I suggested they buy it. So now I can finally read it. If I ever finish Vampire Zero.

WWW Wednesdays (October 13th)

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

* What are you currently reading?
* What did you recently finish reading?
* What do you think you’ll read next?

Leave a link to your post (or the answers themselves if you do not have a blog) in the comments of Should Be Reading.


What are you currently reading?

Arizona Free by Doug Martin

I expected weird but I'm not sure it's weird in a good way.

What did you recently finish reading?

Bloody Jack by L.A. Meyer

Story about a girl who poses as a boy and goes out hunting pirates. It's fun but without everything coming out right or going well.

What do you think you'll read next?

Vampire Zero by David Wellington

I was going to be done with vampire books for a while, and I have taken a small break, but this one is from the library and since I was the one who suggested that they purchase this book I really think I should read it before I bring it back.

Well Bless Your Heart

Want to win some stuff?

Bless Their Hearts Mom is giving stuff away.

For He Blew Her a Kiss by Angie Printup go here. Open until October 25th to the US and Canada.

For What I Thought I Knew by Alice Eve Cohen go here. Open until October 25th to the US and Canada.

For K.T. Tunstall's new CD Tiger Suit go here. Open until October 27th to the US and Canada.

For the How To Make Bows DVD and manual go here. Open until November 2nd to the US and Canada.

Mistress of the Art of Death Vocab

Here are some words from The Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin that I had to look up.


Catafalques: an ornamental structure sometimes used in funerals for the lying in state of the body

Unbellifers: a plant of the carrot family

Lepidopteral: belonging or pertaining to the Lepidoptera, an order of insects comprising the butterflies, moths, and skippers, that in the adult state h

Sheela-na-gig: figurative carvings of naked women displaying an exaggerated vulva

Lesemajeste: a crime (as treason) committed against a sovereign power

Pourboires: tip, gratuity

Withies : willow; especially : osier
: a flexible slender twig or branch (as of osier)

Glaive: sword; especially : broadsword

Houri: one of the beautiful maidens that in Muslim belief live with the blessed in paradise

Dado: the part of a pedestal of a column above the base b : the lower part of an interior wall when specially decorated or faced; also : the decoration adorning this part of a wall

Mistress of the Art of Death Review

Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin

From the book jacket

In medieval Cambridge, four children have been murdered. The Catholic townsfolk blame their Jewish neighbors, so to save them from the rioting mob, the Cambridge Jews are placed under the protection of the king. Henry II is no friend to of the Jews – or anyone, really – but he believes in the law and order, and he desperately needs the taxes he receives from Jewish merchants. Hoping scientific investigation will help catch the true killer, Henry calls on his cousin, the King of Sicily – whose subjects include the best medical experts in Europe – and asks for his finest “master of the art of death,” the earliest form of medical examiner. The Italian doctor chosen for the task is a young prodigy from the University of Salerno, an expert in the science of anatomy and the art of detection. But her name is Adelia; the king has been sent a “mistress of the art of death.”

In a backward and superstitious country like England, Adelia faces danger at every turn. As she examines the victims and retraces their last steps, she must conceal her true identity in order to avoid accusations of witchcraft. Along the way, she’s assisted by one of the king’s tax collectors, Sir Rowley Picot, a man with a personal stake in the investigation. A former Crusader knight, Rowley may be a needed friend – or the fiend for whom they are searching. As Adelia’s investigation takes her along Cambridge’s shadowy river paths, and behind the closed doors of its churches and nunneries, the hunt intensifies and the killer prepares to strike again…



Franklin does a wonderful job of bringing the setting to life. It is filled with suspicion and hate, intolerance and superstition. It is a dark dangerous place but you also get to see the hope and the good of the people who Adelia meets along the way. The acts committed against the children are bloody and horrid and they are often described in detail. And Adelia, being a doctor and trying to be impersonal, talks about the things that were done in cold scientific facts that gives both the crimes and her a hard edge. Adelia is a woman in a field where women are not accepted and she has had to learn not only to deal with the hard facts of her profession but also with working under the constraints place upon her by society. To do that she thinks of herself not as a woman but as a doctor and sometimes I think she pushed the point too hard and too often and her constant reminders of who she is and what she knows makes her come off as pompous. A romance develops that you can see coming and I don’t know that it adds much to the story but it doesn’t detract from it either. The ending is rather sensational and dramatic as compared to the rest of the book. And maybe it is not completely historically accurate but any faults I found in the story I was able to overlook because it was enjoyable to read. Adelia and the characters around her, including the dog, are interesting and well drawn. The reader is provided with a good picture of the world of the time and the thoughts and politics of the people. There are enough suspects and danger and clues to make the mystery fun to follow. And it is even alright if you can figure out a few things before you are told because you will still want to read through to the end.

Learn some history

Don’t know anything about American history? Don’t despair.

A Sea of Books is giving away 2 copies of The Mental Floss History of the United States: The (Almost) Complete and (Entirely) Entertaining Story of America by Erik Sass with Will Pearson and Mangesh Hattikudur.

RULES FOR ENTERING THE GIVEAWAY:

Leave an original comment saying you would like to win, including an email address with your comment so you can be contacted.


You can earn an extra entries by:

Being or becoming a Follower or Subscriber of A Sea of books.

Blogging about the contest and providing a link to the post

Tweeting about the contest and providing the link

Stumbling, Digg it, or Technorati Fave it

Make sure that you leave a separate comment for each entry.



Winners must provide a U.S. or Canadian street address. No P.O. Boxes.

Deadline for entry is 11:59 p.m. EST on Thursday, October 14, 2010.

The Friday 56, The Princess Bride

Rules:
* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of Storytime With Tonya and Friends.
*Post a link along with your post back to Storytime With Tonya and Friends.
* Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

This week the book is The Princess Bride by William Golden. Fun and light and just what I needed right now. But I have to admit that so far I like the movie better.

The sentence:

She had entered her room as just an impossibly lovely girl. The woman who emerged was a trifle thinner, a great deal wiser, an ocean sadder.

Okay, based on that sentence it does not sound light and fun. But trust me, it is. If you’ve seen the movie you have a pretty good idea what I mean. And if you haven’t seen the movie, what’s wrong with you? Go and watch it right now.

WWW Wednesdays (October 6th)

I'm late today. I honestly forgot it was Wednesday. I've been really tired and rather stressed lately and somehow which day it is hasn't been important enough to keep track of. Of course I won't forget when it's Friday.

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

* What are you currently reading?
* What did you recently finish reading?
* What do you think you’ll read next?

Leave a link to your post (or the answers themselves if you do not have a blog) in the comments of Should Be Reading.


What are you currently reading?

Princess Bride by William Golden
I read this a long time ago but just saw the movie again and thought I'd go back and give the book another look too.

Donegal: Irish Justice by James Lower
I like how Lower makes you feel like you know his characters.


What did you recently finish reading?

Jennifer Government by Max Barry
I liked it. I like the concept of a whole world gone corporate where everything has been privatized and seeing what impact such a world might have on people.


What do you think you'll read next?

My head is not together enough to answer this question at this time. It will just have to be a surprise to all of us. I do have some library books piled beside my bed but none of them are due yet so they will probably sit there a while longer. I think it will have to be something light and fun like Princess Bride though. I don't want to have to think about it too much.

Free Books!!!

I Heart Monster had some good luck at the Smart Chicks tour and is passing it along. She won a bunch of books. Some of which she already owned. And since she's just that nice she is passing them on to one lucky winner.

What books? Well...

A paperback copy of City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
A paperback copy of The Forest of Hands And Teeth by Carrie Ryan
A signed paperback copy of The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong
A copy of the new bind-up for the first two books in the Morganville Vamps series by Rachel Caine
A signed ARC of White Cat by Holly Black
A hardcover of The Hollow by Jessica Verday
A signed hardcover of Radiant Shadows by Melissa Marr
A signed copy of The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting

Awesome, right?


To enter go over and fill out the form. You can get extra entries for being a subscriber, a Facebook liker, a Twitter follower and for tweeting and linking to the giveaway on your blog.

Ends 11/5. Open to North America and European Union

Are you a Readaholic?

If you are you should run on over to Readaholic and see what you can win.

For Aching For Always by Gwyn Cready go here. Ends October 14th. Open to the US only.

For My Mother She Killed Me, My Father He Ate Me go here. Ends October 15th. Open to the US and Canada.

For The Shut-Down Learner by Richard Selznick go here. Ends October 15th. Free shipping in the US, but if you are outside the US you are responsible for shipping costs.

The Friday 56, Jennifer Government

Rules:
* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of Storytime With Tonya and Friends.
*Post a link along with your post back to Storytime With Tonya and Friends.
* Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

This week the book is Jennifer Government by Max Barry. Everything has been privatized, the police have to find funding in order to fight crime and people take the last name of the company they work for. Hey, you might have to provide a credit card number before the ambulance will agree to come to your aid but at least there are no more taxes.

The sentence:

“I tell you, those Founding Fathers knew their s**t.”

I’m sure they would be happy to hear he thought so.

Books I Finished in September

9 this month. Not all that good, not all that bad. But I’ve had a lot going on so I’ve decided to be very happy with it.


Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
Can you believe I’ve never read this before? As everyone probably knows it is an entertaining tale of pirates, high seas adventure and treasure. I like how Stevenson was able to keep you wondering if Silver was all bad or if he was going to be able to redeem himself somewhat.

Roma by Steven Saylor
See my review here.

The Reapers are the Angels by Alden Bell
I like the protagonist and the way she sees the world. There was a piece in the middle with the family in the woods that seemed strange to me in a ‘what is that doing in there’ sort of way but it wasn’t enough to derail the story for me. Came up with some surprises too.

Silver: My Own Tale as Written by Me with a Goodly Amount of Murder by Edward Chupack
It was interesting to see Silver’s life before Treasure Island but I was kind of disappointed that the parts with Jim Hawkins didn’t match up with the Treasure Island story.

Monster Planet by David Wellington
I couldn’t really get into this one. With zombies and mummies and magic it seemed like it would be right up my alley but it just seemed all over the place to me. It didn’t help that I didn’t care about anyone in the entire story.

Let the Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist
I liked it but I wanted to like it more. I liked that it was about all the people and not just the vampire and that it was a nice mix between the vampires being good and evil. But I wasn’t blown away like I had hoped to be.

Appointment with Death by Agatha Christie
Can’t go wrong with Agatha Christie.

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
The last in the trilogy. I think Collins does a good job of staying true to the feel of the first two but I’m rather ambivalent about the ending. I felt like we missed some things when Katniss was not looking or was unconscious.

Fragment by Warren Fahy
I’m ambivalent about this entire book. It felt like it couldn’t make up its mind whether it was a ‘run for your life’ action story, serious commentary on human impact or a lesson in science so it took turns being all three.