March 2014 Book Roundup

It's been a crazy month, so my roundup is a little slim. I hope you'll give me some new ideas for books now that I have some time to read again!

Barefoot Season by Susan Mallery
This is a novel of old friends torn apart and forced to find their way back together. While there are definite romantic elements, the women's relationship takes center stage. I found my self rooting for both women, who are forced to reexamine their pasts and what they will take forward into the future. Both women are far from perfect, but they acknowledge their faults (eventually) and really strive to be better people.

Steadfast by Mercedes Lackey
This is the ninth installment in Mercedes Lackey's Elemental Masters series, based on the story of the Steadfast Tin Soldier. All of the books are fabulous and this one is no exception. I have really enjoyed that the later books in the series have moved away from the all powerful Masters toward the less powerful Magicians. It means less reliance on power and more on wits to win the day, which I find refreshing in a fantasy novel.

Found any great books recently? Let me know in the comments!

February Book Roundup

As I do at the end of each month, here's a list of some of the books I've been reading.

When the Marquess Met His Match by Laura Lee Guhrke

A wonderful take on a traditional Romance novel plot: dedicated bachelor finds he must marry, so he finds a matchmaker to find him a bride, he doesn’t expect to fall for the matchmaker! Still, I loved this book. The characters felt very real, with an incredible depth. Both characters have their flaws but you still want to root for them, especially as they start to understand themselves and fight to change for the better. A great afternoon read that will leave you sighing in contentment.

Paris in Love by Eloisa James

Continuing the Romance theme, Paris in Love is the memoir of romance author Eloisa James (one of my favorites). The memoir grew out of Facebook and Twitter posts, so the book is mainly written in short paragraphs, interspersed with longer essays. The posts are generally witty and made me laugh, a lot. I was reading every other one out loud to my roommate. A great read for anyone who needs to travel by armchair.

Divergent by Veronica Roth

A fantastic first book! The narrator seems very real to me and the thought processes that are so integral to making the main character important come through loud and clear, without it feeling as though the author is aiming to make her think differently. Yeah, that was a messy explanation, but I have to say that this is one book that lived up to the hype. 

I'm always looking for new books, so leave a recommendation! Just keep it spoiler free. ;)

January Book Roundup

The Book Roundup for January includes a couple of Science-Fiction/Fantasy thrillers great for a light read.

Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz

            Dean Koontz is known for his thrillers, but Odd Thomas is in a slightly lighter vein. The story of a fry cook with the ability to see the dead (they don’t talk, don’t ask him why), Odd Thomas was a very interesting read. The world building is well done, but left plenty to build on. The end is a little telegraphed, but made me very interested to read the next book in the series. Not a put-down-everything-you-are-doing-and-read-it-now sort of book, but I hope to continue enjoying the series.

Redshirts by John Scalzi

            In every episode of Star Trek, some nameless guy in a red shirt dies while the main characters miraculously survive, despite all odds to the contrary. Buy why do the redshirts continuously do stupid things that get them killed and why do the officers continuously put their ship in situations that make sure someone winds up dead? Redshirts does not take place in the Star Trek universe (they mention Star Trek as a TV show), but its inspiration is clear. The book felt a little off pace for me, since the main storyline finishes about two-thirds of the way through, leaving the wrap up to some oddly framed short stories. This is a book that will mildly mess with your head, as the characters become more and more self-aware. A good read for any sci-fi fan, but, in my opinion, not quite worth the enormous hype surrounding it.

 As always, I'd love to hear what you're reading and what you recommend.

December Book Roundup

Since yesterday was a Share Spotlight day, I decided to postpone my Book Roundup until today. Here's the list for December.

The Technologists by Matthew Pearl

            This piece of historical fiction reads like a great thriller novel. Set in 1868, Pearl brings the first class of MIT to life as they race to stop a mad genius whose technological attacks on Boston bring the fledgling college under intense scrutiny. I saw the first plot twist coming. I did not see the second, and had completely given up by the third. The characters are interesting and the science is fantastic. A thick book, but well worth the read.

How I Killed Pluto and Why It Had It Coming by Mike Brown

            This is a nonfiction work by the CalTech astronomer whose 2004 discovery would eventually lead to the creation of a new classification of astronomical body and Pluto’s demotion to a dwarf planet. It’s written in a largely autobiographical style, but the story is fascinating and really gives a peek into how scientists work.

The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

            I had a hard time putting this one down. My roommate startled me several times because I had forgotten she was in the room. It’s absolutely fabulous, with incredibly believable characters (which is impressive, given the subject matter). The end is pretty well telegraphed, but, what with the way the book is written, it would be hard for it to be otherwise. One of the few books I’ve read that was definitely worth the hype. 

November Book Roundup

Books, books, and more books! Okay, there are only three, but here are the recommendations for the month.

Since I just can't run a blog without talking about books, at the end of every month, I'll give you what books I've been reading and what I've thought about them. This month has been a little slow, with school kicking into high gear, so I only have three books for you.

Amaryllis by Jayne Castle

            An early book of Jayne Castle’s (who also writes as Jayne Ann Krentz and Amanda Quick), this is a quick sci-fi romance. I can tell that it’s a bit less polished than her more recent romance novels, but it still contains all the suspense and, well, romance, that I love from her other books. This is the first in a trilogy about strong psychic talents and the female prisms they need to focus those talents.

The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan

            Man do I ever love YA, and Rick Riordan is one of the best. The first in the Heroes of Olympus Series, the sequel to the much loved Percy Jackson and the Olympians, The Lost Hero exhibits all of Rick Riordan’s amazing wit. A whole new cast of characters joins the series in this book, along with some old favorites. This is my second time reading this book and it is just as great. Knowing what I do now, it’s amazing to see how things are set up for the following books.

The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker

            I must admit that this book took me a while to get into. The premise is very interesting, but the action seems a bit disconnected. However, Wecker ties everything up nicely in the end, weaving in seemingly unimportant characters and events. The ending is a bit ambiguous, but just enough so that the reader can decide some of the details for herself without feeling like there was no proper resolution. All in all, a good read.

What have you been reading? Tell me in the comments! I'm always on the lookout for new books!

Tour of Duty

Wow. I have had one hell of a week. And not in a good way. I'm good now. For the moment at least. But that's why I threw some plans out the window. But it's okay, because I am in Philadelphia now and thought I would catch up a little.

I started this trip in Washington, D.C., with my Aunt. We had some weirdnesses, but we saw a lot of the Government part of the city.

We started with the National Archives, joking about doing a National Treasure tour. (Oh, that is so going to be a post one of these days. Part I and II forthcoming) They are pretty amazing and definitely work a look, though you won't spend all day, maybe an hour or two.

Then, we headed up toward the East end of the Mall and made a big loop around the Capitol. There is a great photo op on the front lawn. The grass is worn, so it's pretty easy to see where to go. One of these days they should really just put a sidewalk there to save the grass.

Heading around the north side of the Capitol, there is a small brick summerhouse that makes for a cool rest stop if you're doing DC in the summertime (like I did).

On the backside is a better picture and is really just beautiful. But behind the Capitol stands the Supreme Court building. Unfortunately, it was under renovations, so I couldn't take a picture of the front. Inside is worth a look, with a display about the building of the building which is very interesting. The Supreme Court building is much newer than the other large government buildings in D.C. and so there was quite a bit of work involved in making it fit in. There is also a detailed description of the various friezes around the building and who each figure is. That is worth a look if you are at all interested in history, especially government history. Also, don't miss the free standing elliptical staircase, which is unnerving to look at, but oh, so cool. You are allowed to go inside the main court chamber, but only on a lecture tour, which occur every hour or so.

After the Supreme Court, it's just a hop skip and a jump over to the Library of Congress, my main destination for the day. It's incredible. It's so bright! And colorful! I did not want to leave. One of the main attractions, the dome in the reading room is easiest to see if you take a tour. If you don't, you can still see it, but you have to manage to sneak in between tours. You're not allowed to take pictures, and you aren't allowed in the Reading Room unless you have legitimate research. (One of these days...) Also on display while I was there was 100 books which changed America, starting with books such as Common Sense and the Federalist Papers, but also including books such as Cat in the Hat and To Kill a Mockingbird. Beyond that stood Thomas Jefferson's Library. When the original Library of Congress burned to the ground, Thomas Jefferson donated his library to begin it again. Even after another fire reducing the collection by two thirds, Jefferson's library became the backbone of the Library of Congress collections. They have assembled the books from Jefferson's original library, including the many original volumes as well as the same volumes from elsewhere in the collection and markers for books they simply cannot find. It is an incredible display. The books fill numerous shelves in Jefferson's own organizational system. The books are in at least five languages and cover subjects from history to science to philosophy and religion. A Truly Incredible Collection.

There is a tunnel Connecting the Library of Congress and the Capitol building. We took the Capitol tour, which is definitely worth the trip. It's free, but weekdays are better if you can, the weekends can be packed. The tour uses a mic on the guide and headsets with a wireless receiver to ensure everyone can hear. Our tour guide told us right off that we wouldn't need the headsets with him, and he was right. Pictures are allowed everywhere, but don't sit on the floor. It's a sign of protest.

Head out of the Capitol building from the Gift Shop and Visitor Center and head south again for a great photo op. On the corner of the paved area, there is a small offset square with a giant bush between it and the capitol building. On this square is a permanent podium used for press releases. If you are really lucky, it will be set up with microphones for an actual press release, but even not, it is a great place to take a picture with the capitol in the background.

After that we headed down the mall to the Smithsonian, but I'll save that for another post.

"Ask not what your country can do for you - Ask what you can do for your country." --JFK

A Recommendation

Okay, so that didn't quite go as planned. Ah, well, what do you do? Life intervenes.
My summer is... well, honestly, it never really happened. I'm two weeks out from classes starting up again and I've barely had time to breathe this summer. I've had to fight to get the fun in, and that's why this trip to DC is so important to me. I finally have details settled and I'm headed out in the next couple of days.
But crossing things off my packing list made me remember this blog and I'd like to put up one of the posts I'd meant to write on before life sidetracked me.

So, this isn't about travel, per se, well, at least not about physical travel. If you've read some of the previous posts, you might have noticed that I love books. I read more than a librarian, honest to goodness. And I'm omnivorous. Romance, fantasy, women's fiction, epics, paranormal, historical, nonfiction, action, adventure, teen/kids books, science fiction, if it's out there, I'll probably read it (though I'll admit it took me a while to warm up to science fiction). And one of my favorite parts of a book, a well written book, at least, is that it transports you. It takes you somewhere else, to another world, inside another person's head. You can tell when a book wasn't quite done as well as it could have been because you keep find yourself, sometimes rather rudely, back in your world, inside your own head. The best books make you forget that all you hold are some bits of paper with squiggles on them, because all you can see is the story, the action, the romance, the world of the book in front of you.

Because of this, I count books as travel. I read so much (though, admittedly, not so much lately) that I'd like to share the best ones with the nonexistent readers I have. :) (Hi, Mom!)




I love funny books. I think there tends to be enough sadness in our world that we don't need to read about it in our spare time. I'm not saying that we should ignore that there is sadness in the world, only that sometimes we need to be reminded that there is happiness, too.

That's probably why I was a bit reluctant to read The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows. I am generally wary of New York Times Bestsellers; too often they are heavy literature about how bad someone's life is. But I am so glad I picked this one up. It is written as a series of letters, telegrams, and journal entries, between a varied cast of characters in post-WWII Britain. The main character, Juliet, wrote a column during the war meant to keep morale up and is finishing up a book tour of the collected columns when the book starts. Her problem now? Her editor (also her best friend's brother) wants another book. So what's a girl to do? Well, through a strange series of events, she winds up in contact with an entire island in the Channel that was occupied during the war, namely, Guernsey.

I laughed at Juliet's (and the entire island's) antics and thoroughly enjoyed this book. It doesn't treat the war lightly, but it does remind you that life goes on. Being American, it is difficult for me to grasp the rebuilding that Britain, and the rest of Europe, went through after WWII. This will give you a picture of what it was like under the occupation and how lines are never as clear as you thought they were.

Alright, recommendation done. If you have some of your own (or, you know, you're actually reading this and just want me to feel less lonely) post in the comments.

"Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a book, it's too dark to read." --Groucho Marx

Looking Back

Sorry it's taken so long, I've just been hanging out for the past couple days.

I did find my last Harry Potter book, so I now have all seven from ENGLAND! I also got what felt like five pounds of chocolate for my family. Naturally, by now it's almost all gone.

The night before I left, I went out with a few friends. We had dinner and hit the pub, the Jolly Sailor, where I somehow got talked into trying some of Ariel's drink. I blame Zach. Of course, Zach also wanted me to do shots, so thank you Sam and Ariel for agreeing that was a bad idea. Sam owed Ariel a drink, so he bought one, on the advice of everyone, something called a snakebite. It apparently has a little less alcohol and blackcurrant syrup, so it's fruity. I managed two sips. Ariel got a great picture of me (which I am NOT putting on Facebook) with a really funny face.We sat in the first floor kitchen and talked until Sam and Ariel met up with the others to go to the Penny. I went up to my room to finish packing and finally went to bed around 12:30.

We got up fairly early and then headed downstairs (with our mountains of stuff) to get on the bus. We made it to the airport with two and half hours to spare, which turned out just right, as we had to stand in a line to stand in line to check our bags. I wasn't over the limit! I did have a very heavy backpack though. :P Ten hours in the air and two and a half books later, I landed in Houston. I had to wait for my Mom, since she'd gotten caught up in traffic, but then I was headed home.

Well... sort of. We stopped in Katy to wander around the mall and keep me awake for a bit before heading home. When I got home, I divied up everybody's stuff (except Dad's, since he's not home right now) and showed them all my stuff. I didn't go to bed until 9:30 Texas time, which was 22 hours after I'd gotten up that morning. I slept for 12 hours.

So, now I'm home, safe and sound and I'm getting ready for the fall semester. I'm moving in in less than a week and I'm still trying to figure out how to get all my stuff there. My books are ordered, my hair is cut (up above my shoulders!) and now I'm going to clean my room so that it is actually possible to move all my stuff. This summer has been amazing and I'm so glad I went on study abroad. I still need to pick out a picture to send in to the study abroad scholarship competition (if you want to help, comment on your favorite on Facebook) but other than that, I'm pretty much ready to begin my Junior year of college. Bring on the GRE, part-time work, and a good library!

A Day at the Spa

It's been a long but incredible day. My alarm went off at 4:30 this morning. I just almost rolled over and went back to bed, but I convinced myself that I would really regret it if I didn't get up and go to Bath and I'm so glad I went. I made the 5:25 train to St. Pancras and slept most of the way there. Then I got on the tube, went over to Paddington, got on a different train to Bath and slept most of the way there. It was probably a good thing because I don't think I would have made it through the day if I hadn't. The train had a lot of delays, but I actually caught an earlier train than I planned to (because the rail website thinks the tube takes forever) and got to Bath right when I wanted to. Most of the stuff in Bath opens at 9, and I got there at 10 till.

Thanks to my wonderful flatmate Emily, I had a map of Bath and so I successfully navigated to the Abbey, Baths and tourist information. The tourist info didn't open until 9:30, so I went into the Abbey. The Abbey is a beautiful church, but not as developed as the other churches I've seen. It had a little pamphlet, but no huge tour or audio guide. I lit a candle and listened to the someone practice on the Organ after I'd made the loop of the church then headed back to the tourist info. I got a combined ticket for the Baths and the Fashion Museum (I'll tell you why when I get there) then I decided to head over to the Crescent, which had a house that you could go in that was restored to how it would look in the time of George III (Mad King George of Revolutionary War, well, American Revolutionary War, fame).

Bath is wonderfully walkable, so I headed up the hill to the Crescent and eventually found the house, No. 1 The Crescent. However, it didn't open until 10:30, so I went and walked the gardens that were just across the way. I actually wound up walking off the map. :) The gardens were beautiful and the scenery was lovely. I made it back to the house just after they opened and went inside. I have to say that it's great to travel as a student because you get a discount on everything. I got into the house and there are four rooms, plus the kitchens downstairs, that you can go in and there's a volunteer from the museum in each one who tells you all about the room. It was really neat.

Then I went around the circus, which is much like the Crescent, but a circle, and headed over to the Fashion Museum. The Fashion Museum used to be the Assembly rooms. THE place to be for the social season in Bath. They held dances, concerts, and other events there. Right now they have an exhibit on English movie costumes. They have ones from Pirates of the Caribbean (Capt. John Sparrow and Will Turner, of course) Ben Hur, Gladiator, lots of dresses from movies about the queens, as well as some other stuff. :) That's in what used to be the ballroom, where the dances were held. Then you move into the Octagon, where people would meet. I was reading Persuasion on the way back and one of the scenes talks about Anne and Capt. Wentworth meeting in the Octagon room. I had to sit back and take it in for a minute. I had seen that room. I now knew exactly where they were and what it looked like. It was kind of incredible. I also kept pulling the map out to see where everyone was staying. :)

But back to the Fashion Museum. The museum itself is downstairs. In honor of the royal wedding this year, the main showcase is about wedding dress through the centuries. They used to be day dresses, then became evening dresses as weddings were held later in the day, then became a style all their own. I have to say that some of the modern dresses were kind of ugly. You also got to go and look at their stores. They had everything divided by decade and you could walk along and watch the styles change. They do a thing called dress of the year, where someone (who is apparently knowledgeable in fashion) picks a dress that typifies that year. Again, some of the dress were interesting. The point is to keep the museum up to date, but I have to say I don't get high fashion.

After the Fashion Museum, it was getting close to one, so I headed to the bridge, looking for a cafe on the way. I almost got lost a couple of times, but I finally found the bridge, and on the corner was the cutest, most affordable, best cafe ever! got a baguette (which was heavenly) and a water bottle for 3 pounds. I went down to a park that was on one side of the river and sat on the wall while I ate lunch. They have an old Celtic maze, the kind with stone paths on the ground, in the park, so I took a few minutes and walked it after I finished lunch.

After lunch I went to the Baths. They have a really cool set up for the baths. There's a terrace that you walk around at street level that lets you look down at the Great Bath which is at Roman street level. Then you go down through a museum and then into the baths. The audio guides are awesome and really determine how long you spend there. If you stop and listen to everything, you could be there for hours. If you just look at the big stuff, then it only takes an hour and a half or so. I went through the baths at a pretty good pace. They were really neat, but I could only stare at them for so long. I got a nice lady to take my picture with the Great Bath behind me, so shout out to the really nice random lady.

With an entry to the baths, you also get a free glass of mineral water from the springs. It's an experience let me tell you. There's a fountain in the pump room and the waiter just grabs a glass and sticks it under one of the spouts. The water is warm (not luke warm, like just the cooler side of hot) and smells funny. If you drink it down, it's alright, but it leaves a funny taste in you mouth.

After the Baths, I wasn't ready to go home, so I kind of wandered around. I went back to the bridge and got a strawberry smoothie from the cafe I ate lunch at to wash the taste of the mineral water out of my mouth. I also found some great places to take pictures of the river. I wandered into the Guildhall, which was just a bunch of local shops, kind of an open air market, but with everything from hardware to fabric to used books. I looked at the used books, but they didn't have the Harry Potter book I was looking for. However, I can't walk out of a used books store (especially one like this, it was awesome) without a book, so I wound up with Agatha Christie's Death on the Nile. Which they also had some of the costumes for in the Fashion Museum. :)

After this I knew that I needed to go ahead and leave so I could get home at a reasonable time. I headed to the train station, but the next train didn't leave for another half hour, so I wandered around near the train station. I saw a street vendor with souvenir stuff and decided that I wanted something for myself from Bath, so I now have a Bath t-shirt. :) I like it.

I grabbed dinner at St. Pancras and made it home without any eventufulness. I'm going to bed now. And I'm going to sleep late tomorrow. And then it's back to the, currently, eighteen page paper. Hopefully to make it less than eighteen pages. Since McGee said at least ten... I think I qualify. :)

Thanks so much to everyone who's helping me edit. :D

Sunny Day... And Bookstores!

Well, I would usually include this in tomorrow's post, but I just felt that today was special enough to get it's own.

I never did figure out what I was going to do today, so I wound up staying in Canterbury. Since I knew I didn't know what I was going to do, I decided I would go to church after class this morning. And never be said that you aren't rewarded for going to church because lo and behold, I found a little shop with two of the Harry Potter books in the window. The shop didn't open until 11, so I headed back home after church and was a diligent student for a few hours, writing up my notes. I finally came up to date on my notes, so I grabbed my stuff and headed out. I decided I might as well get my backpack today (that's what I'm going to put all my books and other heavy stuff in so it doesn't make my checked luggage heavy). Of course, I went by the little shop and had to go inside first. They only had the 4th and 7th book, but I told them I'd come back after I got my backpack. So I went to the chain bookstore to get a backpack. :) The one I wanted wasn't there, but I'm happy with the one I got. It held all my spoils today, plus my jacket and I wasn't even trying to pack it. So I then headed back to the little shop and got the two books. I asked them where I could find the rest and they pointed me to another charity shop down the way where I found the 3rd and 6th book, as well as, rather randomly, the book I'd been using in the Library for my independent study paper. I decided it was fate and grabbed that one as well. I then kept heading in the same general direction and discovered almost every local shop had a bookstore! I didn't find any more of the Harry Potter books, but I did find a good copy of the Canterbury Tales, which I'd been wanting to get, being in Canterbury and all.

Then I saw and M&S, which has food, and I needed dinner, and I was craving pasta. So I have some mezzalunas and tomato and basil sauce, as well as some fruit, mixed melons and pineapple. I'm going to make half tonight and half tomorrow. Though it might last me three nights, it's a lot, even though it says it's for one. The Sainsbury's was closed so I couldn't get my cranberry juice, but I'll get that tomorrow morning.

I have to say that today turned into a beautiful day. I thought my weatherbug was crazy this morning when it was trying to tell me it was sunny, but the sun came out this afternoon and I've got the window open and had to take my jacket off while I was out and about. I'm a very happy person. :)

Tomorrow the plan (notice how I'm saying 'the plan' now? Too many times that things don't go how I expect) is to go to Hyde Park, as well as Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, and Wellington Gate in the morning, then go to the Victoria and Albert Museum in the afternoon. I can't wait to see Rotten Row! (That's in Hyde Park.)

Now I'm going to go back to being a dutiful student and see if I can't get a bit more written. On my last paper for my Anthro class I think. Write again later. ;)

Update: Anthro paper written, and dinner a smashing success, and I was right, it'll last me three days. The Mezzalunes were awesome! And went well with the sauce, and the fruit was amazing, like all the fruit here. :) Now, just waiting to finalize plans for tomorrow.