I heart authors who blog!

So, way back in October of last year, when the Spore fever had hit me hard, I had read James Maxey's Dragon Age novels (well, the first 2) and got the idea that I should use Spore's Creature Creator to recreate the Dragons in Maxey's novel. (yes, I am that dork) After I had put all that work into it, I thought it only fair to contact Maxey and share them with him. To my delight, he posted the images to his blog.

So fast forward many months.... I picked up the last novel in the series over the weekend (after Mikey alerted me to the fact that it was out) and got around to starting it this afternoon. I flipped to the back and notice an acknowledgment section and... SURPRISE! I'm listed there for my contribution from way back when! See! PROOF! *happy dance*

So to sum up...I am well aware that this takes me to a whole other level of dorkiness...

1. for using a video game to recreate a character in a novel
2. for finding said author's blog and email and sending images to him
3. for finding aforementioned acknowledgment
4. for tweeting about it
5. for facebooking about it
6. for creating a full blog post about it to fill in all the other details...


;) yes, I know... DORK!

Pellinor Series

A few weeks ago I stopped in at the library and picked up the first book for Alison Croggon's Pellinor Series, The Naming. I have to say I was quite impressed. It has a lot of the fantasy elements that one finds in Lord of the Rings type books (only these have the amazing ability to not put me to sleep- I'm sorry, LOVED the idea of the books, just had trouble with Tolkien's writing). Its also amusing that the main character is a young girl who plays a main role in the battle between good and evil.

Imagine my surprise when I went back to the library and they had the second book in the series, The Riddle. I sped threw it and am still as hooked as I was on the first book. I did a quick search and found out that the 3rd is out.... IN AUSTRAILIA!!! It doesn't come out in the US until September. Talk about a total buzz kill. The only good side is that the next Harry Potter book comes out this month.

Definitely take the time to check out the Pellinor series if you start feeling some fantasy withdrawal after the final Harry Potter book. You won't be disappointed!

Excuses.... every one has one...

I haven't given up on this blog... I'm still reading (I really and truly go semi-nuts if I don't have a book to read!), just not at the same intensity. You see, I have a problem when it comes to books. I get drawn into them and HAVE TO finish. Not a casual, oh I wonder what happens next, but a compulsion where I seriously have to finish them! To the point where I push everything else aside until I finish the book. (I've been known to put off many many many things that I HAVE to do to read "just one more chapter")

I'm trying to set some new goals for myself that require me to put the book down. I'm in the process of trying to create some healthier habits. I've set a goal of going to the gym 3 times a week (currently on week 4!!!). Now you see, if I had a book that I haven't read and sucks me in, I would seriously have problems getting myself to stick with my new goal. Why not take the book with me to the gym? I've tried that, doesn't really work for me (I lose my balance, and I don't want to be known as the girl that fell off the tredmill).


I'm currently re-reading The Vampire Lestat by Anne Rice. I've read this book enough times that I know whats going to happen so that I can focus on the other goals I have set in my life. Rice's Vampire Choronicles are one of my favorite series. The world that she creates is like no other. She pulls me in and fully enters my being. I've had dreams about being a vampire while emersed in her series. Rice's vampires have me ruined for any other kind of vampire novel (or movie). If another writer's vampires don't follow her rules, I tend to lose interest because they "aren't real." (been known to cause problems when a friend suggest other vampire novels, yes I know I'm picky!)

I loved the movie version of Interview with a Vampire with Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt and Christian Slater. I gave Queen of the Damned a chance. I drove my boyfriend nuts with my problems with the movie (mainly that they didn't follow the book and that they changed things that shouldn't have been changed!!!!!!) But it has left me curious to try the movie one more time after re-reading The Vampire Lestat . I know, I'll prolly just get all pissed off because they didn't do it like it was in my head. *sigh* I can wish though

The Plain Truth and The Stand

Okay, here's the plain truth- I was sucked into this book, totally and completely! I purposely have been avoiding going to the library. Why? Because I'm supposed to be packing up the apartment in preparation for the move this Saturday. But silly me! I had to stop by to drop off some books, that were on the overdue side, and instead of just leaving them in the drop box, I HAD to go in... And then I was already INSIDE the library so why not just go ahead and get a few books to hold me over...

I did manage to stop myself at 3 books (instead of my usual 6 or so). I did really good with Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowl: The Opal Deception. (Sophie Kinsella's Undomestic Goddess was the third book and for those who are curious was placed in my mother's hands over the weekend (she's hooked on Kinsella's books), and I won't see it until this Saturday)But then I picked up The Plain Truth late Saturday night. As per my usual I read for a bit until my eyes couldn't stay open any more. I was intrigued, but not hooked. The intrigue quickly turned into obsession around 11 o'clock Sunday morning. I really and truly did try to put it down. I just kept coming up with more excuses as to why I HAD to finish reading this book. Did I mention that I was supposed to be packing, and up to this point only 4 boxes had been packed away????

So, yeah, completely engrossed with this story about an 18 year old Amish girl who is accused to murdering her own baby. The story begins with a woman giving birth in the birthing stall of the barn. It fast forwards to the farm hands discovering a dead newborn. The farmer's wife had a hysterictomy many years ago so couldn't have been the mother, and her only daughter denies up and down that she wasn't pregnet- despite the fact that she shows all the signs of a woman who just gave birth. The daughter is accused of suffocating the infant and is brought to court. Enter the second heronie, a confused middle aged woman who needs a break from "city life," her boyfriend of 8 years and some of the tough court cases that she's been apart of. She finds herself as the young woman's lawyer and guardian until her trial is brought to court. The lawyer tries to get to the bottom of the infant's death but is met with refusal each time. Of course their relationship develops and everyone learns a little more about themselves. And I'm trying to be really good about not letting too much out about the ending.

Picoult's work is well written and made very real. Her characters feel familiar and aren't perfect, everyone has their faults. Picoult has easily become one of my favorite writers- and that is only after reading two of her books. I can't wait to spend more time exploring the other worlds that she has created in her other books.


Oh and for those who were wondering, I FINALLY finished The Stand. It took me a solid month to finish the 1200 page monster. My boyfriend even commented that that was the longest he's ever seen me read one book! The beginning of the book started out VERY SLOW!!!! King introduces you to over a few dozen characters and then quickly kills some of them off as a superflu spreads over the United States. Civilization as we know it comes to an end and people start migrating to find one another. Some of these people dream about an old black woman in a cornfield, while some others dream about "the dark man." Once people start meeting up with one another (around page 600), then things start to get intresting. The book is filled with rich detail and left me wanting a list of characters just so I could keep up with them all (I did find a website that was able to help me out at times). For all of the buildup that was done I thought that the final conflict between good and evil would be more. Overall, I did enjoy the book, that is, once I got through the first 600 pages and could keep everyone clear in my mind. It's only because of my boss' high recommendation of the book that kept me at it, otherwise it could have followed the fate of some other books and be tossed aside only half read.

And in case you are wondering, as I write this, I should be doing more packing and not procrastinating by blogging... oh well... I have Friday off to finish before the real fun begins on Saturday!

My Sister's Keeper

I have to say that My Sister's Keeper is easily one of the best books that I've read this year. The book is heartfelt and touching (and also had me in tears at the end!). Picoult's story begings with the telling of two sisters and their family and their struggles with leukemia. The older sister is diagnosed wtih leukemia at the age of two. Her older brother is not a good match to donate bone marrow, and the doctors give the parents hope that they could try for another child who could be a better match. They go through a fertility clinic and hand select an embryo that will be the perfect donor for their sick little girl. After many treatments and donations, the younger sister declares that she has had enough of it. The story blossoms from there. You learn about the troubled older brother, the mother who tries desperatly to save her oldest daughter from death, a father that is seeing his children in a new light, and the special relationship that sisters share with one another.

There are many ethical issues that are brought up with this book. It has been a long debate over the idea of "designer" children. But if you select the genes to be a donor for a child that you have that is sick, is that really wrong? You're trying to save one life through the use of another child? Or is that too much like the geneocide that Hitler tried to introduce in WWII? Designer genes are one thing, but what is to stop people from selecting children who are blonde haired and blue eyed and all fabulous athletes?

And then that brings the question as when is it too much for the new "donor child"? Who makes the decision when they have donated enough? Who decides which life is more important? Is it better to put the donor in harms way if theres a slight chance that the sick child may live or may be cured?

This is one of those books that will follow you long after you finish the last page (as you wipe tears from your eyes, seriously!). I finished this book over a week ago and I'm still moved by it. I spoke so highly of it, that as soon as I finished, my mom quickly plucked it out of my hands to read! I've longed to discuss this book with others, but the ending is such an integeral part of the story that I'm reluctant to say anything about it. Like I said before, I have to say that this is the best book I've read this year.

Again, just wow! I'm looking forward to reading the rest of Picoult's work, even if they are only half as good as My Sister's Keeper I know I'll enjoy.

Mendel Reading

Mendel Reading
Originally uploaded by Ayesha97.

Had to snap this photo of Mendel reading my book. I think its quite fitting that my cats love books as much as I do, or they just trying to get attention from me the only way they think they can??

Every Boy's Got One, Girls in Pants, and Fluke

Meg Cabot is great! I first came across her Princess Diary Series. I've read some of her other "adult" books and have enjoyed her unique style. In Every Boy's Got One you are presented with a series of e-mails and other written correspondance (including journal entries, receipts, passports, marriage certificates, etc..) and you are left to piece everything together. It gives you that thrill of peeking in on a stranger's life without them knowing, and its even better when they do such silly things in their lives! In this book, a young couple decides to go to Italy to elope with only their maid of honor and best man in tow. Without their knowledge, the bride and groom hope that the two will hit it off, the marriage witness have other thoughts on that idea... It's a very cute boy meets girl story that has been told in countless ways over and over again. It works wonderful as a cute distraction from the outside world and is an easy read too!

I recently reviewed The Second Summer of the Sisterhood and just followed it up with the third installment of Girls in Pants. I still had some of the same problems of following which character was which, but I did enjoy the book. The girls are each growing up and are learning more about them. This addition to the series gives a nice sense of completion to some of the issues the girls faced in the first book. One comes to terms with the difference between physical and emotional love, I think that this was the most meaningful story that was shared in the book, another learns to let go of that first love and learn who she really is, another learns to live in the moment and not be afraid, and the fourth member of the sisterhood deals with accepting the new addition to her family and reevaluates her current relationship with her mother. The books do send a good message to young adults. There is definatly a part of me that wants to see more of the series as the girls venture off to college, but if Ann Brashers decides to leave it as it is there a nice finality to it.


A good friend of mine has been trying to get me to read Christopher Moore's books for quite awhile. I have been procrastinating on picking them up and am kicking myself for not doing it sooner! Fluke: Or, I Know Why the Winged Whale Sings begins innocently enough with a series of whale scientists and then about halfway through the book, it turns very very VERY werid when the hero finds a humpback whale with "bite me" written on its fluke. This was a book that I couldn't predict the plot changes came at you so fast and furiously and more importantly so unexpectedly that there was no way my mind could come up with something a strange and twisted. I loved it though! In a world of books where the endings can be seen before you even pick up the book it was a refreshing breath of fresh air. I would love to go into more details but I really think that it would take away from the experience. If you are into the weird and unexpected and don't mind things that are more than a little far fetched, then by all means, pick this up right away! In the mean time, I'm going to pick up some of Moore's other books!

Shameless Plug

I have just become part of Barnes and Noble's Affiliate Program. I felt that I was already linking to B&N anyways... why not try and benefit from it. How shamless of me! So, please go visit via my links, help suplement my income and feed my addiction... in however minor of a way.

Briar Rose and the Holocaust

Briar Rose

In keeping with my love of fairy tales I picked up Briar Rose. The story of Sleeping Beauty has been one of my favorites, maily through the Disney version. It wasn't until reading the forward in Briar Rose that I learned that there have been many retellings of Sleeping Beauty. One of the versions has Beauty awoken as she's giving birth to a child. This book by Jane Yolen gives yet a more modern spin on the tale of the princess awoken by a kiss from her prince. Yolen creates a woman who truly believes that she is Briar Rose. She spends her entire life with this thought and regeals her granddaughters with the story of Sleeping Beauty. On her deathbed she makes her youngest granddaughter promise that she will find her castle in Germany. It takes the young woman on a search through old documents uncovering some dark secrets with the Holocaust and even a trip to visit modern day Poland. The story has one too many coincidences that make you wonder how believable it sounds (could she really show her grandmother's picture to two people in two areas of the world and have them both recognize her?), but its not enough of a distraction to keep you from enjoying the story.

Yolen brings to light the other people who suffered at Nazi Germany's hand. Her story gives you a unique prospective on the Jews and the homosexuals during this time in Poland. The numbers of people who died at their "camps" is staggering. During high school we went on a field trip to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in DC. The images they presented were enough to make one sick to think that one human could do this to another. One of the strongest images that still remains with me were the rooms filled with shoes and another filled with bags and bags of hair. The experience is like none I've ever had before. The frightening part is knowing that there have been many medical advances because of the experiments the doctors did on these "undesirable" people. Its sickening.

I guess that part of why I was so impressed with this story is that Yolen was able to take a dreary subject like the Holocaust and turn it into a happily ever after story, a silver lining in a dark cloud. This book is definatly worth your time and attention. Please go pick up a copy.

A Great and Terrible Beauty and New Lingerie

With Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince finished, what else was I supposed to do but find another book to read. I had seen my cousin with a copy of this book, and I have to say that the cover intrigued me. I didn't really get the name of the book or the author and have been on a search for it since. (Don't ask how hard it is to a visual search for a book while in the library....) Over the weekend, the lack of having a book to read hit me full force. Found it glaring at me from on the of the book ends at Barnes and Nobles and snatched A Great and Terribe Beauty up.

I'm glad to say that I wasn't disappointed by Bray's first novel. She sets the story at the end of the 19th Century. Gemma Doyle, the strong willed heroine of the book, starts out in Bombay, India where she witness a murder through a vision. Her family falls apart and she is sent to a "finishing school" in London. She struggles to find her place amongst the other girls and how to deal with these visions that she keeps seeing. The writing style is rich and eash to read. And there is something to be said for the immagery that is created when there is talk of corsets and such - *sigh* you've found me, the hopeless romantic (I pratically gushed all over myself when I saw Ever After with Drew Barrymore as she lived the life of the real Cinderella.

Speaking of romantic fairy tales...
I also found this gem on the clearance rack at Barnes and Nobles . The Empress's New Lingerie: Bedtime Stories for Grownups. This book left me giggling like a young school girl as I read through the erotic fairy tales. And all for the low low bargin price of $1.97! It brings a tear to the eye, I tell ya. The descriptions are quite amusing and the the extent that things are drawn out to mimic the original fairy tale make it even more over the top! A nice little bedtime story for the one that you love, but please be reminded, that this is intended for a mature audience. What fun!

Stories included...

Red, who "was known as Little Riding Hood, But as she grew from a child into ripening womanhod, the heavy, shifting dunes of her breasts and the swell of her rounded hips belied the name 'Little'" has a run-in the with the big bad wolf and really finds out how long that tongue of his is!

Snow Wite and the Seven Dwarvs, where the magic mirror of the Evil Queen has more than a passive role, and Snow White learns that seven are better than one.

Jackie and the Beanstalk, yeah... I think the name says enough, I think that you can figure out where this one goes (and could easily do without the father watching)

Cinderella and her prince with the foot fetish (kinda explains why he goes after the girl with the crystal stilletos on)

Goldie and the Three Bare Bachelors, Goldie goes on a mission to find perfection in life, she tries out three jobs and three men before finding one that is just right.

Rapunzel, goes to the best stylist to get a haircut and learns that she was using her hair against men and learns to find beauty in being bare (and please look at the source... because it means more than the hair on her head!)

Beauty and the Beast, yeah, a crazy scene with a rose coming to life for the Beast to watch some girl on girl action

The Miller's Daughter (Rumpelstiltskin), a little bit of bondage and instead of saying the little man's name, the Miller's Daughter calls him "master" and get what she desires...

Sleeping Beauty, only its a different kind of prick that puts her into her slumber and another kind of kiss that awakens her

The Three Little Pigs. The Pigs are men with different forms of piggish behavior that are taught a lesson by Miss Canidae "Candy" Wolfe as she "huffs and puffs and blows 'em down"

Hansel and Gretel, what series of erotic stories is complete without a story about incest...

The Empress's New Lingerie, the Empress Victoria has her garments made of a cloth that only the pure and virtious can see and persuades the makes to make some modest foundation undergarments that she can wear with it- of course she ends up with a get-up that makes the whole town go weak in the knees!

I got Harry Potter! I got Harry Potter! I got Harry Potter!

me and mike
Originally uploaded by Ayesha97.

With the help of Mike's friends we were able to get our "bracelets" early (I was #24!!!) so we were in the first group to get our books. By 12:15 we were on the way home with books in hand. At around 2ish I lost the battle with sleep and finally put the book down. I read most of the day and finished at 11:30 pm. I'm doing my best to not write any reactions down until others have had time to make their way through it. But "wow- OMG" seems to cover it. Rowling is amazing! Now how much longer do I need to wait before the next and final book?!?!?!?

The Sisterhood, Latte Lessons, And Striking Again

I fianlly made it back to the library and have a few reviews to share with the group. First up is The Second Summer of the Sisterhood By Ann Brashares. Its been quite awhile since I picked up the first installment of the Sisterhood of the traveling pants. I think time wasn't on my side. I had trouble telling the four girls apart and trying to remember what had happened to them the previous summer. About halfway through I was close to keeping their stories straight. Once I was past that part, I did find myself enjoying the stories that each girl had to share. I just find some of their actions to be off for young 16 year old girls. Maybe my childhood was more sheltered and I wasn't able to do as much, but... these girls did tend to get away with a lot. Overall, it was a great little story that would be best if read soon after the first.

My next book was Latte Lessons by Linda Lenhoff. I picked this one up off the shelf cold, and it could have stayed there and that would prolly have been all right. The writing style took some getting used to. The book didn't pull me in and make me want to devour it. I could tell from the beginning of the book who the main character was going to end up with and picked out even other plot "twists." The ending seemed to be a little perfect with the "bad" character just disappearing from their world. Not a horrible read, but I'm not going to rush out to reread it again.

The Hot Flash Club Strikes Again by Nancy Thayer was the next book that I finished from my library spree. Even though the main characters are menapausal women, the way the story is written, you are drawn into their world, and their problems. The come across very real and honest. This sequal branched out from the original Hot Flash Club members and included some younger women dealing with their horrible relatives. The original members arrange a meeting of these women who gain strength from each other. One can easily see where Thayer was trying to recreate the magic that her original women had and it works even if its strained at times. The one plot line discribing Polly taking care of her dying mother-in-law was quite touching. The ending was indeed the classic story book happily ever after ending, but thats one of the reasons people read- to be taken to another place where things do happen as they are supposed to. I really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading more by Nancy Thayer.

In Her Shoes

I've been in a book rut lately. I finished off my last set of library books over a month ago, but haven't made it back in to pick something new out. In the meantime I've been rereading over some of my older books. But, I was in need of a change and picked this book up over the weekend and tried my best to hold out on reading it until I was finished the other book I was reading (Orson Scott Card's Xenocide (Ender Series #3)). Temptation lured me in and I devoured In Her Shoes by Jennifer Weiner.

The story focus on two sisters, one is the brainy type, the other the thin pretty one, who lost their mother at a very young age. They struggle with the roles that have been doled out to them since they were young. The sisters have a falling out but discover that they really do care about each other while venturing away from the roles that they thought they were supposed to fill and are drawn together with their maternal grandmother (who they didn't know exsisted). Overall, a wonderful book. I had trouble putting it down (not mentioning staying up late to read, or sneaking it out from under my desk while at "work").

There is definatly something about the chemistry between the two that reminds me of the relationship that I have with my sister. She has made some unintelligent choices over the years, has struggled through school, decided to move out (in the middle of the night without telling anyone), got lost in a sea of meaningless relationships with many guys who barely cared about her and more of what she looked like and could give to them, married young (eloped is the better term, and of course, didn't tell anyone until after the ceremony), and has most recently decided that after 3 years of marriage that she can do better than her current husband! (Praise the lord!!)
I truly believe that any woman out there with a sister will appreciate this book. Its not hard to identify with one of the women. (I confess, I was termed the more bookish of the two... or let me guess, you've already figured that part out!)

I'm going to be sure to include Weiner's Little Earthquakes to my list of books to read. Did I mention that they are making In Her Shoes into a movie coming out this fall. It's to star Cameron Diaz, Toni Collette and Shirley MacLane. I really hope that they do the book justice.

Hitchiker's Guide....

I saw the movie version of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and laughed through the entire movie. I did have quite a few unanswered questions and went on a quest to read the books. The book was amazing! I loved the quirkiness that filled every page, I loved how random and bizarre every situation was described. I loved how I finally got the answers to my questions. I learned more about Zaphod's two heads and third arm, and why Arthur's brain was so important. I was amazed at how many pop culture references were take from this book (Trillian IM program, Babelfish translation page...)

After reading the first book, I immediately had to consume the rest in the series as well. Or so I thought. The randomness and quirkiness that I loved in the first book, wasn't qute as enduring as it was in the next book, The Restaurant at the End of the Universe. I found myself dragging through this book. I was still amused at the restaurant at the end of the universe and the play on words, but... It just didn't grab and hold my attention. I think the switching point of views and changes from Guide entries to the different characters made it hard to follow the story line. I'm almost halfway through Life, the Universe and Everything and keep finding myself falling asleep through it. I desperatly want to know what happens but the story line isn't flowing for me. I'm lost trying to follow the many tangents. I think that this series will be one that I'll have to reread at a later date to fully understand.

Books, books and even more books!!!

I haven't been doing the best at keeping this updated with the current books that I've read. So here's a crash course in my most recent reads...



I realize that my taste in books runs a bit all over the place. I have two books about older menapausal women, and then a third about a high school girl who learns that she's a princess. I'm addicted to the Princess Diaries Series. It definatly ranks up there with some of my favorite guilty pleasures. I usually can breeze through these books in a day and end up laughing the entire time. When I first started the The Red Hat Club it took me quite awhile to get used to the Southern lifestyle that was depicted in the books. I didn't immediatly fall in love with this book at first, but after finishing it, I realized that I had become quite attached to the characters and their sweet Southern sensibilites! I was quite impressed with the Hot Flash Club. The characters were clearly developed and you can't help but get excited for these women as they come together to deal with the problems in their life. (already planned as a Mother's Day present)



I was really disappointed with Upgrading. The story seemed interesting enough about a young man who turns to working as a gigolo to make extra cash but realizes that his morals get in the way of him becoming a gigolo fulltime. *yawn* took forever to get through this!!! Anita Shreve continues to amaze me. This is only the third book that I have read of hers, and I'm drawn into the world that she creates. Her characters are always complex and the discriptions are always rich and colorful. I love how she keeps going back to the same sea side town and even the same beach house to retell what happened to the house as the inhabitants change. My last book on this update is another one of my favorite series by Sophie Kinsella. I ran across this series while walking in the local Barnes & Noble and laughed the entire way through the first three books. I just wish that the latest installment was as funny. Don't get me wrong, I really did enjoy it, it just didn't have quite the same pull as the first three. I did love how Kinsella left the ending open... can't wait until Shopohlic and Baby is announced. ;)

Heroics for Beginners

Heroics for Beginners by John Moore came highly recommended by a close friend of me. I found the story to be highly entertaining. I mean the "hero's" name is prince Kevin Timberline and he's learning how to be a hero by reading The Handbook of Pratical Heroics
so that he can do defeat the Evil Lord Voltmeter (He Who Must be Named) and marry the Princess Rebecca from the kingdom of Deserae.

The idea behind the story was great, but I think it could have been handled better. I think has the potential to become and even better movie than a book. It didn't quite hold my interest like some of my favorite books, it didn't compel me to finish it that very moment. I actually stopped one night with less than 10 pages left and didn't find myself going crazy to finish those last few pages. (I've been known to stay up to the wee hours of the morning just to finish a book because there were only 100 pages left...)

I was highly entertained with many of the puns and poking fun of the typical fairy tail story and situations. But be warned, this book is geared more towards the older young adults to adults. There are some romantic situations that made my jaw hit the floor (I went into reading this as a book that could be shared with younger readers).

Next up... a little change of pace with Shopaholic Takes Manhattan. I just need to finish my inbetween re-read of Jean M. Auel's The Mammoth Hunters.

I'm just here for more food....

Over the weekend, went into the local B&N and found out that Alton Brown is going to be there promoting his new book “I’M JUST HERE FOR MORE FOOD” on Wednesday, January 19, 7:30 PM!!! That's only a little over a week away! Definatly going to put in an appearance. Might finally break down and buy one of his cookbooks in the hopes of getting it autographed!

I love Alton's take on cooking- more of a scientific approach on how and why you do things a certain way. He's also full of humor and puns. He has a great show on the food network- go check out Good Eats. I promise you won't be disappointed!

Cassandra French's Finishing School for Boys

I just finished reading this book by Eric Garcia and managed to laugh my ass off the entire time. The story begins with a late twenty-something woman who is having trouble finding men that fit up to her expectations. As the story progresses you learn that Ms. Cassandra French has 3 "boys" living in her basement that she is "teaching" how to become men. She gives them lessons on fashion, sex, and how to treat a woman. She even has "movie night" where she shows them her own edited versions of great movies! The idea is so out there that you can't help but laugh!!! The ending gets even more outrageous as the shit starts hitting the fan. YOu begin to wonder if she'll ever pull herself out of the mess that she created. I'd love to share how, but I don't want to ruin it. Did I mention that her mom is on house arrest and is only allowed to go 500 ft from her house- and isn't allowed to use the phone either? She tracks down total strangers and gets them to use their cell phone to call her daughter. More cheap but funny humor! Definalty take the time to read this!

The Photograph

The Photograph by Penelope Lively is the first book that I'm reading with the two online book clubs that I joined Englishrse's Reading Room and Roundtable Concessional. To be perfectly honest, I'm having the hardest time getting into this book! I started it Monday night, was even home sick on Tuesday, and am still barely halfway finished! Its only about a 200 page book too! The writing style it getting to me. Lively has many passages where it seems like she's going to throw in as many big words at one time and hope for the best. There are other passages where its more of a smile and nod kind of passage... You know, when you are talking with someone and they just seem to go on and on and on and you try your very best to follow exactly what they are saying so you just smile and nod and hope that they come to their point really really soon. That's what this book is making me feel!!!! I just want to find out what the point of the book is! It's only because I have joined the two book clubs that I'm even bothering to finish it. There are too many other books in my library bag that are screaming out to be read!

Edit: Just finished The Photograph. Still not impressed with this book, the only part that seemed to bring me in was the last 15 pages or so. Yes, it has a haunting ending, but I'm still not impressed. Off to read another book from my stash!

Drum roll please.....

It's official, I can now qualifiy for the official bookworm title. I read 112 books for the year 2004- thats about 2 to 3 a week. Yes I know I'm a dork! There are only a few books that I really didn't get around to reading last year, mainly some classics. But I have plenty of time to get to those. I've also joined up with the folks over at Roundtable Confessional and at Englishrose's Reading Room to try my hand at an online book club. I'm sure it will be an interesting venture. I just need to get a hold of the books that they have lined up.