48 Hour Book Challange - The Red Necklace

I never thought I would make it through the three books I most wanted to read this weekend, but I have!

The Red Necklace - Sally Gardner

A historical work of fiction set during the French revolution. With a little twist on reality, many of the charcters in the novel can work magic, read minds, tell the future, or move objects with their minds. Not in a huge obvious Harry Potter kind of way but a quite secret way that makes you believe as if that kind of magic is possible. The main focus of the book is not however the magic - it is the characters and their struggle to survive during the revolution. My university mind clicked in and began noticing a theme, that of the "sheep". Many times through out the novel people are described as sheep, blindly following the herd even though the herd is headed towards slaughter. I thought this was a very well written book, one that I believe could be studied in school to educational benifit and to the students enjoyment.

Hours: 5 hrs, 30 Mins + 4 Hrs, 40 Mins = 10 Hrs, 10 Mins

Edit: I forgot to add; so far all three of my books have mentioned Shakespeare. Wondrous Strange used Midsummer Nights Dream heavily in its plot, A Midsummer Nights Dream was briefly mentioned in Lament, and in The Red Necklace an acter quoted Shakespeare. It is tempting to continue the Shakespeare trend but the only other Shakespeare related book in my TBR pile is "Othello" and I don't feel quite like tackeling that at the moment...

48 Hour Challange - Lament

My second read of the 48 Hour book challenge (first whole book) was Maggie Stiefvater's "Lament". This has been on my TBR pile for some time, and half of me is kicking myself for waiting so long to read it, the other half is quite happy that I do not have to wait as long for the sequal. It's release date is still to far away (a WHOLE summer!!) but it will be worth it.

I really enjoyed this book. I thought I might be faeried out after Wondrous Strange, but this book did a original take on fearies I thought. They were still faeries, but it felt different somehow. Ms. Stiefvater's writing style was very fun to read, the voice of Deirdre felt real and unique. And Luke. Such a cutie. It was a suspensful and entertaining read and I would recommend it to fans of faeries or romance, or just YA.

Hours: 1 Hr, 50 Min + 3 Hrs, 40 Min = 5 Hr, 30 Min

48 Hour Challange - Wondrous Strange

I started this book before the challange, but did not get a chance to finish it before and I couldn't just abandon it sooo my first book completed is really only half a book.

Wondrous Strange - Lesley Livington

I have wanted to read this one since it first came out in hardcover, but I waited to buy it untill it came out cheaper in paperback. Wasn't happy to learn the paperback was 20 dollars anyways, but I still went ahead and bought it. What drew me to it was its beautiful cover and the use of Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream (a play that holds a special place in my heart). The fact that the main character was an actress was also very cool.

The story itself was pretty good, but besides the Shakespeare element it didn't strike me as too memoriable. I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in faeries, or in Shakespeare's plays (At least MSND)

Total hours so far: 1 Hr, 50 Min

And... Go!

This morning decided to bless me with the beginings of a cold. Joy. But this shall not stop me from attempting MotherReaders Fourth Annual 48 Hour Book Challange. I believe it may actually be an asset... for instance

Mother: Come do the dishes!
Me: Can't *coughcough* I'm sick! *continues to read*

All though I was not able to completly clear my schedual (work, a play to attend, staff party... come to think of it this is one of my more social weekends... >.>) I shall do my best! If any thing this will give me a good excuse to maybe finish even one or two books from my TBR pile.

Edit:

I guess I should state what my 48 hours will be. I started at 11:00 Friday morning and will finish 11:00 Sunday.

City of Glass - Cassandra Clare

Today after work I decided I was going to sit down and finish reading City of Glass (not to say that I had to force myself to read this one - quite the opposite). I took my book outside, enjoyed the sunshine, and enjoyed the last quater of this very good book.

It begins days after the the last one ended, and shoots you right back into the plot of the series, with the usual bits of narative to remind you of things, but done in a way that didn't feel like it was being shoved down your throat for the third time.

It had action, suspense, mystery, angst, death, love, and a happy ending. **Spoiler** The first time I read books one and two I was not happy with the idea of Jace and Clary. I wanted Clary and Simon together, period. Second time reading it, I knew what to expect and that made me more open to the Jace/Clary pairing. So I am actually very glad that Clary and Jace weren't siblings afterall. **End Spoiler**

This book was better than the second, and on par with the first. Overall it is a very good series for anyone who likes action/supernatural type stories with plently of drama and magic.

I think I just may have falling back into my reading niche. Yay for City of Glass for pushing me back in! To Be Read pile here I come!

To Reread, or not to Reread!

I would take the time to review a book right now, but the last book was a book I had read for the third time. I did this so I could read the third in its series. I contemplated just reading the second one, but I couldn't get into it without having read the previous ones.

I do this for pretty many series' that I am reading. When a new one comes out, if I hadn't read the previous one for maybe a year, I reread the previous books: Harry Potter and Artemis Fowl are two examples. And I can't continue reading the Pendragon series precisly because there are too many books I would have to reread - I have just fallen to far behind.

I love to reread books. Back in the days when my book collection fit along the top of my dresser I would have to reread my books because I didn't have the money to buy new ones, nor could i hope in my car to go to the library. Yes my parents would take me to the library, or buy me a new book, but at the rate I read books I had to find something to read in the mean time. I recall fondly those days where I had the leisure to pick which book I wanted to read again. Now I have a stack of unread books by bed all yelling at me, "READ ME! I have been sitting here for a YEAR now!" And all I can do is answer meekly back, "I'm trying! I'm sorry!"

Of course I love buying new books, and I'm not complaining about having to many books. So what am I trying to say here? That I guess...rereading is both a wonderful, lovely thing that I enjoy immensly when I am revisting a favourite, and a chore when one feels they must reread in order to enjoy a new book. City of Bones, for the third time, was alright. But its not the kind of book that one enjoys reading for a third time. The story is still good, but I know what happens and the writing isn't particularly special enough to make me enjoy the third reading.*

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* Some books, in case your were wondering, that I found I can reread again and again? Ella Enchanted, Jane Eyre, Howl's Moving Castle, Artemis Fowl (though i think I sprained my Artemis Fowl enjoyment in my last Fowl-a-thon), Harry Potter, and Beauty by Robin Mckinley. I would make lists to Amazon for all of these to support these wonderful books but if my one reader is interested in them she can ask me about them :)

Money Makes the World Go Round *

aaaand a new post! Wow!!

My friend over at ibotherthee manages a new post a week, where I am averaging one a month maybe?

I should be ashamed. But I am too tired right now.

I spent a busy busy afternoon watching my pretties that just came in the mail.

Yes I gave in to temptation and purchased the Angel Special Edition Box Set. In my defense, it was on sale one day only and I had to make a fast decision.

So far enjoying the pretty box, and the wonderfull fullscreen, beautifully clear and unpixally video.

It looks so nice sitting beside its sister...

(I took this photo with my new Blackberry and sent it to my computer. Yay technology!)

MAN have I spent alot of money latley.

No time to think of a witty ending for this post - if any of my endings have been witty, I don't know, probably not. Off to rehearsal for Earnest! (the last one *tear*)

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* Song that popped into my head as I pondered how much money I have been spending. Video -->http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkRIbUT6u7Q so entertaining :)