Wedding Night by Sophie Kinsella

Sophie Kinsella is one of my favourite chick lit authors. That’s not a large niche because I don’t read that much chick lit. Still, I’ve enjoyed most of her novels even though her characters embarass themselves a lot mostly through lying.

This novel had more characters than the typical Kinsella book, and the two women narrate the story. It’s interesting because it gives perspectives on some intimate relationships. It is the theme for all the characters that they have to be reminded by others about taking things too far. It’s a story about seeing yourself objectively.

I realized during this book that here is a lack of women of colour in Kinsella’s novels. I am not sure why it took almost ten of her books for me to realize, but perhaps those other ones distracted me long enough to realize it.

This book did drag for me a bit. I thought the slapstick antics were too much even if I did laugh during the couples quiz. While I found the female characters the same as her other books, foolish but still relatable, it got a bit too much for me. I just thought it could have been cut down by about fifty pages.

I like the fact there was more than one ending because of the larger cast of characters. I hope Kinsella does that again, but I also felt the men were short-changed as a result. Kinsella can write some amusing leading men, but not enough of them here though.

I’ll read Kinsella again, but I do not think this was one of her better novels.

Read June 15 2013.

Sunday Salon: Used Book Sales 2013

Sunday Salon

Hello, everyone!

It’s been a bookish week for me. I read finished four books this week: Unnatural Creatures stories selected by Neil Gaiman, Soulless vol. 2 by Gail Carriger and REM, Raven Girl by Audrey Niffenegger, and Wedding Night by Sophie Kinsella (review up tomorrow). I also bought some books.

It’s used book sale season! Even though I made a resolution to not buy any more books with one exception, I still had to hit my favourite used book sale yesterday and one last thursday. I went looking for the exception: food and cookbooks. In addition to seemingly collect yarn, pens, and paper, I’ve been building a big cookbook collection the last two years. As well as cookbooks, I was looking for any travel books.

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Raven Girl by Audrey Niffenegger

I’m still not quite sure if I really like the works of Audrey Niffenegger. I read The Time Traveler’s Wife as many others did which I found fine. I read Three Incestuous Sisters as a result and found myself more indifferent to her work. I do appreciate the use of art and writing together.

This is basically an adult picture book except not inappropriate or gratuitous. It’s still strange because it features a man and a raven whom fall in love and their resulting daughter. I actual don’t mind this oddity, rather like this strangeness and the art that goes with it. The ending felt a bit abrupt though. I did like it overall better than the last Niffenegger graphic book, but not a classic by any means.

Read June 14, 2013.

Soulless vol. 2 by Gail Carriger and REM

This steampunk and urban fantasy series is great in manga form. So fun and in many ways, even more hilarious and better than the books since it’s done in this style. I hope this series is popular in Japan too because it definitely would have a market there.

The exaggerated expressions and face sweats are typical manga form, but there is also a restraint it in because this is still an action series. I’m enjoying this manga more than I thought. I think people who have not read the books would like them as well as it misses very few details. It even adds many not shown in the book for comic effect.

Fun manga and graphic novel series.

Read June 12-13, 2013.

Unnatural Creatures stories selected by Neil Gaiman

Neil Gaiman is one of my favourite authors alive today. He writes stories and has an imagination that touches and enthralls me. He also has excellent taste in short stories.

In this collection, he curates some wonderful supernatural stories. He wrote one of them, but this collection of stories includes authors from the modern day and the early twentieth century. I liked that variety.

I liked almost every one of the sixteen stories featured. I think I was only indifferent or very bored with a couple of them, but that’s a high number for me. It’s difficult to get this much quality. Some of them are quite clever. Several are pure escapism.

I really enjoyed this collection.

Read June 9-11th 2013.

Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris

I am going through my Sedaris kick especially his audiobooks. It’s rather difficult to review his books and essays as you either get his sense of humour or you don’t. This one is even more family oriented than the others of his I have read. I’m actually less partial to his family stories, but they are still amusing and elicit some gems.

I do laugh while listening to his essays. He is a great reader. One of my favourites was “Six to Eight Black Men” which Sedaris performed live. I always like listening to live things and it feels you’re laughing along to others. I just think I like listening to other people’s laughs.

Sedaris is a strange man who has an interesting mind. He writes things which most people would not ever put to words or speaking, but I often suspect we all have strange tendencies. It’s a quirky way of looking at people and the innate humour of life.

Listened to on audiobook June 5-9, 2013.

1001 Books Before You Die Challenge

1001books

A life long reading challenge to read books from Peter Boxall’s 1001 Books Before You Die Challenge. I’ve joined this challenge before in other forms, but this will be my definitive Master List post. For the purposes of variety, I include books that have been listed in all three editions (1305 books). This challenge is a good overlap to the Classics Club and all the other ongoing reading challenges I am doing.

Interestingly, this list has a few of the most boring books I have ever read, but largely, it also has a few of the best books I ever read. There are many books on the lists that I have no intention of reading anytime, but for the most part, there are some good recommendations in this list.

I’ve wanted to join this challenge for a few months, but I had to make time to update my list of books read for the challenge.

The following are a list of books I have read from any of the edition. This post will be updated whenever I finish a books/find the time.
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Booking Through Thursday – Choosing

What makes you choose the books you read?
Genre? Reviews? Certain authors? Covers? Recommendations? – BTT

All of the above and more. While I no longer browse book stores and libraries as much as I use to, I do find myself looking at books others read on GoodReads or on the library catalogue website.

I do find Reviews or Recommendations the strongest. Word of Mouth is easiest, and I will often read books by authors I have read before. I am quite loyal that way.

In the past, I have selected books for their covers, but I am less likely to do that now as I have so many other books to choose from.

How about you?

Monthly Movies – May 2013

For the last couple of months, I’ve been watching mostly TV and rewatching movies and shows. I don’t think I watched a new movie for almost two months until War Horse.

War Horse (18 05 2013) – Review Here.

Kinky Boots (25 05 13) – I remember seeing the trailer for this back in 2005 o 2006. I’ve liked Chiwetel Ejiofor since Dirty Pretty Things and the man should be more famous. He is wonderful in this film. It is fun and underrated. The romance aspect of the movie is a bit trite and boring though. It should have just focused mainly on Ejiofor’s character Simon/Lola and the friendship with Charlie Price. I would still recommend this film just for people to see Eliofor.

Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (26 05 13) – I could have watched something funnier, but I just wanted something to knit along to for a Sunday night. Since I’ve read the book and seen the original Swedish movie, I thought it would require less attention. I’ve had the movie for awhile too because I adore Daniel Craig. I would watch a whole movie of him and that cat. It was interesting and realistic to see people smoking for once in an American movie. In any case, great acting all around. While I loved Noomi Rapace’s acting, Rooney did a great job here too. She was physically very Lisebeth. I felt the Mickael/Lisbeth hookup was rushed in this film compared to the other one, but these two actors had more chemistry than the first film. I was not crazy about the music. They changed the ending and some of the details, but they elaborated on the ending a bit more. Then it ended rather abruptly just like in the book. I think overall, the Swedish version does edge out this one. I’ll watch the sequel, but I really only liked parts 1 and 3 of the series.

Notably Rewatched

Howl’s Moving Castle – Hayao Miyazaki is one of the few people I consider geniuses. His movies touch me and make me feel good without being too contrived or cliched. He really captures imagination and creativity. I’ve been rewatching a lot of his movies in the last year, and not sure which to pick next. Though none of them can do wrong. The movie reminds me that I should read the book one day.

Sunday Salon: Rain in June

Sunday Salon

Hello, all!

It’s been a very wet couple of weeks. A couple of sunny days early in the week, but mostly wet and humid the rest of the way. I was even caught in the rain yesterday. I had an umbrella, but that didn’t stop my backpack, shoes and most of my clothing from being soaked. I threw out the umbrella when I got home.

Reading wise, I’ve queued up books for June, but didn’t start a book until yesterday. Clash of Kings is the read for this weekend.

I will also need to read two books for the Classics Club this month. This weekend was my first anniversary of the challenge. I’ve read 13 books out of the minimum 50 books. I know if I dedicate more time to completing that challenge over others, I can complete it quickly. I am taking it slowly though, but it is always at the back of my reading mind.

Fitness: Not that great with the rain. I ran three times this past week, but not very much each time. The last time, I became very red and overheated because it was so hot and humid even at 8pm at night.

Today, more reading, maybe a walk but not a run and then a dinner out. I’ve eaten out a lot now that it’s warmer. That means I should exercise more. But first some reading and knitting!

Have a good week, everyone!