Graphic Novel Portion...Complete!

The Exile
by Diana Gabaldon

The best part of our 2012 Summer Reading Challenge is our ability to choose the books we want to read. We are given guidelines and even choices inside the guidelines in order to make the challenge a little more personal and interesting to complete. I am not a big graphic novel reader, but with this challenge I was able to find books in which I had an interest to fit this category. As I previously posted I read three Oz graphic novels last week while visiting the TWU. Today I completed the challenge by reading Diana Gabaldon's The Exile. This graphic novel is based on Gabaldon's The Outlander series. There are many similarities between the graphic novel and the first book in the series, Outlanderk, but the biggest difference is the perspective from which the story is told. In this graphic novel we read about the most basic of the story line from Jamie's perspective. For anyone who might consider reading the series, I would not recommend reading this graphic novel first. It might actually turn you away from this wonderful series. The graphic novel was a little hard to follow because so much had to be cut in order to fit the story line into this very condensed version of a 896 page novel.

Graphic Novels

2012 Summer Reading Challenge Update...

The Forgotten Forest of Oz
by Eric Shanower

The Ice King of Oz
by Eric Shanower

The Secret Island of Oz
by Eric Shanower

The  Big Book of Grimm
by Jonathan Vankin

You know I was at TWU last week if you read my previous post. You also know about the book that captured my attention. I found a wonderful place outside on the balcony of the library and started reading this new found friend when I realized I was at a library! :-) Okay, yes I can be a little nuts at times, but it occurred to me that while I was at said library I could check off a few of the readings I need for our summer reading challenge. I went downstairs to the children's department and found some graphic novels. I knew this was the perfect place to locate said genre. The best part was finding some that 1.) I was very interested in reading because of the subject matter and 2.) I did not know they existed. I love the Wizard of Oz and these were perfect for me to read while I was waiting for Walter to finish his meeting. I also started reading The Big Book of Grimm by Jonathan Vankin, which included over 50 of the wonderfully gruesome tales illustrated by various DC Comic cartoonists.. I loved it. Unfortunately I did not have time to read all 192 pages of the book and since I am no longer a student I was not able to check the book out to bring home to finish. Since I need four graphic novels to complete this portion of the reading challenge I will need to find one more book to fit into this category. Since my husband has been collecting Asterix for years, I might just have to break down and read one.

The Big Bang Theory and Philosophy

Last week my sweet husband, Walter, needed to go to  Texas Woman's University to a meeting. He asked if I wanted to go with him, and since I hadn't been on campus in a number of years I decided to go along. At first I thought I would just sit somewhere quiet and read, but then we parked near the bookstore. You know what that means! Well, of course I HAD to go in and look around. Now, it has been 14 years since we graduated from TWU, but I still got a thrill when I walked through the doors. One of the best thrills was that I was not there to spend hundreds of dollars on text books (even though I have seriously thought about going back to school to work on my doctorate). As I walked around I really tried not to go over to the books. I knew I did not NEED any new books, but I could not control myself. I walked over and the very first book I saw was yelling my name, not calling mind you, but YELLING for me to pick it up. It must have known that once I picked it up and started reading through the table of contents there would be no turning back. Boy, am I that easy of a mark?!? I guess so. Here is the cover of the book that now lives in our home.

The Big Bang Theory and Philosophy:
Rock, Paper, Scissors, Aristotle, Locke
Edited by William Irwin and Dean A. Kowalski

For those  who know my family well, or even if you just casually know us I guess, you will see why this book just HAD to come home with me! My sweet son is Sheldon Cooper! Not really, but he has a lot of the same characteristics (good and bad) of this Big Bang Theory character. We love the show and can hardly watch a rerun without MY little Sheldon saying the dialogue along with the actors.

I have to say, this book came to me at an important time in my life, all joking aside. I enjoyed the philosophy class I took in college (although not at TWU, the other university in town, UNT). Since that class so many years ago, I have not really thought about reading a book on philosophy. I have by no means finished reading the book. I am slowly absorbing the information and actually highlighting passages that I want to remember and refer to later. I know this sounds a little ridiculous, but this book has made me understand some issues that I have been dealing with in my personal life. You probably think I'm crazy, but it is true. The way the authors make connections between the philosophers statements of so long ago, specifically Aristotle, and the relationships and antics of the BBT characters is wonderful. 

Earlier in the year, my son presented a speech on Shakespeare. He had been working on this speech since last summer. It was his Academic Decathlon speech for competition and very important to him. Seeing my little boy grow into a young man and create has amazed me. I know you are probably wondering why I am including this randomness, but I do have a point. His speech was about Shakespeare's writings and how so many people just don't "get" him. (I being one of them.) I was amazed how he developed his speech around the wonderful productions he has been a part of through the Stolen Shakespeare Guild by making the connection between the entertainment of the days when Shakespeare's plays were debuting and the television of now. He made reference to The Big Bang Theory and Love's Labour's Lost, Two and a Half Men and A Comedy of Errors , even CSI and Othello and Julius Cesar.  The same is true for the above mentioned book. We might not always understand the information from the scholars of long ago but when connections are made for us based on the things we know and love it is so much easier to understand.

By the way, this book will fit into my 2012 Summer Reading Challenge...non-fiction!

2012 Summer Reading Challenge

I knew it was coming. I just didn't know that I was actually on the right track for the 2012 Irving ISD Librarian Summer Reading Challenge. I should have seen it coming though when I was talking to my friend, Lea, who just happens to be the Director of Library Services, that I was planning to read some of the books from the TLA Lariat List this summer. Since I didn't get the challenge until yesterday I guess Godmother won't really count. Oh, well, darn, now I have to read another book (raising sarcasm sign).

Okay, here is the challenge...lots of choices.

1 - controversial adult book OR  book by one of the authors visiting Irving Public Library this summer

• John Corey Whaley -  Where Things Come Back,
• Beth Revis - A Million Suns & Across the Universe
• Jackson Pearce - As You Wish,  Sisters Red, Sweetly, & Purity
• Andrea Cremer - Nightshade, Wolfsbane: A Nightshade Novel, & Bloodrose: A Nightshade Novel
• Rosemary Clement-Moore -Prom tes from Hell, Hell Week, Highway to Hell, & The Splendor Falls
• Marie Lu - Legend 
• Lori Wilde - Saving Allegheny Green, You Only Love Twice, Addicted to Love, The Sweethearts' Knitting Club, High Stakes Seduction, & The First Love Cookie Club
• Francis Ray - A Seductive Kiss, Twice the Temptation, Undeniable, & Break Every Rule
• Elizabeth Essex - The Pursuit of Pleasure & A Sense of Sin
• Leann Harris - Hidden Deception

2 -  books from the current or past Lariat List OR online books (or a combination of the two)

3 - young adult books with 2011 or later copyright dates OR nonfiction books (or a combination of the two)

4 - recent picture books OR graphic novels - (or a combination of the two)

So, there is a total of 10 books required for the challenge. I'm not sure I can limit myself to only 10! Just going through the lists and the choices I have already made some selections based on books I have wanted to read for some time that actually fit into the various categories very nicely.

You will have to come back to see the choices I make and my opinion of the different books.

Summer Reading

Although my summer will not officially begin until 3:30 Wednesday, I have unofficially declared the start of my summer reading. In the past three days I have read two great books. One from a favorite author, James Patterson, and one from a new to me author, Carolyn Turgeon.

I will start off by saying I read just about everything James Patterson publishes. As soon as I hear a new books is in the works, I go to my calendar and make an appointment to put the book on hold a month prior to the release date. This give me the reminder I need to log into the public library's online catalog and look for the title to appear. If I don't see it the day of the appointment I move the appointment by a few days. I keep this up until I can see the book has been ordered by the library and I can place a hold on it. Obsessive, maybe a little, but I want to be one of the first to read his new book when it comes out.

11th Hour
by James Patterson & Maxine Paetro

So anyway, I finished 11th Hour, the latest installment of the Women's Murder Club series. It was a good story, like the rest of his books, but I didn't feel the interaction between the female characters was as strong as it has been in other books.

Cinderellaby Marcia Brown

Cinderella
by James Marshall

Now for a completely different story, a fairy tale actually. I remember reading fairy tales as a child and watching them come to life on the movie screen thanks to Walt Disney. I remember the beautiful illustrations by Marcia Brown's Caldecott winning book, and the comical cartoonish characters in James Marshall's version. I have to admit my favorite Cinderella is the singing and dancing version created by Walt Disney. To this day I love the songs from the movie, "A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes" and the little mice singing "Cinderelly, Cinderelly" in "The Work Song".

Godmother
by Carolyn Turgeon

I decided this summer I would read some of the great books on the Texas Library Association's Lariat Reading List.  I started by reading Carolyn Turgeon's Godmother: The Secret Cinderella Story. I was not really sure what to expect, but I devoured the book in one day. I was completely engrossed in Lil's life working in a New York bookstore and her wonderful secret life behind the locked doors of her apartment. The version of the book I was reading has a Reading Group Guide in the back. The last question is, "Fast-forward six months after the book ends. Where do you see each character? Are they better or worse off than they were before?" I love this question and for anyone that chooses to read this book based on  my recommendation, I would love to hear your response to this question. I do not feel it is appropriate to include my response here as it would spoil the book. The ending is not at all what I thought it would be, thus making it even better because now I get to ponder the above question and create my own true ending to the love story.

Where did the time go?

I admit to being a bibliophile. In fact I guess I should be a member of BA (Bibliophiles Anonymous). I don't think I would be too good at the anonymous part though. I can't help but share the wonderful books I read with others.

I can't believe it has been almost six months since I have written about the awesome books I have read. Wow, where to begin? I guess from the beginning, or since my last post. I actually wrote about reading A Breath of Snow and Ashes by Diana Gabaldon, but like all of the other times I pick up one of her great books, I stopped reading before I finished the book. I just can't seem to get to the end of these books because I just don't want the story to end. Crazy, I know, but that is just how I roll.

There have been so many books over the past six months. I will post pictures of all of the books and try to write a little about each one. If you have read my posts before it will come as no surprise I have been reading books that have been made or will be made into movies. I always want to read the book first, as there is usually no comparison to the greatness of the book, because the movie created in my head by the author's words is always so much better.

One Summer
by David Baldacci

On recommendation of my mother, I read David Baldacci's One Summer. What a wonderful book! Make sure you have a box of tissues, but it is well worth the read. A terminally ill man wants to hang on to life until Christmas. He reaches his goal, but the circumstances and events that touch this family take them to the shores of South Carolina. During this time together, the family tries to recapture the bond they once shared.

Second Grave on the Left
by Darynda Jones

The next book I read was the second book in the new series by Darynda Jones, Second Grave on the Left. Charley, the P.I. / Grim Reaper is once again in the middle of an investigation, this time for a missing friend of her faithful sidekick, Cookie. The background story of Reyes, Charley's sexy boyfriend, is revealed and an interesting side story goes on as Charley and Cookie are investigating the missing woman's disappearance. This series provides a fun twist on the supernatural by making Charley a private investigator.

Private #1 Suspect
by James Patterson & Maxine Paetro

Kill Alex Cross
by James Patterson

Kill Me If You Can
by James Patterson & Marshall Karp

The Christmas Wedding
by James Patterson

James Patterson is obviously one of my very favorite authors. As soon as I hear a new book is coming out I have to put it on hold at the library. I want to be one of the first to read each one of his books. Here are the ones I have read recently. All I really need to say is they are James Patterson and no matter if they are a continuation of the Detective Alex Cross series, the new Jack Morgan Private series, or a stand alone novel just about everything James Patterson writes is engrossing.

One for the Money
by Janet Evanovich

For years my mother has been reading Janet Evanovich. I'm not sure why I never picked one of her books up, but I finally did and loved it! I laughed more in this mystery / thriller than I have while reading books written by comedians. Stephanie Plum is hysterical in One for the Money. Surprisingly after reading the book I found out it was being made into a movie (surprise, surprise). I have not seen the movie yet, but I will say I started reading the second book and did not finish it (I have that right as a reader) because I just did not enjoy it as much as the first book. I will have to give it a go again someday, maybe.

Double Dexter
by Jeff Lindsay

Dexter is one of my very favorite characters. I have been cheering for this serial killer since the beginning. I had read all Jeff Lindsay's great Dexter books before the Showtime series was announced. I have to admit I was very excited to see the characters come to life. Michael C. Hall IS Dexter!! The series is wonderful, but the books are SO much better. Double Dexter, the sixth book in the series does not disappoint. I just hope we don't have to wait too long for the next book.

Life After Death
by Sally Morgan

I don't remember how I found out about Sally Morgan's book Life After Death: Messages of Love from the Other Side. I have read a few of John Edward's books, Crossing Over, One Last Time, and After Life: Answers from the Other Side and really enjoyed them. I believe in the after life and I believe the spirits of those we love that have already crossed over are in Heaven waiting for us. I also believe they surround us with their presence and watch over us all of the time. I would love to attend a private reading from either Sally Morgan or John Edward. I know some people think I am crazy, but I have some questions I would like to have answered and the only ones with the answers have already crossed over.

Crooked Letter, Crooked  Letter
by Tom Franklin

Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter by Tom Franklin is one of those books that grabs you from the very beginning and you just can't put it down until you get to the last page. Richard Russo's quote about this novel is so very true, "Long after the other 75 novels of suspense you've read this year merge in your memory, you'll vividly recall this novel." With chapters alternating between the past and the present you are immediately thrown into the twenty-five year old disappearance of Cindy Walker. The back story is set in Mississippi in the late 70s and early 80s and you get a strong sense of the hostility between the black and white citizens of small town Chabot. Not only a great read for the mystery and suspense, but also for the accurate portrayal of the characters during the time period.

Every Thing On It
by Shel Silverstein

I remember falling in love with the poetry of Shel Silverstein when I was a child. I can not remember the teacher who introduced me to his wacky prose, but I will be forever grateful because they have always made me smile. This book of never-before-published poems does not disappoint. As soon as I got home with the book (yes, I actually bought the real book ... it's not available in the ebook format!) I poured over each wonderful verse. I just love his poetry and I am thankful to his family for allowing his readers to continue to enjoy his words so many years after his death.

Why My Third Husband Will
Be a Dog by Lisa Scottoline

I love mysteries, suspense, and thrillers, but I also love to laugh. I guess that is why I picked up Lisa Scottoline's My Third Husband Will Be A Dog. I have only read one other book by Ms. Scottoline, but neither of these will be the last. Not only can she weave a wonderful storyline in her novels, but she can also make you wet your pants with her real life adventures as a single mom. This is a hilarious collection of articles from her Philadelphia Inquirer column. You will laugh until you cry and then do some crying along the way.


Like with the James Patterson books, when I find an author that really captures my imagination and peaks my interest I read a number of the authors books in a row. So is the case will Brian Selznick. I know as a librarian I should have read some of these books ages ago, but now I can say I have read and loved them all.

The Boy of a Thousand Faces
by Brian Selznick

The Houdini Box
by Brian Selznick 

Wonder Struck
by Brian Selznick

The Invention of Hugo Cabret
by Brian Selznick

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan
by Lisa See

One afternoon as my husband and I were watching a movie the preview for the movie Snow Flower and the Secret Fan came on the screen. I was immediately intrigued by the previews and wondered if it was a book. I was excited to find that it was indeed a book. I placed a hold on the book. When I went to the library to pick up the book I was told the book was lost and could not be found in order to fill my hold. I was very frustrated so I drove to Half-Priced Books and purchased a copy of the book. I loved everything about this book. It was so different from any book I have ever read and not my typical read. Maybe that is why I enjoyed it so very much. I had heard of foot binding, but not details. I was shocked to find out how and why this custom existed. I went online in order to read more about this ancient custom. I loved the historical information intermingled with the wonderful story of the relationship of Laotong's Lily and Snow Flower.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
by Stieg Larsson

This series of books has been on my list of books to read for some time. I finally took the time to read the first book after hearing a friend gush over these books. She was excited the movie was coming out, and once again I had to read the book before seeing the movie (which I still haven't seen). I have to admit, it was a great read. I loved the family mystery, the relationship of Mikael and Lisbet, and the conflict created by Mikael's recent legal problems. I am anxious to read the next two books in the series, but have not taken the time to read them as of yet.

11/22/63
by Stephen King

As soon as I read about this book I knew I had to read it. In fact when this book came out I was still reading another book, but as soon as I finished reading it I started this awesome book! I have been fascinated with the Kennedy assassination for as long as I can remember. I don't know if it is because I live in Dallas, my love of history, or my dad's collection of newspapers from the time period but the combination of time travel (which is one of my very favorites) and the events leading up to the assassination immediately grabbed me. There were times I had to put the book down (okay, my Nook) in order to wrap my brain around what was happening in the story. I can't even begin to describe how much I enjoyed this book. It was not anything like I expected it to be, which is typical King. There are so many things I thought I wanted out of the story, but I was not disappointed. My mind still spins thinking of the time travel possibilities and King's perspective of the logistics of it all.

The Hunger Games
by Suzanne Collins

Catching Fire
by Suzanne Collins

Mockingjay
by Suzanne Collins

When Suzanne Collins came out with The Hunger Games, I remember my niece telling me about the book and how much she loved it. Right before Catching Fire was released I was again with Linsey when she was telling me how she was re-reading The Hunger Games so she would be ready to move right into the second book. I know she was just as excited, if not more so when Mockingjay was released. I was reluctant to read this series at first. I'm not sure why exactly. It can't be because of lack of recommendations. It seems that every time I turned around someone was asking if I had read them. Their expressions of shock were followed by glowing personal reviews and encouragement to read all three. Well, I finally listened and poured through all three of the books back to back. I absolutely loved the first two books. I was shocked, appalled, and thoroughly entertained with the story line. I can't say I loved Mockingjay as much. I don't know if it was because I sensed a finality to the series or because it seemed to move away from the action of the previous two books. I wasn't disappointed, it was just not the page-turner for me like the previous books. I have to say I do like how she ended the series. It gave you some finality, but also gave you piece of mind.

As you can see, I have been reading, even if I have not been writing. I would much rather sit and read but I also feel the need to share the great books I have enjoyed so others can find something that will entice them to read.

Happy Reading! I'm off to read. You'll just have to wait to see what I am currently reading. I'll write about it soon. It is another great book with historical references, mystery, time travel, and other peculiarities.

I'm Still Reading

I honestly don't know if anyone reads this blog. It doesn't really matter to me. I write it more for myself than anything. I just wanted to put it out there that I am still reading. I haven't written for a while #1 because school started. Nothing happens, at least for the first month, except school once it starts. #2 I have been having some health issues and frankly I have not felt up to writing. I am however still reading. In fact I have read a number of books since my last entry.  I am simply going to list them for now because I don't have much time - Blockade Billy by Stephen King, One Summer by David Baldacci, Second Grave on the Left by Darynda Jones, Kill Me If You Can by James Patterson, and One for the Money by Janet Evanovich. I know I should have taken the time to write about each one of these because they were all great reads. Maybe I will take the time to do that at a later date.

I am currently reading A Breath of Snow and Ashes by Diana Gabaldon. This is the sixth book in her spectacular "Outlander" series. I have to say she is one of my all time favorites because of this series. I believe I have written about these books before. They are almost indescribably great reads.

I will be having surgery next Tuesday, October 18th. I don't know how long it will be until I will be able to get online to blog again, but never fear I will continue to read!

Happy Reading!
Texas Library Lady