Spring Into Summer Read-a-Thon Starting Post

It's 9am (CST) and I'm ready! Got my coffee and my books!

So here goes:
9:00AM-11:00 AM
Starting Book: Pride and Prejudice
Starting Page: 110
Ending Page:113
Notes: Was reading while at work which was busy so obviously I didn't get much done. Now I'm off til about 3pm so I can read as much as I want :)

11:00am-1:oopm
Book: Pride and Prejudice
Starting Page: 113
Ending Page:127
Notes: I took a nap. One minute I was reading (see picture below) and then the next I knew it I was laying down. *sigh* Here's to hoping to a more productive afternoon!



Wordle Mini-Challenge:




1:00am-3:oopm
Book: Pride and Prejudice
Starting Page: 127
Ending Page: 143
Notes: Nope, didn't happen this hour. No whoosh of reading progress...but oh well. I've got an hour of work then four more of reading :) I'm going to switch to a different book.

*****
Story Mini-Challenge :

Write a story 100 words or less that contains ALL of the following words:

Shaman
Lime
Laser
Goat


A few years ago I went on a trip to Scotland and met a Shaman named Jim-Bob. Jim-Bob was my unofficial tour guide on the trip. He was cool, but Bob had a major problem.
He had a giant goat that followed him everywhere he went! This was no ordinary goat, mind you. This goat had a laser beam that would shoot out a lime flavored salt! This was horrible for his Shamanic tour guide business, but perfect for making margaritas! So instead of the tour, Jim-Bob invited me to his bar and we partied all night! Scotland (and Jim-Bob's laser goat) ROCKED!

****
Progress So Far:

• Total Books Read=0
• Total Pages Read=33

3pm-4pm-Working

*********

Picture Mini-Challenge:
Here is my response: Guess the Book

plus= ???
?
?
give up? Got it?
***the ice princess****

******
4:00pm-8:00pm
Book: Blood Red Road
Starting Page:1
Ending Page: 131
Notes: Had a better time with the reading this block! I have two more hours of work from 8pm-10pm but I will switch to my Nook so I can read while I work.

*****
Book Title Mini-Challenge


Bossypants Come and Find Me Before I Go To Sleep

******
8:00pm-10:00pm
Book: Deadline (Nook book)
Starting Page:51
Ending Page: 54
Notes: Work. Herp derp...couldn't get any reading in :(

******
Total Books: 0
Total Pages: 167
******

10:00pm-12:00am
Book: Blood Red Road
Starting Page: 131
Ending Page:294
Notes: I went to bed at about 12:45am cst after reading a LOT of BRR. It's a great book!

Spring Into Summer Read-a-Thon Starts Tomorrow!

Click the image to learn more!

Hey all you peoples! Get ready to read because it starts tomorrow! At 9am CST and I'm ready like Freddy (not sure who Freddy is but yeah I'm just like him!) I will have my coffee and my books a ready ;)

Sooooo what am I reading? Well here is a loverly picture of the stack that I shall be picking from!
(sorry it's so dark!)

From top to bottom: Pride and Prejudice, Pale Demon, The Ice Princess, The Girl in the Green Raincoat, Blood Red Road, Don't Breathe A Word, Before I Go To Sleep, The Map Of Time.

Also (not pictured)
I have two books on my Nook that I will be reading.
They are: Deadline by Mira Grant and Royal Assassin by Robin Hobb

These aren't in any order and I reserve the right to pick other books from my TBR stack which is MASSIVE!

So look for my starting line post! I will be doing updates (probably every two hours or so) and checking in on other blogs as well! I have to work but I will probably squeeze in some time during! Shhh..don't tell! ;)

Anyways, click the button to join in the fun!

What are you Reading? 6/13

To Read:
Royal Assassin-Robin Hobb (nook)
Deadline-Mira Grant (nook)

Reviews Coming Up:
The Dark and Hollow Places-Carrie Ryan
Insatiable-Meg Cabot

Read-a-Longs:
Pride and Prejudice-Jane Austen (Jane in June)

Upcoming Events:

Click the image to learn more!

Blog Tour: Johnny One-Eye Jerome Charyn

Jerome Charyn's Bio:
Jerome Charyn (born May 13, 1937) is an award-winning American author. With nearly 50 published works, Charyn has earned a long-standing reputation as an inventive and prolific chronicler of real and imagined American life. Michael Chabon calls him “one of the most important writers in American literature.”

New York Newsday hailed Charyn as “a contemporary American Balzac,” and the Los Angeles Times described him as “absolutely unique among American writers.”

Since the 1964 release of Charyn’s first novel, Once Upon a Droshky, he has published 30 novels, three memoirs, eight graphic novels, two books about film, short stories, plays and works of non-fiction. Two of his memoirs were named New York Times Book of the Year. Charyn has been a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction. He received the Rosenthal Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters and has been named Commander of Arts and Letters by the French Minister of Culture.

Charyn was Distinguished Professor of Film Studies at the American University of Paris until he left teaching in 2009.

In addition to his writing and teaching, Charyn is a tournament table tennis player, once ranked in the top 10 percent of players in France. Noted novelist Don DeLillo called Charyn’s book on table tennis, Sizzling Chops & Devilish Spins, "The Sun Also Rises of ping-pong."

Charyn lives in Paris and New York City.



My Review:

This was a creative if somewhat slow (for me) tale. Johnny is a nicely created character and he does get himself into some interesting, if not cringe-worthy predicaments. I may not have been the target audience for this book. I will admit that it was a struggle to finish it. It wasn't because Mr. Charyn's material was bad, it just wasn't my cup of tea. I can see anyone that has a taste for historical fiction gobbling this up, so if that is your forte then I definitely recommend it!


Blog Tour web site:
http://johnnyoneeye.blogspot.com/

Jerome Charyn's web site:
http://www.jeromecharyn.com/

Jerome Charyn's Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/jerome.charyn

Jerome Charyn's Twitter:
http://twitter.com/jeromecharyn

Johnny One-Eye Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/JohnnyOneEyeBook

W.W. Norton & Company web site:
http://books.wwnorton.com/books/detail.aspx?ID=11950

Hardcover
Price: $24.95
ISBN: 9780393064971
Pages: 448
Release: February 2008

Buy links:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble

Paperback
Price: $14.95
ISBN: 9780393333954
Pages: 448
Release: February 2009

Buy links:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble

eBook buy links:
Kindle
Nook
Google
iPad

Review: The Two Deaths of Daniel Hayes

Description:
A man wakes up naked and cold, half-drowned on an abandoned beach. The only sign of life for miles is an empty BMW. Inside the expensive car he finds clothes that fit perfectly, shoes for his tattered feet, a Rolex, and a bank envelope stuffed with cash and an auto registration in the name of Daniel Hayes, resident of Malibu, California.

None of it is familiar.

What is he doing here? How did he get into the ocean? Is he Daniel Hayes, and if so, why doesn't he remember? While he searches for answers, the world searches for him-beginning with the police that kick in the door of his dingy motel, with guns drawn. Lost, alone, and on the run, the man who might be Daniel Hayes flees into the night.

All he remembers is a woman's face, so he sets off for the only place he might find her. The fantasy of her becomes his home, his world, his hope. And maybe, just maybe, the way back to himself.

But that raises the most chilling question of all: What will he find when he gets there?


My Review:

Sounds tasty right? Okay let's just say that from the start of this book I wanted to know just what the H. E. doublehockeysticks...was going on! Good start, right? Yeah! From the get-go my brain was all aflutter trying to piece together all the puzzle pieces so I could be like Scooby Doo and solve the mystery!

Poor Daniel doesn't know what's going on either! It's like we are solving this problem together with him...or are we? :S Crazysauce keeps getting poured all over the story, which muchly mucks up whatever formulating that you've done since the start! Then more questions get dropped in your lap, for which more thinking must be done! I loved that! I kinda knew I was in love with this book from the start..yeah I said it. I loved it. I loved it quite hard actually! Read it!

• Hardcover: 400 pages
• Publisher: Dutton Adult (June 9, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 052595211X

Jane In June Read Along-Playing Catch Up

Round One: First Impressions + Chapters 1-17

1. Tell us a little about your experiences with Jane: First time evah, reading Jane Austin. I have meant to pick up this book and every time I put it down. I am totally kicking myself silly for that!
   
2. Share your first impressions of the book so far. So far I am loving the heck out of this book! I mean really what more could a body want? It's got great characters, great writing, and some seriously sarcastic menfolk. I love it. Oh yeah and WUV twooo WUV! <3
3. Jane Austen is known for her memorable characters. What do you think so far of the characterization? Do any stand out to you? So far the three big standouts for me are Mr. Darcy, Mr. Bennet, and of course, Elizabeth. I think it's because I can relate to them the most. Plus, how can you not like a dad like Mr. B?
   
4. What do you make of the principle characters so far? See above. I think that out of the girls so far Lizzie stands out the most. Mr. D is a close second cuz HULLO? they are so meant for each other! :0
   
5. Discuss the eligible men of P&P: Impressions of Mr Bingley, Mr Darcy, Mr Wickham and Mr Collins. So far..I like them all except for Mr. Collins. He has irked me far and away the most! Do not get me started on this guy! No way no how do you wanna go down that alley!
   
6. Discuss the Bennet girls stay at Netherfield: What do you make of Mrs Bennet sending Jane to Netherfield in bad weather? First off, what Mother in her right mind would send her child out hoping it would rain so she could be forced to mooch off another family or get sick..oh yeah Mrs. B! That's who! What did I think? Well I try to keep it strictly PG on this blog, but I thought she was horrible! Actually no..she IS horrible. She comes a close second with me (on horrible characters of this book) right under Mr. Collins!
   
7. Discuss Wickham's revelation of Darcy's character: I kind of had the impression that he was relating this information based solely on jealousy. I can't place my finger on it but it seems like something isn't really all that right about this.
   
8. Dicuss the humor in the book so far: As I've mentioned so far, I've been impressed at how sarcastic Jane Austen's characters can be. I mean I've LOL'd many times at some of the dry remarks that Mr. B has uttered to his wife..the strength of that man to have endured his wife..

Round 2 Questions and Discussion Starters: Chapters 18-29

1. This section includes one of the most famous scenes of the book: Lizzie's unexpected dance with Darcy at the Netherfield ball. Geez, Louise! The squeeing that went on while I read this part! I honestly wanted to reach into the book and sock both of them in the ears for being so dumb. They were so tense and awkweird..
   
2. And while you're at it, discuss the Netherfield ball in general. Basically this part made me want to facepalm the whole time. I was just mortified for everyone involved. The awkwardness, the annoying things that were said..it seemed like one of MY parties..
   
3. Discuss your thoughts on the book to this point, and where you think it's going: Well this is a first time read through for me so the best part is not knowing where it's going. I have not seen any of the movies, nor have I read any plot summaries (how I got to the age I am without knowing the basic storyline is beyond me!) So to avoid looking like an idiot I'll just avoid trying to predict the book's outcome!
   

And this is where I am at the moment. It's not quite up to where everyone else is but so far I am loving this book and I will continue to plow through until I can no longer see straight :)

Trent Reviews Say Hello to Zorro

So a few weeks ago I won a copy of this wonderful storybook! I don't usually review children's books, but since my son is starting to become a very avid reader (WOOT!) I decided to let him take a swing at reviewing a book! So here we have it..Must Read Faster's first ever vlog starring my son Trent! :) (please remember he's 7 years old so he's a budding reviewer)





Book Description:
Mister Bud is a dog of routine. He has wake up time, nap time, rest time, dinner time, etc. And everyone knows to follow his schedule.

Then disaster strikes. A stranger comes home at "make a fuss time" and throws everything off! Zorro is little bit bossy and Mister Bud wants nothing to do with him. But when the dogs discover they like the same things (like chasing the cat and napping), everything becomes more fun. As long as everyone follows the schedule.