Book Review: Slightly Married - by Mary Balogh

Synopsis: Slightly Married is the first novel in the Bedwyn family series by Mary Balogh. Set in regency England, this book tells the story of Aidan Bedwyn, brother to the Duke of Bewcastle and member of the mighty Bedwyn family. Aidan is the second son, the one destined for military service. He did his duty and has spent most of his life fighting in the peninsula, rising in rank over the years to Colonel. At the open of the novel, one Percy Morris, having once saved Aidan's life in battle, lay dying on the battlefield. His final request is that Aidan find his sister and protect her "no matter what." Aidan, a man of his word, takes a two month leave and journeys to England to bring the sad news of the young man's death to his sister. Eve Morris is devastated to learn of her brother's death. Just as devastating is the realization that Eve and her entire household (including her two young adopted children) will all be turned out of their house in a few days' time due to a quirk in her father's will. Aidan, ever bound by his promise, decides to marry the woman in order to save her from her fate. Both of them assume it will be a simple marriage of convenience, neither of them expecting to see the other again after the wedding. Of course, they don't count on the fact that they are falling in love.

This was an enjoyable novel. I really liked Aidan. He was so stoic. He thinks that love is a bunch of nonsense and that duty and honor are all. Eve is a sensitive, loving, bleeding-heart who cannot bear to allow others to suffer injustice. This might be an almost annoying trait in a heroine, but Balogh paints her as a warm, living, breathing woman and I found myself liking her immensely. She is not weak, nor is she tragic. She is practical and determined to do what is right. I suppose this is one reason why she and Aidan fit together so well. They are both so honorable.

I loved how Aidan kept trying to leave her and kept not doing it. At first, after he does his duty by telling her about her brother's death and offering to help her, he figures he's done his bit and prepares to leave. But circumstances conspire to keep him around a few extra days until he realizes that, in all honor, he must stay and help her. Then, after they are married and he has no more obligation to stay with her, he keeps finding reasons to stick around a little longer. He eventually allows himself to love Eve, her children, and her home.

I really like how the Bedwyns have these big noses and sort of harsh features - they are not traditionally good-looking, and yet they have a certain appeal. They are not perfect. I also liked how Aidan just didn't give a damn about the fact that Eve Morris was essentially a "nobody." She worries about it a good bit, but this is not the essential obstacle to their romance for Aidan. For him, the real hurdle is accepting that it really is ok to have feelings beyond those of duty.

My favorite parts: When Eve wears black to her court presentation (it was so satisfying to see her throwing it in all their faces!) and then when Aidan smiles for the first time.

I can't wait to read about the other Bedwyns now. Especially Wulfric. He's so stodgy and wound up. His story is the final one in the series, so it will be a while yet.

I gave this book 4 stars.

Book Review: A Summer To Remember - by Mary Balogh

Synopsis: A Summer To Remember is the second (and primary prequel) to Mary Balogh's Bedwyn family series. It is in this book that we first meet several of the Bedwyns. Lauren Edgeworth, the jilted bride from One Night for Love, has pretty much soured on the whole marriage thing after being left at the altar a year ago. Having lived her entire life feeling bound to be stolid and dutiful to her family, she has never allowed herself to have any adventure, any passion. Now she has some vague plans of spending a few weeks with her aunt Elizabeth in London for the season and then hightailing it off to Bath to set up house and settle in for a long, boring spinsterhood. Kit Butler, the new Viscount Ravensburg, is being manipulated by his family into a betrothal to a woman he does not wish to wed. There's a good deal of bad blood between him and his family, and he's decided to thwart them by finding a bride on his own and presenting her to them all at his grandmother's birthday party back home in a few weeks. He sets his sights on the beautiful Lauren and begins a thorough wooing. However, he comes to respect her as a person and finds that he cannot in good conscience continue to court her. Just as he tries to set her free from his attentions, she stays his hand and strikes a bargain with him: She will pose as his betrothed so that he can foil his father's plans if Kit will agree to give her a little adventure.

Needless to say, there's a great deal of potential for "adventure" in any romance novel. Kit doesn't disappoint. He is sexy, charming, masculine, and truly honorable. He has a wonderful sense of humor and uses it to help bring Lauren out of her shell. Through her adventures with Kit, she discovers that she has the freedom to be whomever she wants to be - that it is ok to be herself. Then, after finding that freedom, she goes on to discover just who that person is. She also falls in love with her hero as he, in turn, falls in love with her. She guides him gently into facing his past. With her help, he learns to let go of the painful responsibility and self-recrimination that he has carried with him for years. At last, he is able to accept the love of his family.

I absolutely loved this book. I enjoyed One Night for Love and admired the character depth and storytelling ability of the author in that book. However, I think A Summer To Remember is a truly wonderful love story. Balogh's writing is superb. The characters are very real and you really do understand why they feel the way they do - about themselves, their lives, and each other.

This one is definitely worth 5 stars in my LibraryThing catalog!

Book Review: One Night for Love - by Mary Balogh

Synopsis: I consider One Night for Love to be the first of two prequels to Mary Balogh's Bedwyn family series of regency romances. Neville Wyatt, Earl of Kilbourne, is literally moments from marrying his lifelong friend and adopted cousin, Lauren Edgeworth, WHEN the woman he married and left for dead two years before comes rushing down the aisle to stop the wedding. Our heroine, Lily Doyle, is a mess, having traveled across the peninsula, over the channel, and through the English countryside to make her way back to her beloved husband. Poor Lauren, the jilted bride, and the rest of Neville's family are shocked and appalled to learn of his marriage to a virtual nobody on a battlefield in Portugal. What follows is a long and heart-rending story of how the two long-lost lovers truly find one another and are able to allow themselves to love each other again.

It is very difficult to describe this book. It is the first Balogh novel I have read and I thoroughly enjoyed it. In fact, thorough is a good word to describe Balogh's writing. She weaves myriad characters into the story as well as providing a rich setting for the action of the story. And yet, you don't ever feel as though you've been mired in too much flowery language or bored with a detailed account of every leaf and twig the characters pass along the way.

The central plot involving the hero and heroine is very, very simple. Their marriage and subsequent joining were an affirmation of life in the midst of the war and death surrounding them. I found the back-story of their time in Portugal very moving. They are torn apart by death, only to be reunited again unexpectedly. Their feelings for one another didn't change, but Lily must still struggle with finding her place in an English society that judges harshly those with no blue blood and formal education. She has to leave Neville, the one thing she loves the most, in order to grow into the woman who can truly be his wife. If that makes sense. Like I said, it is a very difficult book to describe.

Interestingly, one of my favorite things about this novel was the cast of secondary characters. I especially liked Elizabeth, Neville's 36 year old spinster aunt. She made a wonderful champion for Lily among the vicious members of the ton. I also enjoyed the little romance between her and the Duke. I also really liked Gwendoline and Lauren, who didn't want to like Lily, but were strong enough to admit that she really was a good person. They come to like and accept her over time.

I gave this book 4 stars.

Mary Balogh novels - reading order

Since I'm using this blog to track my reading habits, among other things, I've found it useful to provide reading lists of authors. I'm still plowing through Jo Beverley's Company of Rogues series, but I plan to start reading some Mary Balogh at some point. This is a recommended reading list for Balogh's major book series that I plan to read, from what I can piece together from her website. She's written a LOT of books, but I think I'm going to start with these.

Recommended reading order:

1. One Night for Love
2. A Summer to Remember
3. Slightly Married
4. Slightly Wicked
5. Slightly Scandalous
6. Slightly Tempted
7. Slightly Sinful
8. Slightly Dangerous
9. Simply Unforgettable
10. Simply Love
11. Simply Magic
12. Simply Perfect

Book Review: Forbidden - by Jo Beverley

Synopsis: Forbidden is the 4th book in Jo Beverley's Company of Rogues series of regency romances. This installment of the series features Rogues' member Francis Haile, Lord Middlethorpe, who is currently courting one Anne Peckworth, a perfectly respectable Duke's daughter (whom I believe gets her own story in Hazard). Serena Riverton is the widow of sexual deviant, "Randy" Riverton, whom she was forced to marry at the tender age of 15. The story opens with Serena driven to flight from her characteristically evil brothers, who wish to marry her off to the highest bidder. She decides to become a mistress rather than a wife, and heads to London to seek her fortune there. On the way, she gets lost and picked up by young Middlethorpe (ever the gentleman) who is on his way to sort out some rather pesky business involving his mother and an alleged extortionist. Serena sets her sights on making Francis her first protector, and attempts to secure him by literally raping him in the night while weathering a particularly nasty storm in a farmhouse. Francis, a VIRGIN, is at once appalled by and drawn to the woman as a result. Unable to reconcile his feelings for the girl, he drops her off at his aunt Arabella's house in the country and tries to put the beautiful siren out of his mind. While living with Arabella, Serena discovers that she is pregnant, Francis is summoned, and they marry. He doesn't trust her; she doesn't think she is capable of physical tenderness. They both fear that their tenuous marriage will not be able to survive the scandal of its beginnings and of Serena's past.

I am finding, as I read more books in this series, that Beverley likes a very convoluted plot. The above synopsis doesn't really do it justice - it really is much too complicated to summarize. I truly enjoyed this story, though. I really liked Francis' character from the previous Rogues books - he is sensitive, kind, and very gentle. Of the Rogues we've met so far, he's probably the one I would have fallen in love with, were I the heroine of a novel. Serena is a bit whiny at the beginning of the novel, but she kind of grows on you. And by the end of the book, she learns to give as good as she's gotten. I ended up cheering for her during the climactic scene at the inn.

One thing that was noticeably different about this novel from the other books so far, is that the author gives you a lot more insight into what the hero is thinking and feeling. In her earlier books, there are virtually no scenes told from the man's perspective, so you never know what his take on the situation is. Occasionally, you might get little tidbits from conversations he has with other characters, but you never get to see inside his head. In this book, we get a better understanding of how Francis views his wife, what he feels when he discovers the true horrors of her past, and his conflicting feelings of suspicion and desire for her.

On the whole, this series has been fairly enjoyable to read. What I love most about reading series is that you get to see what is happening with a couple from a previous book and you get to anticipate reading the other characters' stories. We're getting to know each of the Rogues a little better with each novel. It makes for a more satisfying reading experience, I think.

Favorite Scene: At the inn when Serena gets fed up with everyone, particularly Francis, and whacks him upside the head with the portfolio. Then she stomps home and throws a big fit in her room. It was funny, but also you see her finally come into her own and realize that she controls her life and won't be controlled by others anymore. Also liked the love scene that follows.

What I didn't like: That Francis never tells her that he loves her. Not once. In the entire book. But I guess it's ok, since you figure he will realize that he loves her in time.

LibraryThing rating: 4 stars

Jo Beverley's Company of Rogues series

I'm trying to whittle down my TBR pile (my "to be read" pile), so I've decided to plow through Jo Beverley's Company of Rogues romance series over the next few months. I've been working on a comprehensive listing of the titles in this series. I may have to edit this list, but here's what I have been able to glean from the author's website and from the romance readers on Library Thing. (edited to clean up the list and add a short story)

The Company of Rogues Series:

1. An Arranged Marriage
2. An Unwilling Bride
3. Christmas Angel
4. Forbidden
5. Dangerous Joy
6. The Demon's Mistress (short story, linked to the Rogues)
7. The Dragon's Bride
8. The Devil's Heiress (linked to the Rogues)
9. Hazard (linked to the Rogues)
10. St. Raven (linked to the Rogues)
11. Skylark
12. The Rogue's Return
13. To Rescue a Rogue
14. Lady Beware (linked to the Rogues)

My very own lite brite!

My brother had a Lite Brite, but I didn't get to play with it much. So I was pretty excited to find out about this one:

LITE BRITE

All the fun, without having all those millions of pegs stuck to your leg when you finish playing with it.

thanks to: (of all places) Tom Mighell's Internet Legal Research Weekly

Free catalogs

I love catalogs. They are like free fashion and home decorating magazines without all those pesky "articles." Even if I can't buy the stuff, I still like looking through the pages for ideas about ways I can decorate, styles to wear, fun gadgets, etc. So with this in mind, I am working on creating a listing of cool designers and retailers who offer free catalogs upon request. I mean, yeah sure, you can just browse their websites, but you don't have to be on a computer to flip through a catalog! I'm still trying to figure out the best way to get this kind of thing published to the blog, so it may be a while coming.

Bug Me Not: the online registration avoider thingy

Web sites that require you to "register" before you can view them are just annoying. They are only doing it for two reasons: 1) they think their content is so all-fired important; AND 2) they want to get your personal info so they can spam you. Why do it? Why register? Why should we have to create stupid dummy email accounts just so we can view some article that somebody sent us the link to.

So, use Bug Me Not to bypass the registration process. It generates a handy user name and password for you so you don't have to cough up your info. Of course, there are a few sites who have managed to work around Bug Me Not (the snooty old Wall Street Journal for one) but, by and large, it is a handy thing to use.

thanks to: puddle for nagging me about blogging this

I love this shirt

It appeals to the librarian/gamer geek inside me.

found via: the great tcritic
get it at: JINX Clothing Company

Harry Potter geeks rule

I'm super-jazzed about going to the midnight sale for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows tonight. Can't wait to read it.

favorite word #6: plover

They're always eating plover eggs in trashy romance. Why is that? It must have been a popular dish in regency England...

Book Review: The Scarlet Pimpernel - by Baroness Orczy

Synopsis: The Scarlet Pimpernel is the first novel in a series of books focused around a group of men known as the League of the Scarlet Pimpernel. This is the tale of the elusive Scarlet Pimpernel, a mysterious Englishman of mysterious identity who, together with his network of daring comrades, cunningly sneaks French nobles bound for the guillotine out of France during the French Revolution.

... Actually, this is NOT the tale of the Scarlet Pimpernel. This novel really tells the tale of Lady Marguerite Blakeney, a beautiful, witty, stylish French actress who marries the oh-so-very English Sir Percy Blakeney. Their marriage begins passionately enough, but by the time our story begins, the Blakeneys have become estranged and bitter toward one another. Through a misunderstanding, they each believe the other no longer holds any love for them. Percy is a notorious fop with a shallow personality and a reputation for downright stupidity. Marguerite is a beatiful trendsetter and the life of the party. Both display thinly-veiled contempt for one another whenever they are together. Over the course of the novel, Marguerite becomes embroiled in a plot involving high intrigue with the French government and the Scarlet Pimpernel himself.

SPOILER ALERT: An agent of the new French government, the villain Chauvelin, has traveled to England in an effort to ferret out the identity of the elusive Scarlet Pimpernel. He blackmails Marguerite into helping him. Once Chauvelin discovers the man's identity, he hightails it back to France to try to catch the man red-handed in the act of helping more emigrees to escape. About the same time all this goes down, Marguerite and Percy begin to patch things up in their marriage. Before they can fully reconcile, Percy is called away from home on urgent business. Then everything goes to hell in a handbasket when Chauvelin, who (with the unwilling aid of Marguerite) has finally discovered the Pimpernel's true identity, hightails it back to France to try to catch the man red-handed. Marguerite soon realizes that the Scarlet Pimpernel is none other than her very own husband, Percy, and that his witless foppishness has been nothing but an act meant to hide his secret identity! Guilt-stricken at what she has done, she pursues her husband to France to try to save him from Chauvelin's clutches.

It's a relatively short novel, but oh, what a story! There's a little of something for everyone in this book: gut-wrenching drama, exciting action, and touching romance. The story is told primarily from the point of view of Marguerite Blakeney, so the reader discovers the true nature of Chauvelin's plot and the mystery of the Pimpernel just as she does. You are taken through the range of emotions she goes through every time the plot takes another twist.

This novel is a part of a series about the League of men who work for the Scarlet Pimpernel. It's easy to see the widespread influence that this novel had on modern romance novels. Many of these center around a focal "adventure" plot, where the hero of the novel is a part of a group of men who work together in some common cause. Each member of the group usually gets his own story/romance. I'm looking forward to reading more of the books in this series.

BookMooch: for all your book-moochin needs

Love the lovely BookMooch.

I've been using it for a couple of weeks now and really like it. The basic process is: You put up books you own that you're willing to give away to other people. Other people put up books they're willing to give away to other people. When somebody puts up a book you want, you mooch it from them and they mail it to you. When somebody mooches a book from you, you mail it to them. All anybody pays is the cost of postage.

It all works on a point system. You get a point for every 10 books you add to your "Inventory" of books you're willing to give away. You also get a point for every book you mail out to someone. When you mooch a book from someone else, a point is deducted from your account.

The best part is, BookMooch does all the legwork for you. You can create a "Wishlist" of books you really want. As soon as someone adds one of your wishlisted books to their Inventory, BookMooch automatically sends them an email requesting that they send the book to you. You can even import books into your Inventory from other places like LibraryThing. And of course, the entire BookMooch inventory is searchable.

I tend to keep all the books I read, but I did have about a dozen or so lying around that I didn't want to keep for one reason or another. I've already sent out 4 books and had several sent to me and more on the way. I think it's a great way to get those books you're having trouble tracking down anywhere else, or don't want to pay high dollar for.

Early Ink - the inside scoop in upcoming book releases

Early Ink is a brand new site devoted to letting people know about new and upcoming books to be released. From their About page:

It is an "...online gateway for readers to find out about new and upcoming books from multiple publishers in all genres. At the same time, Early Ink is a place for authors and publishers to advertise, promote and offer previews of their upcoming titles."

You can download book excerpts/previews and also leave comments for a book. There's also a section they call "Media Buzz" that keeps you updated on a particular book's coverage by the media. Sounds like it might be handy if you want to know if the author's going to be on NPR talking about the book, etc.

What I like: 1. That it covers multiple publishers and 2. That you can get an RSS feed for updates on books from a particular genre. So if you read, say, a lot of trashy romance (ahem...) then you can get a feed of just the new romance stuff. It'll be interesting to watch this site and see whether it takes off.

Thanks to: kristinm in our LibraryThing romance readers' group!

The Hollywood Librarian movie

The library community is all in a froth over the upcoming release of The Hollywood Librarian: A Look at Librarians Through Film, a documentary film about librarians and what they really do. According to the site, it is "the first full-length documentary film to focus on the work and lives of librarians." It will chronicle the profession through commentary and clips of American movies that have portrayed librarians, as well as showing interviews with several real-live librarians in the trenches. Exciting stuff.

The trailer has been making the rounds among the various librarian listservs and blogs lately and, as a 30-something librarian, I feel compelled to point out that the clip doesn't seem to show a whole lot of folks in my age-bracket. I personally know a lot of other young librarians in their 20's and 30's, so I truly hope that the film makes an effort to show the broad range of ages and backgrounds of people drawn to this profession.

The Hollywood Librarian is set to premiere this summer at the American Library Association annual conference held in Washington, DC. (wish I was going...)

Book Review: An Arranged Marriage - by Jo Beverley

Synopsis: An Arranged Marriage is the first novel in Jo Beverley's "Company of Rogues" regency romance series. This story takes place in England during the period between Napoleon's abdication and the Hundred Days. The plot has some kind of convoluted beginnings but then becomes pretty straightforward about halfway through. In brief: The heroine, Eleanor, is drugged and raped by the earl of Stainbridge, one Christopher Delaney (who was also drugged at the time) - all as a part of a plot by Eleanor's good for nothing brother to win the favor of this really mean old lord named Deveril, who inexplicably wants Eleanor for himself. Meanwhile, Christopher's roguish twin brother, Nicholas Delaney, has been asked to serve his country by wooing his former mistress, Madame Bellaire, who is under suspicion of plotting to bring Napoleon back to power. A guilty Christopher, who really isn't the rapist sort, pretty much forces his brother into marrying poor Eleanor in order to do right by the girl. Now poor Nicholas, who really is quite a nice guy, has to try to juggle his new, skittish bride and his evil, traitorous mistress - all somehow without looking like a total jerk. (Don't try to work it out; I've tried and it's all way too complicated).

I didn't like this book all that much. I think part of the problem is the confusing style. There were several times when I had to re-read passages over and over to figure out what the heck was going on. It's one of Beverley's earlier works and I think part of it can be chalked up to a new writer testing her wings.

I didn't feel that there was quite enough interaction between the hero and the heroine for my taste. Due to the clandestine nature of his "mission," Nicholas is forced to maintain a cool distance between himself and his wife. This aspect of the story reminded me a LOT of The Scarlet Pimpernel. The details are different, but the basics seem similar: He loves his wife, but has to pretend indifference/stay away from her because of his secret life of espionage. That alone is probably what kept me reading. But whereas in Pimpernel, this served to really make you feel deeply for the plight of the hero and heroine, in An Arranged Marriage it becomes tiresome and frustrating for the reader. I kept wanting to yell at the characters, "Just talk to each other, for pete's sake!"

In spite of it all, I found myself liking the secondary characters in the novel immensely, particularly Francis and Lucien. So much so, in fact, that I still want to read the next book in the series. I'm hoping I'll find that in subsequent books the author will have found her stride. You can tell she's got lots of talent, and I'm not one to give up on an author just based on one less-than-stellar experience.

My LibraryThing rating: 2 stars

Cool Toy: Animal Hospital - from Parents

The Animal Hospital toy, from the folks at Parents magazine, has a little something for every toddler.

It's like a combination doctor playset and vet clinic. It comes with cute little plush pets that they can put inside and then "unlock" the door to let the little guy out using a set of keys that actually work! There's also an assortment of veterinary instruments that they can use to "treat" the animal. The best part: comes with its own storage! All the pieces can be closed up inside for portability (and easy cleanup). A great toy for the budding little veterinarian in your household. My kids would love this!

found via: parent hacks
foto from: amazon

favorite word #5: wrought

not as in wrought iron fence, but as in the destruction wrought upon our fair city

Kickass movie: Hot Fuzz

Hot Fuzz

We went to see it for my birthday and it was great! Laughed. Our. Asses. Off. Simon Pegg and Nick Frost were both excellent. And Timothy Dalton was ohso smarmy. We'll definitely be buying this one when it comes out on DVD.

foto from: imdb

Book Review: Minx - by Julia Quinn

Synopsis: Minx is the third novel in a regency romance trilogy by Julia Quinn. In this book, Dunford finally gets his story. The somewhat rakish and rather dissipated friend of the characters we met in the first two books finds that he has inherited a title as well as an estate in distant Cornwall. What he doesn't realize until he arrives to look over his new property, is that he has also been named guardian of the tomboyish hoyden Henrietta (aka: Henry). Henry has lived virtually her whole life on the Cornish estate, managing it herself for years under the less-than-watchful eyes of her uncle. When the old man dies and a stranger from London inherits the estate, Henry is terrified that she will be turned out of the only home she has ever known. She sets out to frighten off the new owner (our Dunford) so that he will want to remain as far away from Cornwall as possible. Dunford, on the other hand, sees through her ruse and finds himself drawn to Henry in spite of himself.

The plot in this book is again a rather typical romance novel plot. It centers around two people who are unexpectedly thrown together and experience a number of misunderstandings, but ultimately find love. But again, it is the characters who make this book so enjoyable.

Dunford is a great character. We've seen him in the first two books being his charming self. If he is one thing, it is honorable. He demonstrates a steadfast loyalty to his friends in both Splendid and in Dancing at Midnight. He also doesn't just make snap judgements about people and dismiss them. He really tries to understand Henry and what motivates her feelings and actions. He struggles to reconcile his responsibilities to her as her guardian with his feelings for her as a woman.

Henry also has many facets to her character. She is tomboyish, to be sure, but Quinn doesn't let that trait completely rule her character. She doesn't wear dresses because they are impractical for her lifestyle; however, that doesn't prevent her from enjoying her femininity when given the opportunity to explore it. And she's really quite funny sometimes as she makes her way through the complicated rules of London high society.

LibraryThing rating: 4 stars

Book Review: Dancing at Midnight - by Julia Quinn

Synopsis: Dancing at Midnight is the second novel in a regency romance trilogy by Julia Quinn. It tells the story of the lovely, yet bookish, Belle Blydon (whom we met previously in Splendid) and the dark and brooding John Blackwood. Blackwood is a veteran of the Napoleonic wars who earned, as a result of his service, both the title of Baron and a terrible leg injury that left him with a permanent limp. Belle meets John while visiting her cousin, Emma, who is married to the Duke of Ashbourne. Ashbourne's land borders John's and Belle encounters the hero while relaxing in a meadow on his property. The two don't exactly hit it off right away; John is grouchy and sardonic, offending Belle's tender sensibilities. Unused to the idea of being disliked by anyone, Belle sets out to make the man like her. She succeeds.

What is great about Julia Quinn is that she can take a relatively average, bare-bones story and make it into a good read using great character development and snappy dialogue. Belle is a sweet girl, with a good deal of determination in her. John is tortured not only by the horrors he experienced during the war, but also by the memory of a tragedy for which he blames himself. Belle helps John to triumph over his self-inflicted guilt and come to terms with it. There are a couple of truly great scenes in this novel, one incredibly funny and the other incredibly exciting. The supporting characters are also charming: We see Emma and Alex from Splendid, of course, as well as Dunford (who returns for his own story in Minx) and the hilarious aunt Persephone.

I gave this book 4 stars in my LibraryThing catalog

favorite word #4: cherries

Blackle - the energy saving search engine

Blackle is like Google, but the screen's all black instead of white. That's pretty much it, really. Why should we care? Because it takes less energy to display a black screen on your monitor than it does to display a white screen. Hey, it's all about saving the planet, baby.

From their About page: "In January 2007 a blog post titled Black Google Would Save 750 Megawatt-hours a Year proposed the theory that a black version of the Google search engine would save a fair bit of energy due to the popularity of the search engine. Since then there has been skepticism about the significance of the energy savings that can be achieved and the cost in terms of readability of black web pages. We believe that there is value in the concept because even if the energy savings are small, they all add up. Secondly we feel that seeing Blackle every time we load our web browser reminds us that we need to keep taking small steps to save energy."

I ran a test search on Blackle using the term "praying mantis" and the results were not identical to those retrieved by Google, but pretty darn close. The top 4 or 5 hits were really the same, just in a different order; after that, it varied only a little. On the whole, though, looks like an eco-friendly option for those casual searches. An added benefit: If you use your computer in the dark a lot (say, at night with the lights off), it spares you from the horrid, eye-raping brightness of a white homepage...

thanks to: LibrarianInBlack

Happy mantis

This foto nearly made me spew my dr. pepper this morning when I saw it. The little guy looks so darn triumphant.

found via boingboing

foto credit: Lawraa

Bearaphim ipod covers

Why, oh, WHY do I not have an ipod yet??? Check out these supercool bear-themed ipod covers from Boomwave. Their paws even hold your earbud cords for you. My favorite is the sleek black Ursa Miner.

Thanks to popgadget for this one!

Dilbert's performance review generator

For the middle-manager in all of us, Dilbert provides this handy performance review generator. It's great, if for no other reason than for coming up with those proactive, progressive-sounding, flowery (yet innocuous) terms that we find it necessary to use when describing ourselves for the ol' annual review.

Book Review: Splendid - by Julia Quinn

Synopsis: Splendid is the first in a trilogy of regency romances by Julia Quinn. The heroine, Emma, is an American gal visiting her aunt's family in London for the Season. Bored with stuffy society rules, Emma longs to free herself from the confines of her role as a proper young lady and decides to dress up as a maid and take a brief shopping trip to the local market (a la the movie Aladdin). There, she meets Alex, the handsome Duke of Ashbourne when she unexpectedly saves the life of his young nephew. Alex is taken with the pretty maid and finds himself fixating on her, only to discover her true identity later that night. What follows is a nice little courtship, where the couple form a sort of friendship and then eventually admit their deeper feelings for one another.

This book was a nice little love story. It is one of Quinn's earlier novels, and you can kind of tell. The language is a bit flowery like you see in romances written the 1970's and 80's; and the story itself is also not quite as enthralling as her later works. However, I liked the main characters quite a lot - especially Emma, her cousin Belle, and their friend Lord Dunston. Emma is a fun character who's game for anything. She doesn't back down from a challenge and is a loyal friend. One thing that kind of bothered me, though, is that Emma's cousin Ned (and as a result, Emma herself) does some rather questionable things. I'm not sure that the interpretation of what was honorable for gentlemen that is offered in the novel is particularly accurate. Ned does some gambling and loses an obscene amount of money to a man and then decides not to honor his bet (based on the grounds that the other guy was cheating) and then he and Emma actually plot to steal the promissory note away from the guy. Sure, the guy was cheating, but I'm not sure that the solution the characters arrive at is the best one either.

On the whole, though, it was ok. I liked the secondary characters well enough that I still want to read their stories. Besides, I loved the author's Bridgertons series, so I think the next couple of books have the potential to be really good.

I gave this one 3 stars in LibraryThing

Favorite word #3: swashbuckling

YARRRRR!!

Favorite word #2: nautical

Favorite word #1: barnacle

I just love nautical words. Huh. I like the word nautical also... hmmm...

Favorite words

Since nobody reads this anyway, I thought I'd use it to keep track of my favorite words. I'll be listing them as I think of them.

Oh, and I guess I should add that, yes, I know I AM SUCH A GEEK.

Book Review: The Wedding - by Julie Garwood

Synopsis: The Wedding is the second novel in a 2-part series of medieval romances by Julie Garwood. Connor MacAlister, Highland laird of the MacAlister clan, has vowed revenge for his father's death at the hands of rival clan MacNare. When he learns of Laird MacNare's plans to marry an English bride, Connor steals the girl away before they can wed and marries her himself. His new bride, Brenna, is none too pleased to be marrying him, but decides to give the marriage a fair chance. Poor Brenna faces a lot of challenges in making the marriage work, including an EXTREMELY bossy husband, mean and lecherous in-laws, and her own confusing emotions.

This is the sequel to The Bride, which was a GREAT book. This novel, however, was not nearly as enchanting as its predecessor. The story kind of winds along, nothing spectacular, but then the last 50 pages or so are pretty intense. The ending was very satisfying and I did get quite caught up in it. I guess my real hangup was Connor's character. He is so very stubborn and callous. He is constantly saying and doing things that are so unbelievably inconsiderate and sometimes downright cruel to Brenna, that it's difficult to like him very much. Of course, part of his character is that he has vowed never to fall in love, because his father's dying words were that a broken heart is the worst thing ever (way to go, dad). He does eventually come to accept his love for his wife, but lordy it takes a lot to get him there.

Brenna's really pretty nice, though. She's pretty funny at times and has some endearing quirks, but she's not as spirited or engaging as Jaimie was in The Bride. I found myself liking the secondary characters (Connor's two best friends) almost more than the main characters. Quinlan and Crispin are funny and often insightful in the way they show loyalty to Brenna while teasing Connor about his feelings for her. I was also pleased to see Alec and Jaimie from The Bride make extended appearances in this story.

My LibraryThing rating: 3 stars

Book Review: The Bride - by Julie Garwood

Synopsis: The Bride is the first in a two-part series of medieval romances by Julie Garwood. Jamie (aka: the Bride), a young Englishwoman, is forced into an arranged marriage to Highland laird Alec Kincaid. Alec has little use for a wife, but is honor-bound by his king to marry the girl. He's a stubborn lord used to giving orders and not getting any lip; she's an independent woman used to managing a household and thinking for herself. They spend 3/4 of the book arguing (and making up afterward), until the end when the real conflict surfaces.

When I write it out like that, it doesn't sound like much of a book, but honestly, I thoroughly enjoyed it. The interaction between Jaimie and Alec is engaging and I found myself hanging on their every conversation and waiting to see what they would do next. Garwood's style is easy to follow and the dialogue is downright hilarious at times. I didn't really care all that much about the "plot" of the story, and I don't think the author does either. The romance and the interaction between the hero and heroine are what drives this story.

I mostly read historical regency romance, but I've read a number of medieval romances as well. I'm not such a big fan of medieval romances, though. It seems like so many medieval romances have a lot of scenes where the hero dominates the heroine in most every aspect of their relationship. Even if the heroine is depicted as "spirited" and strong-willed, it seems like she's always having to "learn a lesson" in respecting the hero's dominance. Sometimes, there are even a few quasi-rape scenes in these novels, which TOTALLY puts me off. I know that it was totally a male-dominated society back then, but I still like my romances with a little more give and take on BOTH sides - and a respect for each other's bodies.

The Bride didn't fall into that pitfall though. Alec doesn't ever try to dominate Jaimie physically (although he does occasionally want to throttle her for her outrageous behavior). Both the hero and the heroine spend a good deal of time overcoming their difficulties in communicating and their assumptions about what the other is feeling/thinking. I hope that the second book in this series, The Wedding, will be just as good.

My LibraryThing rating: 4 stars

Dallas Public Central Library celebrates 25th Anniversary

Happy Birthday to the Dallas Public Library's J. Erik Jonsson central library!!! The big ol' downtown library turns 25 this year and they've got lots of cool events planned to celebrate the occasion. Of particular note are the Lone Star Comics gaming tables, which will be open on Friday April 20th from 10pm till dawn AND the children's storytime/puppet show events. What a great way to get the community involved in the library!

Goodbye, Blue Monday

(I'm late in posting about this, I fear, but I've been out of town, etc.)

The great Kurt Vonnegut has passed.

Book Review: Blow Me Down - by Katie MacAlister

Synopsis: Blow Me Down is the first novel I have read by Katie MacAlister. It's about a single mama (hooray for mamas in romance!) whose teenage daughter, in an effort to get her wound-up mother to have a little fun for once, cons her into beta testing a new virtual reality computer game set in a world of pirates. Amy (that's the mama) actually finds herself enjoying the game, especially when she's matching wits and crossing swords with rival pirate (and game designer) Black Corbin. However, things take a bit of a nasty turn when she discovers that she and Corbin have been trapped inside the game by one of Corbin's former business partners bent on destroying him.

I don't usually read much contemporary romance, but this one had two things I just couldn't resist: pirates and computer gaming. Alone, those 2 things are great, but together... well, it just doesn't get much better than that. I liked the book as a whole pretty well. Corbin is a charming hero, and it was touching to see the way the author handled the physical attraction between the two main characters. Corbin is not the typical muscle-laden bronzed sungod/warrior type you see in so many romances. And MacAlister goes out of her way to explain that her heroine really prefers him just as he is in real life, not as he assumes she would like him to be.

The heroine had me pretty cracked up the entire time, although I could have probably done with a little less humor in the love scenes (I like them steamy, not so silly). Their interaction is crisp and entertaining throughout. At one point, the hero and heroine end up on opposite sides of the conflict, and I liked that Amy stayed true to her word and herself, not letting her personal relationship with Corbin sway her from her own code of honor. I also liked that he respected her for that.

Now I have to go rummage out my copy of Sid Meier's Pirates! and load it up.....

This one came in at 4 stars in my LibraryThing catalog

Book Review: Something Sinful - by Suzanne Enoch

Synopsis: Something Sinful is the 3rd book in the Griffin family series by Suzanne Enoch. This is the story of Charlemagne (Shay) Griffin and Sarala Carlisle, a young Englishwoman who was raised in India and then suddenly moved to England when her father unexpectedly assumes a title. Shay is first attracted by her exotic beauty, but underestimates her intelligence when she manages to outwit him in a deal for some rare Chinese silks. They play games for a few days, flirting and bargaining over the silks, until Shay discovers that the silks were not what they seemed and now someone wants him dead.

It's hard to talk too much about this one without giving any important plot twists away, but I really enjoyed it. We were watching a lot of the Firefly tv show when I read this, so I kept picturing the actress who plays Inara in my head as Sarala. I liked seeing the characters from the first 2 books in this series reappear in this story. I can't wait to read Sebastian Griffin's story in the upcoming Sins of a Duke, but it's not due out till June, I believe...

My LibraryThing rating: 4 stars!

Book Review: An Invitation to Sin - by Suzanne Enoch

Synopsis: An Invitation to Sin is the 2nd book in Suzanne Enoch's Griffin family series. Zachary Griffin, the youngest of the Griffin brothers, has spent his entire life flitting from one "career" to another. He can't ever seem to find an occupation that really suits him for more than a few weeks. His kind nature and sense of humor make his friends and family fond of him, but no one takes him very seriously. When he decides to join the army in an attempt to give his life some direction, his oldest brother, the Duke of Melbourne, sends him into the heart of rural England on the pretense of escorting his elderly aunt to Bath. The Duke hopes young Zach will do a little soul-searching and finally decide to take life seriously for a change. Our hero ends up trapped in the household of a gentleman farmer and his 7 unmarried daughters, friends of his aunt's. Caroline Witfeld, the eldest of the girls, is a dedicated painter whose one ambition is to be accepted into an art academy. After many rejections, she is given one last chance at a school in Vienna. In order to be accepted, she must paint a portrait of a nobleman and submit it for approval. When the handsome Lord Zachary Griffin shows up on her doorstep, Caroline thinks she's found the perfect subject for her portrait.

I enjoyed this story almost as much as Sin and Sensibility. It's very easy to identify with Zach's character. A lot of people are not fortunate enough to be born knowing exactly what they want to do with their lives. Many of us have to work very hard to discover a passion for a particular pursuit (and some people never find it). Caroline, on the other hand, has always known what her dream is and has devoted her life to realizing it. Yet, she doesn't realize that her art alone is not going to give her everything her heart desires. Again, Enoch presents us with characters who are far from perfect, who have real problems, and shows us how they discover themselves through one another. It makes for great romance. You really see why her heroes and heroines belong together.

LibraryThing rating: 4 stars

Book Review: Sin and Sensibility - by Suzanne Enoch

Synopsis: Sin and Sensibility is the first novel in a series by Suzanne Enoch about the Griffin family. Set in Regency England (the war is still on), this story is about Eleanor Griffin, a young woman who wants to have a taste of adventure before she settles into the mold of being a society wife. With 3 overbearing, overprotective older brothers (one of whom is a rather despotic Duke), she has her work cut out for her. In a bid for some independence, she makes a bargain with them: She gets the freedom to do and say what she pleases, so long as she doesn't cause a scandal of any kind. Her brothers agree, but (unbeknownst to Eleanor) secretly ask their good friend (and handsome ladykiller), Valentine Corbett, to keep an eye on her and see that she doesn't get into any real trouble.

This was a great book. I REALLY didn't like the first book I read by this author (Flirting With Danger), but I'm very glad I gave her another try. I was really impressed with Enoch's ability to create complex characters and so thoroughly describe the changes that they go through as they find each other. He's an *extremely* hardened rake and she's desperate for a bit of independence. The author is careful to demonstrate that Eleanor is not merely just looking to rebel against her brothers. Her quest for adventure is more about finding something special to have just for herself - the idea of doing something because it pleases her without regard for whether it is proper or virtuous or whatever - and NOT about whether it will piss off her family. Valentine's entrenched cynicism is also very believably turned on its ear by Eleanor's open and genuine nature. He finds that he really can care for someone - and that there are people really worth caring for. I will definitely be reading this entire series!

This one got 5 stars in my LibraryThing.

Vote for your favorite Star Wars stamp

It's official: The US Postal Service is releasing Star Wars postage stamps on May 25th. (Well, I know what to get SOMEBODY for his birthday this year!) You can vote for your preference online. (It was a tough call for me, choosing between Boba Fett and Yoda, but I picked Yoda in the end.) Interesting side note: According to the USPS web site, this is only the 2nd time in its 256 year history that the USPS is allowing the public to vote on a stamp. If memory serves, the first time was when they had us choose between skinny/hot Elvis and old/fat Elvis. This time seems like more of a win-win situation though...

Parody motivator generator

The makers of Demotivators, parodies of those obnoxious, saccharine motivational posters you see in offices all the time, have created a do-it-yourself parody motivator generator. That's mine there (butterbean volunteered his photo for the cause). You just upload your photo and pick your demotivational phrase and some colors and you've got your very own demotivator.

Thanks to the Generator Blog for this one.

Coming Soon: Hot Fuzz

I can't wait to see Hot Fuzz. It's brought to us from the folks who gave us the great zombie flick Shaun of the Dead (one of my top 10 favorite movies of all time EVER). Simon Pegg stars as one of London's finest, a supercop who takes down the bad guys with a real John Woo flair. He gets somehow transferred from the big city to serve in a tiny little podunk town out in the sticks where nothing much happens and gets paired off with a somewhat incompetent partner. And then these murders start happening in the town and hijinks ensue. Looks pretty funny. Opens in the US on April 20th, but sadly, only in limited release. Which means I'm going to have to truck my ass clear down into Dallas to see it at some cheesy movie grill type place.

Book Review: Flirting with Danger - by Suzanne Enoch

Synopsis: Flirting with Danger is the first book in a series of contemporary romances by Suzanne Enoch. The heroine, Sam, is a master thief who gets hired to steal an ancient Trojan tablet from an uber-rich antique collecting business tycoon (our hero). In the middle of the job, however, she gets double-crossed and the two of them have to work together to catch the real bad guys.

This was the first book by this author that I've ever read. And I don't usually read contemporary romance. However, my participation in a romance readers' group on LibraryThing has broadened my horizons so I picked this one up at Half Price Books not too long ago. The book jacket was kind of funny so I thought I'd try it out. Unfortunately, though, I did not enjoy it as much as I'd hoped.

I found the plot to be pretty interesting - there's danger and a mystery to it, which I like. And I liked the hero a lot - he's rich, British, and sexy (how can you go wrong with that?). But the heroine really got on my nerves. She is obviously supposed to be a strong character - highly intelligent, independent, can take care of herself - which I think are great qualities. But she's kind of, I don't know ... surly. She doesn't seem to have much in the way of vulnerability or approachability at all. It's hard for me to see why the hero likes her (except for the hefty dose of lust between them). And I kept thinking, if she storms out of the room in an attempt to run away from the hero and the situation just one more time, I'm going to scream. And the hero, of course, goes running right after her every time to talk her into staying. I repeatedly found myself wanting to shout at him, "Let her go!!! And good riddance!"

I kept hoping we'd eventually get to see a softer side to her, but it never really happened. And the characters' attitudes toward sex (and the dialog during the love scenes) was a bit cavalier and unromantic I thought. The plot was engaging enough to get me to finish it, but I'm pretty sure I'm not going to read the other two books in this series. I'm not giving up on this author, though. I'm still a good enough sport to try out her highly-recommended historical novels.

I only gave this one 2 stars in my LibraryThing catalog

Hanging Cabinets - Part 5: Finishing Up

We had one kind of "odd duck" cabinet that didn't have the same measurements as the others, so we decided to hang that one on another wall. We also hung this one a little lower down on the wall so as to allow for more room on top of the cabinet for storage. We did the same song and dance with the 2x4 and then hung it up. After the cabinets are mounted, you take the 2x4 down since you don't need it anymore.

All in all, this project was really not too tough. It took some time (we spent about 3/4 of a day on it, with various breaks for visiting with neighbors, lunch, beers, etc. Once we learned the trick with the 2x4, we found that this is easily a two-person job. (Although we couldn't have done it half so well without the help of our neighbors.) After we got it going, my husband did most of it by himself, with me helping to hand him screws, brace the cabinet against the wall periodically, etc. The end result was great: we got more storage and a clean garage. And it really looks pretty nice in there now!

Hanging Cabinets - Part 4: uh, Hanging the Cabinets

Once we got the 2x4 up, we set the first cabinet on top. Bracing the cabinet against the wall, we drilled the first screw through the top part of the cabinet and into the stud. We put 3 screws into the top and then 3 into the bottom. Then we went on to the next cabinet and did the same thing.

The smaller cabinets we ended up stacking. They were all 15" high, so we just stacked 2 together and were able to fit 4 on the same wall next to the others. Our neighbor had to leave after we got the first two cabinets up, and the ones we put up all by ourselves didn't go on perfectly (the ones on top seemed to tilt a little somehow and weren't quite flush against the adjacent cabinets) but we decided we're just not all that picky. But if you're the "if you're not going to do a job right, then don't do it at all" type, then you'd probably want to take them down and re-do it. We, fortunately, don't have those kinds of standards.

Hanging Cabinets - Part 3: Measuring & Bracing

Our neighbor, having hung cabinets himself many times before, recommended we mount a 2x4 on the wall to use as a brace for the cabinets. The 2x4 will then bear most of the weight of the cabinet, making it easier to then drill the screws in.

First, you have to measure and mark where you want the bottom of the cabinets to go. We wanted to leave a 1' space between the top of each cabinet and the ceiling. This would allow us space to store additional items above the cabinets. Each cabinet was 30" high, so we measured 42" down from the ceiling and marked the wall. We measured and marked at short intervals along the wall so that we could then line up the 2x4 appropriately. *Important Note: Always measure down from the ceiling and NOT up from the floor. The foundation is floated by human hands and subject to imperfections in height (i.e. - it's not level, or true). The ceiling on the other hand, is designed to be pretty even, so it should be true.

Next we placed the 2x4 along the wall, aligning it with the marks we'd made and then propped the level on top to make sure it was level all the way across. Then we used some really long screws (5 or 6 inches long I think) and mounted the 2x4 to the wall. We used 3 screws and put each into a stud. *Another Important Note: ALWAYS make sure you're screwing into the stud and NOT just into sheetrock. Sheetrock can't really bear any kind of load at all.

Hanging Cabinets - Part 2: Setting Up

First off, we went to the hardware store and got 2.25" screws. It's important that they be long enough to go through the back of the cabinets and well into the stud in the wall. Then we came home and moved most of the stuff out away from the wall. Two of the cabinets were three shelves high and the other 5 were single shelf with 2 doors. They're pretty nice cabinets so they were really heavy. Too heavy for me to really hold up against the wall, actually. We quickly realized that we were going to need another pair of hands. So we called up our next door neighbor Michael, who, incidentally, works for a home builder in the area and knows a bit about home improvement.

DIY Saturday project: hanging cabinets - Part 1

My folks are re-doing a bunch of stuff on their house and asked us awhile back if we wanted some cabinets that they were taking down. I said, "Heck yeah!" because (and this is important) whenever anyone offers you free storage units of any kind, your automatic response should always be "Heck yeah!" And we really needed some storage. We decided to hang most of them in the garage. (We are putting two of them in our bathrooms, but that's another project).

We keep our cars in our garage rather than parking them in the driveway. It keeps them cleaner, safer, and hail damage-free in Texas summers. As a result, we don't have a lot of space in the garage for all the tools, lawn equipment, Big Wheels, etc. Mounting cabinets on the wall to hold all this stuff seemed like a perfect solution. So last weekend, Mama n Daddy came up bearing cabinets and yesterday, we installed them. We sent the kids to stay at their Granny's for the day and set to work.

The following posts go over what we did and what we learned.

How to tie a tie

Today's TipNut points to a great illustrated tutorial on how to tie a tie. Instructions cover how to tie a Windsor Knot, a Half-Windsor Knot, a Four-in-Hand Knot, and even a Bow-Tie.

I was on the debate team in high school and, in the course of events, learned to tie a tie to help out all the geeky debater guys get their act together before a debate. However, that was like 15 years ago and, like most of what I learned in high school, I've totally forgotten how to do it. And as a woman, (unless you're Annie Lennox) you won't exactly have a lot of opportunities to practice the art of tying a tie. However, I believe that this is probably one of those important life skills that everyone should know. After all, you never know when you might need to help out a man in distress at a wedding or some such.

I (heart) zeds

Like my friend puddle, I love zombies. Who doesn't love anything that feeds on the brains of the living? So I got really excited when I stumbled across this book this morning:

World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War - by Max Brooks

It's written as a series of personal accounts by various people from different walks of life who lived through a zombie world takeover. Cool. And I also hear there's a movie adaptation in the works... Which means I will have to read the book since I have this terrible compulsion to read the book before seeing the movie for anything. And as if that weren't enough, Mr. Brooks, a zombie-book-writin fool, is also the author of The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection from the Living Dead. Sounds like I've found the beginning of my summer reading list...

Dirtiest desk contest

The guys at Dethroner are having a contest to see who has the dirtiest desk as a part of their spring cleaning theme this week. Mine's fairly tidy, but I wonder if I could enter a photo of oldlady's desk... it would take the prize, hands down.

My new favorite game: Kingdom of Loathing

Being a parent has made me realize a great number of things, one of which being that I must accept the fact that until my kids go to college, I am going to be about 2 years behind everyone else in just about everything entertainment-wise. We get to go to the movies about twice a year, so we got Netflix. We don't have DVR so we just wait the requisite year or two and rent the entire series of a show on Netflix. (Although I firmly believe that renting via Netflix is really the BEST way to watch tv anyway. Instant gratification for episodes and no commercials.)

Video games are no exception. So it was with great delight that I finally discovered Kingdom of Loathing this week, which the rest of the world has apparently been playing for ages. "Oh, everyone's heard of that," my friends all said. Well, I hadn't until Karen, bff and computer gamer extraordinaire, told me about it this week.

It's an online massive multiplayer game set in the mythical Kingdom of Loathing. I forget the premise but it's really not all that important. It's fun. It's low-tech. It's cute. It's free. AND it sparks fond memories of every role-playing game I ever played as a young gamer geek.

I am playing a Pastamancer, a pasta spoon-wielding stickman who wears a hat made out of a giant ravioli and uses his knowledge of noodlecraft to fight the bad guys. As I said, it's great fun. And while you are limited to a finite number of "adventure points" (actions) per day, you get so many I haven't really run out yet. And you don't spend them for every click you make, like in some games (Urban Dead for one), so it leaves you free to run around and explore as much as you want. What it lacks though is a good help feature. The one in the game is ok, but it doesn't have any real index or other organizational structure. UD had a nice game wiki which really explained a lot of the features. However, you do start KOL with a good tutorial, going on a few safe quests to get experience under your belt.

Good times.

Another Colt 45, Billy Dee?

Apparently, Star Wars veteran and dreamy 70's sex object Billy Dee Williams will be starring in an upcoming episode of Lost. (I don't have a legitimate source for this, but hey, 10 million Lost spoiler sites can't be wrong.) I gave up on that show a few weeks back (too many Others, too little time). But I have to say, if Billy Dee's going to be on it, I might have to tune in. ROWRRRRR!!!

The episode, entitled Expose, is supposed to air on March 28th.

March blues and the enchanted April

The month of March is really sucking. It's gray, rainy, depressing. I always get a little blue around February and March every year. I'm suddenly ready for warm sunshine, sandals, and just being outdoors.

So I picked up The Enchanted April by Elizabeth Von Arnim this week to bring in a much-needed breath of fresh air. I read it about 10 years ago and just loved it. Last time I read it, I literally felt refreshed when I finished it.

It was written in the 1920's and set in that same time period. The author has a very light-hearted and often wry writing style. Like the movie, it's a very peaceful, fun, and soothing read. Also, it's nice to picture all that Italian sunshine, sea, and flowers. And I think it even qualifies as a kind of romance novel. Two of the main characters find romance once again within their own marriages - which is nice to see (especially for those of us who are married and have been for some time).

Of course, when I finish reading it, I'll probably be desperate to watch the movie, which isn't out on DVD yet :(

"but these go to 11..." Nigel's t-shirt from Spinal Tap

Now you, too, can wear Nigel Tufnel's cool t-shirt from the movie This is Spinal Tap. Order it from Found Item Clothing. Gotta have it.

found via t-critic

Track all your packages with PackTrack

I've been using PackTrack for a while now. It gives you one-stop package tracking for pretty much every carrier under the sun. Just plug in your tracking number and select the shipper. The best part about it is that it remembers your tracking number for you and keeps it in a handy list for quick checking. So if you're obsessive like me and check the status of your shipment over and over like five times a day (c'mon you know you do it too) you don't have to rummage up your confirmation email from the vendor.

Book Review: Dark Side of the Moon - by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Synopsis: Dark Side of the Moon is #14 in the Dark-Hunters series by Sherrilyn Kenyon. We get a new setting this time, Seattle, where a Dark-Hunter named Ravyn hooks up with a human reporter. Ravyn is no ordinary Dark-Hunter, though. He is actually a Were-Hunter who became a Dark-Hunter about 500 years ago when his family turned on him. Susan is a washed-up journalist trying to scrape up the shreds of her tattered career after being publicly discredited and ruined by a set-up in her past. Now she's working for a tabloid rag just to make ends meet. She picks up Ravyn, who is stuck in cat-form, from her local vet's office and hyjinks ensue. Come to find out, Ravyn and the other Seattle-area D-H's are being hunted down and killed by a group of really badass Daimons led by Strykerius (whom we have met in previous novels). In their bid for world domination, the Daimons are trying to get a foothold in the human world by first wiping taking over the city of Seattle.

This book picks up some of the plot that got left hanging at the end of Seize the Night. It is worth reading this novel just for the stuff at the end that relates to the overall story arc. However, the romance between the two main characters is a bit lacking. I didn't like Susan very much. She is very sarcastic, which is ok and even pretty entertaining at times, but she doesn't seem to be all that lovable. She comes across as a bit abrasive and she's really not very tender with the hero at all. Ravyn's a pretty swell guy, but seems almost an archetype of the typical Dark-Hunter, with the exception of being able to change into a cat at will. By this point in the series, the romances are taking a definite backseat to the plot of the series as a whole. And that's really fine with me - I'm so enthralled in the storyline of the series that I don't really mind.

I rated this one at 2 stars in LibraryThing

Book Review: Unleash the Night - by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Synopsis: Unleash the Night is #13 in Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark-Hunters series. It is the story of Wren, another Were-Hunter (he's a tiger/leopard mix) who lives by the skin of his teeth at Sanctuary, the Were-Hunter owned bar in New Orleans that is featured in previous novels. He falls for Marguerite (aka: Maggie), a human, who happens to be a rich senator's daughter and the girl of his dreams. Unfortunately, the bears who own Sanctuary are none too keen on him staying there, particularly after he has some run-ins with local law enforcement and starts dating a human. He is being hunted by his own kind, though, so losing the safety of Sanctuary means he is fair game for those out to kill him.

On the whole, I liked this novel. It was kind of odd, though. The first half of the book was awesome. We get a lot of scenes with dreamy, blond-haired, dred-locked Wren sending smoldering looks at Maggie from across the room. He is shy and sweet (I'm a total sucker for the shy, quite type). She is clean-cut and good-hearted and pretty much falls in love with him right from the get-go. But then the second half of the book gets kind of bogged down in the plot of the money-grubbing relatives who are out to get him. A nice bonus, though, was getting to see some familiar characters: Julian, Vane, Fury, and Dante.

This one got 4 stars in my LibraryThing catalog.