2011 October » Birdbrain(ed) Book Blog

The Sunday Salon (Oct. 16): Multiplicity

Posted by Anastasia on October 16, 2011 16 Responses »

Oct 162011

For the first time in a while I’m reading more than two books at a time. And I mean actively reading them– unlike other times, where I pretend I’m still reading a book but really I don’t pick it up again for weeks and weeks and then I forget about it and put it back on the TBR shelf.

This is both fun and annoying. On the one hand, I’m enjoying all the books I’m reading. There’s a good variety of genres and types, so I’m not getting bored. On the other hand, I hate how long it’s taking me to finish reading each book. I’m used to finishing a book within two-three days (or less), so reading the same book for over a week, when it’s not a particularly long book anyway, is irritating.

On the other hand (I do have three hands, yes), although it’s taking me longer to finish each book I feel like I’m reading more. Yesterday I read a good chunk of The Devil’s Elixir and then finished the Bridget Jones sequel, and before bed I read another two chapters of a Lilith Saintcrow book on my iPod Touch. By the time I went to sleep I felt really accomplished and awesome and full of book-love. I don’t feel like that when I read a single book in one day, from start to finish. So that’s good?

I’m just full of conflicting feelings and ideas, I guess.

I haven’t decided whether I’m going to keep up this multiplicity (first definition) of mine. Right now it’s both good and bad in nearly equal amounts, but maybe if I get used to it more it’ll be almost completely good. I don’t know! I can’t remember how it felt the last time I was reading more than two books at a time. Probably the same as I’m feeling right now, really. (I have a terrible memory.)

How many books do you read at a time? Do you like reading multiple books at once, or do you find it annoying?

Weekly Book Stats

Books read this week:
120. The Fashion in Shrouds – Margery Allingham [rating: 2]
121. The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt – Caroline Preston [rating: 5] R
122. Bridget Jones’ Diary – Helen Fielding [rating: 3.5] *
123. Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason – Helen Fielding [rating: TBD]

Books reviewed this week:
96. A Year Without Autumn – Liz Kessler [rating: 3] R
112. Life: An Exploded Diagram – Mal Peet [rating: 4] R

Books acquired this week:

The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt by Caroline Preston (publisher).

Currently reading:
I’ll do this in list format, shall I?
1. The Devil’s Elixir. I’m nearly 70% into vol. 1, and I think I can finish it today. It’s pretty fast-paced for a gothic novel, but I’m still skimming some boring parts. The best thing about it is I don’t know if the narrator is insane or legitimately possessed by the devil (or both?). The worst thing is that the editor “cut out” what was probably the most exciting part of the book– poisonings and duels and death! (He also cut out the sex, but I’m not complaining about that.)
2. Traitor’s Purse. This is the second Campion mystery in a collection I have, and I’m reading it hoping that it’s less traumatic/insulting/etc. than the first one was. I’m only two pages into it, so I can’t say yet if it’s better or not.
3. Night Shift. I can’t remember why I bought this, back when I was buying ebooks willy-nilly (pre-Kindle days), but I did and I haven’t read it so I thought I should. So far it’s pretty good, although I’m still in the early stages where I’m figuring out characters and the plot and wtf is going on.
4. Agatha Christie’s Autobiography. This one’s going the slowest out of all of them, but I’m determined to finish it this time! I’ve got a Christie biography coming for review (I hope) and I want to read her autobiography before I read that one. I’m still in her early teens somewhere, I think.

Blog Notes

Two things:
1. I’ve installed the CommentLuv plugin, which means that your comments will have your latest post listed if you want them to. Huzzah! People love advertising their posts, so I’m hoping this’ll encourage people to comment more. (Although I do worry the quality of comments will go down…eh.)
2. The new reader poll is up. I can’t remember if I’ve mentioned this before? Anyway, this month’s question is: Are you doing anything special for Halloween? Answer in the sidebar to the right!

Commonplace Post (7)

Posted by Anastasia on October 15, 2011 No Responses »

Oct 152011

Click on an image to go to its site.

New Books From Gail Carriger! @ Orbit Books

Amazon Launches Sci-Fi & Horror Imprint @ GalleyCat

Sarah Rees Brennan:

Which is why I’ll add that I don’t like hearing ‘oh, some of my characters are gay, but I just didn’t mention it, it’s not germane to the plot.’ It’s disingenuous to pretend that the fake default world doesn’t exist, and that people won’t assume. It’s disingenuous to say it, if there are a bunch of heterosexual characters whose straightness was germane to the plot! I believe that it’s said in all good faith, and of course it’s nicer to hear than ‘Gay people in MY world, certainly not’ but hearing it (and I have heard it, oh gosh, at least twenty times from different writers) always saddens me. Put it in the book. All most readers will ever have is the book. The book is the important thing: the book could change a life, if you do it right.

And if you don’t believe that, why be a writer at all?

REVIEW: Life: An Exploded Diagram by Mal Peet

Posted by Anastasia on October 14, 2011 8 Responses »

Oct 142011

112. Life: An Exploded Diagram by Mal Peet
Publication: Candlewick (October 11, 2011), ARC Paperback, pp / ISBN 076365227X
Genre: YA Historical Fiction

Read: September 10, 2011
Source: Publisher (thank you!)

Summary from Amazon:

Can love survive a lifetime? When working-class Clem Ackroyd falls for Frankie Mortimer, the gorgeous daughter of a wealthy local landowner, he has no hope that it can. After all, the world teeters on the brink of war, and bombs could rain down any minute over the bleak English countryside—just as they did seventeen years ago as his mother, pregnant with him, tended her garden. This time, Clem may not survive. Told in cinematic style by acclaimed writer Mal Peet, this brilliant coming-of-age novel is a gripping family portrait that interweaves the stories of three generations and the terrifying crises that define them. With its urgent sense of history, sweeping emotion, and winning young narrator, Mal Peet’s latest is an unforgettable, timely exploration of life during wartime.

Review

You know the kind of books where a family’s history bleeds into the present, not necessarily like a curse but more like an explanation of how people developed into who they are? I’m not sure what that’s called, but whatever it is– that’s what Life: An Exploded Diagram is about. Continue reading »

Thursday Tea (Oct. 13): Bridget Jones’ Diary

Posted by Anastasia on October 13, 2011 6 Responses »

Oct 132011

The book: I read a Helen Fielding book last week that has sent me on a “women’s fiction”/”chick lit” rampage. Unfortunately, most of my WF/CL books have been packed away. Fortunately, I’ve got quite a few stockpiled on my Kindle and a few more wandering around the house waiting to be gotten rid of. Bridget Jones’ Diary is one of the latter kind; I found it sitting in the Bookcrossing Pile looking forlorn and decided to reread it.

I first read Bridget Jones’ Diary way back in August 2008, where I gave it a 5/5 rating. It’s been so long since I first read it that I’ve basically forgotten everything about the story except for the end (I think), which is actually really good because it means I can give it a fresh rating without any nostalgia interfering.

So far it’s a lot of fun, although it’s also full of BS re:what modern women want.¹ Luckily I do think that WF/CL books are finally moving away from the BJD ideas of a woman wants, but it’s taken a good while. I can only hope the same happens with YA paranormal fiction and vampires.

The tea: I’ve got a box of Scottish shortbread cookies I found on clearance at Walmart, and right now I’ve only got one cookie left. You know what goes really well with shortbread? English Breakfast tea. I’m sure there’s an ironic joke to be made somewhere, but as I’m neither British or Scottish I don’t know what it is.

Do they go together? Yup! BJD is a British book, and English Breakfast is one of the quintessential British teas. Sure, Bridget drinks more alcohol than tea in the book, but it still counts.

Other tea drinkers

Alex is reading Time to Go Back by Mabel Esther Allan and drinking Twining’s English Afternoon Tea!

Angela Renee is reading Scones & Bones by Laura Childs and drinking Blackberry Sage tea!

(Leave a link to your TT post in the comments and I’ll add you to the tea drinkers list!)

Footnotes

REVIEW: A Year Without Autumn by Liz Kessler

Posted by Anastasia on October 11, 2011 6 Responses »

Oct 112011

96. A Year Without Autumn by Liz Kessler
Publication: Candlewick (October 11, 2011), ARC paperback, 292pp / ISBN 0763655953
Genre: MG Sci-fi/Fiction

Read: August 9, 2011
Source: Publisher (thank you!)

Summary from Amazon:

Jenni Green’s family vacation has finally arrived! Even though she has to deal with her annoying little brother, her slightly overbearing dad, and her very pregnant mom, she gets to spend a week with her bestest friend in the world, Autumn. But twelve-year-old Jenni’s world turns upside down when she takes an old elevator to visit Autumn and discovers that everything has changed: not only is her friend in a different condo, but tragedy has struck Autumn’s family, Jenni’s mother has had her baby, and everyone is a year older. When Jenni realizes that the elevator caused her to skip a whole year, she tries to go back, but soon finds that fixing things won’t be as easy as pressing a button. How can she alter the past and keep her family and Autumn’s from falling apart? With honesty and insight, Liz Kessler explores how the bonds of family and friendship can endure through time.

Note: There are probably some spoilers in this review.

Review

I haven’t read any of Liz Kessler’s other books, although I’m familiar with her Emily Windsnap books (and I think I have the first one on my Kindle). I knew she wrote cute, light-hearted, funny books, and while A Year Without Autumn deviates a bit from that idea it’s still a very enjoyable book.

A Year Without Autumn deals with a tough subject– the longterm illness of a child and how that affects everybody, including alcoholism, drug abuse, and depression– but it’s still, for all that, reasonably light. I sympathized with the characters and I felt really badly for them, and the story was both tragic and weirdly exciting. I also really like time travel books, if only because they do give you the chance to go back and fix things. Continue reading »

Happy release day, Tuesdays at the Castle!

Posted by Anastasia on October 11, 2011 6 Responses »

Oct 112011

I loved this book when I reviewed it back in July and I still love it now. If you need a reminder (and I’m sure you do):

I adored this book. I loved everything about it. I don’t think JDG was a step out of place anywhere, and that’s a more rare thing that you’d think. Do you like MG fantasy books? Yes? Then you seriously need to read Tuesdays at the Castle. I’m telling you this for your own good: listen to me! Do as I say! You won’t regret it.

Read my complete review here, or go ahead and order your copy from Amazon or BookDepository.

Happy release day, Tuesdays!

Edit: Except not, because the new release day is now October 25. Whoops.

The Sunday Salon (Oct. 9): No more worries

Posted by Anastasia on October 9, 2011 12 Responses »

Oct 092011

Lately I’ve been worrying about blogging and reading and keeping up with internet things, and it’s just all so silly. I don’t need to worry about those things, so…I won’t! And it’s just that simple. I won’t worry about it. I’ll do what I can when I can (or when I want), and that’s all I need to think about.

I’m not sure how it’ll affect y’all, except that I’ll probably be on Twitter and Tumblr less for a while. I’m still planning on posting at least two reviews a week, along with weekly memes. I’ve just finished a really awesome book that’s kick-started me into wanting to read more, so that’s good. I may also be commenting less on other people’s blogs, but that doesn’t mean I won’t be reading your posts! So know that I’m with you in spirit, if not in text.

Er. What else? Oh! My third blogoversary is coming up in a little over a month. That’s exciting, eh? I’m trying to figure out if I want to do something special to celebrate. I suppose I could do a giveaway. What do you think?

I’m also planning on doing the Book Bloggers Holiday Card Exchange again this year, although I’m definitely going to simplify it so I don’t spend three hours putting together partners again. I won’t be posting sign-ups until mid-November, though. So look forward to that!

Also: I’ve been wanting to do some non-review/non-meme posts but I’m terrible at coming up with discussion topics. I was thinking I could do an “Ask Anastasia” kind of thing, where people ask for help regarding some book blog thing and then I try to help them. I know there’s a few of these already, but I think I could be good at it, maybe.

Oh, and if you hadn’t noticed already: there’s a new reader’s poll up in the sidebar!

Weekly Book Stats

Books read this week:
118. The Apothecary – Maile Meloy [rating: 4] B
119. Olivia Joules and the Overactive Imagination – Helen Fielding [rating: TBD]

Books reviewed this week:
110. Bluefish – Pat Schmatz [rating: 4] R
116. The 14th Dalai Lama: A Manga Biography – Tetsu Saiwai [rating: 2] R
117. Gandhi: A Manga Biography – Kazuki Ebine [rating: 1] R

Books acquired this week:
None.

Currently reading:
I’m about 10% into the first volume of The Devil’s Elixir now. It’s severely testing my knowledge of how monasteries and Catholicism work. Luckily I have a dictionary to help!