In My Thoughts This Fine Day #2

It's time for some randomness again.


First, and of course the most exciting, the Euro Cup starts today! Woohoo! Let hours in front of the TV and checking my phone for scores every five minutes begin! I'm hoping Spain will keep the title but I'm OK with the Netherlands or Portugal winning too. Anyone but the German team and that dastardly Schweinsteiger!

Second: yesterday, June 7th, was Karl Urban's birthday. Who the heck is Karl Urban, you ask? Let me remind you.

He plays Dr. Leonard McCoy in the 2009 version of Star Trek and William Cooper in Red. Those are the ones you've probably heard of, anyway. He also played Eomer in The Lord Of The Rings movies.

Anywho, my sister has a massive crush on him so what did we do? Why, we celebrated of course! We watched Red and had some cheesecake in his honor. Don't believe me?

See?!  Don't ask about the number 5. It's all we had! 

Here I am looking dubious about are celebration

and my sister trying to contain her excitement.

My sister's son was just excited we got real movie theater popcorn for the event. 

 Until next time.  Have a great weekend, everyone!

Let The Unsung Hero Singing Begin!

The other day as I was blow drying my hair I started thinking about books and book characters. This isn't that unusual. I sit on the ground in front of three of my book shelves while blow drying my hair every day, and with books staring at you it's pretty hard not to think about...well books. AND on top of my blow drying inspiration, I also spent a lazy weekend watching all three of the special edition Lord of the Rings.

So what did all this amazing inspiration inspire? Why, this post of course! Let me explain.

You know in Lord of the Rings when after a physically, emotionally, mentally taxing journey, the four Hobbit friends return to The Shire to a big fat nothing?! No one knows nor cares where the friends were. The other hobbits are completely unaware what doom might have befallen their little town had the friends not done what they did. In ignorance they live their lives not ever knowing that they owed those very lives to the four friends. Alright, sure, the four friends got one heck of celebration in Gondor but it still got me thinking of those unsung heroes.

Two of my favorite book series are about unsung heroes.

                                             

Matthew Swift. Reluctant host to the Blue Electric Angels. Unwilling Midnight Mayor. Four time saver of the city. And does he ever get a celebration? Do the citizens of London ever truly know what he did for them? Do the people who actually know what he's done even thank him? And most importantly, does he even care? No. That's what's so great about unsung heroes. They save the world/city/people numerous times and don't expect a thing for it. They do it because they're good people who make the hard decision for no better reason than it needs to be done.

                                             

Odd Thomas. The quiet fry cook who sees ghosts. He doesn't want attention or credit for the help he gives and he never withholds that help. He has a gift/curse and instead of trying to run away from it and ignore it he    accepts and uses it. Even when it costs him everything he doesn't stop. But I'll shut up before I ruin it for you.

So why am I going on and on about these unsung heroes? Because they deserve it!

And here's where you come in. Tell me about your favorite unsung heroes in literature. Sing out! They deserve it. Besides, I love these heroes and I want to meet more of them and read their stories. So do share.

Review: The Fox Inheritance

Title The Fox Inheritance (Jenna Fox Chronicles 2)
By Mary E. Pearson
Genre YA science fiction/dystopian
Pages 304
Recommended by Me

First sentence My hands close around the heavy drape, twisting it into a thick cord.

Synopsis
Locke and Kara's minds have been trapped in computers for two hundred and sixty years. Given bodies made of Bioperfect with enhanced abilities was gift enough, but being set free was the real gift. But the man that set them free has an agenda of his own and being locked in their minds for two hundred and sixty years has Kara and Locke suffering side effects as they race to find their old friend Jenna.

What it has going for it
First off, I have to give some love to Mary E Pearson's writing. It's simple and beautiful and I thoroughly enjoy it. The first half of this book sucked me in and, as I guessed, had much more of a story than the first book in the series. The future world Pearson created was freakishly scary in its believability! The ideas she came up with were the type I can totally see happening in our own future world. I loved the characters in this one too! The good guys were worth rooting for and the bad guys were perfectly hateable. I was on pins and needles while Kara and Locke went on the run and that first half of the book was read in one sitting....

What's lacking
And then I got to the second half of the book. :( What a let down. Not only did this awesome world start to unravel with discrepancies and holes, but it was as if the author tried too hard to bring in some of the symbolism and messages from the first book. It would have been better if she'd just finished with a great story and not tried so hard. Mainly I just got bored with the story and irritated with all the holes that littered the second half. What a shame.

Favorite moment
Any moment with Dot. I just loved her!

Yea or Nay?
For the world building yes, but for the fall of that world...not so much. I don't know what to tell you. Read at your own risk.

May Wrapup 2012

And May is over and we're almost half way through the year. Eeeep! I'm so proud of myself. I read quite a few books in May and almost caught up with my Goodreads challenge!

Precious Bane by Mary Webb
The great unknown classic. May it become a little more well known.

Happyface by Stephen Emond
The story just couldn't hold up to the great art.

On The Bright Side, I'm Now the Girlfriend of a Sex God (Georgia Nicolson 2) by Louise Rennison 
Not quite as funny as the first but still fun.

Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta 
Realistically perfect. A new favorite!

Notes To Self by Avery Sawyer
A short read with a big beautiful story.

Star Crossed (Theif Errant 1) by Elizabeth C. Bunce
Amazing plot and a great MC combine to make this one a real treasure.

Once Was Lost by Sara Zarr 
Oh the symbolism! Loved this one!

The Fox Inheritance (Jenna Fox Chronicles 2)  by Mary E. Pearson
Started with promise ended in disappointment. :(

Stolen: A Letter To My Captor by Lucy Christopher 
Intense and unputdownable but with a depressing ending.

Life As We Knew It (Last Survivors 1) by Susan Beth Pfeffer
Another intense read but where was the hope?!

Didn't Finish


Tempest Rising (Tempest 1) by Tracey Deebs
Boredom in the guise of YA paranormal romance.

Touch of Frost Mythos Academy 1) by Jennifer Estep 
150 pages in and it was still barely getting started. Maybe I'll try another time.

Favorites of the month were Saving Francesca, Precious Bane and One Was Lost. Least favorites, obviously the ones I couldn't finish.

Review: Happyface

Title Happyface
By Stephen Emond
Genre YA Contemporary
Pages 320
Recommended by Kathy

First sentence So I'm opening my Christmas present in June.

Synopsis
Written in journal style with awesome pictures, Happyface tells the story of a boy who decided to reinvent himself when he starts at a new school. No longer will he be that "kid in the corner drawing you", but, instead, a cool laid back guy with a grin plastered on his face. No matter what.


What is has going for it
The art! The art in this book was a blast for me. It's not a graphic novel; the pictures don't tell the story, but they could. They're that good. From doodle style to beautiful sketches and everything in between, the pictures made this book worth the read. I also enjoyed the journal style writing as it's always very personal feeling and pulls you into the characters head better than other styles might.

What's lacking
Unfortunately the story didn't do it for me. The surprises were thrown at you in a way that made you feel lied to because it was in journal style. I can see the reasoning behind it but I still didn't like that feeling of betrayal. But what really ruined the book for me was the sarcasm and bitterness dripping from the pages. I know it's unprofessional to lash out at authors but I felt like, in this case, the author had been burned at some point in his life and used this book as a tool for getting sympathy. I don't know, maybe there was some message I missed but I just found myself rather disgusted with the MC and that's never a good thing.

Favorite moment
For me it was just looking at the art. There wasn't really a part of the story that was a favorite.

Yea or Nay?
You know me, even if I don't like a book, doesn't mean I won't recommend it. For this one I'll say sure, for the art, sure. And if you actually get what the author was going for let me know. ;)