Musing Monday is hosted by MizB at Today's musing... "What devices –if any– do you read books on? Do you find it enjoyable, or still somewhat bothersome? Or: If you only read the print books, why haven’t you chosen to read on any devices?"
I actually have three ereaders... a Literati that I won in a contest, a Pandigital novel that was a birthday gift and a Kindle 4 that I purchased to travel with to Germany.
I think ereaders are great devices but I will never, ever give up "real" books. My main love of ereaders is the portability. I love being able to carry a smaller device in my bag and still be able to read that 800+ page tome that I'm reading. Yes, I usually carry big handbags but it's still nice when it doesn't weigh more than a toddler.
The Pandigital is really more than an ereader...it's a tablet! So, I can surf the web, read email and read books all in one nifty little device. One of my favorite things is to eat lunch by myself at Panera... I usually do it once a week or so. It's easier to read a book on an ereader there than trying to keep the book open while I enjoy my broccoli cheese soup and Greek salad. As you may or may not know, I love accessories! So, it's no wonder that ereader covers are my new favorite thing! My husband actually made a custom cover for the Literati. I was looking at ereader covers on Etsy and found some that used real dust jackets. So, DH made one for me. He used a dust jacket of a book with a gorgeous cover. I love it because no one else has the same one and it looks like a real book! I found a really cute black faux croc cover at Kohl's for the Pandigital and a bright red one for the Kindle. What are your thoughts on ereaders? Tell me here or leave your link at MizB's blog!
This is a new show that premieres on Monday. It looks different (in a good way) and we are excited to watch it.
From the show's website... "From executive producer J.J. Abrams (FRINGE, “Lost,” “Star Trek,” and the recent blockbuster “Super 8”) comes ALCATRAZ, a thrilling new series that follows a unique trio investigating the mystifying reappearance of 302 of Alcatraz’s most notorious prisoners and guards, 50 years after they vanished. When San Francisco Police Department DET. REBECCA MADSEN (Sarah Jones) is assigned to a grisly homicide case, a fingerprint leads her to a seemingly impossible suspect: JACK SYLVANE (guest star Jeffrey Pierce), an Alcatraz inmate who died over 30 years ago. Given her family history – both her grandfather and surrogate uncle, RAY ARCHER (Robert Forster), were guards at the prison – Madsen’s interest is immediately piqued. When the enigmatic, knows-everything-but-tells-nothing government agent EMERSON HAUSER (Sam Neill) tries to impede her investigation, she becomes doggedly committed to it. Madsen finds herself working with an unlikely partner, Alcatraz expert and comic book enthusiast DR. DIEGO “DOC” SOTO (Jorge Garcia), to help piece together the inexplicable sequence of events. The two discover that Sylvane is not only alive, but he’s loose on the streets of San Francisco, exacting decades-old revenge and leaving bodies in his wake. And strangely, he hasn’t aged a day since 1963, when Alcatraz was ruled by the iron-fisted WARDEN EDWIN JAMES (Jonny Coyne) and the sadistic ASSOCIATE WARDEN E.B. TILLER (Jason Butler Harner). Detective Madsen and Soto must team with Hauser and his associate, LUCY BANERJEE (Parminder Nagra), to stop Sylvane’s vengeful killing spree. By delving into Alcatraz history, government cover-ups and Rebecca’s own heritage, the team will ultimately discover that Sylvane is only a small part of a much larger, more sinister present-day threat. Because even though he may be the first, it quickly becomes clear that Sylvane won’t be the last to reappear from Alcatraz. During the course of the investigation, Madsen and Soto will learn that Hauser has been awaiting the prisoners’ return for nearly 50 years. Soto will witness his life’s work – the history of Alcatraz – come alive, while he and Madsen fight to keep the country safe from history’s most dangerous criminals."
Too bad Nicolas Cage, Sean Connery and Ed Harris aren't in it...lol! But that's a whole different story... isn't it?!?
FIRST LINE FRIDAY...First lines have always intrigued me since I heard an author say that writing the first sentence is, by far, the most difficult part of writing a novel. The reasoning was that a first sentence can make the reader continue reading or cause the book to be tossed aside. So, go to your To Be Read Pile, choose as many books as you want and share the first line. Be sure to include the title and author so that if your reader also finds it intriguing, they can find the book. Also, share your thoughts about the first line. Does it draw you in? Is it...exciting...thought provoking...scary...funny?
"The last camel collapsed at noon." The Key to Rebecca Ken Follett
Shouldn't this be the final sentence? It seems that whatever journey is being taken, would be over if the last camel has died.
This is a novel by one one of my favorite authors, Ken Follett. I had always known about it but had no idea it involved one of my favorite novels, Rebecca. I love that novel so it'll be interesting how it "plays" into a WWII thriller.
From Follett's website..."North Africa in the summer of 1942 and Rommel seems unbeatable. His secret weapon is Alex Wolff, master spy, and a deadly code buried in the pages of du Maurier's novel, Rebecca. Crossing the blazing Sahara, Wolff enters Cairo to steal British military plans. His pursuer, Major Vandam, engages the lovely Elene to lure him into range. As Rommel's troops come closer to victory, the pursuit continues across the desert to a startling, explosive confrontation. Ken's view After the success of Eye of the Needle, my publishers would have liked me to write another World War Two spy story every year for 25 years. But I was only 29, and not ready to be put in a box. I was very firm that I was going to write anything that caught my fancy and the fancy of my readers. However, while researching Eye of the Needle, I had come across a wonderful true story. There was a spy ring based on a house boat in Cairo in 1942 which involved a belly dancer and a British major she was having an affair with. The information at stake was crucial to the battles going on in the desert. The code used by the spies was based on one of the great suspense novels of all time, Rebecca, by Daphne du Maurier. The spycatcher in the story is trying to find the key to the Rebecca code. The Key to Rebecca was my third bestseller. After that, I really started believing that I was a success."
From Sourcebooks..."The bad boy of her past... A successful attorney in a posh London neighborhood, Meghann McCarthy thought she'd escaped the slums of Belfast forever. Until Michael Devlin needs her help. Years before, her love for the Irish charmer had nearly torn her apart, but now he's part of a past she never wants to revisit. However, she can't leave him defenseless against a murder charge—even if uncovering the truth puts her life in danger too. She'll risk everything to save Michael—and she's not the first of her family to put it all on the line for a man she loves. As Meghann delves further into Michael's case, further into the history that binds them so irrevocably, she slips into the unfolding drama of centuries before...of another woman's desperate fight to free her rebel husband from the clutches of Queen Elizabeth. Stakes are high, but the reward is the love of a lifetime. And the Irish never give up."
"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine..., that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.
This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is: Believing The Lie by Elizabeth George. From the author's website..."Inspector Thomas Lynley is mystified when he's sent undercover to investigate the death of Ian Cresswell at the request of the man's uncle, the wealthy and influential Bernard Fairclough. The death has been ruled an accidental drowning, and nothing on the surface indicates otherwise. But when Lynley enlists the help of his friends Simon and Deborah St. James, the trio's digging soon reveals that the Fairclough clan is awash in secrets, lies, and motives. Deborah's investigation of the prime suspect—Bernard's prodigal son Nicholas, a recovering drug addict—leads her to Nicholas's wife, a woman with whom she feels a kinship, a woman as fiercely protective as she is beautiful. Lynley and Simon delve for information from the rest of the family, including the victim's bitter ex-wife and the man he left her for, and Bernard himself. As the investigation escalates, the Fairclough family's veneer cracks, with deception and self-delusion threatening to destroy everyone from the Fairclough patriarch to Tim, the troubled son Ian left behind."
This novel was actually released yesterday but I'm still waiting on it as I won't be able to go to the bookstore until Friday.
If you'd read this blog, you know that I love Elizabeth George. Her Thomas Lynley mysteries are pretty close to perfection... the settings, the dialogue, the mystery, and, of course, the characters are written with a style that transcends the genre and proves that mysteries can be literate and intellectual and can still be so enjoyable.
LOVE this! Because the Broncos beat the Pittsburgh Steelers in a STUNNING eleven second overtime TD... the mayor of Pittsbugh had to "Tebow" in front of the Pittsburgh skyline.
From CNN..."This is not something I ever thought I'd have to do, and it certainly wasn't something I was looking forward to," Ravenstahl said. "However, we're good sports here in Pittsburgh, and I want to congratulate Denver on a great win."
I have a soft spot in my heart for the Steelers... I have had a crush on Bill Cowher for years... since he was defensive coordinator for the Chiefs. It's silly, I know and, even though my husband is a Cowher fan, he laughs every time I swoon (GREAT word... don't you think?) watching NFL Today pregame show.
There's something to be said for a man sporting a little scruff wearing sunglasses and a cap with a football team logo on it :D
I think I'm the last person I know to watch this... everyone (including my Mom) is watching the second season premiere and I just finished watching the first episode. I love this period of history
The story is so layered, the costumes are beyond fabulous and the cast is perfection! Especially... Mr. Bates... I think I have a crush on him! Apparently, so do a lot of Downton Abbey's female viewers. I "googled" him and it seems that he has quite a following. Those of you who watch Downton Abbey, probably understand this... those of you who don't...WHAT ARE WAITING FOR...?!?
M asked the other day if I'd take her to see the new Beauty & The Beast. There was a time, when she was younger, that she was almost obsessed with it. She watched it almost every day but had never seen it in the theater. So, we decided to see it on Monday, January 16th when she doesn't have school. To make things even better, I just found out that there is a sequel to Tangled... titled Tangled Ever After. The short animated film will play before Beauty & The Beast.
The little girl in me is very excited! And the little girl (well, she's not so little anymore) that I live with is too!
From the author's website... "LEGACY OF THE LIGHT is a historical thriller. It is the story of two generations of lighthouse keepers at Race Rock Lighthouse off the shore of New London, Connecticut. The action takes place in 1907 and a generation later, much of it the day of the great Hurricane of 1938. LEGACY is a story of how the past influences the present, of fathers and sons, failure, guilt, love, and redemption. As the story unfolds, men and women visit the lighthouse and objects wash up on its rocks. Storms bear down on this man-made island in the middle of the sea, and those trapped at Race Rock -- the keeper, his fiancee, and a mysterious stranger -- must fight the forces of nature and the demons within that threaten to destroy them. LEGACY OF THE LIGHT takes readers into a fast-paced story full of twists and turns. * * * In 1907, Nathaniel Bowen is the lighthouse keeper at Race Rock. Believing the remote lighthouse is no place to raise a child, his wife leaves with their son, Caleb. Nathaniel continues on alone, but on the night of a ferocious winter storm, fails in his duty. A generation later, Caleb has returned to Race Rock as its keeper. On September 21, 1938, his fiancee, Jennifer Hays, visits Race Rock with an ultimatum. A mysterious stranger, Eliot McPherson, also arrives at the lighthouse, his intentions unclear. That afternoon, the worst hurricane in New England history his the area. Caleb, Jennifer and Eliot are trapped on Race Rock. The tension mounts as they battle the storm and their own conflicts. They are also trying to unravel a puzzle created by Caleb’s father that could dramatically change all their lives. All the while, ships at sea in the nightmarish storm are searching for Race Rock’s beacon to guide them to safety. The final part of LEGACY unfolds after the storm. The events and mysteries set in motion in Part 1 and 2 are resolved, and the fates of Caleb, Jennifer and Eliot revealed."
When I read a review that starts... "This book sucked me in from the very beginning"... I immediately become a little leery and brace myself for the oncoming "gushing".
Well, honestly... this novel did just that and deserves all the "gushing" it gets! From its perfect cover to the well-written story, this novel is probably one of my favorites of 2011. Mr. Gipstein has written a story that is not just suspenseful but weaves family drama with a natural disaster thrown in. It sounds like a lot for a book but because it is so well written, it creates a story that is truly difficult to stop reading.
The characters are real... they are good and they are flawed. Each one adds dimension to the story in a way that shows that Mr. Gipstein took care to write them. Each was important to the novel and there were no "throwaway" characters nor characters that became "caricatures". That is a huge reading peeve of mine... when the author fills scenes with those characters and doesn't take care to create "real" characters. Mr. Gipstein has populated Legacy of the Light with characters that I could vividly imagine helping the story flow without taking me out of it, thinking "wow, 'Character X' reminds me of 'Character Y' in the novel I read last week."
Speaking of characters, the hurricane itself was written almost as a character and I loved that! The author weaves in the hurricane adding another layer to an already fantastic story. He does it in such a way as to not make Legacy of the Light read like a textbook. Not ever having been in a hurricane, I learned enough about them to feel the danger it presented in the story. It was the perfect character/plot device to ratchet the suspense to a conclusion that made me sorry when I turned the last page.
~Thanks to Lynn Cppotelli at Smith Publicity, Dog Ear Publishing and the author, Todd Gipstein for providing a copy of Legacy of the Light in exchange for my honest and thoughtful review.~
J went back to school yesterday. M started back today. As much as I love my kids and love having them home...it's kind of nice to get back in the routine and have our house back to normal! Even our cat, Henry, seems to relish getting back to the routine.
I do kind of miss our Christmas tree, twinkling behind me as I sit here... well, it's only 356 days until next Christmas...lol!
I have been on a quest for the olive green purse. I have one which I like... don't love, though. It's suede so I don't wear it in the summer and there are two front pockets... which I don't really like. So, I'm on the hunt for a new one that I can wear any season. I have the perfect olive green shirt and matching accessories so the bag is a must :D
I have checked Ebay every day as well as other online and brick & mortar stores. Could not find anything that I loved for a price I am willing to pay. Today, it dawned on me that I had not been to TJ Maxx. I had a few minutes before book club tonight so I went shopping... and walked out with the perfect handbag at a really great price! Only there's a slight issue.... it's not olive green or any shade of green, actually. It's black with gold hardware. That wouldn't be an issue but I have two almost identical bags... black satchels with gold hardware... including the one I carried yesterday. I love it, though! It is embossed and has a lot of gold hardware and side zippers with tassels. I even took the tags off and carried it to book club.
Speaking of book club... everyone enjoyed the book... except me. I didn't read it! Even though it was a fast, fun read (according to what was said about it), I just didn't get to it. No worries, though... we're not a group that takes attendance or requires that the book is read. We do, however, discuss every aspect of the book, including the ending. So, it's up to each person if they want to join the discussion. I've found that if I haven't read the book, listening to the discussion actually adds to my enjoyment of it. Yes, I may know "who dunnit" but I might also pick up on something I may missed if it weren't for a comment I heard.
So... I finally saw the American version today. I watched the original Swedish version about a year ago.
I liked them both but Noomi Rapace (the original Lisbeth) was more like the Lisbeth I envisioned as I read. On the flip side, I thought Daniel Craig was a better Mikael Blomkvist.
I'm happy that I had read the book before I saw either movie. It is a very layered story that neither film could accurately capture. So, to have read it, I understood things that were alluded to or just left out of the films. The ending of the American version was not what I expected as it was completely different than the book & the original Swedish version. Had I not read the book, it would have been a satisfactory ending. Honestly, though... it was a little disconcerting. I preferred the things were "wrapped up" in the book. I knew immediately who was sending the pictures to Henrik.
I guess all three (the novel and both film versions) had their strengths and weaknesses, but, as it should be... the book triumphs in the end.
I carried my Vera Wang black satchel tote. I have had this bag for quite a while and just love it! I seriously wish I had it in other colors! I do carry a lot and everything fits in perfectly with room left over. I carry a big bag to the movies as I always have a book (or now my Kindle or tablet) to keep busy if I'm waiting on someone. Although, today... they arrived first and saved a seat for me. Good thing, too... the theater was packed! We chose to go today, thinking that it would less busy as the holidays are over. I guess everyone else had the same idea!
If you are interested in...
~ an honest and thoughtful review of your novel... mysteries, historical and contemporary fiction and romance are my favorite genres
~ an interview
~ a guest post
~ a sponsored giveaway
... posted on Bags, Books & Bon Jovi, please email MyHandbagHabit@AOL.com
Who Are These Great People & Why Are They Following Me?
I believe in pink. I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner. I believe in kissing, kissing a lot. I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles. - Audrey Hepburn
As my blog title says, three of my very favorite things are Bags, Books and Bon Jovi. Of course, family and friends are high on that list, but, not every entry will include them. This is my place in cyberspace...
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