Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews
A friend highly recommended this, so another friend & I decided to buddy read it. I have to say, I enjoyed it, although there were definite flaws, hence the 3.5 rating. To get them out of the way first, the flaws: too much talk about badassery at the beginning of the book but not enough actual ass kicking and far, far too much talk about her braid and lack of beauty. I don’t care what she looks like, damn it. *sigh* Losing argument, I know. As for the things I enjoyed: the fact that she seemed to slightly change her mind about some other people but not drastically, the fact that she’s not even remotely invincible, and the fact that she fucked up the relationship with the doctor rather than it being revealed that he’s just drastically inferior to Curran, speaking of whom, does not sound like a lion in the books so why is he a lion on the covers?
If you even remotely like urban fantasy with female leads, give this a shot. It’s neither steampunk nor a romance.
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Leave a comment | tags: 3.5 stars, atlanta, badassery, book, book review, books, curran, down south, drinkers of blood, fantasy, friend review sparked interest, ilona andrews, kate daniels, magic, magic bites, magical creatures, re-read potential, swordplay, swords, too stubborn for their own good, vampires, witches & wizards, wolves of the were persuasion | posted in Words
These games have eaten my life. Must conquer all the worlds!
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The White Hotel by D.M. Thomas
Surreal and beautiful. A fantastic book that combines prose and poetry in an intoxicating mixture. Set in a resort style hotel we see people going about a wealthy holiday with seemingly no awareness that the world is changing around them. As the book builds and swirls, however, the enormity of the times and realization that something is wrong becomes inescapable. I am forever indebted to the friend who first gave this to me. Reading it was a thoroughly inspiring and enjoyable experience.
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Leave a comment | tags: 5 stars, book review, books, dm thomas, dream sequence, friday favorites, holocaust, magical realism, recommended by a friend, review, the white hotel | posted in Favorites, Lists, Words
I want a kitten. Badly. 🙁
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What am I doing on the last day of the year?
Trying to take over the world in Civilization 5
Probably killing things in some other video game
Considering keeping a recipe binder that was going to a friend for myself
Laundry
Scavenging through Christmas leftovers
Slacking on a knitting project
Looking forward to drinks with friends
How about you, my unicorn readership?
1 comment | tags: 2011, Civilization 5, end of old, gaming, knitting, laundry, new year's eve, nye, video games, year end | posted in Lists, Musings
Best Books Read in 2011
1. Room by Emma Donoghue
Not many authors can write well from a child’s point of view, especially when writing for an adult audience. In Room, Emma Donoghue does precisely that. She conveys a haunting tale with beauty and wonder and terror. I was skeptical when I picked up this book. After putting it down seven months ago, I still think of it regularly. I cannot recommend it highly enough.
Original Review
2. The Christ-Haunted Landscape by Susan Ketchin
3. Winesburg, Ohio by Sherwood Anderson
4. The Forever War by Dexter Filkins
5. Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson
6. People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks
7. The Long Goodbye by Raymond Chandler
8. Leviathan Wakes by James S.A. Corey
9. A Great & Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray
10. The Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett
1 comment | tags: 5 stars, best books read in 2011, bloody spiders, book review, books, contemporary fiction, emma donoghue, heartwrenching, intriguing review, review, room, too stubborn for their own good, you think your family has issues | posted in Best Books Read in 2011, Lists, Words
1 comment | tags: 0.5 star, adam schnell, book review, books, fiction, fooooood, godawful, have some more wine, icky, italy, magical realism, racial tension, that is not natural, the fuck is this the fuck was that, tomato rhapsody, worst books read in 2011 | posted in Lists, Words, Worst Books Read in 2011
Best Books Read in 2011
2. The Christ-Haunted Landscape: Faith and Doubt in Southern Fiction by Susan Ketchin
The Christ-Haunted Landscape takes its name from a quote by Flannery O’Connor: “I think it is safe to say that while the South is hardly Christ-centered, it is most certainly Christ-haunted.” Having grown up in the South, this rang true. Rarely do I spend so much time thinking about a book while reading it or take 5 months to do so. Comprised of interviews with and excerpts from the works of 12 authors, this book reminded me of where I am from. I recommend it to anyone interested in writing or in the interaction between beliefs and reality.
Original Review
3. Winesburg, Ohio by Sherwood Anderson
4. The Forever War by Dexter Filkins
5. Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson
6. People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks
7. The Long Goodbye by Raymond Chandler
8. Leviathan Wakes by James S.A. Corey
9. A Great & Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray
10. The Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett
2 comments | tags: 5 stars, appalachia, best books read in 2011, bibliophilia, book review, books, christ-haunted, christ-haunted landscape, culture, down south, essays, favorites, heard about on public radio, non-fiction, racial tension, re-read potential, recommended by a friend, religion, review, short story, south, susan ketchin, writing & literature | posted in Best Books Read in 2011, Lists, Words