Book 31 - 4 blondes by Candace Bushnell

4 Blondes

969 books to go!

My friend gave me this book sometime in the Spring along with another book she was getting rid of. I'm going to dubiously pass it to my sister to read, because I pass her most everything I read, maybe she'll like it better. Perhaps I would have enjoyed this book better during my insane materialistic phase that lasted a few months, but even then I'm not so sure.

The book was divided up into four different short stories about you guessed it, four different blonde women one character was a model, the second character was a columnist, the third character was a socialite and the fourth character was a writer. The model and the columnist were downright nasty characters. One was a user, the other cared way too much about image and presented a front to the outside world, but was very different in her private life and very mean to her husband. These two characters were sort of rewarded at the end of their stories, the model more than the columnist but I felt like they learned nothing and shouldn't have gotten what they did at the end of the story. At this point in finishing both stories I felt like I was reading a train wreck and than it got worse. The socialite's story was full of WTF. The last story, the best one in the book was just alright, it was about a writer on her journey to London in hopes to score a husband because she's single and middle aged in NY.

Overall this is one of the few books I read where I mostly detest it, and can't really give a recommendation that anyone read it. I had this idea that Candace Bushnell's work was pretty good, but after this book I'm doubtful and I'm not sure if I'll pick up anything else by her to read.

Book 30 - 1,001 nights of Snowfall - by Bill Willingham

Fables: 1,001 Nights of Snowfall (Fables)

970 books to go!

This fables prequel is pretty interesting with a cleverly thought out plot. By reading it the reader finds out about the lives of some of the characters in fabletown before they came to fabletown. The stories about each of the characters are told by Snow while she is in the Sultan's palace, she's keeping him entertained with tales at nightfall so he doesn't take her for his bride and than kill her. It's a nice spin off of the original tale of the 1,001 nights while giving the reader a deeper clue into Fabletown and the fables that live there.

Book 29 - Beastly by Alex Finn - also a comparison book to movie blog entry

Beastly
971 books to go!

I've decided if I happen to see a movie and read the novel it was based off of that I will use this blog to do a comparison entry of the book and movie. I saw Beastly first in movie theatres and than later found out it was a book first, so I borrowed the book from work so I could read it.

Regarding the movie it was just alright. The director and make up artist seemed to downgrade and sugar coat events that were in the book and I'm not sure if this was because the movie was low budget or if this was their vision. The main character's appearance was more sci-fi steam punk and how Lindy was bought to live with him is less severe than how it happens in the book. As with all movies unless you do read the book before hand certain scenes aren't really going to make any sense and the movie is going to seem jumpy. Maybe that's not all movies but it seems to have been my experience with Beastly and The time traveler's wife.

The book was much better. The reader understood a lot of things they didn't go over in the movie and more disturbing things happened in the book, it seemed like they thought movie goers couldn't handle this. The main character actually had fur and claws. The way Lindy came to live with him was much more shocking. The book also explored the possibility of what both characters worried about after he was transformed back to normal. Also you learn why Kendra can't help his friends until he succeeds, in the movie she just tells him she can't do anything unless he breaks the spell. There's also some amusement in the book there's a chat room of teens that have been transformed through the book they get together to chat. Also I must give the book a big major win for making reference to phantom of the opera at least 3 or 4 times.

The book wins here, and if you do give the movie a shot you definitely should read the book first for more information that you will be armed with while you are seeing the movie.

Book 28 - Shot of Tequila by J.A. Konrath

Shot of Tequila: A Jack Daniels Thriller (Jacqueline "Jack" Daniels)
Kindle edition

972 books to go!

Every time I read this author's work I am impressed. He's written a whole series of mystery thriller books featuring detective Jack Daniels as the star. This book has Jack in it but she's not the main character. The main character is a man named Tequila. After the reader is introduced to Tequila, the reader finds out that Tequila has been framed by someone and has had a major robbery pinned on him. This book is Tequila's adventure as he runs from the police and his former boss and tries to make sense of things.

I can say as I will always say with any book I've read by this author I highly recommend it, you won't regret this read.

Book 27-Spring Awakening by Frank Wedenkind

Spring Awakening (Modern Classics)

973 books to go!

This is a play written by Frank Wedenkind, the action takes place in a small German town during the years of 1891-1982. This controversial story was also turned into a Broadway musical.

The story is somewhat depressing, a small group of teenagers start to learn and explore sexuality, by the end of the story two of them have died.

I'm curious to see the musical if I ever get a chance, but I wasn't overly impressed with the story it just didn't grab me.

Book 26 - Chanson de l'Ange by Paisley Swan Stewart

Chanson de l'Ange, Book 1: The Bleeding Rose- An Epic Retelling of Phantom of the Opera

974 books to go!

This book is a piece of Phantom of the Opera fiction I read, therefore I'm linking to the review of the book that appears in my phantom of the opera blog.

Book 25 - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

I bought two of the books in this trilogy for my kindle when I first got it in December. I now have book three as well on the kindle (it was magically obtained).

After reading it I do understand why everyone has gone bananas over this trilogy. Starting off with a curious introduction the characters of the novel came together to form the crux of the story. The author did a great job bringing all of them together to bring about the action of the story, and oh what action it was. There was unexpected twists and turns that had me constantly yearning to keep reading to finish the story.

Even though I already own these for my kindle I anticipate purchasing them for my sister to read as well.

Book 24 - Cinderella from Fabletown with Love book 1

Cinderella: From Fabletown with Love
976 books to go!

Shawn and I discovered this new series while browsing through the back of a Fable's comic book. We found the first book at Border's during the beginning stages of the Westbury store's final closing sale.

This book is a great spin off of the Fable series, it's very impressive. In my opinion lots of readers have enjoyed Cindy's spy interludes throughout the Fable series and who doesn't want to read more about a heroic woman spy risen up after her miserable start cleaning cinders.

In this first series Cindy is sent to Baghdad to investigate unauthorized magic being used, you will be shocked once you discover who is using the unauthorized magic and delighted to find out the young man Cindy snags to have some fun with.

For a spin off I love these and will definitely continue on in the series.

Book 23 Absolutely, positively by Heather Webber

Absolutely, Positively: A Lucy Valentine Novel
977 books to go!

This novel is third in a paranormal romance/mystery series that I discovered when I was using library thing quite frequently. The first book came to me as a review copy for me to read and post a review on. I hastily read through this one because I was in a rush to finish it for some reason, I think because I know I'm passing it to my sister and I have many books on the list to read (but forever I will have many books on my list to read).

The main character of this novel Lucy Valentine had a lot going on for herself in this third installment. She was on the run trying to figure out who The Lone Ranger is (a masked man who appears in a Boston Commons and just throws money into the air for everyone), investigate the appearance of Mac Gladstone and reunite Tristan Rourke (who is possibly wanted for a few crimes) and Meeghan Archibald. Throw the usual cast of characters into the mix (including her love the smoking Sean Donahue), plus a pair of clever librarians you would not want to mess with and you have yourself a great little light read with a bunch of interesting stuff going to always keep you on your toes.

I can say after reading this that if Ms. Webber decides to write any more of these I will gladly make the purchase and pass these books on to my sister and her friends who eat them up just as much as I do. It's pretty light with the paranormal factor which is a great start for someone just getting their feet wet with the paranormal romantic genre.

Book 22- Family Storms by V.C. Andrews

Family Storms

978 books to go!

Just finished one of the newer V.C. Andrews books that I rented from work once I found out about it. This author is very interesting because she passed away quite a long time ago. Supposedly her family found a bunch of plots and ideas left behind after her death and using these ideas and ghost writers they are able to create new stories for each faithful V.C. Andrews devotee  to gobble up.

As always I wasn't disappointed in this story. This author's work always tends to prove that having wealth and power doesn't always help you with everything in life. Usually a main character in her story ends up coming into wealth somehow and realizing that money still comes with troubles, possibly a different set of troubles.

This novel starts when the main character Sasha a homeless girl is hit by a car along with her homeless mother, after she's rushed to the hospital she learns that her mother has passed away, she is than taken in by the March family where she is taunted by her pseudo foster sister. The end of the novel has a truth revealing, happy conclusion.

Book 21 - The night bookmobile by Audrey Niffeneggar

The Night Bookmobile
979 books to go!

This was one of three books, along with some random graphic novels that I picked up with Shawn when we went to check out Borders in Westbury (they are closing and are having a huge sale on the entire store). I read The time traveler's wife and absolutely loved it along with another book of her's the three incestuous sisters. Eventually I'd like to get a hold of Her fearful symmetry.

I'm thinking this author is a big book worm herself this is her second work I've read involving libraries and librarians. This very short graphic story starts out when Alexandra chances upon a night bookmobile housing every item she has ever read in her life. Through the years she happens upon the night bookmobile and is eventually inspired to be a librarian herself. The last bit of the book has a very dark but hopeful ending.

Definitely a great read, lots of stuff happening in a short amount of pages and artwork.

Book 20 - Are you there Vodka? It's me, Chelsea by Chelsea Handler

Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea

980 books to go!

This is the first book I've read by Chelsea Handler, I've been meaning to get to one of her books for a very long time and eventually I definitely intend to read her other two books. I bought this book in Best Buy last year because I was paranoid at the time that I needed to have a book to read and I didn't have one with me. Finally I actually got around to picking it up and reading it. I loved this book, it was full of hysterical anecdotes about Chelsea Handler's funniest/craziest moments of her life. I definitely smiled and literally laughed out loud a couple of times. If you're into humor and comedy this is a great book to read, extremely hilarious.