Sunday, February 14, 2010

Sunday Synopsis: February 14, 2010

DISCUSSIONS:
GIVEAWAY:  Fairy Tale Giveaway . . . The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly

REVIEWS:  None again this week! :(  I'm beginning to think I will never get another review up!  We'll see what this week brings!

CURRENTLY READING:
  • Across the Endless River by Thad Carhart (page 158 of 308)
  • The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan (audio; disc 1 of 8)
  • Magic Tree House #2: The Knight at Dawn by Mary Pope Osborne (reading with son!; page 56 of 66)
BOOKS RECEIVED:
  • The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan (audio; library)
  • Rapunzel's Revenge by Shannon and Dean Hale (library)
  • Calamity Jack by Shannon and Dean Hale (library)
 REVIEWS TO COME:
  • Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
  • Magic Tree House #1:  Dinosaurs Before Dark by Mary Pope Osborne
  • Only in New York, Darling by Virginie Sommet (Unable to finish, but will still be writing a review for what was read.)
  • Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
  • The Shimmer by David Morrell
  • Royal Blood by Rona Sharon
  • The End of the Beginning by Avi
  • Matchless by Gregory Maguire
  • The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
  • Daniel X: Watch the Skies by James Patterson & Ned Rust
  • King by Right of Blood and Might by Anna L. Walls
  • Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
  • Arthur's Audio Favorites Volume 2 by Marc Brown
  • A Circle of Souls by Preetham Grandhi
  • Dancing with Ana by Nicole Barker
  • George's Marvelous Medicine by Roald Dahl
  • Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, A Man Who Would Cure The World by Tracy Kidder
  • Fool by Christopher Moore
  • Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
  • Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt
  • The Little Island by Golden MacDonald and Leonard Weisgard
  • Black and White by David Macauley
  • Mei Li by Thomas Handforth
  • Crossroads by Chris Grabenstein
  • I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
  • Rocky Mountain Snow Ghosts by Patti Hurst
  • I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
  • Ralph S. Mouse by Beverly Cleary
  • Runaway Ralph by Beverly Cleary
  • The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner
  • Survival of the Fittest by Jonathan Kellerman
  • The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
  • S is for Save the Planet by Brad Herzog
  • The Ugly Duckling by Jerry Pinkney
  • Mesmeric Revelation by Edgar Allan Poe (Poe Fridays)
  • The Facts in the Case of in M. Valdemar by Edgar Allan Poe (Poe Fridays)*
  • The Sleeper by Edgar Allan Poe (Poe Fridays)*
  • Eldorado by Edgar Allan Poe (Poe Fridays)
  • The Spectacles by Edgar Allan Poe (Poe Fridays)
  • The Premature Burial by Edgar Allan Poe (Poe Fridays)*
  • The Haunted Palace by Edgar Allan Poe (Poe Fridays)
  • Some Words With A Mummy by Edgar Allan Poe (Poe Fridays)
  • Ulalume by Edgar Allan Poe (Poe Fridays)*
  • The Pit and the Pendulum by Edgar Allan Poe (Poe Fridays)*
  • The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe (Poe Fridays)*
  • William Wilson by Edgar Allan Poe (Poe Fridays)
  • The Oblong Box by Edgar Allan Poe (Poe Fridays)
  • The Bells by Edgar Allan Poe (Poe Fridays)*
  • Ligeia by Edgar Allan Poe (Poe Fridays)*
  • X-ing a Paragrab by Edgar Allan Poe (Poe Fridays)
  • The Purloined Letter by Edgar Allan Poe (Poe Fridays)*
*Those indicated with an asterik are actually reviews written!! I just need to actually get them typed up!!

AROUND THE BLOGOSPHERE:

  • My Friend Amy wrote "On Being a Public Reader," discussing how she writes reviews publicly on the books she reads, talks about books via Twitter and other social books sites (i.e., Goodreads, Shelfari, etc.).  I thought it was an interesting read that got me thinking why I continue to keep my blog going.  I do it because I simply love to chat books.  To be able to hear others' thoughts, to receive book recommendations from others I feel I can trust, is truly what I love.  And, to be able to do so with others like me . . . complete bookworms . . . makes it all the more better because I simply do not get this in real life!!  :)
  • Scholastic announced the new book title and cover art for the third Hunger Games book by Suzanne Collins.  If you have not yet seen it, click here.  Not only do you get the breaking news, but you also may get a laugh or two along the way!!  What do you think of it?  I absolutely love the progression of the covers and cannot wait to see if the symbolism I see portrayed will actually happen.  I've marked my calendar for August 24th because I can't wait to find out!
  • My Fluttering Heart posted a little something that I absolutely loved . . . Six of the world's most aesthetically pleasing bookstores.  You have got to check it out because it is so stinkin' cool!!!  I could spend not just hours in these places, but days and days!!
  • Over at Blogging Censorship, it was reported that a Washington School Censors Fairy Tales!!  One title just happens to be The Emperor's New Clothes, the very tale we highlighted this week at Fairy Tale Fridays!!
  • And, last but not least this week, is the ongoing debate over book bloggers writing book reviews.  Those professional reviewers out there feel we (as in book bloggers) are "inconsistent and unreliable."  A few bloggers have responded to it, but I thought Rebecca over at Lost in Books brought up a very valid point . . . by talking about bloggers, those professional reviewers are only bringing more attention to the bloggers!  Afterall, it is only human curiousity to search and find just what is being talked about!!  As for my opinion, I prefer blogger opinions!  And, I am thankful for the first amendment that allows me to speak freely about my thoughts on what I read!!
FINAL THOUGHTS:  Another week with not a lot accomplished!  My list of reviews continues to grow and I have not written a review in some time.  I need to give myself a kick in the rear to get going on them.  Just trying to figure out how to do it!!  Any ideas???

Happy Valentine's Day!!

4 comments:

  1. Maybe you should not look at the big list ... just pick ONE book to write a review for during the coming week. Then it's a small goal and you can achieve it and feel good! I am a big fan of "one thing at a time".

    I like the bookstores link. Too bad there's only a small chance of ever seeing even one of them!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Looking forward to seeing your review on The Forest of Hands and Teeth, as I've heard that's a good one.

    Can't give you any hints on writing reviews as I'm still trying to figure that one out! *L*

    ReplyDelete
  3. That reminds me. I need to get Calamity Jack. My daughter and I really enjoyed Rapunzel's Revenge.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Kristen M. . . . That's my plan from here on out, especially since my hubby will be spending less time on the computer in the coming weeks! In fact, I'm hoping to get my final Poe post done by tomorrow. I've had everything written for some time, just need to type it out!! And, I couldn't agree more that there is a small chance of ever visiting one of these bookstores. BUT, we can always dream!! :)

    Alexia561 . . . I've been listening to The Forest of Hands and Teeth in my car on my commute to work, but my hubby has had that car the last couple of weeks and am not getting very far in it! I'm only on the 2nd disc and make every excuse to run errands when I can to listen to more of it. It's got me hooked so far!!

    carolsnotebook . . . Reading Rapunzel's Revenge right now and loving it! It reminds me how much I love graphic novels!!

    ReplyDelete

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