My Current Situation!

Awesome August Book Photo Challenge: Day 3: Your Bookshelf

Awesome August Book Photo Challenge: Day 3: Your Book Shelf; there are three other bookshelves in my bedroom but this is the one that is getting all the attention. This specific shelf has my immediate reads on it. I am determined to focus only on this cabinet! This first shelf is most immediate, second shelf is whenever I feel like it, and third shelf is I'll get to it eventually. 

Awesome August Photo Challenge Day 2: TBR Pile

These are my super duper need to read RIGHT NOW reads....lol...my friend Lauren also made fun of me about my glasses becoming my "signature" for all photos lol. (I love my glasses; I am an optician lol) 

Awesome August Book Photo Challenge Day 1: Whatcha Reading?

I am determined to get through these for books this month! I started one last night! 

"Its a Cult!" The Bookbabe Reviews: Mr. Penumbra's 24 Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan

Well Cult is a bit of a strong word but to does come to mind when I think of this book. In Mr. Penumbra's 24 Hour Bookstore we meet a cast of unforgettable, lovable characters. Our main characters are Clay Jannon; an unemployed web designer and Ajax Penumbra, a mysterious bookshop owner. Clay wanders into Penumba's bookshop looking for a job, and right away he and the old man hit it off. Clay takes on the over night shift and it does not take him long to notice that this book store is very different. As in it does not have customers but it does have folks that come in and borrow large, unsellable tomes. Upon taking the job Clay has to agree to three things: 1) he must always be at the bookstore from the hours of 10 pm to 6 am. 2) He can not browse, read or otherwise inspect the shelved (secret) volumes , and 3) he must retrieve them for the "members". These "members" are odd, mainly older folks that come in usually in a frenzy for a new book to help them with her "research". Clay works in the store for weeks recording his interactions with each "member" and never takes a peak at the books. That is until one of us meddling friends comes for a visit and that is when things really start to get a little weird.  Clay embarks on a journey to find out how to decode the books and even goes as far as to steal a log book (what he records the members interactions and member numbers in) and takes it to Google for scanning. He even goes as far to enlist a friend to produce a look-a-like copy of the book. Of course, Penumbra figures out Clay took it but he does not fire him. Instead he explains to him that the people that a borrowing the books are members of a secret society called "The  Unbroken Spine". The group is made up of three levels; novices, the unbound and the bound. These folks are challenged with solving an encrypted puzzle by "reading deeply". Upon completely each objective they move up in the ranks and will eventually learn the greatest secret of all. How to gain immortality. Of course, Clay has an issue with this and has his doubts but he can not bring himself to shake it off. So with the helps of some friends from Google, a production company and members of the Unbroken Spine itself to break the mystery of its most sacred codex vitae (book of life). What I loved about this book was that it could appeal to any reader. It deals heavily with technology, programing and delves into the into the book versus e-reader debate. Also the book is funny, imaginative and like nothing I have read in a while. It has the perfect mix of mystery and humor and just a tad bit of drama. I gave the book five out of five stars.

Quotes I loved:

"But when people are past a certain age, you sort of stop asking them why they do things. It feels dangerous."

About having a Kindle "I always imagine the books staring and whispering, Traitor!"

"I didn't know people your age to read books," Penumbra says. He raises an eyebrow."I was under the impression they read everything on their mobile phones." "Not everyone. There are plenty of people, you know - people who still like the smell of books." "THE SMELL!" , Penumbra repeats. "You know your finished when people start talking about the smell"

"The Unbroken Spine. It sounds more like a band of assassins, not a bunch of book lovers"

"Walking the stacks in a library, dragging your fingers across the spines - it's hard not too feel the presence of sleeping spirits"

"A man walking fast down a lonely street, Quick steps and hard breathing, all wonder and need. A bell above a door and the tinkle it makes, A clerk and a ladder and warm golden light, and then: the right books exactly, at the right time"

For more reviews and articles be sure to follow me on facebook at www.facebook.com\thebookbabeofde and on blogger at www.delawarebookaddict.blogspot.com.

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Selfishness, Cruelty, and Marriage for convince abounds: The Bookbabe Reviews Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen

I started Sense and Sensibility some months ago; and I abandoned it. Mainly because Marianne's character and attitude drove me absolutely crazy. Not to mention the start of the book was rather slow. It is funny; however, that during my reading of this book I started and completed another of Austen's novels. So soon after finishing Pride and Prejudice I decided to finish off the reminder of Sense and Sensibility. The novel, published in 1811; the first of Austen's works to be published, was not unknown to me. Like many Janeites I have seen and owned a copy of the 1995 movie; staring Kate Winslet, Emma Thompson and Hugh Grant. So you can say that I knew what to expect upon reading the book. However, some of the impressions you may get from the characters of the book are often lost in the movie. For instance, the overall selfishness that seems to plague some of the characters does not necessarily come across on the screen. Nor is the silliness of some of the characters truly on display. It did not strike me until re-reading Pride and Prejudice that single men and single women would 1) not be alone together and 2) would never exchange private letters to one another. This, however, seemed to happen often in this book. The worst among them are Willoughby and Marianne. They carry on together in a very, very open and impertinent way. Which would and eventually does lead to a bit of ridicule and gossip. Mrs.Jennings seems to be the main culprit in this, along with her daughter. A lot of the gossip and silliness seems based primarily in boredom and a selfish need to "uplift" oneself. We see this with the other all behavior of Lucy to Elinor. A lot of her "gossip" is used to a means to rub her connections to The Ferrars in Elinor's face. Towards the end of the book Lucy is seen for what she is by her ex fiancé and by Elinor; both of whom had misgivings about her character for sometime.

Overall in this book we see how money and the need for "good fortune" shapes the relationships of the characters. Edward Ferrars, who was engaged to Lucy ends up losing his rightful inheritance because of the engagement. Mainly because Lucy is poor and marrying her could in no way uplift the Ferrars family. However, after losing everything and going back to Oxford; Lucy breaks off the engagement in favor of Edward's brother, Robert. Who has now become the eldest son and will inherit all the money that Edward lost. Of course Robert suffers because of his entanglement with Lucy, but, it does not last and Edward is treated with indifference. The same happens with Willoughby even though he losing his inheritance because he was a cad and left a young woman in the family way and alone. So he breaks off his relationship with Marianne in order to run and find wealthy wife. Upon Marianne's entering London and sending word to him that she had arrived he does everything in his power to avoid her. Willoughby, after seeing her at a party decides to break all ties with her and rather nastily. We later find out that he is not the real author of the letter in a long conversation in which he explains himself to Elinor. Its rather heartbreaking and even though Elinor has to check her emotions to help mend his sisters broken heart. She knows that concealing her heart break over Edward and Lucy is for the best and that expressing it will get her no where. In better words she is just giving into Marianne's self centeredness and need to hog the spotlight. 

What I really enjoyed about the book was that it showed how messy and unpredictable relationships can be. Austen crafted this one beautifully, perfectly and it pulled at the heart strings. What I did miss however were the direct declarations of love that we see in Pride and Prejudice. While they do happen in the novel, they happen in directly. Willoughby and Colonel Brandon declare their love for Marianne directly to Elinor. Who never really gets a declaration of love at all. The love between her and Edward is a lasting and true one none the less but I would have loved to see more. Also, I missed the wit of Pride and Prejudice. The characters are more ridiculous than funny. I honestly must say that I gave this book four stars. It will still be counted as one of my all time favorites.

Quotes that I loved:

"The unkindness of your own relations has made you astonished to find friendship anywhere"

"You ought not to speak in this way, either of Mrs. Willoughby or my sister. You have made your own choice. It was not forced on you. Your wife has a claim to your politeness, to your respect, at least. She must be attached to you, or she would not have married you. To treat her with unkindness, to speak of her slightingly is not atonement to Marianne - not can I suppose it a relief to your own conscience"

"Do not talk to me of my wife, said he with a heavy sigh. She does not deserve your compassion. She knew I had no regard for her when we married"

"The whole of his behavior, replied Elinor, from the beginning to the end of the affair, had been grounded on selfishness. It was selfishness which made him sport with your affections; which afterward, when his own were engaged, made him delay he confession of it, and which finally carried him from Barton...."

"At present, continued Elinor, he regrets what he has done. And why does he regret it? Because he finds it has not answered towards himself. It has no made him happy."

For more reviews and observations be sure to follow me at www.delawarebookaddict.blogspot.com or www.facebook.com/thebookbabeofde

Magical Jewels, Traitors, Evil Immortals and a bit of mystery: My Review of The Queen Of The Tearling

                                       

                         The Bookbabe Reviews: The Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johnasen

I came upon this book last year during the summer but had not decided to purchase it until I saw it in paperback this spring. I had heard some wonderful things about it. Calling it Hunger Games meets Game of Thrones; honestly I do not understand the Hunger Games reference but, it does have that GOT feel. In The Queen of the Tearling, Johansen gives us a head strong, unlikely young Queen in Kelsea Raleigh. Kelsea is a bookish, plain and slightly overweight young woman. She has spent the past 19 years of her life living in secret and away from "The Keep" and the problems plaguing her homeland. She is taught history, politics, war strategy, etc. However, nothing prepares her for being taken from the only home she has ever known and being whisked away to New London and "The Keep". Once there Kelsea has to witness the hell that her subjects live in. There is little or no food, jobs, medicine, doctors, and educational opportunites. Worst of all villagers names at put into a lottery at birth; and once a month folks are chosen to be taken as part of a shipment to Mortmense. This shipment helps keep the peace with the Red Queen of the Mort; it was part of the treaty between Kelsea's mother, Queen Elyssa and the Queen. Once Kelsea witnesses the men, women and children being loaded into cages she orders her guard and the army to stop the shipment. Stopping the shipment means that she has now violated the treaty; giving the Red Queen the right to invade the Tearling and take its citizens by force. During the course of the novel we see Kelsea try to come to terms with what she's done but we also see her trying to right some wrongs within her kingdom. This includes  getting rid of the Regent, her uncle. We see him expelled in grand fashion during the first assassination attempt when Kelsea is wounded. It is during this moment that I really begun to respect the character. Kelsea has what it takes to be queen and she will not back down. This becomes an important character trait as we approach the climax of the book. 

Johansen also does an amazing job at leaving some very poignant and important questions hanging in the air; and even though they go unanswered  they do not overshadow the novel. Such as where did the Red Queen come from? Why does she not have a name? Who is Kelsea's father, and why does no one know? Also, how did a modern America end? The latter question is the most interesting to me because Kelsea mentions the "crossing" and America frequently; not to mention J.K. Rowling's seven "volumes" and Tolkien's Lord of the Rings. The saddest parts of the book comes when one of the queens guards is found out for treachery. This is the point where we see what type of person Kelsea is: compassionate. What she does in the moment is sad and heartbreaking even though it is necessary. 

Another thing that I loved about this book was that the author really builds the tension. Making it every easy to keep the pages turning and yearning to find out what happens next. Of course, the story did have its bumps and the beginning is very slow. Also, there are things that are mentioned in the beginning that are not thoroughly explained and we all know what a turn off that can be. But overall I liked it. I will definitely read the entire series because I just need to know what happens to Kelsea but also because I want to know more about the Red Queen.  

Quotes I Loved:

" I am death. I come quickly, I come slowly, but I am not cheated"

"Everyone dies eventually. I think it's better to die clean" 

"Barty always used to say there were three things men were stupid about: their beer, their cocks and their pride"

"Even a book can be dangerous in the wrong hands, and when that happens, you blame the hands, but you also read the book" 

"I see this land flowing with books, Father. Widespread literacy. Books everywhere...."

"Children conceived by this woman would only be cannibalized by her womb....."Then you don't risk in the lottery, do you? You have no children, you don't look strong enough for labor, and you're really too old to appeal to anyone for sex."

"Once, he'd explained to Kelsea that addiction wa like having a crack in your life. "It's a deep crack, Kel, but you can build guards around it. You can put up a fence."

"I've been dead since the invasion, sir. It's only the past few years I've begun to rot" 

For more of my reviews be sure to follow me at www.delawarebookaddict.blogspot.com and www.facebook.com/thebookbabeofde