The Misadventures of Super_Librarian
Links
Reading Challenges
TGTBTU Links
Video Of The Moment
ballad (n.) def. a narrative composition in rhythmic verse suitable for singing
What I'm Reading
Archives
February 2003March 2003 April 2003 May 2003 June 2003 July 2003 August 2003 September 2003 October 2003 November 2003 December 2003 January 2004 February 2004 March 2004 April 2004 May 2004 June 2004 July 2004 August 2004 September 2004 October 2004 November 2004 December 2004 January 2005 February 2005 March 2005 April 2005 May 2005 June 2005 July 2005 August 2005 September 2005 October 2005 November 2005 December 2005 January 2006 February 2006 March 2006 April 2006 May 2006 June 2006 July 2006 August 2006 September 2006 October 2006 November 2006 December 2006 January 2007 February 2007 March 2007 April 2007 May 2007 June 2007 July 2007 August 2007 September 2007 October 2007 November 2007 December 2007 January 2008 February 2008 March 2008 April 2008 May 2008
|
Wednesday, June 30, 2004I love it when my boys get good press! The Detroit Tigers have won 5 in a row, are 3 below 500, and only 5 games back in the AL Central. And for you naysayers who feel that the AL Central is the weakest in baseball (OK - I'll admit, it probably is) a big ole' raspberry to you. After last year, Tigers fans need all the good news we can get. It's not all joy in Mudville though - the man in my life is a Toronto Blue Jays fan - and well, it's been ugly for them this year. Of course having the New York Skankies, Boston Red Sox, and the hot Tampa Bay Devil Rays in your division certainly doesn't help matters. My favorite TV show of the moment started it's second season last week - and I watched episode 2 of Nip/Tuck last night. Gawd, I love this show - even if the plastic surgery scenes seem a bit more plentiful and gory this season (maybe that's just me though). My only quibble is Dr. Sean's son Matt. Is it just me or is this actor creepy? He reminds me of Michael Jackson without the hole in his face where his nose used to be. Don't believe me? Why not check out the cast of characters at the show's web site? My health issues seem to be getting better, although my stomach has been slow to recover. I've been chugging water the last couple of days hoping that would help flush out my system - and it seems to be working a bit. I think I just need to get in a couple days of extreme laziness to make a full recovery. Not much to report on the reading front. I just started Five Days In Summer by Kate Pepper yesterday, and frankly - it's too early to offer any sort of commentary. Tuesday, June 29, 2004I finished up a really fun cozy mystery this morning - Last Writes by Laura Levine. The heroine, Jaine Austen (no relation), is a free lance writer who lands a job writing for a sub par syndicated television sitcom. She's not on the job very long though before she discovers a whole lot of dysfunction on and off the set. When the hunky star drops dead from a poisoned donut - Jaine begins sleuthing to clear her best friend's name, who just happens to be the prime suspect. Part of the fun of this book was the first person narrative. Between the surrealness of the sitcom, Jaine's parents' bizarre behavior, and her pet cat, Prozac - I found myself chuckling often. Lord help me, I think I've found yet another series I have to keep track of. Next up on the reading list is a debut suspense novel - Five Days In Summer by Kate Pepper. Monday, June 28, 2004I've been feeling punky since last week, with this weekend being particularly bad. I was scheduled to work Saturday, and since we tend to have a skeleton crew for the weekend, I hauled myself out of bed and dragged my sorry butt into work. I lasted two hours. As for what's exactly wrong with me, that's anyone's guess. Part of it is my ongoing digestive issues, and another big chunk is the sheer joy of being a young woman (read in between the lines with that one if you dare). I feel better today, but still not quite right. I finally finished up Jane's Warlord by Angela Knight over the weekend and really enjoyed it. The hero is a Warlord (think Navy SEAL times 7000) who travels back in time to 21st century South Caroline to protect the heroine (a reporter) from a time traveling serial killer. In between hunting the bad guy down, there's oodles of steamy, raunchy, naughty reindeer games - all of which are very well written *wink*. Even after factoring in a big ole' loose thread in the plot, I still ended up enjoying it immensely. The author's next book is due out at the end of the year, and I can hardly wait. I'm currently working on a rather short (244 pages) mystery - Last Writes by Laura Levine. The heroine is a writer who's just landed a job on a third rate syndicated sitcom. However, the players would be more at home on a soap opera. The two-timing (or is that three-timing?) hunky star is soon to get whacked over his playboy ways - which means murder is afoot! So far it's been fun. Thursday, June 24, 2004For kicks I've added "What I'm Reading" and "Current Audio Book" sections over on the right hand side of my blog. Just in case any of you give a hoot about the current literature occupying my attention. As for reading, I haven't been doing any. I need to get off the stick too, since I have several review books awaiting my attention. My current review read is Jane's Warlord by Angela Knight and I've only read the first 30 pages. I can hear a faint crack of a whip coming from TRR's editor's home location. Work has picked up considerably this week thanks to the kick off of our annual summer reading program. My current place of employment has a program for kiddies, teens and adults - so it's been an all out assault of bodies coming into the building this week. Thursdays are program days - which means we have entertainers or other special events planned for the kids. Today it's a magician, and since they are seem to go over well for libraries, I'm expecting a big crowd. I'll likely be chained behind the circulation desk during this time since my head clerk is taking off for a doctor's appointment. Pray that my sanity stays in tact. Monday, June 21, 2004My long weekend started off with a bang on Thursday when I got a flat tire on my way home from work. Luckily I was still in the city, and was able to pull off the main drag on to a residential street. I know, it was only a flat tire - but most of the flat tires in my life have occurred around my boyfriend - who has dutifully done the dirty work. Besides the crappy jack that Honda puts in their cars - everything went smoothly, and I was able to get the tire patched on Friday. I didn't get much reading done this weekend, but I did manage to finish At Twilight by Beth Henderson. Henderson has written other books, but her name flew so low under my radar that I'd hazard a guess that many readers will think she's debuting. The hero and his sister have spent the 3 years after the Civil War hunting down a gang of outlaws that conveniently used the Confederacy as an excuse to commit outlaw thuggery. The sister has taken to posing as a fallen Southern belle turned gambler to ferret out information, while the hero does the actual killing. Having disposed of another gang member in Lone Tree, Texas - he finds himself on the wrong side of a hangman's noose, but manages escape. It's while he's looking to commandeer a horse that he comes across the heroine - who is lying unconscious outside her ramshackle ranch. Her no-good dead husband not only got shot for cheating at cards, he lost the deed to the ranch, and threw his wife into the pot for kicks - with the town's greedy banker coming up the big winner. When the hero shows up, she sees it as her perfect opportunity to escape. With her infant daughter in tow, she proposes they pose as a traveling family to elude the posse. Despite some pacing issues (the middle drags a bit), this was a great western road romance. Lots of atmosphere, and plenty of grit. The hero's sister especially is living with some very painful demons, which read like a kick in the gut. I hope Henderson has a story in her for the sister, because I selfishly love to read about heroines who aren't simpering virginal idiots. And here's hoping that if Henderson does write that book - that someone has the good sense to publish it. Wednesday, June 16, 2004If I had been confident like my older sister I could be rolling around naked in a pile of money right now. I'll admit it. I thought the Pistons were going to be humiliated. I really did. Visions of a sweep were dancing in my head. Shows how little basketball I watch doesn't it? My older (and very pregnant) sister called me last night right after the final game and said, "So did you win any bets?" What was I thinking? I wasn't - or else I would have called my friendly neighborhood bookie. Just think of all the Lakers fans I could have fleeced! And this goes to show what a true all-around Michigan fan my sister is - she was saying all along "Detroit will win - but they'll need all 7 games." Well she had it half right - which is more than I can say for...well...just about everyone else. It's funny now to hear all the commentators scrambling to cover their butts. The same people who said the Lakers were a lock and Detroit had no chance in holy heck are now spouting off about what a great team Detroit it. How awesome their defense is. How well they play together as a "team." There's a novel concept for a team sport - playing as one unit instead of a bunch of whiny overpriced superstars. I'm so proud of Motown today - especially since I haven't seen any news about Detroit burning overnight..... Monday, June 14, 2004And here I thought it was going to be a blood bath - in L.A.'s favor! Hey, even librarians can be wrong too. The Detroit Pistons now have a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals. Like any true Detroit fan though, my skepticism remains. It ain't over until the Pistons win another game. I will admit a certain delight in tormenting one of my library pages here at work though. A great guy, and a real Lakers' fan, he's taken my ribbing with good humor. I finally wrapped up Dime Store Magic by Kelley Armstrong today on my lunch break. I really liked this book, which is a spin-off from Armstrong's successful werewolf series. While our heroine has some clueless moments in the beginning (mainly owning to the fact that she doesn't realize what kind of danger she's in) - the whole thing turns around nicely. I'm eagerly anticipating the next book in this series, which is due out later this year. What I find interesting is that Armstrong is writing her stories across several genres. In my opinion she has the makings to be the next Anne Rice (as far as not being bound by genre constrictions). Her stories have elements of horror, fantasy, suspense and romance all mixed together. I admire that in writing, mainly because it makes for good storytelling. One of the more interesting and memorable books I've read this year. Next up is a new western romance (YeeHaw!) - At Twilight by Beth Henderson. Thursday, June 10, 2004Somebody stop me before I start liking basketball - please! You should have heard me when Kobe (bleck!) made that 3-point shot to tie Game 2. I was not happy. I was even less happy when Detroit crapped out during overtime. Game 3 tonight is likely going to kill me. In other hopeless underdog sports news - my Detroit Tigers are only 6 games back in the AL Central. Granted, the AL Central is arguable the weakest division in baseball - but still, the Tigs are only 6 games back! Plus my favorite player, Dmitri Young, is back after an early season injury. I adore Dmitri because he looks like Motown. OK - so he looks a little scary, but if that's not Detroit what is? In reading news, I'm working on a fantasy novel, Dime Store Magic by Kelley Armstrong. Paige Winterbourne is a 20-something witch who is now guardian of a teenage witch with an impulse control problem. This teenager also is quite powerful, so there are evil supernatural factions that want to get their hands on the girl. So really, it's a cross between fantasy and suspense - using the classic "woman in peril" story line. So far, it's pretty good. Stay tuned..... Monday, June 07, 2004Unfrickinbelieveable. The Detroit Pistons held the LA Lakers to 75 points and actually won Game 1 of the NBA Finals. For the sake of fair disclosure I should state that I'm not an NBA fan. In fact, the reasons why I'm not an NBA fan are best illustrated by the Lakers - a "team" of high-priced primadonnas who whine, moan, and wouldn't now how to play like a team if Phil Jackson held a gun to their heads. I also miss the short-shorts - but that's neither here nor there. So good job boys! You made this Michigan gal proud last night! In reading news, I finished up two books this weekend, the first being Ninja Soccer Moms by Jennifer Apodaca. Besides having the best damn title ever, it's also book 3 in a series featuring amateur sleuth Samantha Shaw. I then finally got around reading some smut on loan from my sister - Something About Workmen by Alison Tyler. Despite the fact that it featured an engaged heroine cheating with a hunky construction worker - I rather liked it. It probably has the distinction of being the best written erotica I've ever read. Tyler writes the story like a screen play (the heroine is a script doctor) and employs some tricks, such as flash backs, to tell her story. And while it takes some time to get to the really good nookie scenes, when they do come (no pun intended), it's pretty hot stuff. Emma Holly is still my favorite Black Lace author - but Tyler is looking like a safe runner-up. Tuesday, June 01, 2004Don't sh*t where you live. I really do feel for the homeless in this country, mainly because so many of them are mentally ill and this country's total lack of mental health care is appalling. But I digress. Working in a southern California library, the construction of this building is rather different. We have walled in (brick) patios. Unfortunately, the homeless have taken the habit of jumping the walls and camping out here during non-business hours. Since they are always gone by the time we open, I really shouldn't care. The problem is they leave evidence behind that has to be cleaned up. Oh, like the patio that serves as their urinal for instance. So the city put up a high fence around that patio last week. This morning I returned from the holiday weekend to discover that there was a shopping cart left inside the patio that now had the new, higher fence. So I had to call public works - again. On the agenda - hose down the patio, put padlocks on the new gates, and remove the shopping cart. I hope everyone had a Happy Memorial Day (a special thanks to my veteran father!). I spent the whole day being lazy. I finished reading the Bad Boys Next Exit anthology and plowed through a western, Heart of Texas by Constance O'Banyon. I didn't read any historicals the entire month of May, so I was starting to exhibit withdrawal symptoms. Heart Of Texas was a good read, in an old fashioned sort of way. While there wasn't a whole lot of bodice-ripping, this story could have easily been published 20 years ago. The heroine is on her way to Texas with her family when her father dies on the trail. A deceased uncle bequeathed his ranch to her family, and with no place else to go, she soldiers on. Unfortunately trouble awaits in the form of her closest neighbor - a man who will stop at nothing to claim the land for himself. Then our hero conveniently shows up to help our damsel in distress, naturally hiding a Big Secret of his own. This would have been a strongly recommended read, despite it's cliched plot and characters, if only the heroine hadn't turned stupid. She starts out the story strong and resilient, but at the halfway mark she morphs into a ninny. A shame really, since the first-half heroine was a character I had come to admire. I hate that when that happens..... |
