I've been googling "black and white book covers" and trying websites all over the internet. But can anyone tell me what book this actress is holding in her hands?

68. The Wealthy Barbder - David Chilton - 224 pages - (6.5/10)

Finances. Fascinating. Nope, not really.

This is a book written in 1998 about sound financial investment and planning. My husband and I are attempting to become Responsible Adults (tm) and bought it because it had great reviews. The book is a bit interesting in that, instead of being the traditional, lecture-based book, it's told as a mediocre novel--a group of four friends and siblings go and get financial advice from their barber because he made himself very wealthy through sound investment, despite a meagre salary.

As someone who knew absolutely nothing about finances, it was a good enough starting point. I didn't know the difference between mutual and index funds, and it got me to think about how to plan for retirement. The main bit of advice I took from it is to invest 10% of your income for long-term growth, which is pretty sound advice, I think. Other than that, though, a lot of the information is either out of date or doesn't apply to me, an American who just moved to the UK. So, for that, I do not recommend it. We're no longer in an economic boom. It's unrealistic to get 15% returns from mutual funds. You can't get loans from banks very easily.

Discussion:

Does anyone know any good, easy-to-follow investment books targeted towards the UK and those who make an average wage? We have no debt and a bit of savings and we're trying to let that savings grow so we can have a downpayment for a flat.

Fragile Things: Short Fictions and Wonders by Neil Gaiman


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This collection of short stories and poems from one of my favorite authors was like unwrapping a gift, with every new title. Every world Gaiman creates is eerie, fantastic, or terrifying. But each one is so fascinating, I wish I had a TARDIS so I could drop in and observe. Some of the best bits:

The Facts in the Case of the Departure of Miss Finch - I've had dreams very similar to this story (entering different rooms filled with bizarre people/things), so it was almost like Neil did research in my brain!

Feeders and Eaters - Disgustingly engaging.

October in the Chair - classic Gaiman - naturally the months of the year gather round and take turns telling stories!

Sunbird - What does the epicurean club that's eaten everything finally consume? I think this story is the best of the bunch!

Monarch of the Glen - For those American Gods fans, Shadow returns in this one, for a wonderful retelling (of sorts) of the Beowulf tale.

View all my reviews >>

"SONIA RYKIEL FOR H & M"
LINGERIE LAUNCH PARTY...



This event was held last Tuesday evening at the Grand Palais in Paris, and what a spectacular show it was...an amazing extravaganza featuring a fully illuminated model of the Eiffel Tower, a lit up ferris wheel, a Carnival-like parade of floats with hundreds of models in skimpy lingerie and - er, lots of geese...

( Come and see... )

Hi All,

First, TGIF!

Second, I invite you to check out my book blog (Hartford Books Examiner) for a very special announcement. Monday will mark the first day of a three-week long holiday book giveaway extravaganza that will feature fourteen guest authors--all giving away copies of their books. (I don't want to ruin the surprise, but I will be hosting some of the biggest names in the literary world!) Details here: http://www.examiner.com/x-3859-Hartford-Books-Examiner~y2009m12d4-Announcement.

John

Magic Bites (2007)
Written by: Ilona Andrews
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Pages: 260 (Mass Market Paperback)

The premise: plucked from the authors' website: Atlanta would be a nice place to live, if it weren’t for magic . . .

One moment magic dominates, and cars stall and guns fail. The next, technology takes over and the defensive spells no longer protect your house from monsters. Here skyscrapers topple under onslaught of magic; werebears and werehyenas prowl through the ruined streets; and the Masters of the Dead, necromancers driven by their thirst of knowledge and wealth, pilot blood-crazed vampires with their minds.

In this world lives Kate Daniels. Kate likes her sword a little too much and has a hard time controlling her mouth. The magic in her blood makes her a target, and she spent most of her life hiding in plain sight. But when Kate’s guardian is murdered, she must choose to do nothing and remain safe or to pursue his preternatural killer. Hiding is easy, but the right choice is rarely easy . . .

My Rating

Give It Away: close to worth the cash, but I've been told the second book is better, so maybe I was predisposed to read with caution. And don't worry, I'm reading the second book whenever I get my hands on it. Despite some of the odd plot problems and some confusion on my part regarding the world-building (and a heroine who needs lessons from Miss Manners), I was entertained by the story, which moved at such a fast pace that I pretty much finished the book in 24 hours. One note of warning to potential readers is that this urban fantasy is more dark fantasy than not, and if you're more in the paranormal romance camp, you'll probably want to stay away from this one, because it is NOT paranormal romance, and has more horror than you may care for. It didn't bother me, but after reading some reviews on Amazon, I learned it bothered others. The world-building is pretty solid and original, and I hope later books get into it more. There's a lot of promise here, so I'll be happy to read the second.

Review style: As far as plot goes, it's a rather simple story and for that matter, a short book. Spoilers are inevitable for this one, so if those bother you, then there's no need to click the link to my LJ below. But if you've already read it and/or spoilers don't bother you, then swing on by! As always, comments and discussion are most welcome. :)

REVIEW: Ilona Andrews's MAGIC BITES

Happy Reading! :)

Hello, I just recently discovered this comm and wonder why I hadn't looked for it sooner! My favorite book genres are horror and suspense and I haven't really found any good books lately. Does anyone know any good books from these genres to recommend?

FREAK OF THE WEEK !!

This week, the British High St. retailer H & M launched their new lingerie range designed by fashion designer Sonia Rykiel on an unsuspecting Public, and they held a great big Launch Party to celebrate that fact...hurrah, we love a good party !!

There were an awful lot of very stylish guests there of course, who I may well natter about in another post...but one guest in particular caught my eye - not only caught it but managed to tossed it up in the air several times and throw it back with a disdainful laugh, that I should be so unstylish as to be gobsmacked at what she was wearing to this exciting event !!

( Come and see who raised the biggest titter... )

Hi All,

Today, I am advising on how to find the right book for reluctant readers this Christmas over at the book blog. Some of the suggestions are common sense and others are subtly manipulative (and some are both!), but all are good if they work. Check out: http://www.examiner.com/x-3859-Hartford-Books-Examiner~y2009m12d3-Advice.

Please feel free to share your own thoughts!

John

Boneshaker (2009)
Written by: Cherie Priest
Genre: Steampunk/Alternate History
Pages: 416 (Trade Paperback)

The premise: in order to truly appreciate what Priest is doing, I'm giving you not one, but TWO premises. The first is the overall premise for the series/world-building, and the second is the actual premise of the book. I think that's fair.

The Clockwork Century: explanation plucked from Subterranean Press's website, the preface for Priest's short story, also set in the Clockwork Century universe, Tanglefoot.: Stonewall Jackson survived Chancellorsville. England broke the Union’s naval blockade, and formally recognized the Confederate States of America. Atlanta never burned.

It is 1880. The American Civil War has raged for nearly two decades, driving technology in strange and terrible directions. Combat dirigibles skulk across the sky and armored vehicles crawl along the land. Military scientists twist the laws of man and nature, and barter their souls for weapons powered by light, fire, and steam.

But life struggles forward for soldiers and ordinary citizens. The fractured nation is dotted with stricken towns and epic scenes of devastation–some manmade, and some more mysterious. In the western territories cities are swallowed by gas and walled away to rot while the frontiers are strip-mined for resources. On the borders between North and South, spies scour and scheme, and smugglers build economies more stable than their governments.

This is the Clockwork Century.

It is dark here, and different.

Boneshaker's Premise: Rumors of gold in the frozen Klondike encouraged the Russians to seek a machine that could actually drill for it. Leviticus Blue took up the challenge and built the great Boneshaker. But before the Russians could get a hold of it, it went on a test run through the city of Seattle, not only destroying several blocks of the city, but it released a blight of gas that turned anyone who breathed it into a rotter (aka the living dead). Now, years later, the son of Leviticus Blue is determined to prove his father wasn't a criminal for his actions, and he sneaks into the now-walled city of Seattle to get that proof. His mother, Briar Blue, terrified for her son's safety and what he might find, goes after him. But nothing easy within the walls of Seattle, as there's more than just the undead to outwit and outrun, and Zeke and Briar will need everything they've got to survive those who have a peculiar and deadly interest in them.

My Rating

Worth the Cash: it's definitely an entertaining read, and a well-written one. For anyone curious about steampunk as a sub-genre, it's a great place to start, because Priest has a sensible, practical approach to it, all the while telling a fun story. Fun might be an odd word to describe a book that reeks a bit of horror, but it's all good. I could easily see this made into a movie, and to be honest, I hope it happens. There's something wonderfully visual about this book, and the story lends itself to the big screen. While it's not my favorite Priest book (that honor goes to the Eden Moore trilogy, but that may be bias talking as the trilogy's setting is two hours from where I live), it's very good and I'm happy to have another Priest book under my belt.

For those of you still not sure if Boneshaker is right for you, you can sample the Clockwork Century universe by reading Priest's short story Tanglefoot. The only relation to Boneshaker is the world itself, as no characters overlap and nothing references the events, let alone spoils the events, of the book. It's a good little read, with shades of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, and I think you'll enjoy it. You can also check out her Clockwork Century website, which features news of all the books and short stories taking place in the universe. Priest is an entertaining blogger anyway, so you shouldn't be disappointed.

As for my part, Priest remains one of my favorite authors, and I'm happy to continue with her books, steampunk or no. She hasn't kindled a great love within me for steampunk or anything, but I'll read whatever she writes provided it's well-written and entertaining. She hasn't let me down yet.

Review style: No spoilers. I'm going to talk about, and I may say some things that might lead you to figure out certain plot points, but I won't outright spoil anything. :) If you're paranoid, don't bother clicking the link below, but if you're not, the link goes to my LJ, and there's a much longer discussion about the book. As always, comments and discussion are most welcome. :)

REVIEW: Cherie Priest's BONESHAKER

Happy Reading! :)

Time for my annual Shameless Self-Promotion!

The Firflake: A Christmas Story is the story of the First Snowflake of winter, as well as the story of a man named Knecht Ruprecht and how he was rescued by a stranger named Nicholas and came to help Nicholas on his Christmas Eve rounds.

Written originally for my niece and nephew, The Firflake is intended for all ages, ideal for sitting in front of the fireplace sipping hot cocoa, eating warm cookies and reading aloud on Christmas Eve. The book also includes illustrations by the masterful Don Cornue.

Available through Amazon, BN.com, Target.com, by special order through chain and local booksellers, and from the publisher:



The Firflake

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Cute bench for your dolls on Ebay

After having read "At Swim, Two Boys" by Jamie O'Neill two years ago and not having found any books that touched me in any way similar to this one, I want to know if some of you can recommend me anything similar? Preferably homoerotic.


And: I found some recs to "Nightswimmer" by Joseph Oslan, and the summary sounds nice. Do you any of you know about this book? Is it good?

x-posted to the community bookish.

Thank you <3

Title: Bobby's Girl
Author: JD Austin
Reason for Reading: I saw the cover and thought it looked adorable.
Pages: 268
Copyright Date: 2001
Cover: Set up to look like a puzzle. Two pieces show an attractive blond woman in highwaisted blue jeans and a cropped red tank top. She is wearing red plastic bangles and her arm is oddly stiff. On the other side of her body, she is an alien, slightly sallow with a flat face, wearing a military uniform and holding a gun. An alien city is behind her.
First line: "From the Desk of the Premier of Dalyi: MOST SECRET."
Best part: It just cracked me up.
Worst part: I felt the author was indulging in a bit of Mary Sue. An ordinary guy who just happened to become an award-winning movie director, who sweeps an alien off her feet? And everyone begs him to play BOTH starring roles in his new movie? Come now.
Imaginary Theme Song: "Beverly Hills" by Weezer
Grade: C
Recommended for: You know how sometimes you don't want anything serious? You want to read a trashy novel? Here it is.
Related Reads: Grimspace by Ann Aguirre, The Stars Down Under by Sandra McDonald, Accidental Goddess by Linnea Sinclair, although they are all a bit more serious than this book.

Okay, so the alien rebel princess flees to Earth to be safe from the invading oppressor forces. She's been surgically altered so she looks just like us only cuter and with bigger breasts. Of course her spaceship would come to land right next to the car of the world's friendliest rich retired couple. Of course they would take this strange woman babbling in an alien language into their home, no questions asked. And naturally, they have a son who is a world-famous movie director whose script manager just eloped with a celebrity. Do I really need to keep going? Because believe me, I could.

This book is very silly but kind of endearing. It's worth a read, especially if you can get it from your local library.

Hi All,

If you are a Stephen King fan, you might enjoy knowing that the author recently admitted he's contemplating a sequel to THE SHINING. Details here: http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-3859-Hartford-Books-Examiner~y2009m12d2-Stephen-King.

John

Indigo Springs (2009)
Written by: A.M. Dellamonica
Genre: Fantasy/Contemporary
Pages: 317 (Trade Paperback)

The premise: plucked from BN.com: Indigo Springs is a sleepy town where things seem pretty normal . . . until Astrid’s father dies and she moves into his house. She discovers that for many years her father had been accessing the magic that flowed, literally, in a blue stream beneath the earth, leaking into his house. When she starts to use the liquid "vitagua" to enchant everyday items, the results seem innocent enough: a “’chanted” watch becomes a charm that means you're always in the right place at the right time; a “’chanted” pendant enables the wearer to convince anyone of anything . . .

But as events in Indigo Springs unfold and the true potential of vitagua is revealed, Astrid and her friends unwittingly embark on a journey fraught with power, change, and a future too devastating to contemplate. Friends become enemies and enemies become friends as Astrid discovers secrets from her shrouded childhood that will lead her to a destiny stranger than she could have imagined . . .

My Rating

Worth the Cash: but close to a "must have." Any fan of contemporary fantasy (fantasy that takes place in today's world that is NOT Buffy-lit) must pick this up. The magic is creative and enchanting, and the characters are so very human in their motivations and interactions, and the story itself pays off very nicely, even though it's obvious there's gonna be a sequel. That said, I was very pleased and very satisfied with this story, and I happily await said sequel. This is one of those books that lives up to the beauty of the cover art, so aside from a few bumps in the opening, you're gonna be fine.

Review style: should be short and sweet, with no spoilers. If you're interested in the full review, just click on the link below, which takes you to my LJ. As always, comments and discussion are most welcome. :)

REVIEW: A.M. Dellamonica's INDIGO SPRINGS

Happy Reading! :)

Hello all! This is my first review here, though I hope to make many more and find people who like to discuss a good book.

I recently discovered the Cronos Chronicles written by Anne Ursu browsing through my local library, and am now wondering why on earth this woman isn't famous when she writes so much better than almost any other writer I've come across. I'm a big reader, and as often as not I wind up reading good stories by people who can't write very well; Anne Ursu can write technically well and create great stories. Color me impressed.

The first book in the series, The Shadow Thieves, is like Harry Potter in that it's funny, quirky, and loaded with interesting characters and adventure, but different in every other way (that is, it's not a clone). Charlotte Mielswetzki is a dorky, cynical thirteen year old who finds out that her cousin Zee is being stalked by both a mysterious illness--everyone near him gets sick--and the evil fiend behind that illness. Which leads to the knowledge that Greek gods are real, and that only she and Zee can stop them and bring everyone they love back to heath.

It's a wonderful book, but if it has any weakness, it's the ending, which was somehow not as exciting as the buildup promised. This problem is fixed in the second book of the Cronos Chronicles, The Siryn Song. Charlotte's parents, and poor Zee, are kidnapped by further Greek gods who are insulted that Charlotte dared to stand up to a god in book one. On her journey to rescue them Charlotte meets a cute half-God, a gentleman squid, and the tackiest God with blue chest hair you've ever imagined. And this time, the climax doesn't disappoint. It left me eager for book three--which just came out a few months ago and I have yet to get, but am dying to read.

The series is everything good entertainment should be and I recommend both books I've read.

By the way, in my journal I'm working on my own novel at a page a day. If anyone wants to give me feedback, by all means, come on over, I'd love to hear what you think.

Meanwhile, enjoy Anne Ursu.

Here's part 1 of my ramble from Boston Megafest - theres not a lot of James in it yet, but never fer - he will be appearing very soon...!

( Pizza, giggles and a very mock-tudor castle - it can only be a Con!  )

Lying With the Dead
Michael Mewshaw
Fiction; Contemporary Lit

Three vastly different people have one thing in common in this tale of the familial ties that choke: a manipulative, shockingly calculating mother who has summoned all three of her grown children to her bedside as she nears the end of her life. Candy is the only girl, although ‘girl’ is as misleading as the youthful sounding name: Candy is sixty years old now, and as the primary caretaker of her mother for years, has grown weary of the responsibilities that have weighed on her for so long and compelled her to sacrifice so much of her own happiness, yet who else was there to do it? Not her older brother Maury, who although well-intentioned and sweet, is mentally disabled and as a teenager served prison time for killing his own father (this event will come back to haunt both him and the reader again and again, right up until the stunning finale when the full story is revealed). Quinn, the youngest child, made out the best of them and fled across the pond to England as soon as possible, building a semi-successful life as an actor and doing his best to forget he even has a family. Even Quinn, however, finds that he can’t run far enough away to escape the clutches of a tangled family web rife with deception and manipulation.

The story is narrated by Candy, Quinn and Maury in turn, each in the first person view, and the author does a commendable job of making each of their voices distinct, a difficult feat with that kind of narrative. It’s the details here that are the most compelling: Maury’s inability to eat at any restaurant that doesn’t have pictures of the food on its menu; Candy’s poignant, teenager-esque longing to leave the dreary, poisonous world of her mother behind and run away to North Carolina with her middle-aged lover; Quinn’s wry, distanced humor that leaks more and more pain the longer he makes a joke of it all. The one primary character whose point of view we never get is perhaps the most powerful, and the one the reader is most affected by: the mother of these three damaged souls. She’s at once a repulsive and fascinating creature, as so many mother characters are, and sadly, utterly believable in her classic abuse of power and control over the three people who, even as adults, are still so much at her emotional mercy.

If I’ve made it sound dreary that’s misleading, because it isn’t. If not a feel-good story, it’s not a particularly depressing one either. It’s simply one of the many re-tellings of family dysfunction, something most of us deal with in some degree. Those with a bit more of it might take a little solace in knowing they’re not alone, and one thing this story does offer at the end, in some fashion, is something resembling closure - a tough thing to come by when it comes to a family.

Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
It's that time of year again when work is nothing but data entry, data entry, data entry. So I always try to get some books on CD to listen to or at least have as background noise to keep me from falling asleep upon mystacks of data.

Holidays on Ice definitely kept me awake. I loved Sedaris' first story about working as an Elf in Macy's Santaland. I had to stop listening to the family "yearly catch-up holiday" letter. I work with many Asian students and the voice actor's impression of a new to Amercia Vietnamese girl was just a little too over the top. I didn't want to offend any of my students. (Or get in trouble with any of my Asian co-workers!)

The rest of the stories were hilarious - the man reviewing the children's Christmas pagaents; Dinah, the Christmas Whore. I found his snarkiness both hilarious and cringe worthy. But I won't swear off reading the rest of his books. I love books about people's personal lives. (One of my favorite books is "A Girl Named Skippy".)

This was a fun listen (read). Quick, and Sedaris involved his sister Amy Sedaris and another actress. It was quick too and helped me get through my work.

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