night film

I am completely and totally engrossed in Night Film right now.

At not quite halfway through, I am without a doubt pulled into this story. I’m desperately hoping that it doesn’t end up falling short right at the end (as some reviews have indicated). I’m also very into the mixed media extras throughout. This is the first time I’ve ever seen something like this for a book…

Reading has come a very long way!!!! Granted some of the ‘interviews’ that I’ve been able to access through the decoder have a bit of a corny sound to the scripts, but overall I think it’s such a fantastic idea and the fake NY Times/Vanity Fair articles are definitely a fantastic addition to the story. It feels strange though, to remember to bring my phone whenever I settle down to read. But every time I see that little bird pop-up I can’t help but get a little excited about what I’m about to discover!

So, this is what I’m reading instead of Allegiant right now…and tonight as I sit waiting to see Veronica Roth take the stage I’ll have my copy of Allegiant with me, but I’ll still be reading Night Film!! Feels like cheating?!?! ; )

the mummy

Every October I tend to read books that are mostly “Halloween-ish” in nature. It doesn’t actually have to directly link to Halloween (although Bradbury’s Something Wicked and The Halloween Tree are on my list annually). Anything supernatural, creepy and/or monster-ish gets tackled during these weeks leading up to the 31st. Considering the amount of related challenges that pop-up this time of year makes it pretty clear I’m not the only seasonal-reader!

So, after I finished up The Night Eternal…I jumped right into The Mummy.

Way back when I was in high school, I went through a huge Stephen King-kick, then moved onto Dean Koontz and then I discovered Interview with the Vampire and that started my Anne Rice obsession. This was quite a while ago, we’re talking almost 23 years. So, I guess it’s to be expected that memory lapses would begin to occur and I could not for the life of me remember if I had already read this book. What also made it difficult, in addition to the large time-gap, was that the mummy theme has been done quite frequently. Not nearly as much as vampires, but it’s getting there.

As it turns out, this was my first time reading it. I would have remembered a story like this one! It had the same vibe to it as The Mummy film. The plot lines were very different, but they had the same early-1920’s feel to them.

Rice’s Mummy ended up being more of a love story…and Ramses, although immortal, managed to blunder his way around when it came to the women in his…eternity. However, I enjoyed the characters, the setting and the story itself. It moved at the perfect pace and I found it to be a very fun book to read, especially at this time of year.

The ending was left with more than one opening for a sequel, but I’m relatively sure one was never written. Frustrating in one sense, but in a literary world filled with sequels, trilogies, chronicles, etc. it’s always nice to close a back cover and be done. Letting your own mind fill in the gaps and give you whichever ending you’d like best!!

Off to figure out which book to read next!!

the night eternal

Four years after the release of The Strain, I finally got around to reading and finishing The Night Eternal…book #3 of The Strain Trilogy.

Shortly after the release of book #2, The Fall, I headed into NYC for an event with both authors Chuck Hogan and Guillermo del Toro. Guillermo made time to chat with everyone there…

…he seemed very sweet and even his autograph was cute!!

Which makes it all the more interesting just how twisted this guy is!!

As for the series, I enjoyed it. I would give the trilogy, as a whole, about three stars. It dragged at times, it certainly didn’t require three books. Occasionally, the writing was a little corny and sometimes events just didn’t fit. Like one of the characters waltzing into an abandoned Macy’s (two years after all of the looting and destruction began) during a time when all clothes and food were obtained either by vouchers or on the black market…and her big decision was whether or not she should go for boots (in her size) with or without a heel?!

So, this didn’t really offer up fantastic writing or a gripping fast-moving plot, but it was an interesting take on a theme that has become so incredibly played out. The books seemed to be organized well, starting with epidemiology, on to the spread of this ‘plague’, the aftermath and then the eradication. Beginning, middle, end…packaged up all nice and tidy (wiggly blood-worms excluded) for their dear readers.

With that said, this read from the start like something headed straight for the screen. That wasn’t really a grand prediction, considering del Toro’s involvement, so it’s not surprising that it’s already in the works. What IS surprising (to me anyway) is that they opted for tv rather than film. Guillermo definitely does not glamorize these vamps…they are ugly and vicious…they should be sure to have a warning in the credits letting people know these vampires don’t sparkle.

bookishness

Over the last few months, I’ve been on a mediocre-reading kick. As in, I’m reading one book after another, but none of them are blowing me away. Pretty much all of them have ended up being not great, not horrible, just…meh. There were a few times when it would come very close, but in the end it would somehow fall short. That’s not to say that I regret reading any of them…it’s just that I was left with this unsatisfied craving for greatness!

First up…Neil Gaiman’s The Ocean at the End of the Lane.

“I liked myths.  They weren’t adult stories and they weren’t children’s stories.  They were better than that.  They just were.”

This almost sums up my feelings on this book. It wasn’t quite an adult novel, nor would it be appropriate for children. It was somewhere in between and for me that’s what prevented it from being anything more than ‘okay’. It didn’t commit and I very much felt as though I was stuck between the two genres.

However, it was interesting, original and you have to give an author credit when they know they only have 181 pages of content and they do NOT try to stretch it out for an additional 200 pages or (as in quite a few cases lately) somehow scrape together a trilogy?!

“When you cut pieces out of the truth to avoid looking like a fool, you end up sounding like a moron instead.”

Solid advice given within Robin Hobb’s Assassin’s Apprentice. This was one of the books that came so very close!! Such great potential…I enjoyed the plot and characters, my only real issue was that midway through it got a bit drawn out. A little repetitive here and there…things could have moved a bit faster at times. This is the first in a trilogy, filler-pages tend to happen in a series. I know this, but at 480 pages it was completely unnecessary! As a result it lost the 4th star, but I do plan to eventually read the rest of the series.

“You only have to forgive once. To resent, you have to do it all day, every day.” 

Then there was M. L. Stedman’s The Light Between Oceans. This was not exactly a feel-good kind of book. The second half definitely moved faster than the first. To be honest, I found Isabel unlikable and I had trouble finding a whole lot of sympathy for the Sherbourne’s. Their decision being so clearly in the wrong, it was hard to muster up a lot of emotion for them later on when they finally suffered the consequences. My heart did break a bit for Lucy…impossible for it not to! So, the emotion I felt there made this a worthwhile read. The author wrapped everything up neatly at the end of the book. It’s always nice to have closure. Not fabulous, but pretty good.

These were just a sampling of what I’ve been reading. I had several other’s tossed in the mix, but these were the most noteworthy ones. Now…I left the best for last.

After months of searching for something great. Something I could really get into. Something that would keep me up reading late at night and leave me struggling to put it down long enough to live my life each day. I finally found Fingersmith by Sarah Waters.

“PIGEON MY ARSE!”

I stumbled on this one. It just kind of popped-up out of nowhere when I was starting to get frustrated with my 3-star streak. I tend to research a book to death before I actually decide if I’m going to read it. I check ratings and reviews on pretty much every available site…I take each one with a grain of salt, but it’s definitely part of my decision process. This one was getting rave reviews pretty much across the board! With very good reason. This was truly a great book. FOUR STARS…FINALLY!! I enjoyed the plot, the characters, the Victorian-vibe. And the twists!! Some of which brought forth: “WAIT!! WHAT THE!?!?!” moments…out loud…which are so rare and so great while reading!!

I’ve since discovered that this was actually made into a BBC Series and I would be curious to watch it as a follow-up. I definitely plan to check out some of her other books as well!!

Don’t’cha just love a happy ending : )

silver WHAT?

I absolutely always try to read the book before I watch the movie, but I can’t be held responsible for movies that I watched as a child. Therefore, I place the blame squarely on my mother’s shoulders that it’s taken me 35 years to read The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Of course, I could have read it much sooner than this, but the damage was already done. I have almost every line uttered throughout the course of the movie committed to heart.

I always knew that I would eventually get around to reading it one day. Then a few weeks ago I was in Barnes & Noble (a rare treat since the closest bookstore to us is over an hour away!) and I noticed that they had a very nice edition of it just staring up at me from the classics table. I decided now was the time to go for it. I figured it would also make a nice addition to my Children’s Lit collection that one day (hopefully) my own daughter will have a field day with.

Now at this point, the movie is just as beloved as the book. So, I think it’s nearly impossible to say which is better. I think the real enjoyment of reading this book (after a lifetime of loving the movie) was identifying the differences…not with a critical-eye, but purely out of curiosity.

I won’t get too detailed about it, but there were some differences with the names of characters, the settings and strange creatures that never made it into the movie. As for that last one, I suppose it makes sense. These days technology and make-up/costume design can pretty much create whatever the story calls for, but back in 1939 I’m thinking they probably had to stick to the basics.

However, there were two things that disappointed me…

1) The Wizard never says “Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!!”. The actual scene is there, everything was lined up for this classic line to be written…but nope. That was a screenplay add-in and I was a little disappointed that L. Frankie didn’t think of it himself.

and

2) The Ruby Slippers were Silver.

Did you get that?

The RUBY Slippers…they were Silver.

At first, I was able to understand the words individually…”Silver”…”Shoes”. But together? In reference to the Wicked Witch of the East’s feet?! No, no, noooo. I felt betrayed!!! Lied to!!!! I know this is irrational, but it’s just wrong. Totally wrong. They HAVE to be ruby slippers!!!

But alas…they were not. I held out to the very end. At one point I actually convinced myself that maybe something happens later on in the book that turns the shoes a different and very specific color. Sadly, this never happened.

I am dreading Halloween this year. How will I be able to look at little girls dressed up like Dorothy…but wearing those damn red shoes?! I’ll be like the bringer of DOOM…stalking my way over to each one of them…pointing a judgemental finger at their feet and immediately launching into a “You knooooooooow…..” speech.

Ugh.

I’m moving on, because I don’t want it to seem like I didn’t enjoy the book…because I totally did! It’s a classic for a reason, a fun story that was extremely enjoyable. Although, I opted not to read it to my six-year-old…yet. There were some parts that I figured she could probably be a little bit older for (hello, how tinman was created!! chop-chop…) before we dived into it. So, instead we went down into the theater and watched the movie with her for the first time. She loved it!!! And now 30 years from now she can blame me for screwing up the order!!

Now obviously the timing of this is perfect. The release of Oz The Great and Powerful is right around the corner and I’m pretty exited to see that as well. In watching one of the trailers I noticed a scene with a ‘china girl’…she’s from the book. So, it appears that even though this will be a prequel of sorts, they’ll still be revisiting the original story and maybe bringing to life some of the things that would have been too difficult to include over 70 years ago.

bookish things

Since my last book-related post, I’ve been reading feverishly from a wide variety of genres. As I typically do. Being that most of my Top 5 Books of All Time are classics I of course have a few of those on my list…the first of which:

North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell. This one was okay, it was rather Jane Austen-ish…with the whole wealthy man and the not-so-much female falling in love, but not admitting it, becoming miserable about the unrequited love…that’s actually requited, but since there’s no communication sadness and drama ensue. It was also clearly trying to address the injustice of the wealthy being uber-wealthy and the poor being uber-poor, but I felt as though it didn’t come off smoothly…it had much more of a contrived feeling than it should have. Overall, I enjoyed North and South, but recall it dragging at times (I read this two months ago, that kind of time gap puts a serious strain on my memory!).

Next…Anna Karenina. This was a big step for me! Not only was it a complete and total 900-page monstrosity, but it was also my first experience with classic Russian literature…my ‘ole go-to has always been English lit. Right from the start I found it far easier to get into. I’m guessing that’s because this is translated text, so it reads like a modern novel. As for the story itself, I loved it…up until, I dunno…page 650-700. Then it just got O.L.D. It dragged for a bit before this sluggish train finally got movin’ again and collided with a rather ‘meh’ ending. For anyone who hasn’t read it, I won’t spoil it by going into detail on my thoughts about how this train came to a grinding halt at the station. For those of you who have read it, all I can say is choo-choooo man.

Ok…get me outta the 19th century!! Classic hiatus!!!

I’ve never read Philip Dick…I’ve heard great things about him, so I decided to give A Scanner Darkly a try. Mistake, mistake, mistake. I just can’t get into drug-themed books. Fear and Loathing, On the Road and now this one. They leave me feeling mentally-grimy…as if I need to scour my brain with bleach. I won’t say that this book was awful, I’ll just say: make sure this type of genre is your thing before committing to it. In my humble opinion, the best and most moving part of the book was Mr. Dick’s afterword.

Enter YA Fiction. John Green’s Looking for Alaska…I’ve wanted to read this one for a while now. Not fantastic, was hoping for some four-star material here, but ended up with a three. Still, that’s okay, because I was completely pulled into the story…I enjoyed reading it and it’s exactly why I always toss in a young adult book every now and then. It’s like a fast-moving, breath of fresh air.

Ooooooh, Kurt. You had me at Slaughterhouse-Five, but lost me with Cat’s Cradle. I just couldn’t get into it. This disjointed, off-the-wall story, filled with an odd sounding Vonnegut created vocabulary. If anyone has read this…what was the narrator’s last name and what was the significance of the unclaimed cemetery statue?!?!???!!?

The Silver Linings Playbook…thank you Matthew Quick. The first four-star book of my post!! I have no idea how reading pages and pages of dry play-by-play descriptions of random Philadelphia Eagles games from their ’04 season could end up getting four-stars, but it did. I really enjoyed this book. Fast-paced, engrossing, enjoyable characters…it’s definitely a worthwhile read. Which of course has me wondering about the movie…which I can now watch because I’ve (say it with me) read the book first!!

moving on

I could probably go into detail about how my crummy run on Sunday really messed with my head.  For far too long.  But rather than chronicle my obsessive tendencies I’ll breeze right by that.

Instead, I’ll say that on Tuesday I did a solid 4 mile run on the treadmill, but what I really needed was to get back outside. Treadmill runs are as easy or as hard as you make them, but there is something so very different about running outside. So, I needed to get back outside and redeem myself.

I started out a little tense.  It took me a while as I tried to relax into it and not force the run. Eventually I found my groove and it turned out to be a pretty great finish.  Strong and relatively speedy.  I’m back in business!!

Afterwards, I tried for the first time Metromint. At the risk of sounding melodramatic, words cannot fully express the awesomeness of this hydrating-experience…

It was so very delicious and the cherrymint flavor gave me a bit of a boost, almost as if I had just finished a cup of coffee?!  It has a clean taste and I really can’t recommend it enough. I’m headed back to the store tonight and I plan on buying a few different flavors while I’m there.

I’m not entirely sure how I’m supposed to go back to drinking plain old water again? I wonder if they sell it by the gallon???

In book related news, I’m at a loss as to what to read next.  Chi Running? Eat and Run? The Long Run? These are tough decisions. I’m taking suggestions!!!

born to run

As you wander within running circles, there are things that seem to pop-up repeatedly. References to techniques, products, most sought after races and books that every runner should know about.  My love for reading has obviously drawn me to the book suggestions. Nothing like hobbies colliding!

So, Born to Run is one of those books.  It seems like anyone who’s ever obsessed over their mileage and pace has read this one.

Equal parts inspiring and informative.  One minute you’re ready to throw the book down, lace up your shoes and spontaneously run. Just. Run.  Three pages later you find yourself completely rethinking your form/technique. And by the end you’re googling things like ‘trail running’, ‘ultramarathon’ and ‘Barefoot Ted’.

There is so much packed into this book that at times it felt completely scattered to me.  I was actually relieved when I read the following in McDougall’s acknowledgements at the end:

“If you didn’t feel overwhelmed by weird digressions while reading this book, you and I both owe thanks to Edward Kastenmeier, my editor…”

There were definitely ‘weird digressions’, which makes me wonder what it looked like before Ed got his hands on it!

I think this is a book that needs to be revisited.  I’m not one for re-reading things, my To Be Read Pile is way too large for that, but I think Born to Run is an exception. There’s so much to take in that it’s almost impossible to really absorb it all in one passing.  Even some of the research that McDougall references in this book is worth going back and getting additional details on.

But the biggest ‘a-ha’ moment for me by the end was that I’m not really having fun with running right now. I’m training (alone) for a 92-mile relay coming up in about a month. The team is comprised of mostly strangers. I only started running consistently (after baby #2 was born) back in March.  I feel a large amount of pressure to perform for THEM. Afraid that I’ll end up holding The Team back. Every single run I manage to cram in during the week has such importance attached to it.  I feel like every time I head out the door the next 30-70 minutes of my life need to count for something. And I can feel it taking away from that incredible free feeling that comes along with going for a mind-clearing, rejuvenating run.  This is everything that Born to Run is so NOT about.

“So simple,” he said. “Just move your legs. Because if you don’t think you were born to run, you’re not only denying history. You’re denying who you are.”

I know that once this relay is over the pressure will be gone and my enjoyment of each run will return.  At first I found myself wishing the next month away.  But after finishing this book, I’m starting to think that maybe this is the exact opportunity to really take to heart what McDougall was trying to convey. Our group doesn’t really have a ‘team’ feel to it, but I can control how I choose to approach this experience. I need to remind myself of that and not worry so much about performing for anyone but me.  It is very likely that I will never do another relay again, so I need to stop worrying about everyone else and focus on enjoying this experience.

How’s that for a ‘weird digression’??

I’m hopefully heading out for a run this evening. It’s supposed to get close to 100 degrees today!!

“If you can run six miles on a summer day then you, my friend, are a lethal weapon in the animal kingdom.”

another mother runner: the books

Recently, I discovered Another Mother Runner and I quickly became obsessed.  I started out with their podcasts.  I’d never given podcasts a try before, but my ‘long run’ had just crossed the 7 mile mark and I was starting to find my playlist rather uninspiring.  I can’t stand listening to audio books, so I was extremely surprised when I discovered that I LOVE listening to these podcasts!

I’ve never had a ‘running buddy’ before.  In fact, aside from races, I always run alone.  Listening to Sarah and Dimity chat about a topic that I am so currently in to right now was fantastic.  The 30(ish) minute episodes were going by entirely too fast.

So, after listening to several shows, I decided to check out their books.

In a careless, sleep-deprived moment I accidentally bought Train Like A Mother (TLAM) first (the second of the series).  Obviously, I wish that I had read Run Like A Mother (RLAM) first, but ultimately it doesn’t really matter.  I enjoyed both of them immensely.

RLAM is geared a little more towards the newbie and of course TLAM offers up lots of advice on planning and training schedules for a variety of races.  In my opinion it’s the real life experiences they share, the anecdotes, the frustrations and running related girlfriend-like chit-chat that really made these fun to read.

With so many sources out there for all things running Another Mother Runner offers up a unique and real-life perspective for women who are trying to raise children, balance all of the responsibilities that come along with it AND find the drive, motivation and dedication to fit running into their lives.  It’s a great place to find support when you need a reminder that we deserve a few hours a week to exercise our bodies and as a result return from a run refreshed and ready to do it all over again.

“When you’re commanding a ship of people who rely on you to sometimes obnoxious degrees, finding the time, energy, and inspiration to jump overboard and get out the front door alone can be as challenging as the run itself.” ~ RLAM

Non Runner’s Marathon Guide

Recently, I seemed to have taken a bit of a hiatus from reading.  I was finishing up one book after the other for months and then all of the sudden…nothing.  I’m slowly working my way back to it.  My first one since the break ended up being…The Non Runner’s Marathon Guide For Women.

This is actually a re-read for me.  Which is unusual because I very, very rarely re-read books.  (Life’s too short and my TBR List is entirely too long.)  I picked this one up several years ago, just before my GI Issues forced me to take an indefinite break from running.  I remembered enjoying it, but that entire time period of my life is kind of a blur, so I decided to give it another go.

I think you have to go into this book with the right expectations.  I saw a lot of negative comments online about how useless it is for training.  Which is totally correct.  But it wasn’t really meant to be a serious training guide.  This is a sarcastic, tongue-in-cheek, self-deprecating tale of a non-runner suddenly inspired to run a marathon despite her dislike of the sport.

She whines.  She complains.  She suffers injuries and bouts of laziness.  This is not a hard-core athlete obsessing over a 6:00 pace.  This is a couch to 26.2 story of a reluctant runner.  At times it bounces back and forth between funny, corny, inspiring, annoying…you get a little bit of everything.  It’s a fun, entertaining read.  And I think the message the author was trying to send was that completing a marathon isn’t just for the supremely fit.  That if you can find the drive, dedication and strength within yourself to stick to a training program then you can totally do this.

Personally, I have no desire to complete a full marathon.  It requires entirely too much time that I know I am unwilling to invest.  BUT…as I look forward to getting out this morning and cracking the 8-mile mark, I gotta say…a half is looking really good to me right about now.

“A famous guy named Jeff Galloway revolutionized the marathon world by suggesting that maybe it’s okay to walk a little instead of running nonstop for the entire 26.2 miles.  I worry about the collective intelligence of the marathon world if this guy was really the first person to think this up; but he’s the one credited with introducing common sense to the running world.” ~ Dawn Dais

my fair lazy

I finally got around to reading Jen Lancaster’s My Fair Lazy. I’ve had this book forever, but never picked it up…mainly because of the tagline: “One Reality Television Addict’s Attempt to Discover If Not Being a Dumb Ass Is the New Black, or, A Culture-Up Manifesto“…

I don’t watch reality television. So, I was worried I would end up reading this book and wouldn’t have a clue what she was talking about. I knew that any references to current reality shows would go right over my head.

This was exactly the case at some moments, but fortunately I didn’t have much to worry about. There were definitely references to shows that I’ve never seen, but not so much that I felt clueless or disinterested. My Fair Lazy was more so about Jen trying to break free from the grip that reality tv apparently had on her and use that new found energy to explore other (more worthwhile) forms of entertainment.

I don’t typically enjoy reading ‘humor’. I prefer classic literature, supernatural themes and young adult fiction. The closest I could ever get to this genre was Christopher Moore…but that’s an entirely different post.

Anyway, a friend of mine introduced Jen Lancaster’s books to me a few years ago. After enjoying her first book, I slowly made my way through her others…enjoying each one as I went.

By the time I got to Pretty in Plaid, I was officially a fan.  She’s a fun author to read.  Her books are quick, easy and definitely have moments when you will find yourself laughing out loud.

I also have a bit of a soft spot for Jen because her book signing a few years back was the first author event that I ever attended.  (I’ve since met Guillermo del Toro)  She was at the Barnes & Noble in Union Square, NYC…

Her reading was hysterical, she was so friendly to everyone as they stepped up to meet her and she stayed well past the official end-time in order to be sure that everyone left with a signed book.  So, that alone will ensure I’ll give all of her future books a shot…and so far I haven’t been disappointed.

one day

“Dex and Em, Em and Dex”…

So, I have this thing.  That I can’t watch a movie if it was originally a book that I haven’t read first.  It’s kind of annoying, because I think it’s pretty much a universal truth that the book is always better than the movie.  Which means that by insisting upon reading the book first, I pretty much ensure that I won’t enjoy the movie.

For example…I just finished up One Day by David Nicholls.

It wasn’t the greatest book I’ve ever read, but I did enjoy it.  I liked the idea of a story progressing based on the events of one day each year.  It was an interesting way to cover such a large period of time in the character’s lives, but without ending up with 2,000 pages.  It was easy to become involved with Dexter and Emma.  They definitely came to life for me.  It’s hard to really give my full opinion of it without giving anything away…what I will say is that I quickly stopped hoping they would end up together and simultaneously found myself totally skeeved by Dexter.  After the early 90’s portion I was desperately hoping that Emma wouldn’t let that skanky bastard anywhere near her.

About mid-way through, things got a little old for me.  There was one rather uncomfortable scene between Dexter and Emma that took me three days to get though.  Granted that probably had more to do with my diminished attention span these days, but still…after a while Dexter’s downward spiral dragged a bit.  Fortunately, it didn’t take long to get past it and by the end things were moving along quickly.

No sooner did I close the back cover, when I clicked on the tv and watched the movie.

They did a pretty good job with it, but I think a lot got lost along the way.  They chose to leave out some pretty significant events. Dexter seemed a little more pathetic and less charismatic.  Emma, less independent and more clingy.  I appreciated how they were trying to visualize the passage of time with period clothes and the sudden burst of trendy music, but it was just plain ole’ distracting to me.

But…seeing Dexter towards the end, a complete and total mess with grief.  Well, for me it was definitely more powerful on screen than it was in the book.

Overall, I enjoyed both the book and movie, but…do I really need to say it???  {coughcoughbookwasbettercough}

“He put one hand lightly on the back of her neck, and simultaneously she placed one hand lightly on his hip, and they kissed in the street as all around them people hurried home in the summer light, and it was the sweetest kiss that either of them would ever know. This is where it all begins. Everything starts here, today. And then it was over.”