Tag: jasper fforde

Book Tag | Elements Book Covers

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spirit
water

The Elemental Challenge: Should You Choose to Accept it:

Water:
1. Find a book with water on it.
2. Find a book with blue on it.

Fire:
1. Find a book with fire on it.
2. Find a book with red on it.

Earth:
1. Find a book with something related to earth on it.
2. Find a book with green on it.

Air:
1. Find a book with air on it.
2. Find a book with white on it.

Spirit Bonus:
Find a book with the colors blue, red, green, and white on it.

water
Water: 1. Find a book with water on it. 2. Find a book with blue on it.

I spotted The Rosie Effect by Graeme Simsion a mile away and knew I wanted it to represent blue / water right away both because of the gorgeous blue and the fact that I’m extremely anxious to read it having adored The Rosie Project. I’ve had Fluke by Christopher Moore on my shelves for years and still haven’t finished it. Unlike some of his other books (Lamb continues to be one of my all time favorites), this one didn’t grab me right away and I have a tendency to pick it up only to put it back down again. Someday…

fire
Fire: 1. Find a book with fire on it. 2. Find a book with red on it.

I don’t think I have any books that are more vibrantly red than Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel which my book club discussed last month. I didn’t finish the book though I kinnnnda enjoyed it. Honestly, it just seemed to drag a bit too long and too often for me despite some really great writing and wonderful moments. Of course for an actual symbol of fire, I knew I was going to need something dystopian. Divergent by Veronica Roth definitely does the trick, visually, and is also a fantastic book to boot.

earth
Earth: 1. Find a book with something related to earth on it. 2. Find a book with green on it.

I probably have more green books than The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown but I loved the vines shooting out of the letters and thought it fit the concept of “earth” brilliantly. I haven’t read this one yet but I’m looking forward to it. Then of course there is the terribly literal interpretation of “earth” – A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson is one of those books that I feel I must read at some point but keep putting off for unknown reasons (probably that aforementioned sense of self obligation – I don’t like it when I tell myself what to do).

air
Air: 1. Find a book with air on it. 2. Find a book with white on it.

This might have been the hardest one. I have books that are more literally white but they are kind of boring to photograph. And what is more iconically white than a wedding dress? Thus American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld wins for sure. I read Prep but haven’t read this one yet – time will tell if it’s equally brilliant.  And then there is the idea of “air” being present in a book. I mean technically any book with a picture on it also has air in the picture, right? I finally settled on The Fault in Our Stars by John Green because of the clouds on the cover and further justified the choice because it’s such a fantastic book.

spirit
Spirit Bonus: Find a book with the colors blue, red, green, and white on it.

I actually found two and coincidentally they are both written by Jasper Fforde. Leave it to Fforde’s all encompassing all consuming imagination to produce covers that contain every possible color. I’m OBSESSED with the Thursday Next series and seriously adored One of Our Thursdays is Missing. I haven’t read Shades of Grey yet but I’m expecting great things.

What books would you have chosen?

If you are already thinking about your answer: YOU, my friend, are tagged.

twitterature: mini book reviews for July 2014

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twitterature

I’m linking up with Anne @ Modern Mrs. Darcy to share some mini twitter style reviews of the books I’ve been reading over the last month or so. She calls this fantastic idea Twitterature! If you want to play along just post book reviews that are roughly 140 characters or less – as if you were posting the review on twitter. I don’t think Anne actually counts them so don’t worry if you go over a little! The idea is just that they are quick and easy reviews for the busy reader (i.e. us).

I’m sharing four books today that I’ve read since my last Twitterature roundup. I’m cheating a bit because some of these books I read in late June and early July – you don’t mind, do you? I didn’t get to link up in July as we were on vacation and I didn’t want these terrific books to feel left out.

Anyway, here’s what I’ve read in the last month or two:

15844362The One by Kiera Cass

Momma’s Rating: 5 stars

This series turns me into a book junkie with a literary itch. Every. time. I read it obsessively in three sittings. There is a feeling of hope and optimism that radiates from this story, which is rare for a dystopian series but much appreciated.

#theendingfeltrushed #Iloveditanyway #TeamMaxon4sure #thedystopianroyalbachelor

18209454Veronica Mars: The Thousand Dollar Tan Line by Rob Thomas

Momma’s Rating: 4 stars

Read just like an extended episode of Veronica Mars, but it didn’t feel like you had to have seen the show to enjoy the book. A natural transition from the screen to the page and the story really pulled me in. I definitely plan to continue reading the series.

#butseriouslybringtheshowback #marsmallow4life #imisspiz #somuchsnark

13538873Mr. Penumbra’s 24 Hour Book Store by Robin Sloan

Momma’s Rating: 4 stars

Read like a Rainbow Rowell book from a male perspective with lots of computer programming / social media stuff – good character development. I thought the contrast of old technology and new was really interesting and the story itself was compelling. Parts of the story felt formulaic but not in a bad way.

#mybookclubwassplitonthisone #notsureifilikedtheendornot #longhashtagsarehardtoread

8131227One of Our Thursdays is Missing by Jasper Fforde

Momma’s Rating: 5 stars

6 books in and the author is still able to surprise and delight me – amazing. There are so many elements to this book (and this series) that it seems impossible to describe but I particularly loved the descriptions of Bookworld and also the description of experiencing the real world for the first time through a Bookworld character’s eyes.

#willtherealthursdaynextpleasestandup? #confusionabounds #clevercleverclever

Right now I’m reading Outlander by Diana Gabaldon, finally!! Why did nobody tell me to read this book yet? LOVE!

What have you been reading lately?

Musings Monday: April 20

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(Musing Mondays are hosted by Rebecca!)

This week’s question asks:

Coming towards the end of April, we’re a third of the way through the year. What’s the favourite book you’ve read so far in 2009? What about your least favourite?

I’ve read twelve books this year so far, and loved most of them. I’m having a very hard time narrowing it down to one – there are five which really stand out: Envy (book 3 in The Luxe series) by Anna Godbersen, Something Rotten (book 4 in Thursday Next series) by Jasper Fforde, Revenge of the Spellmans (book 3 in Spellmans series) by Lisa Lutz, The Perilous Journey (sequel to The Mysterious Benedict Society) by Trenton Lee Stewart and Waiting For Birdy by Catherine Newman. Considering the first four are installments in some of my favorite series, Waiting For Birdy would be my favorite new read. It’s also one of several memoirs that I’ve adored reading this year.

My least favorite book that I finished would probably be The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis and that statement should tell you that I’ve had a very successful reading year so far. This was simply not a favorite, whereas other books in the Chronicles of Narnia have been excellent. I think I just prefer the ones whose movies I haven’t seen. Books I’ve abandoned this year are Operating Instructions by Ann Lamott and Audition by Barbara Walters. Despite my desire to, I just couldn’t get into either of them.

What are the best and worst books you’ve read so far this year?

Book Review: Something Rotten by Jasper Fforde

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Grade: A +

It’s no secret that I love me some Jasper Fforde. His Thursday Next series just blows my mind every time with brilliant awesomeness. From the first book, The Eyre Affair, I was absolutely hooked and I’ve been devouring them ever since, most recently with book four, Something Rotten. These books have a little bit of everything – the literary references are never ending and wonderful, the worlds he creates inside and outside of literature is fascinating, detailed and wonderful even when absurd. There is a science fiction angle involving things like time travel, cloning, eradications and being able to jump inside (and out of) books. There are wonderful commentaries on religion, politics, marketing, big business and more. There’s even a love story thrown in for good measure.

It’s hard to go into great detail as any number of details from this book would be a spoiler for books prior to it – and you really don’t want any mysteries spoiled going into this. I will say that the Thursday Next series, while wonderful, is not as easy a read as the other books I typically read. I can usually read any standard book (okay fine, young adult and chick lit) in under a week. Thursday Next books take me at least two (the first one took me even longer, as I had to acclimate myself with Fforde’s hugely detailed plot lines, not to mention the complex world he’s created). But I love every minute of it. My husband frequently gives me strange looks when I laugh out loud in the middle of the night (when I should be sleeping but instead am up reading justonemorechapter) and has enjoyed several passages that I’ve quoted for him out loud when I just couldn’t stand keeping the brilliance to myself.

So if you like science fiction, literature, love stories, satire, and funny, intelligent plots with a never ending twist, I highly recommend the Thursday Next series, including but not limited to Something Rotten, book four.

This review was cross-posted to my review blog, mommasreview.

Teaser Tuesday: Something Rotten by Jasper Fforde

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TEASER TUESDAYS asks you to:

  • Grab your current read.
  • Let the book fall open to a random page.
  • Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.
  • You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!
  • Please avoid spoilers!

My Teaser:

“I utterly refute,” began Kaine, “the implication that we aren’t doing things the right way. To demonstrate this I’d like to wander completely off the point and talk about the Health Service overhaul that we will launch next year. We want to replace the outdated ‘preventative’ style of health care this country has relentlessly pursued with a ‘wait until it gets really bad’ system, which will target those most in need of medical treatment – the sick.”

From page 51 of Something Rotten by Jasper Fforde

What's On My Nightstand

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It’s time for the November addition of What’s On Your Nightstand, a fun book meme @ 5 Minutes For Books. All you have to do is write about what you are reading, what you plan to read, or what you just finished reading. You can take a picture of your actual nightstand or not – the details are up to you!

This month I’ll write about what I’m currently reading and what I’m claiming to be reading and the next book I’m planning to read (for my book club which we are finally starting back up again!). So here’s what’s on my “night stand” or you know scattered around my apartment willy nilly-like:

  1. Harvesting the Heart by Jodi Picoult – I am about 2/3rds through this book about a girl whose mother abandoned the family when she was 5 years old and is now struggling to identify herself as a mother and doubting her own abilities, worried that history will inevitably repeat itself. I’m liking it a lot, but due to the heavy material of the book it’s taking me awhile to get through. I’m hoping to finish it by the 29th when the book is due back at the library.
  2. Mayflower by Nathaniel Philbrick – I’ve had this book for years and as much as it’s enjoyable and I want to read it, I don’t seem to be very good at sticking to non-fiction. This book is like a history book in that it’s chock full of facts and details but it’s written almost like a narrative, making it more interesting. Not interesting enough apparently as I’m still on page 24 out of 358. I never was good at actually reading multiple books at the same time though.
  3. The No-Cry Potty Training Solution by Elizabeth Pantley – I’m “reading” this in preparation for training my son, which could happen any day now or not for months at the rate we’re going. He’s not quite ready yet but could be soon, you know?
  4. Death: A Life by George Pendle – this is the book we’re reading for my book club. We’re planning to meet sometime  in December so I’ll be reading it as soon as I finish Harvesting the Heart. It’s a fictional humorous memoir of Death, which should be very interesting and for sure different from my normal reading selection.

Here are some books I’d love to read soon-ish but have no idea when I’ll actually get to:

So what’s on YOUR nightstand?