Sound Travels: Sean Quigley's Little Drummer Boy

What I'm listening to now ...


This young man is from Manitoba. His joy is so apparent and infectious.
Merry Christmas!

Graceling by Kristin Cashore (VLOG included)

Graceling by Kristin Cashore is a young adult fantasy set in a land of seven kingdoms. Some are born with special abilities called Graces. Graces can be anything from cooking, to mind reading. The main character, Katsa, has the Grace of killing with her bare hands. Gracelings are considered to belong to the King of the land and it is his choice whether or not to keep a Graceling in his household or to return him or her home to family. Those sent home are shunned. Katsa is not only a Graceling, but an orphan who is also the niece of the King of the Middluns. Unfortunately, this king uses Katsa as his thug in order to get what he wants. As Katsa gets closer to adulthood, she begins questioning the King's use of her Grace.

Since this story is a coming of age tale, the book revolves around Katsa, Po, and Bitterblue trying to find their places in the world. They are learning that the world is not morally black and white, but instead is made up of shades of gray. People are not pure evil or completely good, but are imperfect and a messy blend of both. Someone might have good intentions, yet cause hurt. Similarly, they may appear benevolent yet have evil motivations. How do you learn how and who to trust in a world with so much gray area?

Identity is a major theme, of course, and Katsa is on a major quest to discover what kind of person she is and who she wants to become. Gracelings are labeled by their Grace at an early age and this becomes a part of their identity. Unfortunately, Katsa is identified as a killer and this leaves her with very few friends. Part of the discovery process for Katsa and Po is to learn how to use their Graces wisely and to stand up to those who would manipulate them to their own advantage.

The coming of age framework of the story brings a depth to Graceling, but there is still plenty of entertainment. Cashore blends mystery, adventure, and romance and even tosses in a bit of swashbuckling. These elements weave through the novel and help pace the story. I never found myself tiring of any of these elements because they were handled so well. They were simply a part of the storytelling.

The mystery element was handled particularly well and was nicely woven into the discovery process. As the characters try to discover and shape their identities, they also discover something about their Graces. ***MILD SPOILER ALERT*** Graces aren't always what they appear to be. For instance, Katsa's Grace appears to be the Grace of killing and this label is based on the evidence of what she can do. But as she grows and reflects on her Grace she discovers that not only do Graces develop and evolve, but they are often something other than what they appear. ***END SPOILER ALERT***

Again, this is a lovely story with a blend of elements that should appeal to a wide crowd of readers. I look forward to more from this author and will be reading Fire, the companion novel to this one.

Those who have enjoyed the Bayern novels by Shannon Hale (Goose Girl, Enna Burning, etc.) will also appreciate Graceling. Hale's books are written to a slightly younger crowd, but there are many similarities and the tone of the books are analogous

I'm including the video version of this review for those who prefer to see and hear. I also tend to provide more personal comments in my video version.

TSS: Spine Bookshelf Tour

I've had a few questions about the books that appear behind me in some videos. I know it looks like I've created a 5 foot tower of books, but the books are actually on a bookshelf called a spine bookshelf.

The books on this shelf are an eclectic collection and the only thing they have in common is that they are mostly hardbacks.

Enjoy the tour!

Vlog: Borders Book Haul

So, you might have figured out by now that I'm living a double life! I still like to write blog posts, but have discovered a great book community on YouTube too.

If you prefer the written version with cover photos, go here.



Books listed:

Tales of the Dying Earth by Jack Vance
Planet of Adventure by Jack Vance
Smoke and Mirrors by Neil Gaiman
Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman
Riddle-Master by Patricia McKillip
Mr. Timothy by Louis Bayard
Royal Escape by Georgette Heyer
Shadowland (The Mediator Series #1) by Meg Cabot
Ghost Train to the Eastern Star: On the Tracks of the Great Railway Bazaar by Paul Theroux

Vlog: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

For those of you who prefer to watch book reviews, I've created this video so you can see me ramble on about this book!



Jackson Pearce on "Symbolism" http://youtu.be/IVOuvdxEZfc

Book trailer http://youtu.be/XWrNyVhSJUU

A Small Book Haul and a DVD!

Doctor Who Season 6.1 - DVD
I've been watching this series since at least the Tom Baker days!

Witch by Barbara Michaels - Mystery
Bumblesby (Tim) had this one in a book haul and it looked interesting.

A Dance With Dragons by George R. R. Martin - Fantasy
Gah! I think there is supposed to be a number 6 and 7 in this series. Better get back to reading.

Forever by Maggie Stiefvater - YA
Werewolves.

The Diamond of Darkhold by Jeanne DuPrau - YA
Post-apocalypse.

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs - YA
Peculiar. Very peculiar.

Mailbox Monday Vlog (1)

I'm still having problems with audio/video sync issues, but wanted to continue posting vlogs until I get this "tech thing" figured out. Hopefully this won't be too distracting and you can enjoy the vlog anyway. See below the vlog for a list of the books and, in the case of ARCs, the publication dates.



Books that arrived in my mailbox recently:

The Mostly True Story of Jack by Kelly Barnhill (Aug 2011 pub date)
13 Curses by Michelle Harrison (Jun 2011 pub date)
13 Treasures by Michelle Harrison
Falling for Hamlet by Michell Ray (Jul 2011 pub date)
A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray
Rebel Angels by Libba Bray
The Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray
The Luxe by Anna Godbersen
Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan
Graceling by Kristin Cashore
Zombies vs. Unicorns ed. by Holly Black and Justine Larbalestier

Mailbox Monday was started by Marcia at A Girl and Her Books. Marcia is no longer the weekly host, but has set up the Mailbox Monday Blog Tour. Amy at Passages to the Past is hosting for the month of April 2011.

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren on Sundays.

Once Upon a Time: Vlog!

I thought I'd vlog my reading pile this year for Carl V.'s Once Upon a Time reading challenge.



The Once Upon a Time reading challenge is a "journey together into the magical lands of fantasy, fairy tales, folklore and mythology" and runs from March 21st through June 20th. I love Carl's rules for the challenge:

Rule #1: Have fun.
Rule #2: Have fun.
Rule #3: Don’t keep the fun to yourself, share it with us, please!
Rule #4: Do not be put off by the word “challenge”.

There are several levels at which to participate, so join the one that works for you. I will be taking The Journey. This means that I will be commiting to read at least one book from the four categories (fantasy, fairy tales, folklore, mythology).

Hope to see you there!

My First Vlog!

Following the vlogs are links to websites and books mentioned. I thought I added captions to the vlogs, but they disappeared into the ether. Maybe next time!

TBR Vlog Pt. 1


TBR Vlog Pt. 2


Links to the websites I mentioned:

Dolce Bellezza (Bellezza) Hosts the Japanese Literature Challenge
In Spring it is the Dawn (Tanabata) "Reading Japan" titles
Stainless Steel Droppings (Carl V.) Host of the R.I.P. Challenge
Things Mean a Lot (Nymeth) John Green reviews
Musings of a Bookish Kitty (Literary Feline) Reviews of Walt Longmire mysteries by Craig Johnson

Books mentioned:

Rashomon and Seventeen Other Stories by Ryunosuke Akutagawa
The Master Puppeteer by Katherine Paterson
Coin Locker Babies by Ryu Murakami
Black Rain by Masuji Ibuse
Japanese Gothic Tales by Izumi Kyoka
Snow Country by Yasunari Kowabata
Tales of Moonlight and Rain by Akinari Ueda
I Am a Cat by Soseki Natsume

We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson
The Ghost Writer by John Harwood
The Seance by John Harwood

The Facts in the Case of the Departure of Miss Finch by Neil Gaiman
Looking for Alaska by John Green
Silk by Alessandro Baricco
Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson
The Glass Books of the Dream Eaters by Gordon Dahlquist
The Dark Horse by Craig Johnson
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larrson

Friend Me -- Pleeeeeeeze!

... and I'm still laughing over this one!
Can we ever really "know" our "friends"? I'm just sayin' ...

Sound Travels: Three Guitars and a Tractor

For your Tuesday enjoyment:

Wish I Could Have Seen This!

Edited to add some information about the video below. See Frozen Grand Central to learn more about this improv group called Improv Everywhere.