Jenn’s Books

Red Seas Under Red Skies

Scott Lynch

This book is quite possibly even better then the first. Starting from an introduction where Jean is about to kill Locke, to some of the most kick ass ship fights since Pirates of the Caribbean or Master and Commander. Locke and Jean are at it again in a different city, but yet again, they find themselves being the ones that are conned. To the high seas they flee to start thinking how they are going to get out of this one, and come out ahead. In the process, Lynch explores the character Jean further. We knew from Lies of Locke Lamora, Jean is a romantic, a skull-cracking, ax-wielding romantic. One of the sweetest and saddest romances is played out in the book with Jean. I had people asking me if I was alright after reading that chapter because I was crying so hard, and I rarely get emotional over books. Lynch is currently writing the third book in the series, and he had better finish it soon because the bastard leaves you on such a cliffhanger. Locke is also a bit more flushed out, and finally embracing what it means to be the Thorn of Camora. This is a rare series for me, as I hope that it never ends. I gave up on any series of books that was more than five books, thank you Mr. Pierce Anthony and your never ending Xanth series.

So I have always wanted to serve on a Jury. I find the whole process interesting, plus it gets me out of my normal job. This is day two of picking a jury out of the mass of us. But at least I got stuff done. Like a book recommendation, and some homework.

EDIT: So day three is when a deal is reached and we are all sent home. Sigh.

Library Lion By Michelle Knudsen.
I am a sucker for beautiful art in kids books. This one is full of acrylic and pencil drawings that will just melt your heart. The story is just as beautiful and heartwarming. It is centered around this lion, no one knows where he came from. He walks into a library, and starts looking around at the books, sniffing the shelves, and finally finds the children’s sections. He decides to take a nap and when he wakes up, story time is going on. He loves every minute of it. When it is done, he becomes upset and roars. Well, we all know the number one rule of the library: no loud noises. So, the head librarian makes him a deal; if you don’t roar, you may come back for story time every day. It is such a cute book. I went over to the children’s section of my store one day, sat down to read it and by the end I had six children sitting around me. My family has a tradition to give books out at baby showers as we are all big readers. This may become my next gift book.

So, I have finished HP7. I would like to review it, but I don’t want to be killed by anyone who hasn’t read it. So I may wait another week before reviewing it. Let me just say it was really good and ended in a way that I liked. I am currently reading Whiskey and Water: A Novel of the Promethean Age by Elizabeth Bear. This is the sequel to Blood and Iron: A Novel of the Promethean Age. So far, really good. Little different from the first, but same world and same characters. The other one I am reading is Red Seas Under Red Skies by Scott Lynch. I seem to be in a sequel mood this week. This is the sequel to The Lies of Locke Lamora From what I have read so far it seems to pick up shortly after the last book. Scott, if you read this, my mother demands a third book. Hopefully I will have those out soon.

Heart-Shaped Box: A Novel
This is the best ghost story I have read in a long, long time. All of the characters are very real and believable. Georgia reminds me a bit of one of my coworkers even. The think that I like is that it isn’t “oh no! We are haunted! Quick let us run for the little old lady in the middle of the swamp ’cause she is a voodoo priestess and she will shake some bones and make it go away.” No, it’s more like “Fuck the ghost. Fuck his family. I am going to take care of this myself. And he is going to regret the day he died.” Joe Hill is Stephen King’s son, but he writes much more like King’s alter ego Richard Bachman. If you liked Thinner, you will love this book. I really hope that Hill continues to write and turn out many more amazing works like this one. A word of warning: the story centers around sexual abuse of many kinds. While I still think that this is a great work, some people may be very offended by it. If you think that you are one of these people, just remember I have warned you.

It has been nearly a year since I wrote anything. I very much suck. A year ago I decided to go back to school. I had forgotten how much fun college is. I have new information and new thoughts everyday. Also a year ago, I found that I have osteoarthritis in both of my knees. I was 22 at the time. I mean, I should not have knee problems this young. And to top off my medical journey, in March I found out that I have hypothyroidism. Basically, without a medication to control how much hormones my thyroid is making (or not making) I am cold, tired and cranky all the time. Once I was put on Levothyroxine, I felt fantastic. I wasn’t sleeping for 12 hours and not feeling rested. I wasn’t bundled up in two sweaters and six blankets. I wasn’t falling asleep in class. Now with classes under control, I can try to get back to writing. I miss writing. I do need your help though. Please email me the title and author of a book that you just read. You don’t need to tell me your opinion of it, just the title and author. I need to find more things to read.

Books are not made for furniture, but there is nothing else that so beautifully furnishes a house.

~Henry Ward Beecher

Posted on August 16th, 2006

If you resist reading what you disagree with, how will you ever acquire deeper insights into what you believe? The things most worth reading are precisely those that challenge our convictions.

~Author Unknown

Posted on August 15, 2006

A book is to me like a hat or coat - a very uncomfortable thing until the newness has been worn off.

~Charles B. Fairbanks

Posted on August 15th, 2006

So, I slept all day yesterday. I am not joking. So you get two posts today.

There is a wonder in reading Braille that the sighted will never know: to touch words and have them touch you back.

~Jim Fiebig

Posted on August 13th, 2006

While I may be the last living person in the U.S. who hasn’t seen Pirates 2 up until this point, I saw it today. Gods it was great! I so can’t wait to see the next one, and my fiance need a pirate hat. He looks just like Captain Jack in one. Sometimes I count myself the luckiest woman alive. I have a wonderful man that looks like Johnny Depp without all of the drama that comes with being a celebrity.