2012 Books in Review

Usually I do my end of the year wrap-up post on our Girls Just Reading Blogspot but we've been pretty busy with posts over there... So here are the stats:

My Goodreads Challenge:  75 Books
Books Read:  76*
E-Books: 45
Hard Covers (& a few paper backs): 31

*Some of these were novellas but I read some novels twice (all of the Cassandra Clare books) and I re-read the Harry Potter books ~they aren't counted on my list), etc. so I think it evens out that I've finished this challenge.

My least favorite books read are few and far between, but there were some books I did not appreciate this year.  These are authors whose writing style I did not enjoy so I doubt I will read anything further from them.  The exception is Mr. Grossman whose literary voice I liked but whose story I didn't.

•  Dogs Have Angels Too by Sarah Cavallaro  
•  The Thirteen by Susie Moloney 
•  Shadow Spell by Jenna Black 
•  The Magicians by Lev Grossman
•  Glass Houses by Rachel Caine  

There were some magnificent reads this year too.  With 75+ reads one might think it would be hard to pick favorites; there were many.  Some of my favorites came from challenges, some are my favorite authors who rarely fail me, some were books I've been trying to get to for some time, and some were requested reads.

These were the read's that I rated 5/5 but there were many others that came close.

Here is what made the top of my list this year:

• The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern - this was completely unexpected and has actually made the list of all time favorites. The writing was magnificent and the story was ingenious.  It was beautiful, and I think I shall be re-reading it again soon.
• Taken at Dusk (Shadow Falls, #3)  by C.C. Hunter - this is one of my favorite series and it just keeps getting better. I look forward to the series conclusion in 2013
• The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick - a beautiful multi-media display. Scorsese did a good job with the film, but the brilliant innovation of Selznick's masterpiece is not to be missed. 
• Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare - once I picked it up, I couldn't put this series down. I read the first three books back to back... And then I read them again. (I've only read the first half of the series because the sixth book won't be published until September of 2014 and I don't want to be left hanging like that. 
• Infernal Devices series by Cassandra Clare - everyone told me that this series was better than the Mortal Instruments; I didn't think that was possible... but it is!  The third book will be out March 19th and I can hardly wait.  Both of these series are going on my all time favorite list!
• The Winds of War by Herman Wouk - this is one of my favorite made for TV miniseries and, true to form, the novel is even better, though I must say that thanks to Herman Wouk's involvement in the project, it's very close. This is heavy with history, but a fabulous WWII read. 
• The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan - I loved the Percy Jackson series and the last book was by far my favorite. I hope to start Mr. Riordan's Heroes of Olympus this year before I move on to Egyptian mythology with the Kane Chonicles.  
• Tempest by Julie Cross - I am fascinated by time travel stories... always have been, but they are hard stories for authors to pull off well... Ms. Cross does it superbly.  It was creative and refreshingly original.  I can't wait to see where she takes it; I won't have to wait long because book two comes out January 15th.  
• A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness - there was a ton of hype surrounding this one, and it truly lived up to it.   While I enjoyed the next book in the series, it was far more cumbersome and it was only my love of the first book that pushed me through. I look forward to the third installment.
• Perfectly Matched by Heather Webber - we love the Lucy Valentine series at GJR (no, really, go read it!) and this is the fourth book in the series. It was fantastic and has me eagerly awaiting Lucy's next adventure. 
• Frozen Heat by 'Richard Castle' - This started out as a way to aussage the Castle hiatus blues, but I've really come to enjoy these books in their own right. Is there some cheese there?  Sure.  But it's really well written and pulls me in, and that's kind of the point isn't it?
• Howl's Moving Castle by Dianna Wynne Jones - ok, this is one of my favorite books from my childhood, and it still an all time favorite. I get something different out of it every time I read it.  Ms. Jones was a master and I think I will spend some time reading and reviewing more of her books for GJR in 2013
• Ransom River by Meg Gardiner - I adore Ms. Gardiner's two series, so it stands to reason that I would adore her new stand alone novel too.  I love her voice, I love her strong female characters, I love her dry wit.  I love every book she writes.

I'll think I'll keep my 2013 reading goal at 75 or so, because I did come down to the wire on it.  I cannot wait for another year of reading...  just looking at my TBR pile makes me want to dive in!

Jennifer's favorite books »

So on Monday there was this article in the NY Times:  

More Dads Buy the Toys, So Barbie, and Stores, Get 

Makeovers

"Fathers are doing more of the family shopping just as girls are being steered toward toys that develop math skills."

When I first saw this article, I was more than a little offended... 'Really, Toy Industry?!?  Because as a mom I wouldn't buy my daughter Legos or science related things?!?'  But then I got to thinking.  I don't care what the motivation for it is, as long as they're doing it.  I would have loved Legos when I was little, but you just didn't buy those kinds of things for little girls back then.  I don't blame my parents; it was a generational mindset.  

My daughter loves to build things.  She loves science. And I love that there is girl friendly stuff out there for her to interact with.

So in the end, I don't care that they're doing it for the wrong reasons, as long as they're doing it.

What do you think?

Self Published Finds

At the start of the month I read a blog post by Julie over at A Tale Of Many Reviews about a self-published author with who's books she had fallen in love. I had a similar experience, and her article started me thinking about how self-published authors don't get nearly the recognition they deserve. Yes, there are some truly awful self-published books out there, but there are also some terrific ones that deserve acknowledgement.

For example, I highly recommend Wendy Raven McNair's YA superhero teen love story trilogy, Asleep. The writing is a rich and compelling with a strong central female character. I reviewed the first two books on Girls Just Reading this year (Asleep Review, Awake Review) and am anxiously awaiting the third and final installment, Ascend.

So until the end of January, in honor of Ms. McNair and other talented self-published authors out there, I want you to share your self-published favorites here, whether it be a link to the author's site or a link to your review of one of their books. Feel free to link under appreciated indie authors too!

Holiday Treat

A few years ago, I got my first bread machine and broke up with my grocer's bakery.  Then the bakery came out with a seasonal chocolate bread.  Yes,  that's right.  Chocolate and Bread.  These are a "few of my favorite things."  It was heavenly.

I asked them for the recipe.  No dice.  I tried others from online but they were never really chocolate-y enough.  It has taken me years to replicate it.

  (And it still may need some tweaking so if you have suggestions after making it, by all means let me know!)

So my Christmas treat for you:

Chocolate Bread (1.5lb loaf)

(This is a bread machine recipe, but I'm sure it could be modified) 

1-1/4 c milk

1-1/2 t vanilla

1 egg

3 T brown sugar

6 T cocoa powder

3/4 t salt

1 T butter

3 c bread flour

1 t active dry yeast 

1 c chocolate chips * 

Add ingredients in order, reserving the chocolate chips for the add in "beep".  If your machine doesn't have an "add in" beep, it's the 3rd kneeding session (about 1/2 an hour in). Set for sweet bread, 1.5 lb loaf. 

I love it toasted with butter.  Hubby loves it (un-toasted) with peanut butter.  You get the idea...


Enjoy!

A Reading Challenge

I don't tend to participate in reading challenges.  They're usually designed with certain books in mind or time limits that are unattainable for me.  But Girls Just Reading's friend Adam over at Roof Beam Reader is hosting a challenge that is perfect for me, to finally read 12 books from your "to be read" pile, within 12 months.

"What?!?"  You're asking,  "That doesn't sound so hard!  You read thirty-some books a year!"  

While this is true, I'm actually only skimming the surface of my TBR Pile.  Often times new books and/or requested reviews get pushed to the top of the pile and other things, things I really want to read, get lost in the mire.  This will be a chance to make sure I get to read some things I really want to read and haven't had a chance to yet.  My list won't be quite as lofty as Adam's (who's list includes authors like Dickens, Hemingway, Vonnegut, and Updike), but it will be varied.  I'm excited.

Now for the hard part... to construct the list.  (EDITED TO ADD:  The list is up!)

Want to participate too?  Here's a link to Roof Beam Reader's 2011 To Be Read (TBR) Challenge.  You need to have your list posted be 12/31, so start compiling... :)

Movie Review: Tangled

I haven't seen a Disney movie in the theatres since I was my daughter's age.  I've never really felt a burning need to do so.   But I love Zachary Levi, and I thought, 'well, my daughter's got the attention span and loves princesses of any kind, let's give it a try.' (For a few weeks shy of three, I think she did really well, too.  She's still recanting the story of "Parunzzel" and wants to know why we can't watch it on TV.)

 I think the movie is brilliant. Although I loved The Princess and the Frog, I thought it was a little dark with all the Voodoo and creepy shadows.  While Tangled has it's scary moments, they aren't spooky. Its witty and charming and I'm not just sayin' that because Zachary Levi is in it! The scene at the 'Snuggly Duckling' pub was a hoot.  And it's not just the dialogue, but the animation as well, because Maximus, the horse of the Captain of the Guard, and Pascal, Rapunzel's pet chameleon, have so much personality that they become main characters too.  I even thought there was a nice little twist to the ending that I didn't see coming.

I love that this is another installment of a Disney movie where the princess can fend for herself.  (You can count those on one hand.)  She may have a lot to learn about the world after being locked away in a tower, but she's not going to accept anything at face value.  It's also one of the few Disney animated movies where there isn't a dead parent. (Think about it, there aren't many. The only other one I can think of is Mulan... EDITED TO ADD: Sleeping Beauty -thanks, Amy!)

The music is also fabulous. It's not Newman's incredible jazz score from The Princess and the Frog, but it's Menken at his best.  Mandy Moore is not a bit pretentious or over done, something I respect about her.  She's perfect (as my daughter would say).  And Donna Murphy, who plays Mother Gothel, knocked it out of the park.  I actually mistook her for Vanessa Williams while watching.  Zachary Levi even gets a few bit parts to sing, and it's a shame they didn't give him more, because he really can sing.

Every once in a while a song really resonates with me, such as 'Home' from the Broadway production of Beauty and the Beast. Such is the case with 'I See the Light'.  It's beautifully animated to be sure, but the lyrics are haunting and the song brings tears to my eyes.

It was smart and funny and everything you could want out of a Disney movie.  Like my kidlet, I can't wait to see it again.

Movie Review: Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows

I know many people were unhappy with the last movie.  I wasn't one of them.  I thought Half Blood Prince captured the spirit of the book, even though so much had been cut, which is something I found lacking in Goblet of Fire and Order of the Phoenix.  This movie blew me away though.  So much so that I was ready to go back to the theatres the next day and see it again just to take in any details I might have missed.  Deathly Hallows, Part 1 is the closest any of the movies have stuck to the book since Philosopher's Stone.

Even the dialogue is as close if not closer than ever before including some of my favorite lines, "Always the tone of surprise," and some new gems, "Dobby didn't mean to kill anyone. Dobby only meant to maim or seriously injure."

It started with the Dursley's leaving, and though I missed the awkward goodbye scene with Dudley, it was a small thing.  Lupin's self doubt was omitted as was Potter Watch, but not to the detriment of the film in any way.  The only part that was slightly awkward for me was that they threw Bill Weasley in, when, for six movies, they've ignored his and Charlie's existence.  But it was a quick introduction and it was forgiven as soon as the action started...

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