tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17972396252795309422024-03-12T18:50:01.840-07:00An Eccentricity of Books and Tea to go With ThemBook reviews and tea tasting as they strike my fancy.gargirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16551393142131702847noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797239625279530942.post-37337183310763805202011-02-21T12:23:00.000-08:002011-02-21T12:42:43.452-08:00Books 6 and 7I've finished; "The Innswich Horror; by Edward Lee and I really got a kick out of it. It is grim and quite disgusting, not for those of refined sensibility, but quirky and endearing in an odd way. <div><br /></div><div>The plot is pretty straightforward; a fan of H.P. Lovecraft's goes on a bus tour of coastal Massachusetts to look at and experience the places his Idol wandered and found inspiration in. On his trip he stumbles upon a happy, prosperous little town that he slowly concludes must have been the inspiration for the fictional town of Innmouth. Then lots of creepy things start happening. It's gross and adorable and disturbing. I loved it. </div><div><br /></div><div>I also finished; "City of Dreams and Nightmare;" by Ian Whates. I enjoyed this one too, I must be a record breaking roll picking out so many good books in a row. There are really two interwoven tales here, or one tale with two heroes who's stories lightly intersect. There is Tom, the street nick, and Tylus, the Kite Guard, and they are each enmeshed in a story of backstabbing and intrigue that comes to include the highest citizens to the lowest. Well written, believable, likable characters and a compelling location make it well worth reading. The city is multi-layered in structure, built in tiers sometime in the distant past. The lowest levels house the poorest of the population and the higher one travels; the richer and more important are the residents. I really don't want to spoil the plot and I have to keep stopping myself from saying too much, so I'm going to stop here and say; this is a wonderful story and I believe it is Ian Whate's first. </div>gargirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16551393142131702847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797239625279530942.post-17817052149081665592011-02-01T10:56:00.000-08:002011-02-01T11:32:28.109-08:00The Road to Madness (5)H.P. Lovecraft's work is brilliant. I greatly enjoyed this collection of stories and some of the painfully short ones were every bit as enjoyable as the longer pieces which afford such an excellent opportunity to sink into a bleaker, darker but more wonder-filled world than our own. <div><br /></div><div>This book is titled; "The Road to Madness" but the cover also reads; "The Transition of H.P. Lovecraft" and "Twenty-nine tales of terror by the legendary master of the macabre." These tales range in length from a mere page to 92 pages. The longest story; "At the Mountains of Madness" I sometimes found a bit tiresome in its attention to detail, what I would call 'pacing' in a movie. The fault may lie with me as I tended to find time to read after settling down in bed and was usually quite tired by that point. I found "Cool Air" to be awfully charming and perhaps my favorite Lovecraft tale thus far. Likewise, "The Unnamable" drew me in and had it's way with me with no effort whatsoever. This collection is, overall, horrible in the most wonderful way possible. </div><div><br /></div><div>This is an excellent book to savor over a snowed-in weekend here in New England which serves as the setting for many of Mr. Lovecraft's tales. </div>gargirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16551393142131702847noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797239625279530942.post-76017738015221472662011-01-28T08:43:00.000-08:002011-01-28T08:51:17.513-08:00I haven't finished another book......yet, but I am close. <div><br /></div><div>I just popped in to post a link to a short story over at Subterranean Press by Caitlin Kiernan. Consider it a small taste of her art if you are unfamiliar with her. </div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://subterraneanpress.com/index.php/magazine/winter-2011/fiction-the-melusine-1898-by-caitlin-r-kiernan/">http://subterraneanpress.com/index.php/magazine/winter-2011/fiction-the-melusine-1898-by-caitlin-r-kiernan/</a> </div><div><br /></div><div>I'm currently reading; "The Road to Madness" by H.P. Lovecraft. It's a collection of short fiction that I believe is all considered his early work. I think the next book I read will be; "City of Dreams & Nightmare" by Ian Whates, a little break from dark fiction for once, a little jaunt into fantasy. </div>gargirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16551393142131702847noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797239625279530942.post-77188237726114884752011-01-15T13:47:00.000-08:002011-01-15T14:04:29.424-08:00The Ghost Map (4)Let me just say that this was not a fast read; I started reading it a long time ago and finally finished it this morning. "The Ghost Map" was written by Steven Johnson and is the story of a cholera outbreak in London in the late 1800s. It is also the story of two amazing men; John Snow and Henry Whitehead who painstakingly tracked down the source of the disease, basically uncovering the very idea of water-borne illness. <div><br /></div><div>They had a terrible, uphill battle fighting for acknowledgment of their theory against the current notion of "miasma" which essentially meant that most Victorians believed in a sort of vapor and odor that transmitted disease and scoffed openly at the idea that cholera or anything else could be caught from drinking contaminated water. As I said; it is not a quick read. I can be rather technical at times and there were some long passages that honestly made me sleepy but I suggest that you give this book a chance anyway because the subject is fascinating and enlightening. There were times when I couldn't put it down, and I think if I had more of a background in science I would find it far more compelling. At the very least I think this book has a couple of merits no matter what your background; 1. it sings the praises of two heroes of history who by their dogged persistence saved London from future outbreaks of a deadly and deeply unpleasant disease, and; 2. On nights when sleep eludes but one is in fact tired; it will not fail in some of it's longer, more technical passages to lower one's eyelids slowly but surely. </div>gargirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16551393142131702847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797239625279530942.post-68352845900015315472011-01-12T09:03:00.000-08:002011-01-12T10:49:59.378-08:00The Watchers Out of Time (3)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK4GKsj-w9NRF83wWYy25So538rO692sBuTgPvUKurB0QBqcAbmaxM2bJpsyeAMmIF_sv5r8eGFsi2wNq_A6Ksy8YYjuELKCgeHpV6HmWosw3J3Lk78bK-yjpKpPM7tWI-sQ4ZEeISoVw/s1600/watchers.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK4GKsj-w9NRF83wWYy25So538rO692sBuTgPvUKurB0QBqcAbmaxM2bJpsyeAMmIF_sv5r8eGFsi2wNq_A6Ksy8YYjuELKCgeHpV6HmWosw3J3Lk78bK-yjpKpPM7tWI-sQ4ZEeISoVw/s200/watchers.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561367353633949650" /></a>I finished; The Watchers Out of Time; by H.P. Lovecraft and August Derleth a few days ago, making it the 3rd book I have finished this year. It is a collection of short stories and I am not entirely sure which of them, save the last one, are by Mr. Derleth as opposed to Mr. Lovecraft. I thought it was an excellent collection and it is easy to see why Mr. Lovecraft is credited with influencing so many modern writers of Horror and Dark Fantasy. His style is obviously a bit old fashioned and he uses some peculiar words that I had to stop and look up; rugose, for instance, which merely means wrinkled. But I love old words especially when they are new to me. His old-fashioned style aside; H.P. Lovecraft was really onto something. <div><br /></div><div>His tales are creepy and tense, his protagonists are isolated and their sanity usually on the wane. They often find themselves in increasingly desperate situations or struggles sometimes fighting their own ill-considered impulses. Places, buildings and objects can all be permeated with evil, with will and desire; their malice can influence or even possess the unwary. Even the most rational, most scientifically minded of his characters can fall prey to the insidious influences of restless spirits or vastly intelligent, otherworldly beings. The stories manage very well being both quaint relics of a simpler, more mannered age and masterpieces of terror. The terror here is quieter than that found in most modern tales; it is a terror born of dread whisperings, dark hints and sudden, horrible realizations. </div><div><br /></div><div>Highly recommended and best read on a lonely, stormy night. </div>gargirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16551393142131702847noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797239625279530942.post-70251973101221256272011-01-09T09:52:00.000-08:002011-01-09T10:23:08.666-08:00Swords and Dark Magic (2)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHcu3iBnkSzKWhLgI5J7Cqm7GAYG7s2HHDx1m8X16VvmR4rSkkgrzXEsTFrMxe6JS5SFZKYNjat9BTIE2hvRE-klaQj_-zEi6JQhvIgEknDEuLoKgcW1bZbs2LhxSYXgPtSNGQoK7QeUo/s1600/swordsdarkmagic.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHcu3iBnkSzKWhLgI5J7Cqm7GAYG7s2HHDx1m8X16VvmR4rSkkgrzXEsTFrMxe6JS5SFZKYNjat9BTIE2hvRE-klaQj_-zEi6JQhvIgEknDEuLoKgcW1bZbs2LhxSYXgPtSNGQoK7QeUo/s200/swordsdarkmagic.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5560246304054450770" /></a><br />I just finished "Swords & Dark Magic" an anthology of sword and sorcery stories edited by Johnathan Stroud and Lou Anders. It contains 16 short stories by various authors and a new Elric novella by Michael Moorcock and it does not disappoint. Contributing authors include; Steven Erikson, Glen Cook, Gene Wolfe, James Enge, C. J. Cherryh, K.J. Parker, Garth Nix, Michael Moorcock, Tim Lebbon, Robert Silverberg, Greg Keyes, Michael Shea, Scott Lynch, Tanith Lee, Caitlin R. Kiernan, Bill Willingham and Joe Abercrombie. <div><br /></div><div>Not surprisingly, I bought it in anticipation of the Caitlin Kiernan story; "The Sea Troll's Daughter" and was surprised when it was not my favorite story in the anthology. C.R.K. is probably my favorite living author and I enjoyed her contribution very much. I think the real surprise was that the story I liked best was Mr. Moorcock's; "Red Pearls:an Elric Story." I have never had any especial fondness for Moorcock's writing and never made it through even the the first of the Elric books, but Red Pearls was a beautifully wrought tale that pulled me straight in and kept me captive till the end. The Sea Troll's daughter was a close second, being the story of a heroine who tries to claim a reward for ridding a town of a menacing monster but finds herself in a kind of stalemate with the town leaders because she did not have proof of the kill. As always, Ms. Kiernan's words evoke a real and gritty sense of the rather bleak town where her tale takes place. Her heroine is also real; flawed and sometimes less than heroic, she is a character I would gladly read more about. </div><div><br /></div><div>For Biliophiles like myself, lovers of books old and new, "In The Stacks" by Scott Lynch is another excellent story. It concerns the library at a magical college and the quest of a small group of students facing the most harrowing test thus far in the whole of their studies; they must return a library book. The library is full of grimoires; the journals of wizards, and over the centuries the accumulated magics have turned the library into something of a dangerous jungle filled with hazards I found both novel and clever. I highly recommend it. </div><div><br /></div><div>There are too many tales for me to comment on all of them, but I think that anyone interested in fantasy will find something to their liking. There is enough variety here that it was hard to put down and it was certainly never boring. Available at both Amazon and Barnes & Noble. </div>gargirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16551393142131702847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797239625279530942.post-59317451285940796042011-01-01T07:07:00.000-08:002011-01-01T07:39:55.782-08:00New Year's Resolution: 1<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia9nwLZID-RJWWyzNLvL_cYaZ0ZGA2pjhA5JtQL6Q8uQpX9zzNk-UdfBPewUUR3LIULpuMJaF7wH7qFZxgTjXCrM_19Nwbpi-eecvPJPL8CTf2g9cLRaib6iO4YaVMNBrP5y65b-fGing/s1600/the+historian.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia9nwLZID-RJWWyzNLvL_cYaZ0ZGA2pjhA5JtQL6Q8uQpX9zzNk-UdfBPewUUR3LIULpuMJaF7wH7qFZxgTjXCrM_19Nwbpi-eecvPJPL8CTf2g9cLRaib6iO4YaVMNBrP5y65b-fGing/s200/the+historian.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557235679431540642" /></a><br />I've made a number of resolutions this year but only one of them is relevant to this blog; I have decided to push myself to read 50 books this year and write some sort of review for each of them. I think the best place I have to that is here though I may cross post some reviews over at amazon.com. To start the year off right I woke up early and finished this lovely book: The Historian; by Elizabeth Kostova. <div><br /></div><div>This book was a best-seller and received tons of praise from critics and readers alike. I picked it up through paperbackswap.com and I was not disappointed. It was not at all a quick read for me, not one of those "can't put it down" books that I must devour as quickly as I can. It was a meditative book that I put aside frequently for other books. Nonetheless; I kept going back to it. It tells a meandering story that wanders back and forth through medieval and modern history in almost a dreamlike way. It is the story of a young girl who hears many stories from her father, stories that drag her into the past and lead her on a strange and dangerous journey; a journey her father shares and one she discovers is something of a family tradition. It is also the story of a man, the girl's father, and how his life, and later his daughter's life, came to be connected to that of Vlad the Impaler; the rumored vampire, Dracula. </div><div><br /></div><div>Although this book is clearly a work of fiction; it is rich in detail of time and place, the descriptions of old and modern Europe made me want even more to travel there some day. The supernatural aspects of the story are handled very well and do not disrupt the flow of the story nor distract from it by straining one's imagination. The supernatural in this book is a spice that adds the subtle flavor of danger and mystery. At times it is a wonderfully creepy read; suspenseful and compelling. The author did her research and forced me to pause several times in order to look up dates, places and unfamiliar words; just as I love to. That said, it was not an overly demanding read but, as I said before, a meditative one. </div><div><br /></div><div>I recommend this book to lovers of history, suspense and to those who like their vampires the way vampires ought to be. <br /><div><br /></div></div>gargirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16551393142131702847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797239625279530942.post-3502795736190307102010-03-30T10:10:00.000-07:002010-03-30T10:22:33.187-07:00Mouse Guard Fall 1152<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUmPdUEHWo2v3M6W-AoBDi_X1uZVlvbBoCu306VwfbjqoKZR2cCCWQkbHv0dHeI6hUnanAI2b2cjjnOc5ai8NVUSbibP2-kXVt6u5ArZthsfRgEMPzv0Qte-vByQ3DF2Ru_JP5OFwDEsg/s1600/books+mouse+guard+fall.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 128px; height: 137px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUmPdUEHWo2v3M6W-AoBDi_X1uZVlvbBoCu306VwfbjqoKZR2cCCWQkbHv0dHeI6hUnanAI2b2cjjnOc5ai8NVUSbibP2-kXVt6u5ArZthsfRgEMPzv0Qte-vByQ3DF2Ru_JP5OFwDEsg/s320/books+mouse+guard+fall.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454478499610404034" /></a><br />Hello again. This book is something of a departure from my usual as it is a graphic novel, but it was a lovely little read with wonderful artwork. I stumbled across Mouse Guard at my local gaming store as an irresistible RPG. (role playing game) It was freaking cute I just had to have it. The well-informed geeky-boy behind the counter asked if I knew MG was also a comic? No, I didn't know but now I had a new book to want! <div><br /></div><div>My husband picked <b>Mouse Guard 1152</b>; by David Peterson up for our Anniversary, along with the previously reviewed <b>Shalador's Lady</b>, and I read through it in short order. The artwork is amazing. How the artist made the mice look so cute and so fierce at the same time, I just don't know. It is sweet enough that fairly young kids will like it, my son is 7 and loves it, and interesting enough for older kids and geeky adults like me. After reading this graphic novel I am even more excited to play the RPG. *squeee!* </div>gargirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16551393142131702847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797239625279530942.post-17231491505537238092010-03-30T07:14:00.000-07:002010-03-30T07:44:12.261-07:00Shalador's Lady<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr9xsex9hiBVUBnqgcvI0nan2Gkt5NBgBK8w3Kk3qseB5gkjVEXj5d4n-XeiCo5Y8LkBhuZ9R7kRNtBbrDrJwHqqV7ND5L9Wq7cj4oGIDHuU1-zvS35JUqwNwFLUavDa7ac8t8voy2LVw/s1600/shalador's+lady.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 116px; height: 176px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr9xsex9hiBVUBnqgcvI0nan2Gkt5NBgBK8w3Kk3qseB5gkjVEXj5d4n-XeiCo5Y8LkBhuZ9R7kRNtBbrDrJwHqqV7ND5L9Wq7cj4oGIDHuU1-zvS35JUqwNwFLUavDa7ac8t8voy2LVw/s320/shalador's+lady.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454437312707093986" /></a><br /><b>Shalador's Lady</b> is the latest novel from Anne Bishop, one of my favorite authors. I just finished reading it as I was lucky and had a lot of time to read over the weekend because was feeling really ill on Sunday. This book is a sequel to <b>The Shadow Queen</b> and continues the story of Cassidy, a Queen trying to repair the damage done to Dena Nehele by the corrupt Queens who had ruled the territory under Dorothea SaDiablo. She continues to face a great deal of reluctance on the part of her First Escort, Theran Grayhaven as he continues to wish for a more superficially attractive Queen who would behave "more like a Queen should." <div><br /></div><div>Things take an abrupt turn for the worse when Lady Cassidy's old rival, Kermilla, shows up reminding Cassidy of her past heartache and betrayal. Pretty Kermilla begins undermining Cassidy right away and is backed by Prince Theran leaving Cassidy vulnerable as Kermilla tries to usurp her court. This is an emotional drama, much like <b>T</b><b>he Shadow Queen,</b> and the action is largely the internal struggle of certain characters trying to overcome the scars and pain of traumas past. I found it hard to put down and generally a satisfying read. The ending felt a bit rushed through, I would have liked more. Hopefully Ms. Bishop plans to continue chronicling Cassidy's adventures in future novels. </div>gargirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16551393142131702847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797239625279530942.post-9815182657278662282009-08-31T11:59:00.000-07:002009-08-31T12:11:25.377-07:00Bridesmaids as Guerrilla WarriorsLately I've been busy getting the kids ready for school year, adjusting to the early mornings of my teens and getting ready for my youngest to start first grade this week. I haven't had much time to read but I started reading <strong>The Bridesmaid's Guerrilla Handbook</strong>; by Sarah Stein and Lucy Talbot because I have been asked to be a bridesmaid for a friend. I've been one before but I have never had a clue what I am supposed to do, thought I should try to do it right for once.<br /><br />So far it seems a fast, fun read with a good blend of seriousness and humor. I am enjoying it in those spare moments I manage to string together for reading. There is a great idea for putting together a kit for the wedding day with all sorts of odds and ends one might need to get through the day and get the bride through the day. I am about to start chapter 5; "The Bridal Shower" and I am hoping it will really spell out what the bride will be expecting from me. <br /><br />I've still been drinking and loving the teas I ordered from adagio.com and I created a couple of new ones that I was able to order this morning. As soon as I try them I will be posting to let you know if they are any good.<br /><br />~gargirlgargirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16551393142131702847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797239625279530942.post-14200532919529437772009-08-25T07:49:00.000-07:002009-08-25T07:53:11.593-07:00Her Fearful SymmetryThis book is due to be released on September 29th but is available for preorder on; <a href="http://www.amazon.com/">http://www.amazon.com</a> I happened to get an advance reader's copy from Simon and Schuster.<br /><br />From the author of The Time Traveller's Wife, Audrey Niffenegger, this novel is not one I would usually pick up for myself. I like sci-fi and fantasy for my pleasure read and was happily surprised to find myself enjoying Her Fearful Symmetry.<br />I think the novel's greatest strength is its cast of characters, most of whom are imperfect, appealing, sympathetic and distinctly cracked. The central characters are all a little crazy which makes them interesting and kept me turning pages wondering what they would do next. This is a story about love and bonds between sisters, husbands and wives, friends and lovers. It is not just a love story though, its a story about secrets and betrayal, a story about two girls coming of age and trying to find their way in the world. It is also a ghost story with some surprising new ideas on haunting, new to me at any rate. While it starts out rather whimsically, the haunting takes a darker turn than I was expecting.<br />This is an enjoyable and entertaining read. An excellent book to read on the beach or curled up by the fire. Set mostly in London, next to Highgate Cemetery, the story is anchored to reality by the natural way the author weaves in specific shops, restaurants and parks. Several times while reading I stopped to look these places up and found the effort worthwhile. Highgate Cemetery is absolutely lovely and worth preserving and the author provides information at the end of the book for any readers who may want to donate to the cause.<br />The story asks for a few pretty strenuous suspensions of disbelief, and toward the end it was hard to do. I don't want to spoil anything but I think it is safe to say that there was a point or two where I was shaking my head trying to imagine people actually going along with the requests they getting without calling the police or a psychiatrist. Despite that one real flaw, this is an excellent read and I would recommend it as worthwhile and enjoyable.<br /><br />Today I am drinking Dr. Horrible's Tea of Evil from adagio.com again. ^_^gargirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16551393142131702847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797239625279530942.post-14468863070584411382009-08-24T06:39:00.000-07:002009-08-24T07:17:55.839-07:00Why Blog? Etc...I've decided that waiting for my muse is pointless. That's one reason I started this blog; I like to write and with or without the inspiration of the gods I am just going to stumble on ahead. Actually, that sounds a little depressing when I write it out but well, there it is.<br /><br />Forging ahead: I am currently finishing up reading an advanced reader copy of; Her Fearful Symmetry; by Audrey Niffenegger. It'll probably be one of those books that gets on Oprah's book club list (Audrey Niffenegger also wrote; The Time Traveller's Wife) so not my typical read. Most of the books I read are unlikely to have "best seller" scribed across their covers. I am surprised to find myself enjoying it quite a bit, partly because there are some paranormal elements to the story and mostly because the cast of characters is endearingly cracked. But I will save the rest of my comments for after I finish reading. I am also continuing to slowly savor Little Gods; by Tim Pratt.<br /><br />One small item of note: Subterranean Press has just posted an interview with one of my favorite authors, Caitlin Kiernan, here: <a href="http://subterraneanpress.com/index.php/magazine/summer-2009/interview-feeding-the-tree-an-interview-with-caitlin-r-kiernan-by-anita-niker/">http://subterraneanpress.com/index.php/magazine/summer-2009/interview-feeding-the-tree-an-interview-with-caitlin-r-kiernan-by-anita-niker/</a> The interview focuses on her new book; The Red Tree and offers some insights that might interest.<br /><br />If you haven't checked out: <a href="http://www.adagio.com/">http://www.adagio.com/</a> for all your custom blended tea drinking needs, you might want to. I have been having a wonderful time over there making up my own special teas for different times of the day; breakfast which came out great and a decaf for evening that I need to order and try. The tea is on the expensive side, it comes out to about 20 cents a cup ($10 a tin) but as you can design the tea yourself it can be exactly as decadent as you want it to be. My nightime tea is made with decaf vanilla tea, honeybush vanilla and just a bit of raspberry. I can't wait to try it.gargirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16551393142131702847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797239625279530942.post-86589937417900214522009-08-20T06:09:00.000-07:002009-08-20T06:33:45.445-07:00Dracula and Evil TeaI finished <strong>Dracula</strong> last night. Overall, it is a classic and deserves to be so, but I did find that the first half of the book was much more charming than the second half. The quaint Victorian way of putting things, the hesitant, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">repetitive approach to making a point began to wear on me over time. Long sections of Van Helsing's imperfect syntax more and more became impenetrable snarls, almost puzzles at times, and detracted from the story. </span><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected"></span><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected"><strong>Dracula</strong> must also lose points for pacing. The slow pace that seemed so appropriate to the first half or more of the book became a frustration in the second half or thereabouts. The second half needed to be more dynamic, faster paced. It should have been more of a race to the final confrontation. But it wasn't. For all that the characters talked and talked, near endlessly really, about how time was so vital they never actually seemed in a hurry. </span><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected"></span><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected">My final verdict is; read it, or at least read the first half or so or until it bogs down for you and becomes work and not pleasure for you. I wish I had skimmed the second half or gotten the Cliff Notes or something. It is a charming, wonderful book but not without its flaws. On a positive note, it does show us a vampire who is, as vampires should be, truly other, an enemy of mankind, a predator and a threat. In the end, I am glad I read it and would even like to read it, at least the first half of it, again sometime. </span><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected"></span><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Today I am enjoying an excellent breakfast (or possibly dessert) tea: "Dr. Horrible's Tea of Evil;"<u><span style="color:#810081;"> <a href="http://www.adagio.com/signature_blend/blend.html?blend=2513&SID=7f2f2ff51f472b0e709463985fb16a2a">http://www.adagio.com/signature_blend/blend.html?blend=2513&SID=7f2f2ff51f472b0e709463985fb16a2a</a></span></u></span><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected"><u><span style="color:#000000;"></span></u></span>gargirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16551393142131702847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797239625279530942.post-91876905598161195032009-08-19T07:21:00.000-07:002009-08-19T07:32:52.202-07:00Little Gods<strong>Little Gods</strong> is a short story by Tim Pratt and I wanted to mention it here because it is excellent, just outstanding and wonderful. When I say it is short, I mean it. The story is 14 pages long but what the author accomplishes in 14 pages is amazing. I cried, I laughed and I wanted to hold my dear ones close and never let go... all in 14 pages.<br /><br />You can find this tale in a collection of the author's short stories called; <strong>Little Gods</strong>; by Tim Pratt, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Little-Gods-Tim-Pratt/dp/0809556863/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1250692282&sr=1-1">http://www.amazon.com/Little-Gods-Tim-Pratt/dp/0809556863/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1250692282&sr=1-1</a> and I reccomend the introduction as well it is also very good. I didn't get much further than the title story yet, my main effort has been on <strong>Dracula</strong>, the quaint writing has bogged me down a bit near the end, but I will finish it and post my impressions.<br /><br />No tea this morning yet, it is so hot and sticky out I am drinking a coke.gargirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16551393142131702847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797239625279530942.post-62211701743924289242009-08-17T08:47:00.000-07:002009-08-17T08:57:39.614-07:00Still in the MiddleI am currently reading <strong>Dracula</strong>; by Bram Stoker. It seems weird that I never read it before and I am enjoying its Victorian quaintness very much. For all its Victorian sensibilities, I think it has aged very well. True in our jaded times vampires are a dime a dozen and all the pussy-footing reticence to name the creature seems excessive, but still there is suspense and horror in it. Even knowing all I know I find myself tense waiting and wondering along with the characters in certain particulars. The relationships between the characters, their love and caring for one another have actually brought tears to my eyes on occasion and their gestures, noble and brave by turns, are quite touching. I still have over 100 pages to go, so I can't give a final verdict, but so far it is a wonderful book and seems to deserve its status as a classic and a classic of the genre.<br /><br />Still enjoying my custom blend from; <a href="http://www.adagio.com/">http://www.adagio.com</a>.gargirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16551393142131702847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797239625279530942.post-28096995647078876122009-08-14T09:12:00.000-07:002009-08-14T10:34:07.055-07:00Maiden VoyageJumping right in:<br /><br />The latest good book making me happy is; <strong>The Red Tree</strong>; by Caitlin Kiernan. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Red-Tree-Caitlin-R-Kiernan/dp/0451462769/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1250269734&sr=1-1">http://www.amazon.com/Red-Tree-Caitlin-R-Kiernan/dp/0451462769/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1250269734&sr=1-1</a> Having read her previous novels and enjoyed them more than almost any others I have read, I was eager to get my hands on her latest and pre-ordered it in April. I was not disappointed.<br /><br />Unlike her previous novels, this one stands alone. It is the story of an author who rents a remote farmhouse in order to have solitude for writing her latest, unstarted and already overdue novel. The author is Sarah Crowe, a woman running from her own demons, from memories of personal tradgedy that she can't seem to escape. As the story unfolds and Sarah becomes fixated on a mysterious tree and a discarded manuscript, like the best of Ms. Kiernan's writing, the lines between what is real and what is not become blurred, and great and difficult questions are asked and explored. This a story of stark beauty and terrible wonder and it will keep you second guessing all the way to the end and possibly beyond. I am still mulling over the questions it raises and enjoying the disquiet of no easy answers. A rare treat from a book these days.<br /><br />For nice tea this gorgeous day, I am sipping this unseasonably hot cup of custom blended tea from adagio; <a href="http://www.adagio.com/signature_blend/blend.html?blend=8161">http://www.adagio.com/signature_blend/blend.html?blend=8161</a> This site is amazing. You can create and name your own blend of favorites. The link above is my blend of Irish Breakfast, Honeybush Chocolate and Pepermint Leaves. I have never tried customizing tea before and am happy to say it came out very well. I drink it with a bit of unsweetened soymilk. <br /><br />That's enough for now. Happy Reading. ~gargirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16551393142131702847noreply@blogger.com0