Booking Through Thursday: Manual Labor Redux

Following up last week’s question about reading writing/grammar guides, this week, we’re expanding the question….

Scenario: You’ve just bought some complicated gadget home . . . do you read the accompanying documentation? Or not?

Well - it depends on the gadget. I would have to say that in most cases I will at least browse it. I don't always read it through completely, but I look at it.

Do you ever read manuals? Rarely. If I'm putting something together, than I do, but if I'm just using the item, then not usually. I just keep them handy for a quick reference guide.

How-to books? Not really, if I need to know something I usually look it up online. I guess it could be considered the same thing though, in a way.

Self-help guides? Don't believe I ever have.

Anything at all? haha! Not when it comes to manuals.

Something new I would like to try....

I got this idea from Stephanie at Confessions of a book-a-holic. She got it from Darla at Books and Other Thoughts. The plan is for people to let you know when they have reviewed the same book on their blog, and then link that review to yours? Make sense? Sound easy?

So basically, if you read a review on my blog, and you have reviewed the same book on yours, let me know! Either leave a comment with the URL to your review or send me an email with the info. I will then add that to the review. Then, when somebody reads a review that I wrote and thinks hmm....sounds interesting. They can then link to your review just to get other opinions.

I think this is such a cool idea and upset that I didn't think of it myself. haha!

Headless Body in Topless bar from the Staff of the New York Post

I was able to get my hands on a copy of this book and am glad I did. I thought it would be good for a few laughs. I admit that some of the titles I didn't really get, but others were really good.

This book is a collect of the best titles that the New York Post has had over the years. It's not a whole lot of reading, so it's not going to take up your time. But it is fun.

I was thinking of putting some of my favorites on here, but not sure it would be as funny because you don't get to see the pictures,etc.

Let's see if I can find one....

ok, in the section on Mafia. This title was for the story about John Gotti.

The hading was: Gotti's Greatest hits then in smaller print: He whacked 'em all, feds charge.

I think it's funny because well, greatest hits, your going to think of songs or something, but they really were hits. haha! Ok, not your type of humor? Really? Are you really going to tell me that title wasn't clever?

ok, another one dealing with Gotti was: Gotti #1 on Hit Parade

haha! I love it. I just love their play on words.

ok, that's probaby about it for this review. I could really keep going, but I enjoyed looking at the pictures too. So I think it makes more sense when you look at the pictures and read some of the smaller print.

nonfiction/191 pgs/new author

The Debs by Susan McBride (advanced copy)

I know, I know - I just couldn't wait any longer to read this one. But really, can you blame me?

So The Debs is a new book in a young adult series the author is writing. Well, it will be the new book, it's not out yet. If you read my posts then you know that I was totally excited to get an advanced copy of this book, from the author no less.

Anyway......about the book (which is why you are all here). This book features 4 main girls/teenagers/young women (take your pick). They are about to start their senior year of high school. This is the year when the invitations go out to the lucky girls who will be asked to be part of the Glass Slipper Club. Trust me, it's (as the back cover says) "Debutante season in Houston". Three of the girls are friends and when you look past their parents and the money, they are probably unlikely candidates. One girl, is the type you would assume would get the invite.

Jo-Lynn is perfect, on the outside, and partly due to plastic surgery. She is a size 2, big boobs (thanks to plastic surgery), perfect skin and hair, and a beauty queen. Is there any doubt that she will get one?

Laura Bell isn't even close to a size 2, yet her dreams involve getting an invite. She is also enemies with Jo-Lynn Bidwell - who's mother is head of the organization.

Mac Mackensie doesn't care about her looks or being friends with the snooty Jo-Lynn. Her Mother died a couple of years ago and her dad re-married, a women named Honey Potts. Need i say more? She is also friends with Laura Bell.

Ginger Fore seems to go from cause to cause, and currently it is the environment. She won't wear designer, unless it's made from hemp or another organic fabric. She doesn't drive a fancy smancy car like everyone else, she drives a hybrid. Ginger is also friends with Laura Bell.

All of these girls have something causing them grief in their lives. They have to deal with this and be on their best behavior in order to become part of the Glass Slipper Club. Can they do it?

Overall - really enjoyed the book. It was a fast read for me, very light reading. I also admit to loving books like this. What is more fun than to be out of highschool and read about the crap that goes on there? haha! I can tell that this is the first in a series. It leaves it open to where you can tell there will be more books covering the senior year. But that's ok...that's what I expected and wanted.

I liked the characters. I could see them as being real, not just characters. Sure some stuff seems over the top, but I'm also not rich and I also don't live in an area where there are debuantes (at least not that I'm aware of). So it might seem like some of this stuff wouldn't happen, but honestly, I could really picture it.

So..come August 26th...this book will be published and I want to hear about everyone buying it. haha! I think this would be a fun book for teenagers and also those who are older but enjoy young adult books.

fiction/256pgs

Booking Through Thursday: Manual Labor

Writing guides, grammar books, punctuation how-tos . . . do you read them? Not read them? How many writing books, grammar books, dictionaries–if any–do you have in your library?

I think anybody who has ever read anything that I have written, would know the answer to this. haha! No, I don't read them. No, I don't own any. No, I don't plan to. haha!

Personally, don't see the point of owning a dictionary anymore when you can easily look things up online. As for the others, would be useful if I planned to write a novel (which I would like to but don't have the time) or writing reports for school. Oh, who am I kidding, I do write reports for school, but don't use a manual. haha!

Friend of the Devil by Peter Robinson

This is the 17th book in the series.

DCI Banks has a hard case to solve. A young girl was murdered and it seems like nobody would want her dead. There are no suspects and no leads. Slowly but surely they begin to find some clues and unravel the case. Mixed in on this case are two other officers who play a strong role in the investigation.

Annie Cabot is on loan to another police department when she comes across a murdered women. The plot thickens when she realizes this women was the infamous Lucy Payne, who was an accomplice in several murders a couple of years ago. Annie must figure out who knew this women was Lucy Payne, because she was living under a different name. Mixed into the investigation is a series of murders that happened around 18 years ago that might be connected.

Annie and Banks do interact with each other. In this book Annie seems to be going through some issues in her life and that involves making a fool of herself in front of Banks and possible causing some trouble with a younger man she has a one night stand with.

Having not read any of the other books in the series, I admit that I enjoyed this one but at times felt like I didn't get the whole picture. I think there is a lot to the characters past that would have been helpful to know. Also, at times I was a bit confused because it's written as if the reader has read all the others. Also, one of my pet peeves, is when an author writes a book and switches who the narrator is, but doesn't start with a new chapter. So we would be reading about the investigation with Banks, then all of a sudden it would turn into the investigation with Annie. This is one thing that kept me from enjoying the book as much as I believe I would have. I know that's just a personal preference though. Once I got used to how he was going to do it, it wasn't as bad, but I still prefer separate chapters. haha!

Overall, I enjoyed the story. I liked DCI Banks a lot. While I wouldn't read any of the books out of order again, I am going to put the first on my incredibly long wish list in hopes of starting at the beginning with this series one day.

new author/mystery/372 pgs

You know you have a Harry Potter addiction when....

You have two co-workers to try to somehow get the ringtone file you have saved on your flash drive...to your phone.

Then you search until said co-worker finds a memory card that will fit into your phone, so you put the file on it, insert into phone, but can't figure it out.

Then you log into your wireless account online and try to upload it so you can then send it to yourself as a picture.

Then when that doesn't work...you start asking around to see if anybody has a bluetooth device that would somehow get the file to your phone.

Then when that doesn't work you go online and find a usb bluetooth device that should hopefully work, then find it cheaper on ebay. You purchase it and anxiously wait the 10 shipping days for it to arrive.

When it does arrive you get mad at your husband because he wants to take down cabinets in the kitchen, so you can't immediately run to your pc and install the bluetooth device in order to get said ringtone to your phone.

Then you finally get a chance to sit at the pc, and you can get the file to your phone, but can't get it recognized as a ringtone.

Then you go into work the next day and when co-worker arrives, start bombarding co-worker with help requests until they finally help you get the Harry Potter ringtone set up as a ringtone on your phone.

Now of course you are upset because you have the fun ringtone, but nobody ever calls you.

That shows...you are way to addicted to Harry Potter.
(but the ringtone is awesome!!! haha!)

April 2008 Reads

Fun April Facts

Total books read: 9
New Authors: 7
Mystery: 3
Non-Fiction: 1
Fiction: 5
DNF: 0
Audio: 0
Number of pages: 2419

Glory in Death by J.D. Robb

The Truth (I'm a girl, I'm smart and I know everything) by Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein

Escape From the Carnivale by Ridley Pearson and Dave Berry

Points: The Relationship Survival Guide For People Who Don't Like Relationship Survival Guides by I. Glebe

Twisted by Andrea Kane

The Devil's Bones by Jefferson Bass

The Cinderella Pact by Sarah Strohmeyer

The Outlaw Demon Wails by Kim Harrison

Her Unlikely Family by Missy Tippens

Her Unlikely Family by Missy Tippens

I was lucky enough to win this book on The Cozy Reader.

I was also excited to find out that the author, Missy Tippens, sent it herself, and signed it! I think by know you guys know how much I love to get my books signed.

This is the story of Lucy, Mike, and Josie. Lucy's mother died about a year ago and since then she has been living with her Uncle Mike. Mike is very much involved in the family business, a bank. He often doesn't take the time to be with Lucy and has shipped her to a boarding school where she doesn't fit in. In retaliation, Lucy runs away from home.

Lucy ends up in Gatlinburg where Josie takes her in. Josie works at a diner and is saving everything penny she can in order to buy the diner. She was a runaway and understand where Lucy is coming from.

Mike tracks Lucy down and plans to take her home and immediately put her back in boarding school. Then he meets Josie. They are opposites, yet he is attracted to her. Josie also has a way with Lucy. Mike agrees to stay in town and work on getting Lucy more comfortable with him before deciding exactly what to do next. Josie helps the two of them mend and become closer. However, somewhere along the lines, Mike and Josie start to having feelings for each other soon.

What will happen? Will Mike go back to his stuffy family and the money and job or will he stay for Josie? Will he ship Lucy to boarding school or work something out so she can go to a school she is comfortable with?

This was a good book for me to read. It was light, it wasn't fluff, but it wasn't a mystery either. I really liked the three main characters. In fact, I could read more about these individuals. I liked the ending, I don't think I ruin it when I mention it's a happy ending. Sometimes, you just need a happy ending.

Thanks once again to Cozy Reader and the Missy Tippens for giving me the opportunity to read this book. This isn't a book I would have probably found or picked up at a bookstore. I'm so glad I won the contest because this was a great book.

new author/fiction/247pgs

The Outlaw Demon Wails by Kim Harrison

I believe this might be the 6th book in the series. I know it's not the first, but you would probably want to check to verify exactly what number it is.

I'm going to start by saying that overall, I enjoyed the book. However, I believe that because it was the first I have read in this series, I didn't like it as much as I would have otherwise. There was so many things different about this book, that the author didn't go into great detail about. I don't blame the author at all....it just makes it where I was confused or not really understanding some things. I definitely believe this is one of those series where you need to read it from the beginning and read it in order.

Rachel is a witch. She is attacked by the demon Al. This attack wasn't expected because Al is supposed to be in jail in the ever-after. Another demon shows up and explains that Al has been escaping at night, somebody is summoning him out. Until they can find whoever is doing this, Rachel must stay on holy ground until after the sun comes up. Now Rachel must figure out who is summoning Al and get them to stop. Let's mix into the mess the fact that her boyfriend was recently killed by a vampire. Rachel, along with her vampire roommate Ivy, are trying to figure out who the vampire was. Let's also mix the elf, Trent. He wants Rachel to go into the ever-after and receive a sample of old elf DNA that could be used to save the unborn baby of one of Rachel's elf friend. The ever-after is where the demon's live and it's hard to get out of there a live.

As you can see there is a lot of different things going on in the book. If I had started at the beginning I would have a lot more info on the history between Rachel and her friends and enemies. This would help me understand the story a lot better.

I did like Rachel and Jenks, her pixie friend/side-kick. I liked several of the other characters too. I think this book is one of those that you will probably only like if you like books on witches and demons, etc. I liked it enough that I plan to start with book one and read the series up to this one.

new author/fiction/pg. 455