Why YA?

 I've been reading a great deal of Young Adult literature lately.  One thing I've always wondered about is why even give the "Young Adult" designation?  Literature is literature no matter what.  Since I like to review with a bit of rhyme, I just wanted to see what I could come up with this time.  

Many books designated young adult literature
are wonderful books for sure.
This genre is so great
my eyes start to dilate! 
Riordan finished his series based on mythology
where themes of friendship were key.
Meyer has added her own flair
to fairy tales with much care.
Black and Clare have collaborated on a new series, book one is The Iron Trial.
I will be finishing this one, there is no denial!
Whatever your favorite genre may be
keep reading most definitely!!!

Schoolhouse Rock rocks!

I grew up watching School House Rock on Saturdays.  The catchy songs not only taught me a few things, but also entertained me.  I recently discovered that my students (5th graders) also enjoy the video clips!

We had been studying about the Revolutionary War and I decided to show "No More Kings" to the students.  They loved it!  Some started singing along, and the majority of the kids wanted to watch it again.  I was pleasantly pleased.  I thought that they would find it corny or stupid, but that wasn't the case. 

Earlier in the year I showed some of the Grammar Rock series to them, and got a lukewarm reception.  Well, maybe that was due to the fact that it was English class.  One of my favorite subjects, but sadly some of my students don't feel that way.  We watched the clips about nouns and adverbs.  The "Lolly" jingle got stuck in my head that day.

Good educational tools have staying power, I guess.  I have found myself singing along to almost all of the tunes as I've shown the kids.  It is amazing what one remembers.  I guess some of the television I've watched over the years hasn't "rotted" my brain.

   

Doctor Sleep by Stephen King

As I've noted many times, I'm not a professional reviewer of books, but I love reading them.  I just finished reading Doctor Sleep last night.  I loved it!  King had my attention from page one all the way to the end.  Even if you're not a fan of Stephen King's work, it's well worth your time.  I'm glad this novel was one of the first books of the new year for me.  I'll give you my thoughts in a few sentences or so, and maybe some rhyme to go.

Dan Torrance has grown up to be a man.

We find out what's been going on in his life.

He's had some troubles with drinking, which caused some strife.

He managed to meet some new folks who helped him get clean and throw his booze in a can.

We meet Casey K., Billy Freeman, and the Stones -

Lucy, Dave, Abra, and Momo as well.

Add Dr. John into the story and our characters are swell.

We're also introduced to some players that are scary down to their bones.

We read about a band of travelers named the True Knot.

Rose the Hat, Snakebite Andi, Silent Sarey, Grandpa Flick, and Jimmy the Crow -

these are but a handful of the wanderers we get to know.

In their clutches you wouldn't want to get caught.

The ghouls go around the country in big old RVs searching the nation for steam.

That's their name for those who have the gift referred to as the "shining."

Once it's picked up by their unholy gifts, they go hunting.  Reading about them had me whining.

They live off fear and torment and lap up a child's essence like cream.

Abra Stone had the gift of the shining like a beacon,

and Dan finds himself in contact with this girl from a young age. 

We read about how she grows and how her powers change from stage to stage.

Dan finds himself being a teacher. Once off the booze his power didn't weaken. 

The True comes in contact with Abra Stone.

They want her for her steam.

At times I was so on edge I could just scream.

Dan and Abra join forces and work as one.

Please do read the book. Give it a chance.

I can't tell you about all of it; I won't ruin the fun.

There's so much to this book and many more paths for you to run.

I haven't even hinted to you about the meaning of the title.  Pick it up and join the dance.

What have you been reading lately?

What have you been reading lately?  I've been fortunate, I've had some wonderful time to just sit on backside on my chair and read.  As I look forward to a new year, I thought maybe I should look back and see what I've managed to get through.  I'm very thankful for Pinterest, because I've "pinned" the books I've read not only for book club, but also for fun.  Here goes:

Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
Jitterbug Perfume by Tom Robbins
Let's Pretend This Never Happened (A Mostly True Memoir) by Jenny Lawson
Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay
Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn
The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe
Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
Couples by John Updike
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Wishin' and a Hopin'  A Christmas Story by Wally Lamb

The above titles were our book club picks.  The list that follows is a partial list of other books I read besides.

Exit the Actress by Priya Parmar
Demons are a Ghoul's Best Friend by Victoria Laurie
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
The House of Hades by Rick Riordan
The Demigod Diaries by Rick Riordan
The Silver Star by Jeannette Walls
The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes
Deeply Odd by Dean Koontz
Inferno by Dan Brown
Joyland by Stephen King
Another Fine Myth by Robert Asprin

As I look the lists, I'm very thankful for the time I have to enjoy my reading and for a very understanding husband.  I'm also very fortunate that I have a quiet husband who doesn't insist on talking my ear off!

It will be fun to look back a year from now, and see what I've managed to accomplish.   

The Play's the Thing, pt 2

In an earlier post, I wrote about the play I've been involved in, The Diviners. This past weekend we performed in the MACT (Minnesota Association of Community Theatres) Festival at North Hennepin Community College.  It was an amazing experience!  I was able to see productions from eight other community theatre groups around Minnesota.

We performed on Saturday afternoon. We had a few difficulties/challenges here and there, but were able to pull off a great show.  The cast and crew found out that our show was good enough to go to the Regional competition in Fargo at the end of April!  Along with the honor of being chosen to represent MN, many members of our show received special recognition. I'm the proudest of the Best Ensemble award given to us.

I'm still in a bit of shock and disbelief over all of this. Our group will have a couple of public performances to raise funds for our trip.  So I get to go back to the fictional town of Zion, Indiana, (the show's setting) at least a couple more times.  My greatest hope is to be Best Show in Fargo and be able to go to Carmel, Indiana, for the National festival.

Let's Pretend This Never Happened (A Mostly True Memoir) by Jenny Lawson

My book club group decided to read Let's Pretend This Never Happened (A Mostly True Memoir) by Jenny Lawson.  I thought it was a hoot!  She says out loud what some of us just think!  As I've always said, I'm not a professional reviewer, I just like to write and have fun.  I hope that Jenny Lawson would appreciate my attempt at a rhyming review:

Lawson gives us a look into her life.

I'm thinking Victor must really love his wife.

The parts where I howled the most were early on,

that isn't a con.

The language she uses isn't for the faint of heart,

but I'm still glad I read it in whole and part.

She is a woman of great passions

and I was glad she didn't dwell on fashions.

I don't want to say anything bad about Jenny

because I don't want her to come after me with a machete!

There were serious times interwoven throughout the tale.

We got to see pictures of Beyonce the rooster bought on sale.

Her photos from past and present were a nice touch.

We got to see the people mentioned and such.

I loved her letters and post-its!

When Jenny wrapped up her dishwasher, that gave me fits!

If laughter is good for the soul,

then that woman is whole!

 

The Prodigal Son, Frankenstein by Dean Koontz

Last summer I binged on Dean Koontz!  I started reading his ODD THOMAS series and got totally hooked on his writing.  I was browsing Barnes & Noble over a month ago and saw one of the books in his Frankenstein series, and thought, "Why not?  I've enjoyed all the other books I've read by Koontz."  So, I went to his website and found book one in his series, The Prodigal Son.  I then ordered it from a member of PaperBackSwap.com.  (Is that ever a cool site!  That's a post for another time.)

Anyway, I waited patiently and got the book.  I devoured it!  What started as a binge last July was reawakened!  I highly recommend the novel, but then I've also become something of a Dean Koontz fan.  As I've said many times before, I'm not a professional reviewer, but I always like to throw in a few words.

Here goes:
The story of Frankenstein has long been retold,
but Koontz's rendition will never grow old.
The monster, Deucalion, is quite a hero.
Victor Helios, the bad guy, is a big zero!
I did want to see more character development from the detectives, Michael and Carson,
but know that in time that goal will be won.
Koontz has a gift for creating an interesting character,
yes sir!
I got totally caught up in the mystery.
Of turning the pages I didn't grow weary.
As I read a sense of horror gripped me.
I won't let this series be.

I'm reading a memoir right now, so my copy of City of Night is waiting in the wings.  Soon I'll end my fast and hit the Koontz again!

The Play's the Thing...

"The play's the thing wherein I'll catch the conscience of the King." 

This is one of my favorite Shakespearean quotes from Hamlet.  I always like to quote the first four words, though.  For my purposes, the play's the thing wherein I'll catch my joy and sense of being.  Ok, it's not true iambic pentameter, but I've never claimed to be Shakespeare either.

I'm a theater geek; I enjoy acting.  I was involved in plays throughout high school and college and always had a wonderful time.  Four years ago I took the plunge to get back into acting by auditioning for a show called More Fun Than Bowling.  I didn't think I'd have a shot at getting a part, but I thought, "Why not? Nothing ventured nothing gained."  I took the step and got a role!  I enjoyed working with the cast and director, getting out of my home, and being busy.

In January an opportunity presented itself to audition for a show called The Diviners by Jim Leonard, Jr.  I screwed up my courage and decided, "Why not?"  I was pleasantly surprised and happy when I got a call from the director and he offered me a part.

For the past two months I've had the chance to play the character Norma Henshaw.  I've been having a wonderful time!  We just finished our first weekend of public performances.  I'm glad that I've had the opportunity to work with such a talented ensemble cast in a community with a great tradition of fabulous theatre productions.  Next weekend we have three performances, but we're not done yet. 

In mid March we'll be presenting our show for the MACT Fest.  MACT stands for Minnesota Association of Community Theatres.  We'll be competing against nine other shows.  The top two plays will go on to a Regional competition in Fargo, ND.  I'm hoping we'll do our best, knock 'em dead, and advance to North Dakota competition!

  

Jitterbug Perfume by Tom Robbins - It has beet!

While at a Dairy Queen in Hutchinson, MN, my book club group was brainstorming potential books for upcoming months.  A young woman wearing incredibly high heels said, "Jitterbug Perfume by Tom Robbins; it's the best book ever!"  Being an adventurous sort of group we decided to follow her advice.  In keeping with my last attempts, I will give my review in a few...sentences that is.

The prose read like poetry.
The language was beautiful!
Intriguing characters abound.
Alobar and Kudra were the best.
I kept reading to see if they would find rest.
The search for immortality is intriguing to all.
Do a bandaloop jitterbug and you may never fall.
The search for the perfume formula needed to be found.
Throughout the book the sense of smell would abound.
Going back and forth in spaces and times made for quite the epic.
The character of Pan also lent the book a kick.
 I'll always think about beets differently now. 
Because from the beginning I thought,"What's the beet? Wow!"
Wisdom was sprinkled throughout
and sometimes my laughs were a shout!
Overall I guess I would proclaim
that Robbins deserves his fame.

If I were to see that nice young lady again, I believe I would have to thank her for the suggestion. I'm not sure if it's "the best book ever," but it was quite the adventure!

“The beet is the most intense of vegetables. The radish, admittedly, is more feverish, but the fire of the radish is a cold fire, the fire of discontent not of passion. Tomatoes are lusty enough, yet there runs through tomatoes an undercurrent of frivolity. Beets are deadly serious.

Slavic peoples get their physical characteristics from potatoes, their smoldering inquietude from radishes, their seriousness from beets.

The beet is the melancholy vegetable, the one most willing to suffer. You can't squeeze blood out of a turnip...

The beet is the murderer returned to the scene of the crime. The beet is what happens when the cherry finishes with the carrot. The beet is the ancient ancestor of the autumn moon, bearded, buried, all but fossilized; the dark green sails of the grounded moon-boat stitched with veins of primordial plasma; the kite string that once connected the moon to the Earth now a muddy whisker drilling desperately for rubies.

The beet was Rasputin's favorite vegetable. You could see it in his eyes.” 
― Tom Robbins, Jitterbug Perfume

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

I recently finished Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith's Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. It was one of the best books I've read in a while.  It was laugh out loud great!

I'm not a Jane Austen purist, so the addition of the "unmentionables" was a hoot!  I've definitely become a fan of Seth Grahame-Smith.  As I've mentioned in my last review, I'm not a professional so I'll keep my thoughts down to a few short sentences.

Loved the entire concept!
Marveled at the author's creativity.
Laughed loudly!
Enjoyed the illustrations.
Wanted to read more about the "stricken."
Appreciated the added character depths.
Can't wait to see what Grahame-Smith comes up with next!

Beastly Cold

Today has been beastly cold here in good ole Minnesota, so I've spent a good amount of time on my laptop.  I've looked up resources for my class for use with our smart board.   I've played Words with Friends on Facebook and I've seen what my friends have been up to on the same site.  I've been listening to Pandora. I've been pinning away happily on Pinterest.  I also listed and looked  for good books on Paper Back Swap.  I also decided to take a peek at Prezi.  It's been quite fun!  I also decided to play around with Blogger and see how my blog could change looks.  I hope you notice the difference (for those of you that may read my postings on occasion.)

I've also had the occasion to read quite a bit today.  At one point I even told my husband I had to get back to my book Pride and Prejudice and Zombies because Elizabeth was literally kicking Mr. Darcy's butt.  I enjoy Seth Grahame-Smith's work and have been thoroughly enjoying this book.  Where some may scoff, I love it! 

 In between I've also been working on memorization of lines for the upcoming community theatre production I'm involved in!  Tomorrow is my first rehearsal.  So although I have the day off from school, I'll still have to go out in the sub-zero temperatures.  Oh well, life goes on.  Such is our lot in the great state of Minnesota.

The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe

The first time I saw the book The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe I was in a Target and perusing the book selection.  It's one of my favorite things to do when I go there.  I noticed the title and thought, "Hmmm, a book about a book club.  I should look into it."  As a member of a book club, we're always looking for good ideas about what to read next.  I thought the book would be helpful.

The book turned out to be more than helpful, it was insightful.  Now that I've read it, I'm still thinking about it.  I can't wait to have my book club read it so that we can discuss it!

In this memoir, the author's mother, Mary Anne, is diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.  While she is undergoing chemotherapy, the mother and son begin to chat about books and what they've been reading.  It becomes more than just a book club, though.

I'm not a professional reviewer, so I'll make my thoughts/review simple:

Loved the book.
Fell in love with Mary Anne Schwalbe.
Wished I could have met her in person.
Loved reading about her life.
Enjoyed reading about her family.
Got a glimpse into her world.
Impressed by her accomplishments.
Respected her work and her career.
Liked reading a book about another woman's faith.
Shared her love of books and of learning.
Want to read many of the books from their "club."
Thank her son for writing a book like this.

There are many other things I could add, but my recommendation is to read the book for yourself and then pass it on to a friend.

Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell

One of my goals in 2013 was to write a bit more, so I've gone back to keeping a journal, and I've decided to spend a bit more time with my blog.  When I looked back at past successes that I've had with my posts (the most readers) my postings have included my reviews of books I've read.  So I've decided to stick with my successes!

Yesterday I finished reading Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell.  My book club is meeting in the middle of the month and we are going to discuss it.  I don't read nonfiction as often as I should, sometimes I get the idea that it might be boring.  I really enjoyed this book, though, and found it quite interesting. It made me think about what it takes to become successful.  In the past I've viewed success as something that happens to a lucky few.  According to Gladwell, though, it's more than just luck.

Gladwell points out that success is based on a number of factors.  Thanks to Google I found a wonderful illustration!

Success can be had based upon practice, lucky opportunities, your cultural legacy and upbringing, and timing is important too.  Mr. Gladwell recounts many true examples throughout the book.  I also found it interesting that he applied this model to his own family in regards to his mother and grandmother.  It made his point all the more real to me.  It got me thinking about my own family and success.

I'm not rich or famous, but I'm the first one on my side of the family to graduate from college with a degree.  I could see how all of the above factors played into how I received my teaching degree.  I won't bore you with my story, but I would recommend the book.  Even though I've set the book aside, I'm still thinking about how I can continue my journey to the top of the pyramid.  Isn't that what a good book does, is make you think?  My answer is most definitely yes!

Book Lover's Paradise

As a book lover, I always enjoy going to Barnes & Noble Booksellers.  I made the trip to my favorite store today with my sister, Denise.  I was given some gift cards for Christmas, and they were burning the proverbial hole in my pocket.  I was amazed at the selection of diet books out on display.  I could tell it was the new year, and that the booksellers were hoping to cash in on New Years resolutions for weight loss.  I also looked around at the new teen fiction.  It's amazing to see how well the paranormal sells.  There were Lego sets for sale, and deals on classic literature.  The bargain books were plentiful as well.

Denise and I had a great time just browsing.  I did eventually purchase a book and an sd card for my nook.  Whenever I go into B&N I compare prices between the actual books and the nook books.  Most times the nook book is cheaper, however I do find I still enjoy holding the book in my hand and turning the pages.  I can also share the book a bit easier with my book club ladies.

I bought The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe.  I'm looking forward to reading it.  If I like it I'll recommend it to my book club.  Browsing through the stacks of bargain books I found a book I wanted to read by Dean Koontz.  I ordered it from Paper Back Swap, a website where members swap books with others.  The only cost is shipping the books you have for other members to choose from.  Sites like PBS make me wonder about the future of big book stores.  I know, though, that as long as there are book lovers like me that book stores will live long and prosper.

Pinterest amazes me!

I've discovered a new world, Pinterest!  I enjoy checking out what others have pinned to their digital boards, and adding pins to mine.  It's not just a time-waster for me, but also educational.  I've found craft ideas that I've already used, and recipes for my slow-cooker and for other fabulous foods.  One particular day I even figured out how to link my Pinterest account to my blog.

I started this journey by repinning from a friend.  We are involved in the same book club, and I wanted to make the pins mine as well.  I made a new board, called Book Club Bonanza, and that was it...pinning history!

I'm not as popular as some of the pinners I follow.  Some folks have thousands of followers.  I'm just happy to have friends and family members follow me.  There are some folks that I've never met, except through Pinterest, who follow my boards, and that is exciting to me as well.

I'm a visual person, so Pinterest fascinates me.  I even learned about my visual learning style thanks to a pin on the site too.  I know that when school starts for me again (teaching), I won't be able to just surf and pin, but for now it's a super fun learning tool, time-passer, and brave new world! 

Show Your Loved One You Care

Ah, Valentine's Day is upon us.  A day for lovers.  A day to share your heart with the one you love.  Typically folks spend a good amount of money on flowers, candy, jewelry, fine dining, or a variety of other ways to show their love.  I decided to do something atypical this year.

I made my husband a home-made valentine.  I fashioned a heart-shaped booklet entitled "How do I LOVE THEE, let me count the ways..."  I proceeded to list what I loved about my man.  I got somewhat "mushy" to downright silly.  One example I listed was that I loved it that he baited my hook when we went fishing!

In addition to the booklet, I also baked some cookies today.  I enjoy baking, but typically don't keep too many sweets in the house.  It was fun to bake a special treat for my husband, and make the cookies heart-shaped to boot.

Whether you spend a small fortune on your sweetheart tomorrow, or keep Valentine's Day simple, show your loved one you care about them.

Reading Aloud is Fabulous!

Besides the opportunity to teach fourteen young minds everyday, I get the chance to READ ALOUD to a captive audience.  After our lunch period I pull out a book and read to my class for a fifteen minute time period every day.  I really enjoy those minutes.  They always seem to go by too quickly.

I know that teachers have been reading aloud to students for many years.  I can even remember some of the books that my teachers in elementary school read to me: Charlotte's Web, The Incredible Journey, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and  Mr. Popper's Penguins.  I haven't done any research or read any articles on the specific benefits of reading aloud, but I know that my class enjoys this time!  My fabulous fourteen always want to hear me read. 

I do know, however, that there are benefits.  I went to a children's literature conference last summer and an author (Will Hobbs) spoke to us about the merits of reading aloud.  He mentioned that reading aloud helps students' literacy and aids in their creativity.  Hobbs encouraged us as educators to read to our classes at all grade levels.  I took his words to heart and was happy that I had been reading to students in previous years as well.

I've been able to read a number of books to my students so far this year.  I have read There's a Boy in the Girl's Bathroom by Louis Sachar, The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan, Go Big or Go Home by Will Hobbs, and I have just started Dark Life by Kat Falls.  The class is already coming up with suggestions for our next book.

The best part of my reading aloud time is when I stop reading and hear, "OHHHHH!!!  Keep reading.  You can't stop there!"  I inwardly and outwardly smile and tell the class to patiently wait until tomorrow. 

Bad Things Happen in Threes

I've often heard it said that "Bad Things Happen in Threes."  This can even include deaths, or so some say.  I hope that death won't be involved in this tale of woe!  My sad story involves the "joys" of owning a home.

A week ago on Saturday my furnace wasn't working properly.  Before my husband and I knew it, the temperature in our home was a nippy 60 degrees.  No matter what we tried the furnace just wouldn't stay going, and on a Minnesota winter's night, a furnace is needed.  We called our Center Point Home Service Plus Plan, and a furnace repairman came to our home at 11:00 PM and fixed it for us.  Needless to say, we were very thankful.  I was also thankful in that our bill was covered by the prepaying we have done for the plan.  One down two to go.

Last week I also thought I'd noticed something dripping in my bathroom, but I dismissed it.  I thought perhaps I had been hearing something else.  Am I hearing the furnace tick?  Am I hearing water from the ceiling?  Am I plainly going insane?  Then on Tuesday morning I called Dwane into the bathroom and said, "You have to listen to this."  Sure enough, Dwane heard it too.  There was water dripping from behind the shower wall.  I had stopped using the shower in my master bath sometime earlier due to water leaking into our closet.  Now obviously a problem existed, but did either of us want to deal with it then? NO.  Now something needed to be done.  Besides the dripping, I smelled mold in our closet.

When I got home from school and Dwane from work, we tore into our closet and did some demolition work.  To make a really long story short, while doing our demo, a finishing nail that had been driven through a plastic plumbing pipe was pulled free.  When I restored water to the house to see what/where it was dripping, we had Niagara Falls in the closet.  I heard Dwane yelling to turn off the water.  The source of the leak was not originally with the nail in the pipe, though.  We called a plumber and Niagara Falls was fixed.  I now have a bigger hole in my floor, and new valves on my shower as well.  My husband and I thought, "Okay, let's put the new valves on, when are we going to have this opportunity to see them again?"  I still have a closet that has gaping wounds, but I have a brother-in-law that is a carpenter.

Yesterday I was going about preparing for evening company.  I was doing dishes, baking, and doing any number of tasks that involve using water.  I commented to Dwane that the water seemed incredibly hot.  It was definitely hotter that usual.  He said, "That could be a sign that the heating element is going out in the hot water heater."   I just thought, "Oh great." 

I continued to go on with life as normal.  We continued to work, took showers, and ran the dishwasher.  Before I ran the dishwasher, though, I noticed the water didn't get very warm at all.  I just shrugged it off.  Our company arrived.  We had a great time and I didn't bother to think about the water heater whatsoever.  When Amy and Rocky left I did dishes.  I was getting them ready to load into the dishwasher.  (I generally rinse them a bit.)  The water was stone cold.  I then announced that "wonderful" fact to Dwane.  Once again we've placed a call to Center Point Home Service Plus.  Someone should be stopping in tomorrow before noon.  Hopefully by the time I get home from school we'll have hot water again.  If not, Dwane and I will need to purchase a new hot water heater.

Now earlier I mentioned something about this being a 'sad story.'  I'm an optimist and I know that all of these problems are just bumps in the road of home ownership and all will be well.  I'm blessed and thankful to own a home.  I know that there are many folks in our country who have lost their homes, so I won't complain.  When this is all over with I know Dwane and I will get a really good laugh out of it.  Heck, I've started laughing already.    

Full Dark, No Stars by Stephen King made me shiver!!

I've been a long-time fan of Stephen King's work.  When I saw his latest collection of short stories hit the shelf I had to have it!  I quickly devoured the book and loaned it to a friend.

I found myself hoping for stories that were really supernatural in nature, good escapes.  That wasn't the case.  I read two stories that could have been interpreted that way, and two that eerily seemed as if they could happen.  That is the the mark of a great storyteller, I think. 

True horrors can lie within each one of us.  How well do you know your spouse?  What really goes on at the friendly neighbor's house?  Is that perfect family so perfect?  What kind of darkness rages inside of you or me?

If you are a King fan I recommend this book, but there were times when I almost had to set the book aside and stop reading for a while.  Some of the subject matter is harsh, and Mr. King doesn't pull any punches.  If you have the nerve and care to take a peek into a darker world, then go ahead and brave a night that is, FULL DARK, NO STARS.

I got a new toy for Christmas!!!

I was able to purchase a NOOKColor for myself after Christmas.  I have thoroughly enjoyed reading ebooks and getting to know the ins and outs of my new "toy."  I love being able to plug in my headphones, listen to Pandora internet radio, and read to my heart's content!

I've noticed that some of the free ebooks I've downloaded aren't the best, but then I think to myself, "Hey, it was a free book, short story, or novella."  Ebooks can be tricky too, in that one can easily get hooked on a particular series.  The first two are free and then one has to pay for the third installment and so on.  This is excellent marketing and worked for writers in ages past.  I'm reminded of the recent past as well when Stephen King published The Green Mile in installments.  Oh, well, I don't mind too much (yet) an ebook is significantly cheaper than a regular book.

The NOOKColor is also wi-fi ready.  I live in a home with a wireless router, so my main reading environment is "NOOKie" friendly.  I can sit in my recliner and browse the internet without having to sit at my computer.  Wow, the brave new world of eReaders!

Although I am enjoying this new chapter in my reading life, I still enjoy my hardback or softcover book in hand.  As my niece Emily (an avid reader) told me when I was showing off my new toy. 
"Lisa, nothing will ever replace a book."
I tend to agree.  However, I will gladly embrace both worlds.  I will reach out to the new world of technology with the eReader, and lovingly hold on to the book smelling wonderfully of ink and paper.