Wrapping Up Peril

This is probably my earliest wrap-up post ever for Readers Imbibing Peril. Probably the only R.I.P. where I read only the minimum number of books for the kind of peril I've chosen. But everything's ok, I still haven't come to terms with my reading slump as well as my posting slump. Given that I have a wonky broadband connection (I mean seriously, only in a third world country) I think my posting slump will continue until the next week as I contemplate giving up my present provider for a faster one.

But I digress. Let's see how I miserably failed on my chosen books. Hahaha!

My pool had interesting titles. Books that stare up to now, accusing me with having left them behind. Because in the end I chose to read the following four:

The Foreshadowing by Marcus Sedgwick
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith
Spiral by Koji Suzuki
The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening by L. J. Smith

If I want to stretch it a bit I could add The Dangerous Alphabet by Neil Gaiman and illustrated by Gris Grimbly. I read that one for the Read-A-Thon. It's pretty creepy.

Tsk tsk tsk. And I have no excuse really save that my mind wasn't cooperating. Hahaha! And only one of them was in my chosen pool!

Maybe next year I won't be as bad.

Definitely Not Twilight

The Vampire Diaries Volume I: The Awakening
L. J. Smith

There's a good looking young man pretending to be a high school senior in a small town. Then there's the lovely young lady who falls for him. The guy has a secret though, he's a creature of the night: a vampire. Is this Twilight? Of course not! This book was written more than a decade before Stephenie Meyer published the first of that ever-popular series.

I finished this book for Dewey's Read-A-Thon last weekend.

The first book of The Vampire Diaries introduces us to Stefan Salvatore, the vampire in question who recently relocated to Fell's Church. He wears dark glasses, Italian designer clothes and drives a flashy car. It's quite obvious he stands out among a bevy of young men in the school. Elena Gilbert instantly wants him. Elena is the school's Queen Bee. Think Blair Waldorf as a blond. Oooh sorry for the Gossip Girl reference, to those who haven't seen an episode of uh Gossip Girl. Hahaha! Surrounded by her loyal soldiers, I mean friends, one of them an heir to Cassandra's throne, a psychic named Bonnie, Elena plots her ways to get the attention of the seemingly unaffected Stefan. Unbeknownst to her, Stefan has his sights on her too, for a different reason.

For such a swift read I really wouldn't want to spoil things for you. Needless to say this is not entirely a love story. There are major conflicts involve not to mention a dead body and a handful of vampire attacks in the process. Ooops, so much for no spoilers. Kidding. But hey, it wouldn't be a vampire story without a dead body at least, right?

It's a dark story really and I don't mean just the love angle. The human characters grow before our very eyes: one minute Elena is this Queen Bee and the next minute she's more than likeable after all, or that some of the minor characters are out to sow trouble when they looked defeated early on.

But mainly, this is Stefan's story. His story from way back centuries ago when he first fell in love with Katherine up to now. And a past that keeps haunting him wherever he goes. A past that goes by the name of Damon, his older brother.

It's a good read; short and makes you want to know more. It has none of the need-to-chop-off-unnecessary-chapters and/or sentences that is probably Meyer's trademark on the Twilight series. This one is definitely better written than those. It talks more to the teenager (or young adult) though - that sense of trying to find yourself in the time of your life called high school, knowing who your friends are, falling in love for the first time, exorcising demons - you get the drift. All that happening in a world where vampires are real and a crow seems to be following your every move. Scary!

Of course after reading the first book I think I have to read the rest. For one thing it ends with a cliffhanger. And an preview of the first chapter of the second book The Struggle: Vampire Diaries Volume II. Tsk tsk tsk.

Why did I pick this up in the first place? I mentioned during the Read-A-Thon that I've seen the first two episodes of Vampire Diaries and I thought that the book version probably has a better story despite the presence of that lovely, gorgeous Ian Somerhalder who plays Damon in the series. And I was right. For one thing Elena isn't a Queen Bee in the show. Or doesn't act like one. Maybe one Blair Waldorf is enough in the small screen. Hahaha!

And while I like changes (think True Blood versus the Sookie Stackhouse novels - the show can hold its own over the books) in the case of Vampire Diaries, I'll pick the book over the series anytime. Yes, despite Ian Somerhalder's presence. Because, I don't know, I found it boring after the second episode. Oh well. Maybe I'll change my mind when I have a hankering for Ian Somerhalder sometime in the future. Hahaha!

I'll add this book to my R.I.P. IV books as well. Serendipitous! At least I get to complete Peril the First with this.

Heartfelt Thanks!

Ok, this is my post-Read-A-Thon post. It was a fun weekend, straddling two days of reading, blogging, surfing the net, reading some more, stretching the definition of a nap, blogging, reading and oh of course, eating. I was planning on posting this yesterday but I had a planned post for a book I read before the Read-A-Thon so I'm doing my thank yous now.

Thank you, thank you, thank you:

Aarti, Alita Reads, Belle, Bybee, Care, Dana, Diane, Eva, Jen, Jen and the Cats of Castle Coull, Kailana, Kara, Laza, Lexi, Lenore, Louise, Lu, Memory, Milka, Nymeth, Peter, Petunia, Rebecca Reid, Ronnica, Softdrink, Somer, Staci, Teresa, Tracie Yule, Valerie, and Vasilly

for dropping by and leaving a comment or so for the Read-A-Thon. I know how difficult it is to visit all the bloggers who signed up and I appreciate the love and cheer I received all throughout the day and even a handful of comment after I have slept.

I promise that I'll come up with reviews of the books I've read this time, unlike in April although back then I had a valid excuse - life got in the way - hahaha! Well, doesn't mean I don't have a life now. Hahaha!

That's it for now. I'll go grab my lunch now.

Where's the Well?

Spiral
Koji Suzuki

Most people would faint if they got up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night and turned around to find a dead person standing there. That's how people escape from the horrors presented to them; once you faint, you no longer have to endure the unendurable. Only with that cushion of unconsciousness are we able to prepare ourselves to accept reality.

I love ghost stories. I don't scare easily. Rather, I'd like to think I don't scare easily. I can watch horror films and not scream at the slightest instance of "Boo factor." I can read horror stories and not be bothered at all. Well actually it depends. There were times I had to stop reading stuff in the middle of the night because my imagination was making me hyperventilate. I can even cite an example: the first part of Elizabeth Kostova's The Historian, you know, that creepy feeling of being observed by something you know is out there. I stopped reading that book at night and finished it when the sun was shining so bright it hurt my eyes. Hahaha.

I don't know where to categorize Spiral, Koji Suzuki's sequel to Ring, a book I read and enjoyed awhile back. I also have a history with Ring you see. I've seen the film in both the Japanese original and the Hollywood remake. Even the sequels. I've read the manga version and would you believe that that version induced some nightmares in me. Seriously. So a part of me knows Sadako Yamamura and is afraid of her.

Spiral is different. If you've seen the sequel to the film then it's definitely not that. Not one bit.

Mitsuo Ando autopsied the body of Ryuji Takayama, the latter being the last victim of the first book. It was during the procedure that he discovered Ryuji might have died of a possible virus. It was also there he felt that Ryuji was sending him a message from the great beyond with a crumpled up piece of newspaper found sticking out of his recently sewn up upper body. The paper contained numbers that entailed a bit of code breaking which then resulted in the word, ta-da, Ring.

Wait, I don't think I'm explaining it right. I might be spoiling it for others. So I'll go to the general bits. Ando and another pathologist Miyashita tries to uncover the reasons behind the mysterious death of Ryuji and the other victims of the first book. And this is where my brain got divided into two. Hahaha.

First, let me say that all the discourse on code breaking and scientific explanation of virus infection are compelling. It strays into the medical mystery territory and I love that.

Then there's that ghostly aspect of the whole thing. The unexplainable that made me want to scream for the main character:

Something was moving out there. Now, that something touched him on the patch of exposed skin between the hem of his slacks and the top of his socks, where they'd scrunched down. It brushed against him as it moved past, leaving behind the memory of its slithery touch. The lower half of his body shrank from it, and he let out a cry. He tried to tell himself that it was nothing; maybe a cat that'd been trapped in the room has licked his Achilles tendon. Nothing more. But it didn't work. Every one of his five senses knew that it was something else. Some unknown thing was behind him.

But in the end it failed. For me. If I go by the ratings on Amazon then more than a handful of people liked this book enough to give it a four-star average.

It's probably scary and of course I'd still like to know what happens next (I have the third book and I don't want it to go to waste, hahaha) but let's just say that the conclusion was beyond belief. That despite the scientific backbone of the whole thing. Etcetera, etcetera.

I can surmise that it's way too much like a ghostly science fiction story. I like science fiction. I like ghost story. But when you put too much science into a ghost story then either the mystery is lost somewhere or you end up with something that is a lot to take even if it's logically probable.

Oh well. Still, this is a perilous read.

Read-A-Thon: End of Event Meme

1. Which hour was most daunting for you?

It's probably the hours after lunch, local time or right after Hour #17. Mid-afternoon here and I couldn't get myself to read so I played Plants Vs. Zombies, took a long shower and finally opened Odd and the Frost Giants.

2. Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year?

I adore Neil Gaiman so any book of his is a good choice. I had fun with his illustrated books, short and sweet (though I mentioned it felt like cheating, hahaha).

3. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?

Hmmm, I missed the RSS page of those updating their blogs for the Read-a-Thon. There was one last April. I don't think a page was put up this time around. I guess it would have been easier for some Cheerleaders to visit especially those who have just posted and probably needing a cheer or two to egg them on.

4. What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon?

Lots of mini-challenges to keep Readers busy when they don't feel like reading. Interesting challenges at that.

5. How many books did you read?

4 books, 4 graphic novels, 5 single-issue comics and a third into 1 book (something I plan to finish in the next day or so, after I've slept).

6. What were the names of the books you read?

Serenity: Those Left Behind by Joss Whedon, et al.,
Serenity: Better Days by Joss Whedon, et al.,
Artemis Fowl: The Graphic Novel by Eoin Colfer, Andrew Donkin and Giovanni Rigano
Odd and the Frost Giants by Neil Gaiman
The Dangerous Alphabet by Neil Gaiman and Gris Grimbly
Blueberry Girl by Neil Gaiman and Charles Vess
The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening by L. J. Smith
Fables 10: The Good Prince by Bill Willingham
Buffy the Vampire Slayer S8 #25 Living Doll
Buffy the Vampire Slayer s8 #26 - #28 Retreat Parts 1-3 by Jane Espenson
Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Tales of the Vampyre

I started I Had Brain Surgery, What's Your Excuse? by Suzy Becker

7. Which book did you enjoy most?

Fables: The Good Prince because I've been looking forward to it and it surpassed expectations.

8. Which did you enjoy least?

The arc titled The Retreat of Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8. The issues #26 - #28. Not because they weren't good but because they were incomplete. Reading the single-issue comics leaves you hanging you see. I think it's a four or five part arc.

9. If you were a Cheerleader, do you have any advice for next year’s Cheerleaders?

Be patient. Especially those blogs pretending to join the Read-A-Thon. Hahaha!

10. How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time?

If I'm free I'm more than willing to participate again as a Reader and as a Cheerleader too.

-----

Big thanks again to all organizers, challenge creators, cheerleaders and of course the readers. Ok, will sign off now. Dinner beckons. And Glee replay of the mashup episode. Goodnight (or good morning or good afternoon) wherever you are!

Read-A-Thon Hour 23 Update 7

Title of book(s) read since last update: Serenity: Those Left Behind by Joss Whedon, et al., Serenity: Better Days by Joss Whedon, et al., Artemis Fowl: The Graphic Novel by Eoin Colfer, Andrew Donkin and Giovanni Rigano
Number of books read since you started: 4 books, 4 graphic novels, 5 single-issue comics and a third into 1 book
Pages read since last update: 253
Running total of pages read since you started: 1172
Amount of time spent reading since last update: One and a half hours
Running total of time spent reading since you started: Around seven and a half hours

So three more graphic novels down. I'm on a fangirl mode and finished two of the released Serenity storylines in one sitting. I'm always in the mood for the Browncoats anyway but obviously the stories happened before the film Serenity aired. I don't know if Joss Whedon is planning more installments in the future. I'm just happy to read the stories here that would have looked great had the series Firefly continued airing. The first one, a three-part series titled Those Left Behind answers the question "Whatever happened to those two blue-gloved guys searching for the siblings Simon and River Tam. It's the story that is set prior to the events in the film Serenity. The much newer installment titled Better Days, also a three-part comics, is set sometime before that but definitely after the episode focusing on Jayne Cobb's hero status. I just love Captain Mal. And the rest of the cast. Surely all fangirls need more Serenity stories!

And then there's Artemis Fowl. I listened to the latest book way back in April for the Read-a-Thon. This time around I go back to where it all began. The graphic novel features the storyline of the first book although this time there is no need to translate the different symbols on each page. Hahaha! It's weird trying to get used to the drawings of Holly Short, Artemis and Butler probably because I have an image of them in my head. But it's fun just the same since I love drawings. Still, the Artemis here is the villainous Artemis of the first book. I learned to love him in the later installments. Hahaha!

So there. I think I'll go visit some blogs now for the last hour and cheer whoever is left awake. Hahaha!

Thanks to all the organizers, hosts, and cheerleaders of the Read-A-Thon! It's been a blast really. And to those still reading, keep it up! See you virtually in a bit!

Read-a-Thon Hour 22 Update 6

Title of book(s) read since last update: Odd and the Frost Giants by Neil Gaiman and about a third into I Had Brain Surgery, What's Your Excuse by Suzy Becker
Number of books read since you started: 4 books, 1 graphic novel, 5 single-issue comics and a third into 1 book
Pages read since last update: 179
Running total of pages read since you started: 919
Amount of time spent reading since last update: One and a half hours, give or take (because I did chores in between, took a shower and uh, played Plants Vs. Zombies earlier, hahaha)
Running total of time spent reading since you started: Around six hours, give or take
Mini-challenges completed: I think two, I'm not sure. Hahaha!
Other participants you’ve visited: A lot :P Around fifty I guess. Sorry, that's hardly a dent in the actual number of participants.
Amount of chocolate covered cornflakes consumed: 1 delicious cup

For now I'm done with my go-to Gaiman stash. Odd and the Frost Giant was such a swift read it left me wanting for Odd tales! Plus, the drawings of Mark Buckingham reminded me of Fables a lot, you know Loki looked like Reynard and Odd looked like Rose Red. Hahaha! It's the book written for UK's World Book Day. Less than 100 pages and yet it's a satisfying read indeed. Perfect for Read-a-Thons!

And I started Suzy Becker's I Had Brain Surgery, What's Your Excuse? The author is both a writer and artist. She has been suffering from seizures for sometime now but it was only later that she learned she has a tumor in her brain. It's a serious topic indeed but what makes this book interesting is the way she presented it. Becker is a cartoonist, so the text is full of funny drawings like a superheroine version of herself complete with a velvet red cape, an artist' impression of a tumor, imaginary conversations with an NPR host among others while she tells the tale of her surgery. I'm still on page 83, she was just wheeled out of the operating room. The ending is more than a hundred or so pages away and she just found out she couldn't speak. It's funny so far and yet you can feel her fear through the drawings. Then again, humor is a way of coping with a dire situation. I'll leave that to my post when I'm done with the book.

It's two hours before the end of the Read-a-Thon. I may have spent barely six hours reading (and another four hours typing posts up and checking out other blogs). I'll stay awake until the end, obviously. I mean, how can I sleep when supper's just around the corner. Oh, and I had a cupful of chocolate covered cornflakes as snacks after I took a long shower earlier. Maybe now's the time to open those graphic novels to tide me over the last two hours.

Hope all of you guys are still having fun reading! I know I am!

Read-a-Thon Hour 17 Update 5

I've been visiting blogs the past couple of hours so I haven't read anything yet. My lunch is waiting for me so I'll take an hour or so of break and will resume reading afterwards. Hence I won't be posting for the next three or four hours. In the meantime I do enjoy visiting the blogs of other participants. And I've jotted down some titles that would probably suit me as well.

Thing I learn about myself: I can only cheer so much. I thought with Eva breaking down the visits into manageable 85-site shifts is doable in two hours or so per shift. I barely had time to visit thirty! So kudos to Cheerleaders who signed on for more than an hour of cheering time! Really, those pompoms are pompoms of gold!

And I am in complete awe of those who finished more than five books! Goodness! And I thought I read fast!

Sigh.

And I still doff my hat off to Dewey. She is much missed indeed. I was fortunate enough to know her through the blogging world. And while she is not with us right now, she still lives on in each of us with activities such as this to keep her memory alive. I think the button at the sidebar says it all: We will always remember Dewey.

Double sigh.

Hang in there Readers and Cheerleaders! Eight hours to go! Or is it seven? Hahaha!

Read-a-Thon Mid-Event Survey

1. What are you reading right now? I'm on a self-imposed coffee break so not really reading. But after Hour 13 is over I'll either pick Vampire Diaries: The Struggle by L.J. Smith or start either of the Serenity graphic novels by Joss Whedon. I have to check which from the two was released first.

2. How many books have you read so far? I've read 3 books, 1 graphic novel and 5 single-issue comics.

3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon? From my pile at least I'd like to read I Had Brain Surgery, What's Your Excuse by Suzy Becker. It looks fun with all the drawings by the author. Plus, it's a memoir too. While memoirs in general aren't easy reads, this one looks promising and positive. Also, Odd and the Frost Giants by Neil Gaiman from my go-to Gaiman stash.

4. Did you have to make any special arrangements to free up your whole day? No, not really. It's like I gave myself this month off after the exams. Hopefully by November I'll be gainfully employed but before that I have to write a resume, something I don't know how to do, hahaha. Fingers-crossed with more than a dash of wishful thinking.

5. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those? Interruptions came with the slow internet service sometime 3AM. I was supposed to post that update around 3AM but my PC conked out on me and I had to reboot so the post went live at past 4AM and I had to edit it. Hence I slept, I mean napped (hahaha) later than planned. Which made me groggier today than planned. But hey, I'm having fun!

6. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far? That I'm actually reading! Hahaha! The first time I joined last April I was simply listening to audiobooks and mostly visiting blogs or doing challenges here and there. Now I barely have time to do challenges and surveys and such. And the blogs I visited are just a handful, considering that I signed up to cheer as well. But I can do the cheering between now and much later, when it's quite late or early morning on the other half of the globe.

7. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year? I second Amanda of The Zen Leaf in the comment she left in one of the blogs I visited around the first three hours or so of the Read-a-Thon. It would be good to turn off word verification at least for the duration of the event. Also, for participants to allow anonymous comments within the same time frame. I think I visited a couple of blogs that have anonymous comments and even OpenID turned off so much as I'd like to cheer them on, signing up for their blog site wasn't really an option for me.

8. What would you do differently, as a Reader or a Cheerleader, if you were to do this again next year? As a Cheerleader, I think I should be more patient with those sites with the word verification turned on. Hahaha!

9. Are you getting tired yet? Not now. It's past ten in the morning here plus I had slept, I mean napped for four hours earlier. Gee, I feel so guilty about that. Hahaha! Answering this survey strayed into the 14th hour already. But I'm still on a reading break to visit blogs and prepare my lunch later. Hopefully the rest of the afternoon will run smoothly in terms of reading and updating. Hopefully I get to do some mini challenges along the way but that's also wishful thinking.

10. Do you have any tips for other Readers or Cheerleaders, something you think is working well for you that others may not have discovered? Same as last April, go for shorter books for Readers. Graphic novels, comics and illustrated books will provide the needed break from text heavy novels. As for Cheerleaders, be patient :)

Read-a-Thon Hour 13 Update 3

Title of book(s) read since last update: The Dangerous Alphabet by Neil Gaiman and Gris Grimbly and Blueberry Girl by Neil Gaiman and Charles Vess
Number of books read since you started: 3 book, 1 graphic novel, 5 single-issue comics
Pages read since last update: 64
Running total of pages read since you started: 740
Amount of time spent reading since last update: Thirty minutes or less.
Running total of time spent reading since you started: Around four hours and thirty minutes.
Mini-challenges completed: Uh, still the one with the map :)
Other participants you’ve visited: The same ones I visited since I logged off at past 4AM, sorry :P
Prize you’ve won: None

Ok so I cheated. I took a 4-hour nap. Hahaha! And I still cheated right after by picking up two 32-paged illustrated poems. But seriously, how could I resist? It's Neil Gaiman!

Short, sweet and beautiful reads with gorgeous illustrations! Every girl should read Blueberry Girl (or have it read to her, or to a pregnant mother). It's so empowering.

And every kids should be wary and yet ready for an adventure in The Dangerous Alphabet. I love the drawings and the rhymes, moreso because I'm always in awe of authors who can write crazy ryhmes. Plus, I get to add this to my R.I.P. IV pile up for reviews later on. Hahaha!

Oh well.

I have coffee now. Two steaming mugs. I'm taking a break from reading. My brain still wants to sleep. But I'll go visit some blogs again. Go Team Transcendentalists!

Good morning from the Philippines!

Read-A-Thon Hour 8 Update 2

Title of book(s) read since last update: The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening by L. J. Smith
Number of books read since you started: 1 book, 1 graphic novel, 5 single-issue comics
Pages read since last update: 320
Running total of pages read since you started: 676
Amount of time spent reading since last update: Around two hours.
Running total of time spent reading since you started: Around four hours.
Mini-challenges completed: Uh, the one with the map :)
Other participants you’ve visited: I've visited a handful while on a break after the third hour and I'm still tweeting, sort of :P
Prize you’ve won: None

Finally, one book down!

The reason I had L.J. Smith's Vampire Diaries on my list is Ian Somerhalder. I've seen the first two episodes of Vampire Diaries last month and somehow I felt that the books might have more to it than the small screen translation.

I was right. Plus, I don't think I can say no to a vampire story. Now I want to read the second installment, which I'll probably do after I post this. Which might mean I'll forego the fairy story written by Martin Millar for the time being. Let's see what the sunlight will bring in the next couple or so hours but for now I'd like to know what will happen to Stefan. And Elena.

But Damon sure is interesting especially if I picture Ian Somerhalder. Bad guys are so charming, especially if they're vampires. Hahaha! Excuse me, it's my sleepy brain talking. It's 4:30AM here in the Philippines already. Let's hope the math I did was right. I'm not sure, I'm really sleepy.

Hope all of you are having fun with your book stash! Sigh. My next meal is breakfast. Can't wait for coffee! For now I need to lie down and rest my eyes a bit. If it's way past the witching hour causes my brain to fail. So I'll take a nap for now and will update again in three or four hours, hopefully.

Read-a-Thon: Hour 3 Update 1

Title of book(s) read since last update: Fables 10: The Good Prince, Buffy the Vampire Slayer S8 #25 Living Doll, Buffy the Vampire Slayer s8 #26 - #28 Retreat Parts 1-3, Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Tales of the Vampyre
Number of books read since you started: 1 graphic novel, 5 single-issue comics
Pages read since last update: 356
Running total of pages read since you started: 356
Amount of time spent reading since last update: Around two hours, give or take as I had to do chores after dinner and I didn't time that.
Running total of time spent reading since you started: Around two hours.
Mini-challenges completed: None, hahaha!
Other participants you’ve visited: None yet, but I'm tweeting, sort of :P
Prize you’ve won: None

This is my first update. I just finished BtVS #28 and gee, I can't wait for #29 so I'll know how it ends. I just don't think it would end, at least the Twilight arc on that next installment. But before that: Hello there fellow readathoners! Hope you're all having a blast! I'll take this time to post and hopefully bloghop a little bit before I start reading again.

Whew for Fables! Whew for Prince Ambrose! Goodness! I know I've been remiss in my Fables reading but after the long wait I'm finally done with the tenth volume and it's just heartbreaking and lovely and unbelievable. Since reading Fables: 1001 Nights of Snowfall sometime ago I've been afraid of what Ambrose's future, like what he'd do if he starts remembering again. Bill Willingham certainly did not disappoint. Can I just say that for a series titled Fables, it's really good to finally have a satisfying ending here for Ambrose's woes, not to mention setting up the events for the next volume which I hope to have soon. I have a copy reserved already for Fables: War and Pieces, but I digress.

And as a big fan of Snow and Bigby's tale I adored The Birthday Secret. I love the roughness of the drawings that totally separated this storyline, obviously, with The Flycatcher's Tale. I'd like to know more about the cubs, I mean kids soon! And can anyone tell me if the sword mattered in any of Jack of Fables' storyline? Because that had me laughing a bit!

As for Buffy, it's really nice to finally have time to read the back issues after all these months. I forgot that I stopped at #24 and it was just after the attack made on the palace and gee, that's a spoiler for those following the compiled editions. #25 is the conclusion of Dawn's bewitching; a story that focuses mostly on the two sisters: Buffy and Dawn. Issues #26 - #28 deals with Jane Espenson's tale on Buffy and the rest of the gang titled Retreat. There's not much to say since the arc isn't complete yet but it sure is welcome to see a familiar person in the fold: Oz!

Oh well, this is a bit long. Maybe I'll go visit some blog now. Have fun people!

6

Minutes.

Dewey's Read-a-Thon starts in six minutes.

Well, five minutes and a handful of seconds. You get the drift.

Four minutes now. Or less.

La di da. Three minutes.

So this is like a countdown post and I'll press "Publish" hopefully by 8PM. The time it starts here in Manila, Philippines.

And I start with three word balloons, "A mess! A great big filthy mess! And we're finally in the threshold of drowning in it!"

So I'm starting with Fables: The Good Prince. Sigh.

Best wishes bookloving people of the blogging world! My next update will be in three hours, hopefully.

And here's to you Dewey!

Seven

Hours and counting before Dewey's Read-a-Thon starts. I'll have lunch in a bit while I battle with migraine that would hopefully go away before I do any reading.

And gee, I signed up for cheerleading duties a couple of minutes ago and just emailed Eva about it.

I'm excited to read with all of you guys out there!

Oh and if all my selected readings fail, I do have a go-to Gaiman stash:



I borrowed them from a dear friend a couple of months ago and it's only now that I get to take them out of my shelves when I realized they are short reads indeed. Something that would probably help me get over a possible slump.

This is just my second Read-a-Thon. And this is my game plan:

• No audiobooks this time. For one thing I don't have any with me right now. Hahaha!
• Update regularly. Well, an update every 3 - 4 hours won't hurt. And I'll probably update on Twitter as well. Assuming of course I'm awake. Hahaha!
• Cheer for the time alloted for me. Seriously. I did mention that it's pretty much morning here while the rest of the participants in the States or in other parts of the globe are battling sleep.
• Play Plants Vs. Zombies. When my eyes can't take anymore reading. Hahaha!
• Enjoy. Because.

With this I end my post, pull down the blinds and get some rest before I start reading by 8PM local time.

Good luck and happy reading to all you readathoners out there! May we all have a blast!

Team Katniss

The Hunger Games
Suzanne Collins

If there's a book that I've read this year that I haven't been able to put down since I picked it up, it's this. Seriously.

[T]he idea of the girl with her maimed tongue frightens me. She has reminded me why I'm here. Not to model flashy costumes and eat delicacies. But to die a bloody death while the crowds urge on my killer.

Katniss Everdeen is not your ordinary sixteen-year old heroine. She's a hunter. She forages the woods for game and crops with another hunter named Gale. She has to in order to feed her family: a depressed mother and a twelve-year old younger sister Prim. Lest you think it's a fantasy with magical entities surrounding the woods and a witch waiting inside a gingerbread house, it's not. Katniss' world is set in the far future, in a place called Panem, composed of twelve districts and a Capitol that oversees all inhabitants. It's a future that is dark and deadly, because in Panem nobody is safe, particularly the young sons and daughters of its inhabitants. Why? There's the annual Hunger Games you see, where a girl and a boy tribute randomly chosen from each district are placed in an arena to battle against each other to the death. On live tv even.

Sounds horrendous? Yes. Scary? All the more. Believable? You bet.

It's a future that is familiar to each of us, one way or another. Little instances of inequality and injustice are amplified. We can recognize them in a heartbeat. Those who have the money, those who have the power control majority of the resources. Those who have less get by, or try to otherwise they'd die of hunger. Katniss is getting by with the lot thrown her way. She's the voice of the book and it's her point of view we follow as she prepares for battle. And yet you can't even forget that she's still a teenager. That while she grew up practically raising her family with her hunting skills, simple things such as hot chocolate is such a pleasure to her or even reacting sarcastically to some coaching thrown her way. Oh and yes, there's a love angle. Fortunately it's not forced and actually flows seamlessly with the story.

It's a compelling story that makes you relish the actions unfolding on each page. You cheer and fear for Katniss, Peeta and Rue. You doubt, believe, doubt and believe Haymitch. You laugh at moments when Katniss' sarcasm hits the mark and then you stop and look over your shoulder thinking "Is it really apt to laugh at that?" and hoping that nobody's watching you and tsk tsk tsk-ing upon seeing the book you're reading. Because it's a serious story and yet you have to laugh a bit, sometimes, to survive.

Read this. Word of advice though, don't crack this open at the end of your day thinking you need just a paragraph or two to tide you over to dreamland. That won't work. If you must rest go pick up something else. Reserve a time for this one. It practically demands it.

Other interesting points of view:

Becky's Book Reviews
Bobbi's Book Nook
Books and Movies
Bookshelves of Doom
Dear Author
Devourer of Books
Graeme's Fantasy Book Review
Lucid Conspiracy
The Reading Zone
Wands and Worlds

Let me know if I missed yours.

Reading List

It's really late. I'm still packing stuff and will be away for at least the rest of the week. Considering that I've barely blogged for the better part of six months another week or so won't matter. But I'd like to post this list of stuff I'm considering for Dewey's Read-a-Thon. Well, I really want a photo but I'm trying to figure out from what shelf I placed some of the titles running through my brain right now. So a list it is instead.

The Good Fairies of New York by Martin Millar
Vampire Diaries #1 The Awakening by L.J. Smith
Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chobsky
Fables: The Good Prince by Bill Willingham, et al.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8 Issues #26 - #28
Serenity: Better Days by Joss Whedon, et al.
Serenity: Those Left Behind by Joss Whedon, et al.
Y: The Last Man #1 by Brian K. Vaughan, et al.
I Had Brain Surgery, What's Your Excuse by Suzy Becker
Dexter by Design by Jeff Lindsay

That's just at the top of my head. Given my barely-read books in last April's Read-a-Thon I'd probably be happy if I finish two out of the list! Then again, it's obvious I'm going for mostly comics here so chalking off two won't be that hard. Plus, I don't think I'd do audiobook this time.

As in all reading lists I come up with, books (and comics) are subject to change without due notice.

Goodluck next weekend to all participants of the Read-a-Thon! Will be back posting by then.

Brains*

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith

Given a book titled Pride and Prejudice and Zombies you can't take it seriously. You shouldn't. Lest you find yourself gasping at the shock of reading the first line:

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a zombie in possession of brains must be in want of more brains.

Either you throw the book in horror or accept it as is and actually look forward to the mayhem. I belong to the latter part.

This boils down to mindset, really. You'll enjoy this if you find the mere idea of zombies in Austen's territory hilarious. That in itself brings other ideas to mind and don't you just love creative thinking? You'll laugh if you adore Pride and Prejudice to bits and have no qualms to looking at it in a different light. You'll have fun if you love to laugh at life's cards however dealt your way. But let me get back to the book.

Those who haven't read P&P will obviously get lost in the pages of this one. It's a given that you must have read the book once. Or at least watched the film adaptation. Better yet the miniseries to get the feel of the actual words. Better if you've read it more than once. Because Seth Grahame-Smith picked those well-loved scenes and dialogues and placed the zombies, I mean unmentionables' storyline, intricately between them. And not to take it seriously. In the end it's still Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy's story. Plus the zombies.

Oh, while retaining that romance, Grahame-Smith did manage to go wild on the other characters and methinks some get more than their due from the original text, which made it funnier for me, like Wickham's fate for example. The amplification of some of the characters' traits - Jane is too good, Lydia is too wicked - are easy to spot and well, define a parody, really. Plus, the drawings! Well, I can't say they are gorgeous but try imagining Elizabeth fighting a zombie or hordes of them for that matter and probably you'll have nowhere else to go but the etchings featured here. And there are innuendos that made me snicker like crazy which obviously aren't present in the original text.

So it's obvious I enjoyed it despite some of the flaws or worrisome moments I picked up along the way. I wanted to laugh before I started this one and have been rewarded with plenty. If I read this wanting a scholarly, serious take on Austen's text, treatment of Asians, or even presence of zombies, it would fail miserably.

What's next, Emma and Dracula?

Other interesting points of view:

Becky's Book Reviews
Biblioaddict
Care's Online Book Club
Graeme's Fantasy Book Review
Read. Read. Read.

-----
*Spoken with a zombie-like voice, probably a result from playing too much Plants Vs. Zombies. Hahaha!

Mystery Man

Skellig
David Almond

When I'm in a reading slump I almost always resort to shortish books to tide me through. Still, it's a matter of content. I've tried some books that barely reached 200 pages but I stopped at page two or three. Sometimes the first few paragraphs don't engage me. This one does.

He was lying there in the darkness behind the tea chests, in the dust and dirt. It was as if he'd been there forever. He was filthy and pale and dried out and I thought he was dead. I couldn't have been more wrong. I'd soon begin to see the truth about him, that there'd never been another creature like him in the world.

It's a story of Michael, a young boy who discovers a strange creature living in the dilapidated garage of his new home. What is it exactly is a mystery. All Michael knows is that one way or another he has to help the creature, even if it means lying to his parents who have enough worries on their own concerning Michael's very sick baby sister. Or alienating his friends in school.

His decision also means opening himself to the world outside: befriending new people like the homeschooled girl next door Mina and getting to know the creature who calls himself Skellig.

Short and powerful story that doesn't need any more recommendation other than "Read it and believe" or "Read it and be inspired." This is the way books should be written.

Other interesting points of view:

An Adventure in Reading
As Usual I Need More Bookshelves
Becky's Book Reviews
Jenny's Books
Somewhere I Have Never Travelled
The Genteel Arsenal
Things Mean A Lot
Valentina's Room
Where Trouble Melts Like Lemon Drops
You Can Never Have Too Many Books

The Gift/Curse Duality

The Foreshadowing
Marcus Sedgwick

This is the first book I finished since I rejoined the reading world. It's just too bad that I didn't like it as much as I wanted to. Sigh.

This is not my first Sedgwick book. I've read and thoroughly enjoyed The Dark Flight Down prior to this book blog. I love the way he writes perfect prose that make the hairs at the back of your neck stand up to attention. I like the way he paints a setting that is both eerie and yet challenging to the lead character, Boy, if I'm remembering it correctly.

With that I was pretty much excited with this story: the cover flap reveals that Alexandra Fox has a unique gift. She sees the future and unfortunately for her that includes her brother's death. So I picked it up and after sometime found myself almost halfway into it just as I was feeling sleepy.

What is it all about? The Foreshadowing is both historical fiction and a chilling story echoing Greek mythology tightly wrapped in a hundred short chapters. Alexandra's gift is more of a curse. It's not the future she actually sees but death. The death of a friend. The death of a stranger boarding a bus. The death of her brother's friend. And she dreams of ravens; that black bird that foretells death.

She's also living a sheltered life where her gift is not discussed. At a time where women never much had a say in the world, she feels closeted, her dreams unexpressed. But when her beloved brother goes to France for the war, she sees him being shot in the future. Devising a plan to save him she escapes the confines of her home and set sail to France as a nurse. And there she met a man who is just like her.

Well, that somehow sums it up without giving anything away. Plus a spoiler of sorts even. Hahaha.

It is well-written. The short chapters helped in the pacing. Sedgwick gives you just enough to go on from chapter to chapter, with characters that speak for themselves sans the usual backstory expected from major characters. You form a picture in your brain and accept it as is. You don't ask for reasons why a character is that way because you understand him or her. Maybe because you know them well enough: we all have fathers and mothers, siblings, strangers and friends.

It's also a story about a war.

And they crow about our brave men. It's not that I don't think they're brave, it's simply that when I look at a broken body, all I feel is sadness. Not pride, or pity, or horror, or hatred. To me those are false feelings, emotions that we ut on top of our sadness, because of the war, because of our country or because we don't want to feel afraid.

War is always a difficult thing to read. Sedgwick used the war as a backdrop for Sasha's decision to save her brother from a fate she saw in her dreams. It's also a platform for education. Using books and diaries from that period, the reader is apprised of what the war was like in those times. I learned that back then if you give a young man a white feather it means you think him a coward for not joining the infantry and suiting up for war.

But mostly it is about growing up. Sasha is seventeen. A sheltered girl with a curse. It's her own personal quest to drown the ring in Mt. Doom. Oh wait, that's Frodo. Sorry. Actually it's more of a Frodo-lite. Or Frodo-extralite. To me at least. For one thing, the whole world doesn't hang in the balance in this story. Hahaha.

If it's that interesting how come you didn't like it? Well, it's just me. I liked the writing. I liked the idea. I liked the references to Cassandra's tale. But, but, but there wasn't any emotional pull to me when I reached the middle. I just wanted to learn how it ends. Then, a few chapters before the conclusion I felt how it would end. I hate it when that happens to me.

Then again, this is the first book I finished after more than a handful of false starts from other stories. So there's still a bit of that pull somehow that made me want to finish it. And I'd still look forward to his other books in the future. This probably caught me at a bad time, who knows? Or maybe I just need to get my reading groove back.

Other interesting point of view:

Bart's Bookshelf