In Which We Have a Blogger Party Despite the Tornado!

Okay, so there really wasn't a REAL tornado, but there was something that ALMOST was a tornado and some people even filmed a thing that really LOOKED like one (and as you can hear here, we aren't used to tornadoes in these parts!) But still...

....whatever it was, the storm that blew through here on Saturday just a few hours before our party was to start was EPIC.

I took some pictures of my own from what it looked like where I stood:

And.....I even took a little movie! See what you think... this was almost a tornado, right? The sky was green (though you can't tell from the pictures and movie, but I promise, it was!) and so I think that it was so close and that's very weird for here....and some people are saying that it didn't quite form because of our mountains. Which I'm sure is good thing, though it was pretty exciting!




So.... anyway! This all happened just a few hours before our party was to start. And we were all tweeting each other what we were seeing and wondering if the party would happen. I said... ah... it'll blow over! The party goes on!

Well, it did stop raining sort of. But it sure cooled things off and got the park all wet! So we went and wiped of the benches and tables, dug out our jackets and yes, the party went on!

Bur first, another picture. When we got to the park, we were fascinated with this big bird trying to dry out his wings:

He was just standing like that, totally still,
holding his wings out to the air. Awesome.

Well, so only a few brave souls showed up. Besides the rain, it was also Salt Lake's first ComicCon! So, almost every blogger and author went there and NOT to the party! And so, why weren't we there? And why did we plan the party for the same day? Because we didn't know about this event when we planned things! GAH!!! Next year, we'll ALL be there! And we'll plan the party for a different day and then EVERYONE will come!

But, we had fun with our small crowd and enjoyed talking books and eating treats. We had one brand new author join us, Julia King, and we hope to get our hands on her book and pass it around for a sort of informal book tour. It's called Felicite Found and it looks awesome. So, stay tuned for that! (And thanks to her for coming even though she was sick and didn't feel good at all!)

We played a little game to get to know each other better and as a way to hand out the book swap books. Later, Kami had fun giving us all silly nick names. This is what we discovered:

Jenny from Alternate Readality: Number 1 meanest blogger and most creative blog name
Kami from Kami's Library Thoughts: Number 2 meanest blogger and post the most reviews a week
Kathy from Read This Instead: Number 3 meanest blogger
Jessica from Books: A True Story: The "other" Jessica!
Jenni from Jenni Elyse: posted the most blogs this past week
Suey from It's All About Books:  Blogger Mom! (You can decide what that means for sure!)

David (Kami's husband), Kami, Jessica, Kathy and son
Jenni Elyse in the background

Jenny and her fiance, Guy

Suey's husband, Stuey, talking to new author, Julia King

Thanks to those of you who did come! It was fun! Hopefully next year we'll figure out a better day so more of you can come.

The Book Thief Read Along Discussion One: Parts 1-3

Hey everyone! How's the reading going for this most awesome book? I hope those reading for the first time are loving it and those re-reading it are loving it even more than the first time!

So.. welcome to the first discussion of our read along! To begin with, I thought I'd do a quick recap/summary of the first three parts that we were to read by today. I think I've done pretty well keeping it relatively spoiler free even!

Part One

• We are introduced to nearly all the main characters, including Death the narrator.
• We learn a little about Liesel's background.
• Liesel steals her first book.
• Death seems impressed by Liesel and we have yet to know why.
• Liesel can't read and starts learning how with Hans' help.
• Leisel learns about the Jesse Owens incident.
• Rudy asks for a kiss for the first time.
• Liesel beats up two boys at school and in turn gets two beatings from the teacher.
• The war starts.

Part Two

• Hitler's birthday celebration
• But first Liesel gets two books for Christmas.
• Then she writes letters to her mom, but it doesn't go well.
• Rosa gets mad, but says, "I'm sorry" (and not about getting mad.)
• Liesel begins walking the laundry delivery route alone.
• Liesel steals her second book from the birthday bonfire.
• She learns who "they" are, voices her opinion out loud and Hans freaks out.
• Someone watched her steal the second book.

Part Three

• We meet Max for the first time.
• We really meet the mayor's wife for the first, and her library too.
• Liesel continues to discover the power of words.
• Liesel and Rudy start a thievery career.
• Liesel's world is about to change... again!
• Rudy continues to ask for kisses, Liesel continues to deny him.

And with that, we are just getting started! Things are going to get crazy from here on out!

And now for some questions! Feel free to write a post of your own answering the questions (any or all of them!) and then come back here to link up so we can all easily see who is participating with a post.

However, if you don't feel like writing a post (or don't have a blog, or are participating unofficially!) then answer questions in comments... which I will now declare NOT spoiler free. Feel free to discuss anything without worrying about spoilers... for the first three parts of the book anyway. No spoilers for anything beyond that!

Also, don't forget to join us on Twitter TOMORROW (Wed) at noon (I changed the time to a little later, but I'll be on earlier just in case you come at the original time!) to chat there. Use the hashtag #bookthief and let's talk!



Okay, here are the questions, followed by my own answers and then the linky. Have fun!

Some questions:

1. What's your first impression of Death as a character/narrator?

2. What's your first impression of the unique writing style?

3. Which character stands out to you the most so far and why?

4. What do you think the author is trying to say about the power of words?

5. How do you feel about all the foreshadowing that's going on?

6. Also, how do you feel about all that German swearing?!? 

7. What do you think about the relationship between Hans and Rosa?
8. What do you think about the relationship between Rudy and Liesel?

9.  What are your feelings on the politics of the time that we've seen so far?
10. What images and/or symbols stand out for you in this story so far?

My thoughts and answers:

1. I love Death. He creeps me out a little, he's a little strange, but I find him to be quite emotional and sympathetic to us dying humans. I love how he is touched by certain humans, Liesel in particular, and he makes me anxious to know more. However, he does have a flair for the dramatic with all that crazy foreshadowing!!

2. When I read this the first time, it took me awhile to get used to this writing style. And I have no idea how to describe it.....very poetic, lots of imagery and personification, a little choppy in bits, much narrator interruption. simple short sentences, etc. It was strange. But in the meantime and having read Markus Zusak's books over and over and over again, I can now say without a doubt... I absolutely LOVE it. Love love love.

3. Hmmm... I think Hans stands out as a character who has the most patience in the world. I mean, to teach a kid to read in the middle of the night? And to deal with Rosa? Right? But right now, I'm especially curious about both Mr. Mayor's Wife and Max. I can't wait to see what's up with them. This time around, I'm going to picture Max much younger in my head. The first two times I read this I think I thought of him as too old.

4. I think he wants us to think of words as the very THING that moves worlds... and wars.... and life and people. Words are IT. Words truly are the power behind everything. It's mind blowing.

5. The foreshadowing makes me CRAZY!!! The first time through this book I was like GAH.... you are KILLING ME with this! Please make it stop! The second time through I was like... I KNOW I KNOW! Let's not go there!! And now, I'm really noticing how much there really is. Wow. It's insane.

6. And the German swearing makes me laugh. 'Course, I don't know German so it's quite tame in my head. I find it interesting that they actually use these words as terms of endearment. I wonder if that's how it is in real life over there?

7. Hans and Rosa area  funny couple. It appears that they are just tolerating each other, but I think deep down their love for each other is a real, tangible thing.

8. Rudy and Liesel seem to be playing at being a couple, but they are truly the most awesome of friends. I feel like Rudy is just teasing Liesel about the kissing thing. At first that is. Then.... things change. Ah, do they ever change.

9. This book made me think for the first time what it might have been like for Germans during this war. They weren't the bad guys. They were normal people who HATED what was happening and they had no way to stop it. They had to go along with it to save themselves and their families. I just can't even imagine how hard it would have been. And what makes a government so powerful as that? It's a crazy thing to see.

10. Liesel's mom carrying the memory of her dead son on her shoulder, Liesel stealing a burning book and hiding it in her coat even as the smoke is billowing out, Rudy running around the track covered in mud as an imaginary crowd cheers him on, two kids taking turns sucking on a piece of candy, the alphabet painted all over a basement wall....and.... I'll stop there for now!

Please link up with your answers on your posts!
Don't forget to come chat tomorrow at noon Mountain time!
Read parts 4-6 by Sept. 20!!

Book Review and Blog Tour: Visiting Tom by Michael Perry

Book: Visiting Tom: A Man, A Highway and the Road to Roughneck Grace by Michael Perry
Genre: NF Memoir
Rating:★★★★★
For: TLC Blog Tour
From: TLC

A few years ago I read and reviewed Coop, another one of Michael Perry's books. And I loved it. One of my favorite books of all time I would have to say. So of course when approached about reviewing this one, I couldn't pass it up!

Michael Perry is one of those authors that has such a unique style of writing as to be able to capture the very perfect moments of every day life. This book is about nothing except visiting his old farmer neighbor and the stories the farmer tells every time he goes over. He then meshes it with what's going on in his own life (namely a fight with the county about a road issue) and the two somewhere somehow connect.

It's so simple, and yet, the stories are so profound and so meaningful and so heart warming. I love it. It makes me want to write this way and tell the stories of my own grandparents. And I've probably said that before, but it does. I wish I could do it. I wish I could figure out this writing thing to the point that I can take everyday yet profound memories and turn them into sweet and awesome essays.

Anyway, back to Tom. He lives there next to the author on the farm he grew up on. However, once upon a time, they wanted to bring a freeway right through his property! And so they did, totally cutting his farm in half. So the freeway now barrels right on through, right next to his house. It's an interestingly sad tale, one that makes this farmer crazy and yet, he has dealt with it, just as we have to deal with the crap life sometimes gives us.

But there's more. Stories about shooting canons, saving the silo, courting his wife, teaching his kids, building this crazy thing and that crazy thing, the crow that they tamed, the fox that came in the house once, and so on and so on and so on.

Then there's the relationship between him and his wife. One time, he gets sick and we see her taking care of him. And then she gets sick and we see him taking care of her. In fact she doesn't have long to live and once, we see him leaning down to her and saying, "60 years, just one more year and we've made it!" You see, they had the goal to last until they've been married 60 years.... and they are determined to get there. Makes you a little weepy, yes?

If you love these sort of small town America, farming, family, tender stories, you'll love this one....

Bottom line: ... and I loved it.

For other reviews, click on this link to other bloggers featuring this book for the tour.
For more about the author, a fascinating guy I'm thinking, head on over to his website.
And here's the awesome trailer featuring none other than Tom himself:

Book Review: After Hello by Lisa Mangum

Book: After Hello by Lisa Mangum
Genre: YA Romance
Rating:★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
For: Utah Book Month
From: Bought from Amazon for a signing

Here's a fun contemporary YA that reminded me a bit of Gayle Forman's Just One Day, only in New York instead of Paris! Our girl is sightseeing alone in New York, waiting for her dad to finish a business meeting. She's having fun with her camera when she notices a guy coming out of a bookstore. He looks interesting so she takes a picture and then follows him.

Before we know it, she is mixed up in his business (of delivering the book) which sets off a course of events that leads them on a very strange quest for the rest of the day (and night). In the process we get to sight see through New York City! And meet a bunch of interesting quirky characters along the way.

I had fun reading this book. I felt, at times, that it was trying too hard to be profound and drum up some drama and have the kids stop and go.. "wow.... so that's what I should be thinking about life." Yes, they both have their issues and secrets and during the course of their adventure all that is revealed to us and to each other. I found myself rolling my eyes a few times, sadly.

And, I must say, these books about kids wandering a city, even late into the night and usually overnight... as a parent... they make me a bit crazy. But then again, I'm, shall we say, a bit overprotective! I can't image, business meeting or no business meeting, letting my kid wander like that! And then not come and check in? Yeah, it made the parent in me crazy. Besides that, they do so much stuff in the amount of time they have and I'm not sure it would have even been possible. I don't know.

It would be an interesting experiment to test out the possibility!

But the cool message about this book is that you can trade people for things they want and get back something you want, that everything as a value to someone, and that sometimes things are worth holding onto and sometimes they are not.

I'm wondering if this book is a series. It was left wide open for another adventure!

Bottom line: I liked it fine, but some bits made me crazy!

Other Reviews:

The story itself isn’t very plausible, but if you can suspend your disbelief and just enjoy the ride, it’s a very cute and fun book. From The Busy Bibliophile

I adored the feel of the city you get from it and I loved the characters. From The Book Bundle

I felt like I was on an adventure right along with Sara and Sam. It was fun and thought provoking and touching. From The Literate Mother

The conflict was interesting – maybe mildly far-fetched but still possible and a lot of fun. From Books: A True Story

I'm not sure that I was completely a fan of how the story switched points of view between Sara and Sam with every chapter. From Fire and Ice

Movie Review: Austenland

Movie: Austenland
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Starring: Keri Russell, JJ Field, Jennifer Coolidge, Jane Seymour
Rating: PG13
My Rating: Two thumbs up!

Yes, two thumbs, however, I would have to say that you should be in a romantic comedy sort of mood for this one! Not necessarily a silly mood, but maybe a little bit silly will help! Or, maybe if you aren't feeling silly at all, you will after seeing it!

What a fun movie! So this girl, Jane, loves Pride and Prejudice, actually all things Jane Austen, and especially Mr. Darcy. And don't we all? But her life is pretty much consumed with it. So, she decides to go to England where there's a place where one can act as if they are actually in a Jane Austen book, complete with hot hunks and romance.

She is so excited for this! But, when she gets there, things aren't so quaint and cool as she expected. It's a little bit hard to act like Elizabeth Bennett! But oddly enough, there is a guy who is very much like Mr. Darcy, mostly the pride part. And Jane is not impressed. She is much more attracted to the help! Before long, she is totally mixed up and doesn't know what's real and what's fantasy. It's awesome.

Ah, the antics that ensue! It's crazy fun, really. Crazy characters and crazy situations. Jane Seymour is awesome as the leader of the retreat, perfect really. And Jennifer Coolidge is absolutely wonderful as the crazy other client having her Austenland experience. Funny stuff.

The guy that played Mr. Nobley reminded me of Tom Hiddleston (aka. Loki), which was a good thing. But a little strange! What do you think?

JJ Field

Tom Hiddleston

Anyway, I do hope you all get a chance to go see it. It's only in a few theaters at the moment, but hopefully it will be everywhere soon!

Bottom line: Way too much fun! Much giggling from the audience!

Here's the trailer:

Book Review: The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater

Book: The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater
Genre: YA Paranormal
Rating: ★★★★☆
For: Review
From: NetGalley (to be released September 17, 2013)

I loved the first book, The Raven Boys, so I expected great things from this second book. And while it was a blast and a really good read, it still didn't grab me quite as hard as that first book. Yeah, sometimes that happens!

But still, it was a great story. In this installment, Gansey is still on his quest to find the old Scottish (I think) king, but the focus is less on that and more on Ronan who, we learn, has a pretty powerful secret of his own. He can steal stuff from dreams! (Thus the title! So not a spoiler, right?)

Anyway, this power gets pretty complicated and causes all sorts of trauma and trouble. But the biggest problem with this power is that there's someone out there who wants it and has come to get it. Enter the villain who walks a gray line (ha! Gray!) and we aren't sure... is he bad, or is he good? Gah, these sorts of villains make me crazy! In a good way! Yes, I loved the introduction of this creepy dude. I hope we see more of him.

And then there's Adam. One of my favorite dudes in recent books. Wow, he has issues! You just want to give him a hug and fix him! I had a problem remembering exactly what happened at the end of the first book, but whatever it was, it really messed up Adam. (I still need to go and review that ending, so if you do pick up this the second book, be sure you remember what happened with Adam at the end of the last one. It will help.)

So, he is tied to the ley line somehow, the one they messed with and woke up in the first book which then stirred up all sorts of magical stress and chaos. In this book that continues, with Adam right in the thick of things. Poor Adam. As if he needs any more stress in his life. I don't' know what it is about this particular Raven boy, but I just adore him.

And then there's Noah and Blue... who have a little lesser role in this book, but they do have a nice moment, a surprising moment, and one you want to keep your eye open for!

So the book is a big set up for solving the whole "finding the king" issue. We get a bit sidetracked here with Ronan's "gift" and then by the end, we are on track again to help Gansey. I can't wait to see how it all goes down. I love these guys (though Ronan scares me a bit) and can't wait to find out what happens next!

Bottom line: Awesome book, awesome characters.

Other Reviews:

Imagination was superb and Ms. Stiefvater creates yet another spell binding book that brought out the true meaning of paranormal. From Books With Bite

I would be remiss not to mention a certain character that almost stole the show – and my heart – from the Raven Boys: the Gray Man. From Book Harbinger

The most exciting part? Seeing Gansey and Blue get a little closer … man, I wanna see them together! From Proud Book Nerd

It was so deliciously dangerous being inside Ronan's head for the duration of this dark, dark book. From Angieville

No one gets off easy here, Adam especially, and this book is more anger, and arguing, and angst than the first. From Read This Instead

Utah Book Month First Lines Quiz: ANSWERS and WINNERS

Hey everyone! Last month as part of Utah Book Month I had a challenge where you had to match up the first lines of Utah books with their titles. Remember that?

Well, it's time to give the answers and announce the winners.

First the answers:

"You look like a total dork, Ed," says my eight year old sister, the Lovely and Talented Maggie McIff, as I prepared to go to work at Reel Life Movies. A Loser's Guide Life and Love by Ann Cannon

It all comes down to my nose. My Big Nose and Other Natural Disasters by Sidney Salter

Norbert Johnson had never met such strange people in all of his life, much less two on the same day-- within the same hour even. The 13th Reality by James Dashner

Wolves don't actually howl at the moon. Wolves, Boys and Other Things that Might Kill Me by Kristen Chandler

The whole world is wilting. Once Was Lost by Sara Zarr

"If I was going to kill the Prophet," I say, not even keeping my voice low, "I'd do it in Africa." The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams

Kalak rounded a rocky stone ridge and stumbled to a stop before the body of a dying thunderclast.  The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson

If I had to do it all over again, I would not have chosen this life. The False Prince by Jennifer Nielsen

Because he had once been human, the King Under Stone sometimes found himself plagued by human emotions. Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George

It'd been four years since I'd really slept and I suspected it was killing me. Insomnia by J.R. Johansson

And the winners are:
 (yes WINNERS, since there's a tie.. they are both winning!)

Kathy from Read This Instead

and

Susan from Bloggin' 'bout Books

Congratulations! You'll both be getting an email from me where you can then reply with your address and the book you'd like to receive! You can pick from the list of the above books that were featured on this quiz. Enjoy!