This is my most current read from my goal of reading all the Newbery Award books. It's been a long road, and taken almost 2 years.
I really enjoyed this one. I can see why it won the NA. It certainly makes you think.
The main character, Sara Louise, aka "Wheeze", is very relatable. Anyone with siblings (and most people without) will get where she's coming from with the jealousy and sibling rivalry.
I cried the whole last 3-4 chapters. It's so touching how things end for her. I'm so happy that the story doesn't just end with Caroline leaving, but that we get a glimpse of how Louise goes on to college, and gets married, etc. The best stories have at least *some* of the future shown.
Her struggles as a teenager certainly strike home. We've all had those moments of not feeling *good enough* and then overworking to make up for some imagined failing. Or at least, I know I did. A lot of introspect while reading this one.
I definitely suggest it. Some of the other NA's, not so much. But that's another post.
--Miss(ed) Eloquence
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Usain Bolt is an asshat
For those not watching the Olympics, Usain Bolt is a male sprinter from Jamaica. While watching the Olympics yesterday (late) I watched him and 8 others run the final for the Men's 100M dash. I had seen the prelims earlier this week, so I was interested to watch.
As Mr Eloquence and I watch the men warming up, Bolt starts posing. First strike in my eyes - save the posing and theatrics for after the race! Then, they run. HE SLOWS DOWN the last 15M or so. SLOWS DOWN in an Olympic final! He doesn't run all out! What athlete worth his running shoes doesn't put it all out there all the way to the line?? It doesn't matter how far ahead you are - you keep going to the last second, do the absolute best you can, and put it all on the field! I was sickened.
Then, his behaviour afterward. More posing. A terrible interview where he just brushed off the question of how much better could he have done if he had pushed it to the line. "I'm just happy." Yeah, well I'm not.
--Miss(ed) Eloquence
As Mr Eloquence and I watch the men warming up, Bolt starts posing. First strike in my eyes - save the posing and theatrics for after the race! Then, they run. HE SLOWS DOWN the last 15M or so. SLOWS DOWN in an Olympic final! He doesn't run all out! What athlete worth his running shoes doesn't put it all out there all the way to the line?? It doesn't matter how far ahead you are - you keep going to the last second, do the absolute best you can, and put it all on the field! I was sickened.
Then, his behaviour afterward. More posing. A terrible interview where he just brushed off the question of how much better could he have done if he had pushed it to the line. "I'm just happy." Yeah, well I'm not.
--Miss(ed) Eloquence
Monday, August 11, 2008
Robert Asprin's MYTH series
This is one of my all time faves. I got turned on to it by my dad when I was a teen.
RA has been writing these books since the early 80's, then took a break after "Sweet Myth-tery of Life" in 1994. I only recently found out (recent being the last couple of years) that he is again writing these books with the help of Jody Lynn Nye.
I still love these books - as much or more than I did in the first place. JLN is an awesome writer, and I honestly can't tell which parts are written by which writer. And since I like it so much, I don't bother to analyze it - why mess with such a good thing?
The most recent one I've read is Myth-gotten Gains. This is a great story - The Horde makes for some funny reading. Mr Eloquence rolls his eyes every time I burst out laughing - which is once or twice a page! But it really is that funny, and I love anything that tickles my funny bone like that.
I very much look forward to more books by these authors.
--Miss(ed) Eloquence
RA has been writing these books since the early 80's, then took a break after "Sweet Myth-tery of Life" in 1994. I only recently found out (recent being the last couple of years) that he is again writing these books with the help of Jody Lynn Nye.
I still love these books - as much or more than I did in the first place. JLN is an awesome writer, and I honestly can't tell which parts are written by which writer. And since I like it so much, I don't bother to analyze it - why mess with such a good thing?
The most recent one I've read is Myth-gotten Gains. This is a great story - The Horde makes for some funny reading. Mr Eloquence rolls his eyes every time I burst out laughing - which is once or twice a page! But it really is that funny, and I love anything that tickles my funny bone like that.
I very much look forward to more books by these authors.
--Miss(ed) Eloquence
Saturday, August 9, 2008
A day late - and 15 more to go
So, last night Mr Eloquence got a babysitter for the Diva Midget and we went out to the movies. Saw "The Dark Knight". LOVE IT! But that's not the object of this post. That's merely the reason I'm doing this post today.
So, I'm watching the Olympic Opening Ceremonies right now. YAY! for DVR!
I'm SO impressed. The theatrics, the showmanship, the technology - I'm awed.
I'm moved by how many countries showed up. I'm surprised actually at how many Middle Eastern countries sent teams to compete. I'm amazed that in this era of hatred and war, that we can put that aside, and still manage to come together as a world community.
I'm saddened by the posts of people on online message boards that are boycotting the Olympics as a means to "show the Chinese we won't support what they're doing in Tibet". And I'm not saying that I support the Chinese in Tibet - that's a deplorable situation and a terrible violation of human rights. But the Olympics are something that should be supported by ALL of us, at all times. To remember what the Olympics mean. IF I had been alive during the Munich Games, I would have been very vocal agains the US pulling out of the games. Again, terrible situation, but the Olympics is the time to put that aside.
One world. One dream.
--Miss(ed) Eloquence
So, I'm watching the Olympic Opening Ceremonies right now. YAY! for DVR!
I'm SO impressed. The theatrics, the showmanship, the technology - I'm awed.
I'm moved by how many countries showed up. I'm surprised actually at how many Middle Eastern countries sent teams to compete. I'm amazed that in this era of hatred and war, that we can put that aside, and still manage to come together as a world community.
I'm saddened by the posts of people on online message boards that are boycotting the Olympics as a means to "show the Chinese we won't support what they're doing in Tibet". And I'm not saying that I support the Chinese in Tibet - that's a deplorable situation and a terrible violation of human rights. But the Olympics are something that should be supported by ALL of us, at all times. To remember what the Olympics mean. IF I had been alive during the Munich Games, I would have been very vocal agains the US pulling out of the games. Again, terrible situation, but the Olympics is the time to put that aside.
One world. One dream.
--Miss(ed) Eloquence
Friday, August 8, 2008
Breaking Down - er, Breaking DAWN
So, this is a week late, but I didn't have a blog a week ago. So now you get my opinion on the hottest book of the month!
I went out late last Friday night to pick up my book at Borders. Stayed up all damn night to finish it. I'm not impressed.
It just doesn't work for me. It's all too unbelievable - Edward's a vamp, made of stone, with no heartbeat, but he has swimmers and can create a baby???
And, it's not the pedophelia aspect, but I just don't like Jacob imprinting on Nessie. It's just wrong - the wrong thing to do to wrap up the story. Also - RENESMEE???? ICK! Worst.Name.EVER!
Just because it's fiction doesn't mean it can't make sense. The BEST fiction isn't convenient - it's more well planned, and comes across better. LOTR is a perfect example. For those of us that read it BEFORE the movies, the suspense is built, the story is laid. The ending has some surprises (like Frodo's finger getting bitten off) but it was all LOGICALLY built from the beginning.
The best fiction writers have rules and logic to their stories, their magic, their worlds. There are very specific limits as to what can be done and what can't. Even JKRowling - although I was a bit disappointed in the Hallows storyline that "suddenly" shows up in the last book - it still fit. You could easily look back and see that each object that was a Hallows, as well as each Horcrux had been mentioned at some point. We knew they were there, we knew (in most cases) that the item was magical, and yet the surprise was that they were important. Like Ravenclaw's diadem - it was only ever described as an ugly "tiara" in the Room of Requirement - but it was there.
The one thing that really kills me now is SM's interview. When she was discussing the whole "vamps able to have babies thing" she says she was talking about FEMALES not having babies, not MALES. But she never alluded it to it more in the books - the way she initially wrote it in the story, it sounded like ALL vamps couldn't procreate. Then she uses her own "vagueness" (which I don't think was all that vague - it sounded VERY specific) to open up the whole "Edward is now a daddy" plotline. It kills me that she PLANNED to be all double-crossing with a major plot line. Now, I get that we as readers couldn't know that a baby was a possibility - it ruins the suprise. But she completely reversed her "magic" in her world to go from impossible to possible (from the POV of a reader, not her own messed up POV on the subject).
I returned all my Twilight books. I'm that ticked off. I don't want to reread the story, and I don't want the reminder on my shelf. Plus, the best way for me to really express my displeasure with the way the series ended is to vote with my wallet and not "pay" her.
I'm very sadz actually that I'm so pissed off. It's a strange emotion. But I'm just NOT happy with it, and I can't make myself be happy with it. I'm still waffling on whether or not I'll see the movie. I really want to - REALLY want to. But at the same time, I'm just still so angry about the BD ending that I can't bring myself to support it. Maybe I'll feel differently in Dec. Or when it comes out on DVD. I can somewhat convince myself that since we get so many free movies from Blockbuster that I'm not supporting SM as a writer by renting the movie for free. I don't know.
--Miss(ed) Eloquence
I went out late last Friday night to pick up my book at Borders. Stayed up all damn night to finish it. I'm not impressed.
It just doesn't work for me. It's all too unbelievable - Edward's a vamp, made of stone, with no heartbeat, but he has swimmers and can create a baby???
And, it's not the pedophelia aspect, but I just don't like Jacob imprinting on Nessie. It's just wrong - the wrong thing to do to wrap up the story. Also - RENESMEE???? ICK! Worst.Name.EVER!
Just because it's fiction doesn't mean it can't make sense. The BEST fiction isn't convenient - it's more well planned, and comes across better. LOTR is a perfect example. For those of us that read it BEFORE the movies, the suspense is built, the story is laid. The ending has some surprises (like Frodo's finger getting bitten off) but it was all LOGICALLY built from the beginning.
The best fiction writers have rules and logic to their stories, their magic, their worlds. There are very specific limits as to what can be done and what can't. Even JKRowling - although I was a bit disappointed in the Hallows storyline that "suddenly" shows up in the last book - it still fit. You could easily look back and see that each object that was a Hallows, as well as each Horcrux had been mentioned at some point. We knew they were there, we knew (in most cases) that the item was magical, and yet the surprise was that they were important. Like Ravenclaw's diadem - it was only ever described as an ugly "tiara" in the Room of Requirement - but it was there.
The one thing that really kills me now is SM's interview. When she was discussing the whole "vamps able to have babies thing" she says she was talking about FEMALES not having babies, not MALES. But she never alluded it to it more in the books - the way she initially wrote it in the story, it sounded like ALL vamps couldn't procreate. Then she uses her own "vagueness" (which I don't think was all that vague - it sounded VERY specific) to open up the whole "Edward is now a daddy" plotline. It kills me that she PLANNED to be all double-crossing with a major plot line. Now, I get that we as readers couldn't know that a baby was a possibility - it ruins the suprise. But she completely reversed her "magic" in her world to go from impossible to possible (from the POV of a reader, not her own messed up POV on the subject).
I returned all my Twilight books. I'm that ticked off. I don't want to reread the story, and I don't want the reminder on my shelf. Plus, the best way for me to really express my displeasure with the way the series ended is to vote with my wallet and not "pay" her.
I'm very sadz actually that I'm so pissed off. It's a strange emotion. But I'm just NOT happy with it, and I can't make myself be happy with it. I'm still waffling on whether or not I'll see the movie. I really want to - REALLY want to. But at the same time, I'm just still so angry about the BD ending that I can't bring myself to support it. Maybe I'll feel differently in Dec. Or when it comes out on DVD. I can somewhat convince myself that since we get so many free movies from Blockbuster that I'm not supporting SM as a writer by renting the movie for free. I don't know.
--Miss(ed) Eloquence
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Welcome!
I can't say I expect anyone to read this. I'll be pleasantly surprised if you do. I'm mostly just writing it for me and my love of reading.
Oh, yes. The point. This is my space to write about what I read. I am a VORACIOUS reader. I love the written word. I read, minimum, one book a week. Usually 2 or 3. Some weeks, I will read a book a day.
I read a lot of varied subject matter, although my favorite genre is fantasy. So expect to see a lot of fantasy. My least favorite is anything Oprah has endorsed. Okay, I know I can't stay away from EVERYTHING Oprah has ever endorsed. But let's just say, if Oprah has endorsed it, I probably WON'T read it.
I'm also currently working on reading all the Newbery Award winners. This is a long list, going back to (quick fact check, thank you Google!) 1922. I've read most - I'd say I'm something over 3/4 of the way through.
You'll also get the occasional movie review, reaction to a TV show I watch, random comments about my life and household. It's my blog, I'll write what I want!
And, since I generally feel that I can't get my point across, you get the name - missed eloquence. I won't be eloquent. Sometimes I won't even be coherent. So don't read.
--Miss(ed) Eloquence
Oh, yes. The point. This is my space to write about what I read. I am a VORACIOUS reader. I love the written word. I read, minimum, one book a week. Usually 2 or 3. Some weeks, I will read a book a day.
I read a lot of varied subject matter, although my favorite genre is fantasy. So expect to see a lot of fantasy. My least favorite is anything Oprah has endorsed. Okay, I know I can't stay away from EVERYTHING Oprah has ever endorsed. But let's just say, if Oprah has endorsed it, I probably WON'T read it.
I'm also currently working on reading all the Newbery Award winners. This is a long list, going back to (quick fact check, thank you Google!) 1922. I've read most - I'd say I'm something over 3/4 of the way through.
You'll also get the occasional movie review, reaction to a TV show I watch, random comments about my life and household. It's my blog, I'll write what I want!
And, since I generally feel that I can't get my point across, you get the name - missed eloquence. I won't be eloquent. Sometimes I won't even be coherent. So don't read.
--Miss(ed) Eloquence
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