Dystopias and other stuff

Well, I've officially been a mom for a month now. I'm still not used to the lack of sleep part but starting to settle into the rest of it. Liam seems to have grown longer and I'm sure he has gained some weight but I won't know for sure until his 2 month appointment next month. We've tested him out at a movie and he slept through the entire thing and didn't cry once. Not sure he would do so well in an action movie (because of all the sudden loud noises), but a comedy should be fine. I'm hoping to start my job search this week and hopefully it won't take too long to find something (although it took my husband nearly 2 months). 

Two weeks ago on Facebook, one of the YA authors that I follow, English writer Philip Reeve, posted this article that he wrote for School Library Journal. Since I tend to read a lot of dystopias and they are so popular nowadays, as explained in the article, I thought I would pass it along so others could read and enjoy it. He knows what he is talking about as he has also written the dystopian series Mortal Engines and Fever Crumb. 

Catherine Webb, Rachel Holmes, Elana Johnson, Megan McCafferty, Cassandra Clare, and Rick Riordan

I know it has been absolute ages since I did one of these (basically since before I moved to Arizona) and since I just finished two books I've been waiting months to read, I figured it was time to do another set of reviews and recommendations.


Children and Young Adult
The Throne of Fire (Kane Chronicles, #2) by Rick Riordan

I enjoyed this book and read it relatively quickly, though I liked it less than the first book. Like others have said, I really loved the addition of the god Bes and the Anubis-Sadie-Walter "love" triangle, but thought there was not enough of the major gods like in the last book, more of them mentioned in passing. 


In this volume, Sadie and Carter Kane have five days to find the three scrolls of the Book of Ra to awaken the Sun God and former ruler of the gods and stop Apophis, the Snake of Chaos who is trying to escape and destroy the world. I thought the plot twist involving Walter, one of the Kane's new magician initiates, was the most interesting and I look forward to hearing more about him in the next book. I also liked that they further explored the Duat, the magical world of the gods. Highly recommended for ages 10+, 4 stars. 

Young Adult
The Extraordinary and Unusual Adventures of Horatio Lyle by Catherine Webb

First off this book is a historical fiction with a touch of fantasy in it, but I don't believe that it qualifies as a steampunk novel due to the lack of advanced technology. I picked this up on a whim while browsing the YA section of my local library, trying to find something to read. Now I will say that while I enjoyed the book, I found it to be overly descriptive in some places, so much so that it kind of made the story slow down to a snail's pace. I personally like overly descriptive things but it took me 4 days to read this book, when normally a book this long would take 2 days. 


Horatio Lyle is a Special Constable (detective) for the police during the Victorian era (1863) and is also an amateur scientist. He is summoned to the palace for a very important mission, to recover a cultural artifact known as the Fuyun Plate. He is later joined in this endeavor by a local pickpocket he discovered named Tess and Thomas, another science enthusiast and the son of Lord Elwick. Soon all three are drawn into a crazy world of Chinese agents and mysterious green-eyed hypnotists who all seem to be coming after the Plate. Will they be able to find it in time and give it back to the Crown? What is the real purpose behind the Plate and why are so many people after it? To find out, you must read this book. Recommended for ages 12+. 3 1/2 stars. 


Possession (Possession, #1) by Elana Johnson
I had been waiting 1 1/2 months to read this book and I was happy to finally pick it up from the library. I really loved this book, as the author was so good at climaxing the action until the end, however the ending itself was so anti-climatic in comparison to the rest of the book that I knocked it down one star. It was also hard to follow at times as one character would be talking and then all of a sudden the first character would be inside the second's head, so it got kind of confusing. It seems that the author does plan on making the book into a series, so maybe that will redeem the first book a bit. As a side note, I think I have discovered my second favorite kissing writer after Cassandra Clare (that is someone who writes about kissing in such a way that you can imagine yourself in the story as the main character). 


The story is kind of hard to explain, but I will try. It is a dystopian tale and individuals known as the Thinkers control everything that people in Goodland think and do, and so the whole population is pretty much brainwashed. The main character Violet/Vi is a small scale 15 yr old troublemaker who gets busted while out with her best friend, a boy named Zenn, and it's clear that she has been in love with him for a long time. She ends up in prison where she meets Jag, an inmate from the Badlands, but as she gets to know him, she realizes that all things are not as they seem. The man in charge of the Thinkers is this guy named Thane who wants to recruit Vi and Jag for their powers of control, that only Vi is starting to realize that she has. So Jag and Vi spend most of the book running away from the Thinkers and running towards a safe area, falling in love along the way. Will they make it? Or will Thane capture them? You need to read this exciting new book to find out. Recommended for ages 14+, 4 stars. 


Bumped (Bumped, #1) by Megan McCafferty
I originally picked this book as one that I might read but wasn't that interested in reading, at least in compared to others that were coming out. However, I really enjoyed the book and finished it in a day. The concept of the book was very interesting and I could totally see it happening in the future. The ending was annoying, i.e. they ended it after they should have. Because of that, I have given it 4 1/2 vs 5 stars. Recommended for ages 14+.


The book is kind of hard to explain, but I will try. So basically a virus has wiped out the ability for anyone over the age of eighteen to have children, so teenage girls aged 14-18 are prized as breeders. Girls who can get pregnant are treated like rock stars and can get up to 6 figure money deals, in addition to paying for cars and college. Melody got such a deal but has been waiting for the perfect partner to "bump" with. In the meantime, she has learned that she has an identical twin sister named Harmony who showed up on her doorstep trying to convert her to God, and convince her sister to not be a breeder. Melody has a best friend, a boy named Zen, who she secretly likes but has never become involved with him because he is not considered "bumpworthy" material. Once Melody gets to know her sister Harmony, her whole world is turned upside down. 

City of Fallen Angels (Mortal Instruments Series #4) by Cassandra Clare
No, it didn't really take me this long (10 days) to read this short book. However, I did give birth whilst reading it and taking care of a newborn takes up most of a person's time, so I should be forgiven. Overall, I really enjoyed the book and was about 3/4 done with it after reading it a couple days. 


This volume is about Simon and his new role as a Daylighter and the Mark of Cain that Clary gave him in the last book. It also features a mysterious villain turning babies into monsters and causing general mayhem and a potential power struggle amidst the vampires. I'm glad that this book was more about Simon, as I really like his character in the other books. The person behind all the craziness going on throughout the book was a total surprise and it definitely kept me riveted till the end to find out what would happen to her. I did wish that Simon would go ahead and tell Isabelle how he really feels about her. The ending was a bit of an annoying cliffhanger and there will definitely now be a fifth book. Overall I give it 4 1/2 stars and recommend it for ages 15+. 


Adult
African Queen: The Real Life of the Hottentot Venus by Rachel Holmes
A well-done and well-researched biography/history of Saartijie Baartman, the so called Hottentot Venus from South Africa, it tells her whole tragic story and how she was exploited both during and after her lifetime. The book was a bit graphic at times, especially in reference to the obsession of 19th century scientists to sexualize the African female as proof of white supremacy, and their demanding to see her nude (which she never willingly did while she was alive). I did find it interesting that not only did she die in France but was not repatriated back to her home country of South Africa until 2002, after her skeleton, genitals and brain had been on display from 1815-1970s. She was used not only as cause for repatriation of African artifacts, but also as a symbol of her country and women's rights therein. 4 stars. 

My new baby

I know I have not been focused on this blog at all lately, but I have a legitimate excuse. Last Friday I gave birth to my son Liam via c-section. He was one week old yesterday and getting used to having a new baby in the house has taken majority of me and my husband's energy and time. Yesterday was the first time I left the house in a week. Luckily, I have been blessed with a beautiful baby boy so it is worth it despite my lack of sleep and energy and post-surgery pain. Thought I would share a picture of him, while I had a few minutes before I go try to get a nap while he is sleeping. 

Harry Potter article in honor of the movie coming out this weekend

So as I'm sure most people realize, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows, Part II is coming to theaters this Friday July 15. I have read all of the books and am personally very excited about this movie as I have been waiting since November last year to figure out how they will end the book (properly I hope with all the proper characters and nothing left out)! One thing is for sure, it will be the darkest movie yet as the book was so definitely not for younger kids, though I'm sure parents will take kids of all ages to see it regardless. 

Today as I was browsing Facebook, I came across the link for this article from the Wall Street Journal and enjoyed reading it, plus there is a lot of truth in it. I know not all parents like Harry Potter, but even the haters have to agree that without it, most kids would not be reading as much as they do (as the article explains), due to the emergence of J.K. Rowling's series. I did not read the series when it first came out in 1997-98, as I thought it was overrated. However, one summer I was helping with a summer camp program and all the kids were reading it so I decided to check it out at my college library. The first couple were kind of boring, but I got hooked by the time I read the fourth one, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Then I couldn't wait for the next book to come out. I remember I was in NYC when the fifth book came out and the family that I was staying with that weekend had a 9 or 10 year old who absolutely loved the series and him and his parents were up at midnight the night of the release to get the next book. I was glad to see a kid, especially a boy, so excited about reading, as I have always been an avid reader. 

Reading, one cool librarian thing and a new blog

I've not been very focused on books, to be honest, mostly because all of my thoughts are preoccupied with the baby. The only books I seem to be able to focus on are cookbooks because they require a relatively short attention span, and have been on a Mexican kick with that, probably due to the amount of that nationality here in Arizona (despite the local government's best attempts otherwise). I started reading a great children/teen book by Nnedi Okorafor (a Nigerian-American writer I had been friends on Goodreads for awhile) called Zahrah the Windseeker. I had recently finished her adult fantasy novel Who Fears Death and loved it, so reading this book seemed like the logical conclusion. However, my brain is so scattered that I can't focus on it. I'm going to try to read a teen book that I've had on my to-read list forever called Marcelo in the Real World about a boy with autism, and hopefully I can get through that. 

I was browsing my library likes on Facebook and had discovered the ALSC blog (Association for Library Services to Children) and they have a section called "What I Wasn't Taught in Library School". Two points stood out to me, the first being humorous and the second being way more practical. As I've recently finished up library school and while I was there, participated in an independent study and an internship, I know there is so many little but important things they don't teach you there that you can only learn with hands-on experience. Working in customer service type jobs since I was 16 helps a lot with some of the stuff you come up against, like angry patrons, but things like trying to do programming with insanely low budgets or learning how to get the information about your programs out when your director doesn't like social media is not usually discussed. 

And last, but not least, my hubby has decided to share his love of cooking with world in the form of a blog. He has never done anything like this before, so I am helping to plug it on here. Please go check it out and share your thoughts/comments with him.

Wall Street Journal article on YA books

I know I have been neglecting the librarian/books part of this blog a bit lately, but honestly I haven't had much to add to it. I haven't been reading much lately, though I did just finish a great adult book and am planning to read more by the same author. Apparently I read one of my new favorite author's (Gail Carriger's) books awhile back but forgot to review it, so I'm checking it out from the library again and rereading that next. I am currently not working and most of my excitement lately is coming from my husband starting culinary school soon, everyday stuff, and getting ready for the baby.

Anyways, I found this article from a Facebook friend who shared the link and thought it was a well-done article. I'm sure there will be people who disagree with me, but I think Mr. Alexie brings up some very valid points in his article. I loved his book The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian despite the difficult things that were in the novel. In the article, I especially liked when he said that most people who say that YA books are too violent etc are "are simply trying to protect their privileged notions of what literature is and should be. They are trying to protect privileged children. Or the seemingly privileged." I also liked when he explained why he writes the way he does: " I write to give them weapons–in the form of words and ideas-that will help them fight their monsters. I write in blood because I remember what it felt like to bleed." 

It's getting closer to D-Day...and no I'm not talking about WWII

I'm about six weeks away from my delivery date, assuming Baby H comes on time, and believe me when I say that I really hope that he does. Last week was rough baby wise because I was feeling pretty crappy and very crampy pretty much all day every day. Apparently I am having more Braxton Hicks contractions as my tummy has been as tight as a drum, though the round ligament pains have also stepped up a notch as well. My mom says I'm not drinking enough water so I'm trying to drink a couple more glasses per day to cure that. My next doctor's appointment is this Wed and I'm probably gonna end up taking my ultrasound pics over again since my previous OB-Gyn has decided not to forward all the info from the ultrasound technician, even though we've been asking for them for about a month. I am not looking forward to that, even though it would be nice to see how the baby is developing. I finally preregistered at the hospital so they know about when to expect me. My grandparents have ordered the crib and it's supposed to come sometime on Thursday, so looking forward to finally having that. So the last major baby stuff that I need to get is the stroller and car seat. Oh and still need to pack my overnight bag for the hospital because as my husband keeps pointing out, it could literally be anytime in the next six weeks, and once things start happening I will be pretty incapacitated. We're still trying to decide on a name, have it down to final two but still not nailed anything down yet. 

The exciting news that I have to tell is about my hubby. Since he moved here, he has been trying to figure out what he wants to do career-wise and was thinking about making a change. He's a carpenter/house remodeler currently but wants to do something different. He really likes to cook and since there are at least three cooking schools in the Phoenix area, we decided to check them out. So we went to visit Le Cordon Bleu, the most famous of the three, and were really impressed. It was very up to date and despite having about 1000 students, the student-to-teacher ratio and class size was small. So he decided to enroll there and we've spent the weekend trying to get financial aid sorted. The program is 9 months long and he'll be taught basic French techniques on the basics, culinary arts, intro to baking/patisserie and given the option to pursue an Associates/Bachelors in Restaurant Management if he so wishes. The fees include a knife and utensil set, all textbooks, and the uniform (jacket, cravat, cap, pants and perhaps shoes). He is getting very excited but also nervous about starting. The funny thing is that he said he was more scared about starting the program than he was about the baby coming. He starts August 15. 

We had a nice weekend, which started with us going to the movies on Friday morning to see the new X-Men: First Class. I really enjoyed it because of the excellent cast and the back story that explains how Charles Xavier (Professor X) and Erik (Magneto) formed the X-Men back in the 1960s, and how they picked sides. It also talks about the first X-Men came about and they included some that weren't in the previous movies or cartoon series that I had grown up watching. I'm thinking maybe they are in the original comic book series. My favorite character would probably be Hank because he starts out as this insanely smart young nerdy guy who because he wants to fit in, ends up becoming the Beast that we know now. My Dad's birthday was on Saturday and he decided to invite a couple friends over for gourmet burgers. Since we've moved here and especially since John has decided to go to cooking school, he has been the primary cook of the house. So he made up the burgers to order on Saturday. I had a beef burger with caramelized onions and sauteed mushrooms under provolone cheese with bread and butter pickles and guacamole. Delicioso! Saturday was also apparently a Facebook friend's civil union ceremony and another acquaintance's Episcopal deacon ordination, so congrats to all of them. Sunday we went to a new church, which was an interesting experience, and then all the way out to Mesa (about an hour's drive away from us) where we had this insanely yummy brunch at a little bistro. It was actually the perfect blend of lunch and breakfast items as my hubby usually won't eat breakfast food, so they had beef, lamb and mussels for him but things like made-to-order omelets, Eggs Benedict, bacon and sausage for me. And the most enormous but still incredibly sweet and juicy strawberries with a chocolate fountain. We actually went out to Mesa for the free first Sunday of the month admission at the Arizona Natural History Museum that my hubby had found and suggested. For a free museum it was excellent, but I would've have paid the $10 per adult to go there on a regular basis. It was packed full of kids and parents there who were taking advantage of the same deal. It was very hands-on and kid-friendly with about 5 rooms of dinosaur stuff, the origin of the earth, rocks & minerals, a special exhibit on The Sea of Cortez near Baja, CA, Southwestern history, and even a gold panning area outside.