Read of the Town: Egg & Spoon by Gregory Maguire

I'm nominating this book as one that, if it isn't already, SHOULD BE at the forefront of everyone's minds!

Released on September 9th, 2014

The title leaves a lot of mystery behind what this could possibly be about, but isn't that part in parcel to the magic of reading? It's all in the discovery. At least for me!

Don't know who Gregory Maguire is? Well then you need to go and find out! The only hint I can give you is Wicked, and if that doesn't jog your memory then...well...Google can definitely help you with that. In the meantime, of the Wicked Years series, I've read Wicked and Son of a Witch. I do have all of his books however, and I have all 4 of the Wicked series signed by him. And cause he's wicked (pardon the pun) awesome, allow me to share:

He gives a damn good talk and read as well! I've also read a few of his other novels, specifically Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister, which I thought was cleverly worked out. What he can do with a well known fairytale is truly remarkable! I don't have to tell you how long I've been waiting for a new book from Gregory Maguire! Let's just say, seeing this cover and hearing the title for the first time left me oh so excited! And I'm so glad I'm a New Yorker because that means I get to go to his book signing and hear him read a little from the book!

What Gregory Maguire book have you read? Are you as excited as I am about his latest release?

The Land of Stories: A Grimm Warning by Chris Colfer (Book Review)

"It was no mystery why this part of the countryside had been christened the Black Forest."

Review: This is the third book in a series that most likely will go on for as long as Chris Colfer wants, and I don't think any fan of TLoS would mind. My only issue, and it's rare for me to have just one issue, is this book is the first time romance and crap like that has been introduced into the storyline for the main characters, Conner and Alex.

In this book it's been discovered that the Brothers Grimm have written 3 stories no one has ever read, but they left instructions that these stories were not to be read until 200 years later. Why? Well because they contain, to no one else's knowledge but Conner, some truth. And in that truth is a warning that evil is about to enter The Land of Stories.

Aside from the romances and heartbreaks that Alex and Conner endure I really like this book. I feel Chris Colfer is actually getting better as he goes along. The dialog is much better and the level of intelligence in terms of word usage, I feel, has increased slightly. I also like where the story is going and the fact that he's left himself room to play around with new fairytales without making the story too complicated. This book also deals with death for the first time in a way that involves forcing the reader to deal with true loss. The way he tells it though, it's almost like poetry and not harsh or truly sad either.

I want to end my review by also pointing out that for the first time this book has a cliff hanger that lets the reader know there WILL be a fourth book! I think this was very clever since most Young Adult books are rooted in the sort of Trilogy spectrum, and although this series is geared more towards younger than YA, I like that he saved the real cliffhanger ending for the third book in case there should be any doubt as to whether or not this was the last book. I tip my hat off to him and look forward to the next book!

Synopsis: In the third book in the #1 New York Times bestselling series by Chris Colfer, the Brothers Grimm have a warning for the Land of Stories.

Conner Bailey thinks his fairy-tale adventures are behind him--until he discovers a mysterious clue left by the famous Brothers Grimm. With help from his classmate Bree and the outlandish Mother Goose, Conner sets off on a mission across Europe to crack a two-hundred-year-old code.

Meanwhile, Alex Bailey is training to become the next Fairy Godmother...but her attempts at granting wishes never go as planned. Will she ever be truly ready to lead the Fairy Council?

When all signs point to disaster for the Land of Stories, Conner and Alex must join forces with their friends and enemies to save the day. But nothing can prepare them for the coming battle...or for the secret that will change the twins' lives forever.

The third book in the bestselling Land of Stories series puts the twins to the test as they must bring two worlds together!

A Grimm Warning

The Land of Stories, #3

by Chris Colfer

490 pages

Little Brown & Company, 2014

Young Adult / Adventure

Read in 7 days

Rating: ★★★★

Amazon | BN

Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut (Book Review)

Breakfast of Champions
by Kurt Vonnegut

303 Pages
Delacorte Press, 1973
satire
Finished in 4 days
Another Review...

My Rating: ★★

Amazon.com / BN.com

 

"This is a tale of a meeting of two lonesome, skinny, fairly old white men on a planet which was dying fast."

My Review: This book reminds me of one of those paintings you see hanging in a museum. You wonder to yourself, or sometimes out loud, how the HELL that painting was chosen to be put on display for hundreds of thousands of people to see?! You know the one I'm talking about. It might just be a black canvas with a colorful dot in the middle. Art they call it. I call it crap. Not to say that this book is crap or that the painting I described is crap either. Beauty and art is truly in the eye of the beholder. I, unfortunately, found no beauty in this novel written by Kurt Vonnegut. There was plenty of art found in random places throughout the book, however. If you want to call his very simple sketches art (as many have been known to do).

But all kidding aside, the story was, for me, complete and utter nonsense. The more I tried to find the beauty of the story the more I realized it was probably his intent to confound me, the reader, all along. That has GOT to be what true genius is because the man's a legend in his own right. I mean, I did buy the book, read, and then finish the book. Lord only knows how many other millions like me did the same?

I'm sure you've heard of Kurt Vonnegut before and of his most popular, and probably most widely read novel, "Slaughter House Five"? In which case you'd be asking yourself why did I pick this book instead of that one? Well, I like to live outside the box from time to time. If at all possible I prefer to take an author who is considered a classic novelist and look at his or her entire body of work and then pick one that sounds mildly interesting while not picking the one read by millions. On a quick side note, I will be reading Slaughter House Five this year.

In many ways this story reminded me a lot of Samuel Beckett's play "Waiting for Godot." I sure hope you've read this play at some point in your life? Or seen it performed on stage? If not, no bother, just click the link highlighted above and it will take you to the wiki page where you can get a brief understanding of it. At least enough for you to get why I make the comparison. In both instances the story is controlled by a narrator whom you could think of as "God" or portraying a God-like figure. In Kurt's novel, he is simply the writer who can make things happen or not happen at his own whim. In Beckett's play it's...well, no, I won't delve into Beckett's play. Instead I suggest you read it if you have not. I actually enjoyed having to read it in college so many years ago (oh God was my Freshman year truly 8 years ago already!).

In any event, Kurt tells a story of two men whom you wouldn't think could ever meet, let alone influence each others lives so dramatically. But they do meet and their lives are forever changed because of it. How do they meet? Well because the narrator/writer Kurt himself makes it happen. I don't think what I'm about to say is a spoiler but in case it is you should stop reading here. Kurt places himself in the story to watch his own creation of these two men unfold. Their names are irrelevant. You can say, and I think Kurt would agree with me, they could be any man really. And if not for the obvious moral implications and hidden political, economical  and financial messages embedded throughout this book, it would be far too ordinary a book to have even been published.

I wonder if Kurt Vonnegut really feels about the world, being a place filled with machines whose only purpose in life is to destroy the planet, the way he wrote it in this book. Was he really as racially aware and inappropriate as he was many times in the book when it came to Black people or was he trying to paint a much bigger picture, send a much bigger message, that unfortunately could easily get lost in translation? I'd like to think the latter is true. He painted quite a masterpiece and I'm sure if I had the time I would spend some of it further analyzing his characters the way I did to those in Waiting for Godot.

Synopsis: In Breakfast of Champions, one of Kurt Vonnegut’s  most beloved characters, the aging writer Kilgore Trout, finds to his horror that a Midwest car dealer is taking his fiction as truth. What follows is murderously funny satire, as Vonnegut looks at war, sex, racism, success, politics, and pollution in America and reminds us how to see the truth.

To learn more about Kurt Vonnegut please visit his official website.

My Overstuffed Bookshelf Challenge & 52 Books in 52 Weeks

The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell by Chris Colfer (Book Review)

The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell

by Chris Colfer

438 pages

Little Brown Books, July 2012

fairy tale/fantasy/magic

Read In: 3 ½ days

Another Review…

My Rating: ★★★★

Amazon.com or BN.com

My Review: Even though this book is geared towards young adults ranging from 8 - 12 years old, I read this 400+ page book for two reasons: 1. Chris Colfer wrote it & 2. Who doesn’t like a good fairy tale? You’re never too old to read fairy tales.

I found this book to be rather inventive. How he was able to intertwine all those fairy tales and still manage to leave himself room for several follow-up books in this made-for trilogy opener. While I feel the editing could have gone a bit deeper than I imagine it did considering it was left at over 400 pages! Then again, after Harry Potter I suppose there is no reason to shorten a book meant to be read by a younger audience. These kids devour books so quickly now!

The twins and main characters of the story are believable in their dialogue, except for the range of emotions the female character, Alex, goes through. I can’t say I remember what it was like when I was 12 but this girl would tear up over the littlest thing! The brother - sister relationship was spot on and I found a little bit of myself in each other them. There were lessons to be learned, as with any good fairy tale, and morals to be remembered. All in all, it’s a book any parent could and should read with their child and discuss as they go along.

I hear rumors of a possible movie being made out of this book? If so, I hope it’s completely animated. Some things are better depicted drawn and come off too corny when you take a children’s book and portray it with real people. Or if not completely then let it start with real people and when they fall into the book they become animated, like The Page Master or Rock-a-doodle.

Synopsis: Alex and Conner Bailey’s world is about to change, in this fast-paced adventure that uniquely combines our modern day world with the enchanting realm of classic fairy tales.

The Land of Stories tells the tale of twins Alex and Conner. Through the mysterious powers of a cherished book of stories, they leave their world behind and find themselves in a foreign land full of wonder and magic where they come face-to-face with the fairy tale characters they grew up reading about.

But after a series of encounters with witches, wolves, goblins, and trolls alike, getting back home is going to be harder than they thought.

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs (Book Review)

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

by Ransom Riggs

352 pages

Quirk Books, June 2011

horror/mystery/fantasy/young adult

Read in 4 days

Another Review…

My Rating: ★★★★

Amazon.com or BN.com

My Review: Before I get into my review I must first explain I had no intention of actually finishing this book. Prior to picking it up, while waiting for a Molly Ringwald book signing, I never heard of it. My intention, at the time, was to read something to pass the 2 hour wait time. Little did I know I would end up purchasing the book because in that 2 hour time I read nearly 100 pages. I was unaware of its NY Times bestseller list appearance. All I knew was it had a rather interesting title and cover. It wasn’t until halfway through the book that I noticed it was published by Quirk, one of my favorite publishing houses which brought us bestsellers like “Pride & Prejudice & Zombies” and “Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Slayer” to name a few. It is no wonder I found myself finishing this book in 4 days!

I did do some research on the author and some background on where this book would be headed. I did this because nowadays YA books are normally series of 3 or more books. This story is no exception, its set up to be at least a 3 book series. I’m anticipating the next two books only because of the photographs (real by the way) used in this book. Just the amount of hunting and research that had to go into incorporating such real and yet peculiar photos into a well plotted story like this impressed me greatly.

If you were to judge this book by its cover you might assume it’s scary or a thriller of some sort? I mean, the girl is levitating. While I grant there is mystery and the children are peculiar by all definitions, it’s not as scary as I expected it to be on paper. Perhaps the movie (purchased by 20th Century Fox) will take up where the book left much to ones imagination? Otherwise, if you are looking for escape to another time and another world entirely, this book will easily put you in the shoes of one such man who does just that. And the pictures shared along the way only serve to better move the story along.

Summary: As a kid, Jacob formed a special bond with his grandfather over his bizarre tales and photos of levitating girls and invisible boys. Now at 16, he is reeling from the old man’s unexpected death. Then Jacob is given a mysterious letter that propels him on a journey to the remote Welsh island where his grandfather grew up. There, he finds the children from the photographs—alive and well—despite the islanders’ assertion that all were killed decades ago. As Jacob begins to unravel more about his grandfather’s childhood, he suspects he is being trailed by a monster only he can see. A haunting and out-of-the-ordinary read, debut author Ransom Rigg’s first-person narration is convincing and absorbing, and every detail he draws our eye to is deftly woven into an unforgettable whole. Interspersed with photos throughout, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children is a truly atmospheric novel with plot twists, turns, and surprises that will delight readers of any age.

The Alchemyst by Michael Scott (Book Review)

The Alchemyst (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel #1)

by Michael Scott

369 pages

Random House, May 2007

fantasy/thriller/fiction/mythology

Read in 7 days  

Another Review...

My Rating: ★★★ 1/2

Amazon.com | BN.com

"Ok -- answer me this: why would anyone want to wear an overcoat in San Francisco in the middle of summer?"

My Review: I made the mistake of reading opinions of others before reading this and in doing so my judgement of this book was a bit clouded as I read. I would hope you decided to read this book without other peoples opinions involved. Removing what others had to say, I found this book flowed well and had great imagery in its descriptions. There were several times throughout the book where the author would remind you of what you just read which can seem a bit repetitive but I welcomed the reminders since there is a lot of information to retain in the book.

The characters are real, with the exception of the two main characters, the twins, Sophie and Josh. Nicholas Flamel is real and so are those he encounters and battles in their pursuit to save the world. The book takes place in modern times and the author wastes no time in reminding the reader of that, by having the main characters use google and wikipedia several times as well as making reference to cell phones and iPods. It’s a balance of the modern with the ancient which I enjoy.

If you enjoy learning some truth about legends you will find this book and I’m sure (as I continue to read them) the series, quite fulfilling.

Summary: He holds the secret that can end the world.

The truth: Nicholas Flamel was born in Paris on September 28, 1330. Nearly 700 years later, he is acknowledged as the greatest Alchemyst of his day. It is said that he discovered the secret of eternal life.

The records show that he died in 1418.

But his tomb is empty.

The legend: Nicholas Flamel lives. But only because he has been making the elixir of life for centuries. The secret of eternal life is hidden within the book he protects—the Book of Abraham the Mage. It's the most powerful book that has ever existed. In the wrong hands, it will destroy the world. That's exactly what Dr. John Dee plans to do when he steals it. Humankind won't know what's happening until it's too late. And if the prophecy is right, Sophie and Josh Newman are the only ones with the power to save the world as we know it.

Sometimes legends are true.

And Sophie and Josh Newman are about to find themselves in the middle of the greatest legend of all time.

If you want to learn more about Michael Scott please visit his site.

The Bishop's Wife (1948) (Movie Review)

The Bishop’s Wife (109 minutes, B&W)

directed by Henry Koster

Robert Nathan (novel), Writer

Samuel Goldwyn, Producer

RKO Radio Pictures, Distributor

February 16th, 1948 (in theaters)

comedy/drama/fantasy/romance

My Rating:

Starring

Cary Grant, Loretta Young, David Niven, Monty Woolley, Elsa Lanchester

Storyline: (IMDb.com) An Episcopal Bishop, Henry Brougham, has been working for months on the plans for an elaborate new cathedral which he hopes will be paid for primarily by a wealthy, stubborn widow. He is losing sight of his family and of why he became a churchman in the first place. Enter Dudley, an angel sent to help him. Dudley does help everyone he meets, but not necessarily in the way they would have preferred. With the exception of Henry, everyone loves him, but Henry begins to believe that Dudley is there to replace him, both at work and in his family’s affections, as Christmas approaches.


Movie Trailer:
 

My Review: From the moment I started this movie I was hooked. I’ve always been an admirer of Cary Grant’s work. If you’ve seen any of his movies, his comedies are my favorite. And although this movie does have some laughs and humor, it’s underlying theme that miracles can and do actually happen, is present from beginning to end. To me, this will easily become a timeless classic. How I’ve never seen this movie before is beyond me.

I am not familiar with Loretta Young’s work but when Monty Woolley appeared on the screen I gasped and smiled simultaneously! His portrayal of Mr. Whiteside, alongside Bette Davis, in The Man Who Came to Dinner is a riot on so many levels! But I’m straying off topic.

The other surprise “star” in this movie was Elsa Lanchester. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her in a starring role but she is a presence in any movie that demands to be recognized, and do I ever! This is one of the smallest roles I’ve seen her play but her eyes are what make her scenes all the more important to the movie.

Movies from the 1940’s were about more than what we over use today in movies. Back then you HAD to be a good actor! And every person in this cast was great. Now onto the movie itself!

David Niven who plays the Bishop seems to be battling his own “demons” if you will when an angel comes to him. The Bishop thinks he’s there to help him secure his precious cathedral he’s been working on, but when he feels everything is NOT going his way he quickly tries to “pray away” this angel. Little does he realize it’s his wife that brought the angel there and it is only she who can send him on.

The most memorable scene for me in this movie would have to be when Cary Grant, who as you may have guessed, plays the angel, is telling little Debby (the daughter of the bishop and his wife) a story. I’ve never heard a bible story told quite like that before and I was hanging on his every word the entire time he told it. I won’t spoil it for you by telling you which story he tells the little girl. Just watch the movie and witness the miracles that unfold in all the lives the angel touches.