Happy Monday! A Recap Of What's Happened All Month Long

Well, it's been a while.  Happy Monday everyone!

So, a little catch-up is in order.  I've been rather busy since the last time I posted.

First, I went on a little vacation to California (April 19-25)

Orfila Vineyard Wine-tasting

What a fun trip this was!  I've never been to California before, so Dave and I were excited to go to a town near San Diego to watch two dear friends of ours get married!

Ballast Point Brewery

San Diego Zoo

Because it was a destination wedding, the couple planned some activities for everyone to do, such as a wine tasting, a nature walk, and a beach day.  Dave and I were staying at an AirBnB house with three other friends of ours, and we found a whole bunch of stuff to do just the five of us, like visit a whole bunch of breweries with unique beers, visit the San Diego Zoo, and explore Little Italy and the Gas Lamp District of the city.  We had a blast!

Nature Walk

Oh, and the wedding was beautiful too.  Of course.  It took place in a backyard patio area of a brewery and it suited this couple to a tee.  High quality beer for the groom, gorgeous outdoor scenery for the bride, it was perfect.

The Wedding at Stone Brewery

Suffice it to say, we were sad to leave the beautiful hills of California.

Next, I had to host a major dance event (April 29)

So when I got back from my trip, I was in full planning mode.  My brother and I were going to host our very own dance social.  We opened up the parking lot area for outdoor grilling and a game of ladderball.  A couple of my students did a little performance.  I baked a cake, we had a raffle, there was dancing....it was a good time!  We also had a decent crowd, and made a reasonable profit, soooo....yay!

Then I had to catch up on all the bills...(April 30-May 5)

This was the bummer part.  I got to see exactly how much I spent during our trip, and I had to pay all the usual bills, and watch all my money go away (*sob*).  Yeesh, California was expensive, and it didn't help that we drank all that beer!

Then I had to get used to my husband's new work schedule (May 8-12)

So my husband finally quit his old job.  Yay!  This past week he started his new job at Middlesex Hospital, which had a rather major schedule change.  In his last job, his hours were Monday thru Friday from 1:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m..  Now, he's got Monday off, Tuesday and Wednesday he works 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Thursday and Friday he works 8 a.m. to 5 p.m..

This new schedule took some getting used to.  For one thing I now have to wake up at 6 a.m., which is a little tricky.  For another thing, our daily habits have to change; morning gym visits will have to be re-adapted, and we can't chill out in the morning anymore.  Ah well.  We'll get used to it.

Now it's Monday the 15th and I feel like I can finally catch up on blogging and other book-related stuff! Yay!

I did read a few books over the past month, not as many as I would have liked, but I did get a few.  Here they are (click on the cover for more info):

Genre: Memoir
Date Read: April 19th
My Rating: ★★★ 1/2
My Thoughts: This was for a book club, but I didn't finish this in time for the meeting. I ended up finishing this on the plane on the way over to San Diego.
I don't usually read memoirs, but I'm really glad I read this one. Richard Russo is a talented writer, and he told his story of his relationship with his mother incredibly well. The writing style is what really defines this book; it makes an average tale an extraordinary tale. Try a Russo book if you haven't already!

Genre: Urban fantasy
Date Read: April 28th
My Rating: ★★★★
My Thoughts: Yet another fun installment in the Dresden Files! It had all the usual qualities that this series has, with an additional "Ocean's Eleven"/"Italian Job" feel to it. Looking forward to the next installment!

Genre: Urban Fantasy/Short Stories
Date Read: April 28th
My Rating: ★★★★
My Thoughts: When Harry Dresden of the Dresden files mentions a guy named River Shoulders, your first thought is "who the heck is River Shoulders?!" This short story compilation answers that question! A nice little add-on to the Dresden Files, we get three short stories involving the Bigfoot known as River Shoulders. A very quick read and totally worth it!

Genre: Fairy Tale Retelling
Date Read: May 9th
My Rating: ★★★ 1/2
My Thoughts: This book is exactly what you expect it to be; it's the Disney film, but with a key plot change that affects how the rest of the story plays out. It was entertaining and fast, a very easy read. I can't say it was amazing, but it was definitely fun.

So now, I've got some catching up to do.  I'm two books behind schedule on my 80-book reading goal, and I have two BOTM's to finish.  I have no goals right now except to finish the books I'm currently reading in a timely manner.

Here are my current books (click on the cover for more):

This is for a library book club that I need to finish by tomorrow at 1 p.m.  So far, I've got about 60 pages left, and I'm liking the book.  I'm looking forward to the discussion on this one, because I feel like I missed a couple of things.

Yes I'm still working on this one.  This is for a family book club, comprised of my grandmother, my mother, and myself.  It seemed like a good idea at the time to read this book, but man!  This book is depressing!  We're all barely a 100 pages in, and we hate reading all the horrible stuff that's happening.  Mom and I ended up switching to an annotated edition because the footnotes are making the story a little easier to swallow.  We'll have the book club meeting once we all finish this story, although at this rate it'll be a month from now.

This is the non-BOTM read.  I needed something to listen to on audiobook, since apparently listening to an audiolecture on famous Romans wasn't doing it for me.  I didn't realize it was a sequel (whoops!) but so far it isn't spoiling much from the other story.












Okay, now I have to get ready to meet with a landscaper, who's coming over to check out our yard.  I have decided that I have absolutely no clue what I'm supposed to do with the garden, so we hired a landscaper to take a look and advise on what to do next.  See ya!

Cold Days (The Dresden Files #14), by Jim Butcher

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Date Published: November 2012
Publisher: Penguin
# Of Pages/Listening Time: 515 pages/18 hours 50 minutes

Goodreads | Audible

Synopsis: (WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR PREVIOUS NOVELS IN SERIES)


HARRY DRESDEN LIVES!!!

After being murdered by a mystery assailant, navigating his way through the realm between life and death, and being brought back to the mortal world, Harry realizes that maybe death wasn’t all that bad. Because he is no longer Harry Dresden, Chicago’s only professional wizard.

He is now Harry Dresden, Winter Knight to Mab, the Queen of Air and Darkness. After Harry had no choice but to swear his fealty, Mab wasn’t about to let something as petty as death steal away the prize she had sought for so long. And now, her word is his command, no matter what she wants him to do, no matter where she wants him to go, and no matter who she wants him to kill.

Guess which Mab wants first?

Of course, it won’t be an ordinary, everyday assassination. Mab wants her newest minion to pull off the impossible: kill an immortal. No problem there, right? And to make matters worse, there exists a growing threat to an unfathomable source of magic that could land Harry in the sort of trouble that will make death look like a holiday.

Beset by enemies new and old, Harry must gather his friends and allies, prevent the annihilation of countless innocents, and find a way out of his eternal subservience before his newfound powers claim the only thing he has left to call his own…

His soul.

My Rating:

 ★★★★ 1/2

.....For being better on the re-read

My Thoughts:

First, I should mention that the only two things I remembered from the last time I read this was that Harry Dresden meets Santa Claus in the beginning, and that the final fight resulted in a bit of a surprise.

With that being said, I think I enjoyed this book more the second time around. I laughed louder, I paid attention more, and I found some of my questions getting answered. Granted, I now have new questions, but something tells me that I'll learn more in Skin Game.

I can't talk about this book without talking about the series as a whole. This ongoing series has a lot going for it. It's got comedy, action, mystery, fantasy....it's reasonably well-written (no one can top Tolkien, but still) and you end up feeling for the characters and hoping that none of them will die.

Seriously, if you like urban fantasy, get started on this series!

Book Reviews: Changes (Dresden Files #12) and Ghost Story (Dresden Files #13), by Jim Butcher

Fell behind on my book review posts, so here are the last two:

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Date Published: April 2010
Publisher: Roc
# Of Pages/Listening Time: 438 pages/15 hours 48 minutes

Goodreads | Audible

Synopsis: Long ago, Susan Rodriguez was Harry Dresden's lover - until she was attacked by his enemies, leaving her torn between her own humanity and the bloodlust of the vampiric Red Court. Susan then disappeared to South America, where she could fight both her savage gift and those who cursed her with it.
Now Arianna Ortega, Duchess of the Red Court, has discovered a secret Susan has long kept, and she plans to use it - against Harry. To prevail this time, he may have no choice but to embrace the raging fury of his own untapped dark power. Because Harry's not fighting to save the world...He's fighting to save his child.

My Rating:

 ★★★★ 1/2

.....For being dramatic and different from the norm.

My Thoughts:

"Changes" is certainly the right title for this book. Literally everything changes for Harry Dresden in this book. Everythikng. From beginning to end, something that was a constant for Harry gets taken away or changed into something else. I won't say more for fear of spoilers, but nothing will ever be the same for subsequent books.
There is a final twist in the end. One last unexpected change that, if you haven't read this series before, will catch you completely by surprise. I'm sure it was an immense shock when this book first came out.

Overall, this story is a whole lot more tragic than the previous novels, but it still made me laugh a number of times. Definitely a good read.

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Date Published: July 2011
Publisher: Roc
# Of Pages/Listening Time: 481 pages/17 hours 36 minutes

Goodreads | Audible

Synopsis: WARNING! SPOILERS FOR THE PREVIOUS BOOK When we last left the mighty wizard detective Harry Dresden, he wasn't doing well. In fact, he had been murdered by an unknown assassin.

But being dead doesn't stop him when his friends are in danger. Except now he has no body, and no magic to help him. And there are also several dark spirits roaming the Chicago shadows who owe Harry some payback of their own.

To save his friends—and his own soul—Harry will have to pull off the ultimate trick without any magic...

My Rating:

 ★★★★ 1/2

.....For being a fun re-read

My Thoughts:

I liked this story. It's not everyday that the hero is able to come back after dying and help his friends once again. It was nice to see Harry help/witness everyone move on from his death and find closure.
There was a lot of depth in this novel, which was a good continuation of the intensity we saw in Changes.

Of course, the story is still funny at times, surprising at other times, and exciting the rest of the time (as usual). Also of course, this series isn't over! So far, there are two books left and I'm determined to finish!

Book Review: Turn Coat (Dresden Files #11), by Jim Butcher

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Date Published: April 2009
Publisher: Roc
# Of Pages/Listening Time: 420 pages/14 hours 40 minutes

Goodreads | Audible

Synopsis: When it comes to the magical ruling body known as the White Council, Harry keeps his nose clean and his head down. For years, the Council has held a death mark over Harry's head. He's still thought of as a black sheep by some and as a sacrificial lamb by others. But none regard him with more suspicion and disdain than Morgan, a veteran Warden with a grudge against anyone who bends the rules.

Like Harry.

So when Morgan turns up asking for help, Harry isn't exactly eager to leap into action. Morgan has been accused of treason against the White Council, and there's only one final punishment for that crime. He's on the run, he wants his name cleared, and he needs someone with a knack for backing the underdog.

Like Harry.

Now Harry must uncover a traitor within the Council, keep a less than agreeable Morgan under wraps, and avoid coming under scrutiny himself. And a single mistake may cost someone his head.

Like Harry...

My Rating:

 ★★★★ 1/2

.....For being an excellent continuation of the series

Book Review: Small Favor (Dresden Files #10), by Jim Butcher

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Date Published: April 2008
Publisher: Roc
# Of Pages/Listening Time: 420 pages/13 hours 47 minutes

Goodreads | Audible

Synopsis: Harry Dresden's life finally seems to be calming down -- until a shadow from the past returns. Mab, monarch of the Sidhe Winter Court, calls in an old favor from Harry -- one small favor that will trap him between a nightmarish foe and an equally deadly ally, and that will strain his skills -- and loyalties -- to their very limits.

My Rating:

 ★★★★

.....For being good, but a little more serious

Book Review: White Night (Dresden Files #9), by Jim Butcher

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Date Published: April 2007
Publisher: Roc
# Of Pages/Listening Time: 407 pages/14 hours, 13 minutes

Goodreads | Audible

Synopsis: In Chicago, someone has been killing practitioners of magic, those incapable of becoming full-fledged wizards. Shockingly, all the evidence points to Harry Dresden's half brother, Thomas, as the murderer. Determined to clear his sibling's name, Harry uncovers a conspiracy within the White Council of Wizards that threatens not only him, but his nearest and dearest, too.

My Rating:

 ★★★★ 1/2

.....For being fun as usual

Book Review: Proven Guilty (Dresden Files #8), by Jim Butcher

Genre: Urban fantasy
Date Published: 2006
Publisher: Roc
# Of Pages/Listening Time: 479 pgs/16 hours 16 minutes

Goodreads | Audible

Synopsis: There's no love lost between Harry Dresden, the only wizard in the Chicago phone book, and the White Council of Wizards, who find him brash and undisciplined. But war with the vampires has thinned their ranks, so the Council has drafted Harry as a Warden and assigned him to look into rumors of black magic in the Windy City.

As Harry adjusts to his new role, another problem arrives in the form of the tattooed and pierced daughter of an old friend, all grown-up and already in trouble. Her boyfriend is the only suspect in what looks like a supernatural assault straight out of a horror film. Malevolent entities that feed on fear are loose in Chicago, but it's all in a day's work for a wizard, his faithful dog, and a talking skull named Bob....

My Rating:

 ★★★★ 1/2

....for being entertaining as usual

My Thoughts:

This was a re-read.  I felt the urge to read this series again, especially since I haven't read the latest installments.  And, since I've already read this before, I already knew I was going to have fun with this one.

The books are full of humor and exciting scenarios, but it seems with each novel that they get progressively more serious.  This was definitely one of the more serious ones.  Especially towards the end.  However, it is still one that I found immensely entertaining.

I think my favorite character is Mouse.  He doesn't talk, but he's still such a great dog.  I later looked up his breed and, Good Lord he's gigantic!  If you've read this series before and have struggled to visualize what Mouse looks like, here he is:

...and no, this wasn't photoshopped.  The dog is literally this huge

Anyway, onward to the next book!

Book Review: Dead Beat (Dresden Files #7), By Jim Butcher

Genre: Urban fantasy
Date Published: May 2005
Publisher: Roc
Number Of Pages/Listening Time: 517 pages/15 hours 7 minutes

Goodreads | Audible

Synopsis: Harry Dresden is the only professional wizard in the Chicago area phone book, and paranormal investigations are his stock-in-trade. Luckily, he's not alone. Although most people don't believe in magic, the Chicago PD has a Special Investigations department, headed by Dresden's good friend Karrin Murphy. They deal with the... stranger cases.
It's because of Karrin that Harry sneaks into Graceland Cemetery one night to meet a deadly vampire named Mavra. It seems Mavra has some incriminating evidence that would destroy Karrin's career. The vampire's demand is simple: find her the Word of Kemmler and all the power that comes with it. But first, Harry would kind like to know just what the Word of Kemmler is. Before long, he's in a race against time- and six necromancers- to get the Word. And to prevent the good people of Chicago from experiencing a Halloween night that will truly wake the dead...

My Rating:

★★★★ and a 1/2

....For being a fun and amusing reread.