Book Review: The Tragedy Paper by Elizabeth Laban

I tried posting this on Goodreads, but it wouldn't save the whole review.  I guess my paragraph was just too long or something.  (Not really.  Sometimes that site is wonky...)  So, I'm posting my review here and I'll redirect anyone who is interested from there.  :D

Buy On Amazon

My review:  I picked this book at the library based on three factors - it was on a shelf of books nominated for a Beehive Book Award (best/favorite books in Utah), it had an interesting title, and good cover design.  ( Hey, I was there with my three kids, I didn't exactly have the luxury of pouring over each book, deciding which to choose for myself.) When I got home, I read the inside jacket and wondered what I'd been thinking.  A teen romance?!?!  Jennifer Weiner gave it a glowing review?!?!  I hate her books!  I did eventually open it and was surprised.  It wasn't terrible.  It was fairly well written. I liked the device of one boy telling another his tragic love story remotely, and the characters were okay for a teen romance.  However, it was a really slow read.  I had to force myself to finish it.  So, I didn't hate it but I won't rush to find another like it.

Mo Williams Wrote a Chapter Book!

You can preorder it here: http://goo.gl/qzAOkV

Raise your hand if you love Mo Willems! If you have a small person (child, not just a super short sibling or something) in your life, or just have a goofy sense of humor, I'm guessing you'll be excited about this - it's Mo Willem's first chapter book! Illustrated by Caldecott-honoree Tony DiTerlizzi, The Story of Diva and Flea will be coming to my home next November for sure!  

From the publisher: 
Diva, a small yet brave dog, and Flea, a curious streetwise cat, develop an unexpected friendship in this unforgettable tale of discovery.

For as long as she could remember, Diva lived at 11 avenue Le Play in Paris, France. For as long as he could remember, Flea also lived in Paris, France-but at no fixed address. When Flea flâneurs past Diva's courtyard one day, their lives are forever changed. Together, Diva and Flea explore and share their very different worlds, as only true friends can do.

Review: Jane Austen's Emma

I give Emma two of five stars because I reserve a one star rating for truly dreadful books like 50 Shades of Gray.  
Emma was not that bad.

 Before she began the novel, Austen wrote, "I am going to take a heroine whom no one but myself will much like."  Boy, she nailed that one.  Of all the uninteresting drivel... I've read IKEA directions with more compelling characters than the spoiled and manipulated Emma. This book has all the plot action of a flat EKG. I had a hard time getting in to Pride and Prejudice, but once I did I truly enjoyed it. I hoped it might be the same with Emma, so I kept trudging through. (It took more than a month to force myself to read this book.  Highly unusual for me.) Not once can I say I enjoyed this book.  Not once can I say I was charmed by the supposedly charming Emma, that I enjoyed her continued confusion and humiliation, nor did I enjoy any of the other "delightful" characters.  I found them quite flat.  I will not be in a hurry to read more Jane Austen.  

If you still want to read Emma for yourself, you can find it on Amazon:

Today I'm Reading: Jane Austen's Emma

Click here to get your free Kindle edition of Emma. 
Click here to find more free or cheap Jane Austen novels on Kindle.

Today I'm reading Jane Austen's Emma.  I've actually been reading it for a couple of weeks now and I'm really struggling to get in to it.  So far Emma strikes me as a coddled, somewhat empty headed, vain little girl.  The people around her seem to exist only to please her, and I'm bored.  This is the second Austen book I've read, and it took me a while to get into Pride and Prejudice, too.  I eventually loved it so I'm not giving up on Emma yet, but could use some input.  Does Emma ever develop any depth?  Do the people around her become more than props intended to appease her?  In short, does the story improve?  Should I cut my losses and move on to Neil Gaiman's new book Trigger Warning?

Eric Carle and His Friend

Not long ago, one of my favorite author/illustrators, Eric Carle, wrote a book called Friends. It was the true story of him and his first friend, a little girl whose family moved away. This article about their miraculous reunion after 82 years got me right in the feels. I love a happy ending.  http://goo.gl/Njwgax

Severus Snape in a Nutshell: His Most Important Moments

Severus Snape is one of the most interesting and complex characters ever written.  His on screen portrayal by the sadly underused but brilliant Alan Rickman is so deep and nuanced as to only be fully appreciated once all of Snape's story is known.  To say  he is my favorite character in a series chock full of amazing characters is a massive understatement.  It is my dream that one day J.K. Rowling will write a complete book telling Snape's life story.  Until that day however, I am pleased to know this video is in the world.  YouTube user kcawesome13 created a 15 minute compilation of the Half Blood Prince's most important moments from the films that I could not turn away from.  Yes, I cried again as he held Lily, and as he asked Harry to take his tears to the pensieve.  For a fan like me, this is a must see.

Gravity's Rainbow

Alton Brown is one of my favorite TV personalities. I think he's pretty rad. So, when he mentioned that he's reading this today, it immediately went on my To Read list.  

Do you want to read it, too? Buy it here:  http://goo.gl/12H4xv