A Dryad, A Wizard And A Burning Spider Walk Into A Mess

Hello All, how is your week going?  I'm a wee bit exhausted, but hey I'm still alive and kicking so there is that.  How about a rambling?  Cool.  Today let's ramble about Codex Born, the second book in the Magic Ex Libris series by Jim C. Hines.  You may remember my absolute geek out love of the first book in the series, so you can imagine my excitement to start this second book.  Unfortunately, while still a good book, it did not live up to my admittedly over the top expectations.  But first, as always SPOILERS AHEAD!

We left our intrepid Libriomancer Isaac being reinstated as a researcher for the Porters and tasked with finding an ancient evil that seems to inhabit whatever realm it is that libriomancers pull from.  He is happily...if awkwardly in a relationship with Lena the dryad, and by proxy with Lena's other lover the psychiatrist Nidhi. At the start of each chapter, we get a bit of Lena's history.  From her "birth" as a tree, to her meeting various lovers and seeing how it affects her personality.  Isaac is working with Jeneta, a teenage girl who has shattered the notion that libriomancy does not work with e-readers.  While working with her he gets a call to investigate a potential wendigo murder.  While investigating, Lena's tree (which she lives in) gets attacked and infested with magical, mechanical bugs.  After some investigating they discover that a former colleague, who was a mechanical genius, created the bugs and in some way sent them to his abusive father when he died.  His father August Harrison is a bit of a sadistic freak, and has been recruited by an ancient, pre-Porter libriomancer like group to help return the souls of their leaders, who were imprinted in books hundreds of years ago for their own safety.  This leads to Isaac and his team investigating a group led by a person called Bi Sheng, who was able to use and teach a form of libriomancy before the Porter leader Gutenberg

started using it.  At some point Gutenberg decided the group was dangerous and attacked them, to save the teachings a group of students essentially imprinted themselves into specially prepared books to hopefully be retrieved at a later time.  This is where August comes into play.  The group who has been guarding the books recruited August and his mechanical bugs to kidnap Lena, after they learned of her potential ability to use her tree to create new bodies for the trapped souls.  Lena does this for one of the book's and the result is a body for the soul, but it is soon discovered that the soul was corrupted by the same dark entities that Isaac was researching.  During the battles we continue to learn that Gutenberg is much more of a dictator style leader then anything and he is willing to go to great lengths to protect his wizardly arts.  He says he has to be so harsh as to protect the world from the dark entities that are always looking to come through.  Chaos and death and fighting and geeky references occur and Isaac burns himself out in the final battle.  While this battle is happening he hears/sees an entity calling itself Meridiana before being overcome.  The good guys win, albeit at a high cost and we end with Jeneta apparently being infested by entities from her e-reader, setting up the second book.

Ok, so first the good.  Lena's story and how it unfolded was my favorite part of this book.  It was great to see where she came from and how she got where she is.  I enjoyed the concept of taking two lovers giving her a form of freedom.  If you remember in the last book we learned that she takes on the personality of her current lover and will do whatever it takes to keep them happy, so the idea of having two lovers with different personalities gives her some choice in who she is and what she does.  I liked the addition of Bi Sheng's group and their history, it adds an international/historical spin I find is lacking in many European centric fantasy stories.  I liked that the group was also not inherently good or bad, they just were and wanted a way to survive and return their long lost leaders. Also the burning spider Smudge will forever be AWESOME!  Now what I did not enjoys so much.  In the first book, the rules of the magic seemed fairly clear cut and made sense.  In this book (and I realize it is part of the story) the rules kind of explode and are altered to fit what needs to be done.  I get it in

some ways, Isaac is supposed to be a bit of a rouge and able to research and find new ways to use his magic...which is a pretty realistic idea, it just seemed he found ways around pretty much anything that got in his way with very little issues.   In general it seemed that "magic" and it's "rules" were played with fast and loose in this book, depending on the person magic could pretty much be used as a pat answer for almost everything, which to me gets a bit annoying, and I feel a bit of a cop out.  I also found the story to be a bit more muddled then the last book.  The histories don't seem consistent and their is a lot of vagueness about the "bad guys".  I'm not sure if this is to make a big reveal in later books, or the author does not have a clear idea of who the bad entities are or how they work.  Gutenberg is a big bully, and I am never sure why this group of obviously smart and talanted people follow him no questions asked.  I understand that he is the founder, has hundreds of years more experiance, and is a bit scary, but there is a lot more of them.  This is definitely a book in a series, and if you have not read the first book you will be hopelessly lost (in fact I had to go back to the first one to remind myself of what was going on), which is fine if the whole series ends up being a big cohesive story.  Overall it was a solid book, and I think if I did not fall so head over heels with the first book, I would have not been so nit picky about this second one.  I give this book 7 out of 10 enchanted acorns.
What is the feeling between love and dissapointment?  Can a 10 out of 10 book ever be followed?
How badly do you want the power libriomancy?

I Like Big Books

Hmmm, so I was going through my current reading list to decide which books I would do for my next rambling when I realized...they are all big books.  Seriously 4 out of 5 of my current books are over 300 pages with at least two of them being in the 400 range, and one of them is in itty bitty print with super thing pages!  So it may take me a while to get to the next books on my pile, but that is ok 'cause if the book is good (and so far all of these are awesome!) then I want as many pages as possible.  As I gaze longingly at my bookshelves I realize that I have books of every shape and size, some are big honkin annotated tomes of classics, some are short little paperback quickies, some are beautifully illustrated stories, some are fat, juicy little things, but they all have a story

 hidden in there pages.  That being said I do have a soft spot for big books...if it is a good one.  I am not a fan of a book that goes on and on and on when it could have gotten the point across better with about 200 less pages.  However to me the mark of a good book is when you are on page 200 and still have 2/3rds of the book to go and you can't wait to read every single page, or you finish and realize that you just consumed 500 pages of awesome goodness and didn't even realize how long the book was!  If you can not only maintain my interest for that long, but make me want to continue reading, then you madam or sir have done an exceptional job.  Of course the down side to my big books is that they do take a little longer to read (not a bad thing for me, saves me money, but a bad thing for a blog that is supposed to have ramblings on it), and they are a bit more awkward to haul around.  Usually for these big books I either get a copy in paper back (seriously have you tried hauling around Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix in hard cover?!?  I still need regular physical therapy to straighten out my spine) or I use my handy e-reader, which means I can carry a literal ton of 600 pagers in one little portable device.  Of course all of these big fat books (especially the ones I splurge on and get a hard cover edition to keep on the shelf) look really impressive and make me look really smart :-)
What kind of books do you like to read (long, medium, short)? Is it easier to read big books in hard cover, paperback or e-reader form?  Does a huge collection of short stories count as reading a big book?  Have you ever tried to read a big book in the bathtub

Bye Bye Books

So I have come to a hard decision, and it is not going to make a lot of people happy, but I don't have much of a choice.  We have extremely limited space in our little apartment and I have been trying to save up what little money I can.  So...I have decided to get rid of most of my physical books and just use my e-reader from now on.  The ebooks are so much cheaper, and I will have more space with out tripping over stacks and stacks of paper backs.  I know this debate has been raging for a while now, but this is what I have decided to do. :-(

Bye Bye Books

Hello E-Readers

APRIL FOOLS!!!!!!!!

Like I would ever give up my precious babies.  I'm sure none of you were fooled for even a second, but still, had to get into the spirit of things.  Now I am off to read my books simultaneously on my e-reader AND hard copy :-)  Happy Reading

Disguised As A Book

Sorry my posting has been a little spotty, life has been a wee bit hectic.  I should be maintaining a fairly regular schedule for the foreseeable future.  I think we all know that electronics have completely taken over many of our lives (mine included), but there is something sad about seeing all of these shiny top of the line toys taking over shelf space.  Here are some perfect solutions to help your toys blend in to your awesome book decor (if that sentence did not make any sense, I blame the lack of coffee).

Laptop Book Cover

I love the black and red options for this cover...I think I would get one of each and switch them out depending on my mood.

Old Book ipad Cover

I love the old style of this simple case for your ipad

E-reader Book Cover

These covers are for all of those die-hard "real" book fans who think an e-reader is selling out, maybe this cover will convince them otherwise.

Phone case/wallet

This nifty little book cover does double duty as a phone case AND a wallet...I need one!

Book Laptop Skin

I love these easy on/ easy off skins for laptops and tablets, it's a quick fun way to disguise your electronics, and if you get bored you can always switch it out!

Are you ashamed of all of your electronics that take up precious reading time?  Are electronics disguised as a book more acceptable?  Are a forward thinking technophiles who thinks it is awesome that you can now get books on demand on all of your electronic devices?

Welcome to the Future HP

It's true folks, Harry Potter has finally decided to join us here in the 21st century and is now available as e-books through the Pottermore website.  You can also get them through Barnes and Nobles and Amazon but they are just going to take you right back to the Pottermore site.  The books are compatible with all readers (eg Nook, Kindle, etc.) and you can download it for personal use up to eight times, so you can have it on multiple devices.  Now why, you say would I want to re-buy the whole Harry Potter collection when I obviously have a whole shelf already full of them.  Well...because I want to :-)  I actually do have a few reasons, the first one being if you really love a book you can never have too many copies. I am constantly losing, loaning, spilling, tearing, reading to oblivion my favorite books and so I usually need a spare (no joke I have three full versions of The Chronicles of Narnia just for that reason).  Second, have you seen those Harry Potter books?  They are HUGE, especially the later ones, and they just are not conducive to hauling around on the Metro (if you have hardcover they are even bigger!).  Third, I like to look up specific things in the Harry Potter books and the e-readers make it really easy to do that.  Fourth, well...why not?  Anyways these are the justifications I have for spending another 60 dollars on books :-)

Are you as excited as I am that these are finally on e-readers?  Would you re-buy books you already own to have them in a different format?  How obsessively obsessive am I with my multiple copies?

The Electronic Weird and Wonderful

I am kinda in a lull, I'm not quit ready to start Christmas yet, but I don't want to really get into any new/big projects either.  So I'm kind of just waiting around for the season to start and enjoying one of my favorite time wasters, e-book surfing.  I essentially go through the Kindle/Nook catalog looking through the free and cheap books seeing if there is anything new or unusual.  One of the things I mentioned in my e-reader post is the ability for new and upcoming authors to get there works out there.  This can be both a pro and a con as there are some amazing new authors, but there is are some that are not quit there yet.  Most of these new books are short, more of a novella length, but some are full sized.  They range from free to around $2.99 per book, which makes it pretty low risk.  I have found a few new writers that I am excited to watch for and a couple that I am glad I didn't pay much for.  I love exploring this new arena, I think it really gives a lot more freedom in concepts and ideas, not restricted by popular notions as much as a full on published, printed and bound book does.  I really hope these writers use the opportunity to really get some great stuff out there, and the ones who are not so successful the first time out should keep trying.
Here are a couple of books that are (or were at the time) only available as an e-book

To Kill A Warlock by H.P. Mallory was my first foray into the world of unknown e-books at only $0.99 it was a steal (it is now in print!)  I really really liked this one about a fairy detective, there a couple more in the series which are pretty good too!

One Night With the Fae by Claire Farrel is a story about a single night, each chapter told by a different character with a different perspective.  Again at $0.99 this was a GREAT little book, a really quick read, but great story

No Shoes, No Shirt, No Spells by Rose Pressey is the first in a series about a cafe with a magic cook book and the new owner who gets dropped into the whole magic business quit abruptly.  $2.99 was a little high for this book, it read like a beginners creative writing class novel very disjointed, liked the basic premise but the author needs a little more practice.

Unicorn Bait by S.A. Hunter is a quirky little tale about  women whisked away to a strange world by an old Unicorn horn.  This one amazingly is free, and if you like fantasy or quirky stories at all you should definitely read this one, I would gladly pay for this one.

Alien Coffee by John H. Carroll is a fun little $0.99 read, finished it in an hour, but neat concept about aliens addicted to coffee, will probably keep this one on hand.

I hope this inspires you to give some new books a try, at these prices it's worth the risk, and who knows you may find a new favorite writer!  I have several more on my e-readers and will catch everybody up when I've finished a few more.

What new books/authors have you discovered online?  Do you think this opener forum is good, or does it let to many hacks through?  Has it inspired you to try your hand at writing?

Taking a Stand :-)

Thanks Tricia for sending me this, too funny!

Old Vs New

All through out history there has been the struggle between the traditional, known, beloved way of doing things and the new, provocative, cutting edge, unknown way of doing things.  Horse and Buggy vs The Automobile.  Stove vs Microwave, Snail Mail vs Email, and now ladies and gentlemen the newest debate Printed Books vs E-Readers! That's right folks, now you too can hold thousands of books in the palm of your hand, need a good mystery it's there, bored of that and want a good romance, just switch to a different book...unless you're in your bathtub...or the battery runs out...or your wonderful Hubbin won't share the e-reader.  Of course you could always stick with the good old bound book, you can take it anywhere, you never lose power, you have it actually in your hand...unless it's back at home on the bed table...or you don't feel like reading that particular book but your stuck on a plane with no access to your books shelf...or it's only in hardcover and cost a bazillion dollars and you really don't want to wait for it to come out in paperback.

As you have probably guessed from the above I feel there are pros and con's to both types of medium. 

Lets start with the good old fashioned bound book
Pros:

It's a book!

You most definitely own it, it will never disappear of your device if the server goes down
They are usually cheaper to replace if you accidentally leave it somewhere or get it wet
You can read it in the bathtub
Never runs out of battery
Some of the older (better) books are not available yet on electronic media
There is artistry in a lot of books that just doesn't translate to the electronic form
There is nothing like the smell of a book, old or new
I like turning the pages
It's a book!
Cons:
It's hard to take more then a couple at a time with you, especially when you are travelling
Individual books tend to be more expensive, especially hard cover
You have to go to a bookstore or wait for a book to be delivered to read it
Can't read them in the dark without some source of light
Can get damaged by things like water, fire, light, small dogs

Now for the technologically advanced E-Readers
Pros:
You can have like a zillion books at once
Instant access most of the time, no waiting for books
Can read in the dark
You get to buy a new toy
Individual books tend to be cheaper
Comes with a built in dictionary
Get to read new authors who may not be in print yet
A lot of the classics are available for FREE! (Jane Austen, Bronte sisters, ect...)
Cons:
The devices tend to be expensive to start with (though they are getting cheaper, and free apps for some devices that you may already have)
You can't(or shouldn't) take them in certain place, like the bathtub (which is one of my favorite places to read) or the beach (unless you are not like me and can remember to keep it out of the sand and rising tide)
The battery can die
It's way to easy to spend a lot of money without realizing it
Technically the books can be removed from your device by the provider
Can be damages by dropping, water, stupid people
It's not a book!

Obviously both sides have there ups and downs and I guess in the end you have to decide for yourself.  The nice thing though is you don't have to pick a side if you don't want to.  I have both real books and e-books and I love them all.  I think anything that gives more authors a chance to be known, and encourages more people to read can't be a bad thing. I personally have several of the more popular apps (Kindle, Nook) on my PC, laptop, and tablet device.  Besides now I have my Hubby convinced that collecting real books isn't so much a hobby any more as it is an investment because someday they may be rare and worth something :-)
Let me know where you come down on the issue.  Have you donated all your books and live the austere techno-junky life of the e-reader only, or are you a purist and only let your fingers touch honest to goodness paper pages, or are you like me and enjoy any possible way that you can read be it book or e-reader?