Winter Is Not Behaving

I am franticly trying to finish up my winter reading before spring hits...but we have been in the 70's for the last two weeks!  Seriously this is not working quit yet for me.

What I want

What I'm getting!

I've got one more week left of winter reading to go...hopefully the weather will cooperate a little bit...Happy Reading Everybody!

Ready For Spring

In general I prefer it cold to hot, but I will admit, this year I am ready for winter to be over.  It has been to cold to go out and play (think frost bite conditions) but I'm still out there on calls, hauling sick people up and down freezing, icy stairs and driveways. I'm not complaining, I love my job...but still, it is not fun.

I am ready to get out my Jane Austen books and read on the porch.  I am ready for a color other then white and gray and I am ready to not have to read while wearing gloves. I'm not advocating for 90 degrees with 99 percent humidity...just a bit of sunshine.  Happy Reading Everybody!

Sugar And Snow

It's been COLD out here!  Normally I prefer the cold to heat, but it's getting downright ridiculous.  Instead of whining, I've decided to embrace winter and read a winter book (that's not true, I'm still whining, but at least I had a good book to read while freezing my hinney off).  The book is The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen and it was the perfect winter treat.  As always SPOILERS AHEAD!

Josey Cirrini is a woman in her late 20's who is devoted to assisting her aged and frigid mother.  Josey is the daughter of Margaret and the late Marco Cirrini, a southern belle and her entrepreneur husband.  Marco has been gone for a while, leaving Josey to care for her aging mother who has convinced Josey she is meant for nothing more then her current duties.  To combat this monotonous life, Josie keeps sweets and books hidden in the back of her closet for comfort.  She also very much enjoys winter, finding comfort in the snow and cold.  Her simple and predictable life is interrupted on afternoon by the appearance of one Miss Della Lee Baker in her closet.  This woman is a local waitress with a past and for some unknown reason has decided to take up residence in Josey's closet.
While there, Della Lee imparts much street wisdom unto the sheltered Josey, including on how to dress like a grown up, wear make-up and just live a life in general.  Della Lee sends Josey to a very specific sandwich shop for a grilled cheese and tomato sandwich (which sounds soooo yummy right now!) from Chloe Finley.  Chloe is a special girl herself, she has a boyfriend Jake (who she has just kicked out for cheating on her) and the weird gift of having apt books just randomly appear when she needs them (my dream come true!).  Chole's ex-boyfriend Jake is friends with the mailman Adam, on whom Josey has had a crush on for years.  Josey and Chloe end up hitting it off and help each other out through various going ons.  Della Lee finally reveals to Chloe that she is actually her half-sister, and that Chloe is as well (even though she does not know it).  It turns out that Marco was a lady's man and had women pretty much at will (which seems to be par for the course for rich, powerful men).  The result was at least two children and when Margaret found out, she got pregnant out of spite, as she and Marco had agreed to not have children.  This explains a lot of the coldness Josey's mother feels towards her, as she was never really wanted in the first place.  Josey finally accepts this and she and Adam finally hook up and decide to travel the world.  Chloe and Jake decide to make another go at it after Chloe discovers that she can live with out him and it would be her decision to take him back and not one of desperation.  Josey goes to her closet to let Della Lee know what is going on, when she discovers that Della Lee has actually been dead ( a suicide) and it is her ghost that has been passing along the sisterly advice.  Josey decides to accept this and goes on to live her own, full life, away from her mother and the tiny town that she was suffocating in, returning only when Chloe needs her to be the maid of honor at her wedding.

I really liked this book a lot.  It reminded me of what I loved about this authors first book Garden Spells.   This book had a subtle magic woven through out a very serviceable tale.  Let's start with the characters.  Josey was a great main character, she was pretty, but not stunning, normal shaped, not thing and willowy, she was living an expected life, but had yearnings of something more, in other words she is most people I have ever met.  This is great because I would guess that the vast majority of readers could identify very closely with her right away, I mean who doesn't have some sort of secret stash of hidden treats of some sort?  I liked her story arc and that the author gave a background and reasoning for Josey being who she is and then a fairly realistic arc to who she became.  Chloe was fun, I liked her book magic and her determination to find herself apart from her true love, but be able to be adult enough to not use that to ditch him permanently...if that makes any sense at all.  Margaret had her own arc, which included its fair share of heart ache and angst and while explained why she was the way she was, never made it an excuse for her treatment of her only daughter.  The boys Adam and Jake got their pages in as well, and while not as fully fleshed out, at least made them distinguishable from each other.  Della Lee was my favorite though, she was in equal parts tough, sad, sassy, and defeated, she was the voice of everybody else, the embodiment of the sheer weight of feelings that we all experience and sometimes have a hard time processing...plus she wore a tiara

through a good portion of the book :-).  The magic and setting was perfect for a snowy afternoon.  It is set in a little ski resort in North Carolina and while it has it's share of Southern charm, it was not the typical languid, warm setting I am used to associating with the south, it was a great change of pace.  The magic like I said before was subtle, but pervasive, with every person having their own unique bit of it.  It is never explained, just accepted and it adds just the right flair to get the reader immersed in this world. In keeping with the sweets theme (which was wonderfully carried through the whole book in very clever ways) each chapter was named after a treat and their was plenty of treats eaten along the way...don't read this without a snack at hand. I found the story of Marco and Margaret to be very sad...in a good way if that makes any sense.  The dysfunction, the hurt, the secrets all led not only to their unhappiness, but to the screwing up of their kid, who did nothing to deserve it.  There were a few flaws as every book has.  I wasn't totally on board with the reason for Jake cheating on Chloe...it just didn't ring true for his character.  Also I wanted something a bit more substantial for Adam's secret, other then he fell down a mountain and got hurt...again, kind of not in the character that was laid out of for us. Josey's weight was seen as a negative more often then I wanted it to be...but I guess that's just reality for you.  Overall I felt the book to be a good winters read, it was able to immerse me in the story, and was written in a way that I did not feel the need to have every bit of it explained to me.  It is the type of book I like to describe as a story, a moment in time that is told to the reader and then left as is.  I give it 7 out of 10 vials of peppermint oil and would recommend it to anybody who needs to escape the cold without to much effort.
What is your hidden stash treat?  Could you read a winter theme book in any other season?  Do I use () and ...way to much?

Bookflakes

Put all my Christmas stuff away this weekend, the house seems really empty :-(  To make my house less dreary, I like to cover it in sparkly snowflakes all winter long.  Here are some literary snowflakes I may attempt this year to add some sparkly cheer to the potentially dull winter.

Book Page Sparkly Snowflake

I like how intricate these look, and the sparkles are a bonus

Cut Out Snowflakes

I remeber making ones like this with my Mamma...still love making these

Vintage Snowflake

This one looks very simple to make

Folded Snowflake

This would look so cool on top of my bookshelf

Book Page Snowflake

More pretty cut out snowflakes

If anybody needs me, I will be using my quote paper I made to cut out a zillion snowflakes and hang them all over my house.  If that doesn't stave off the winter blues, I don't know what will.

Happy Reading Everybody!

One Last Bit Of Winter Fun

Well folks today is the last day of February.  I have just finished reading my winter books and am ready and eager to move on to my spring books.  But before we trade the snow and ice for rain and flowers here are a couple of winter wonderland tidbits to remind you that winter is not so bad.

Book Snowman

How cute is he?!?

Book Page Snowflakes

What a great idea for next year

Book Snow Sculpture 

An alternate to the traditional Snowman

Snowlady With a Book

Book Sweaters 

So your books don't get cold during your winter reading.

See winter isn't that bad, in fact it is kind of fun to have an excuse to curl up with blankie, a cup of coffee, and a great book for hours on end.  Happy last of winter reading everybody!

Are you scrambling to finish up your winter books?  Are you ready for spring?  Am I the only one who now has the urge to come up with a whole wardrobe for my books?

Sochi

Wooohoooo it is time for one of my favorite events, the Winter Olympics to be held in Sochi, Russia.  As I have mentioned in previous posts watching the Olympics is a hard core ingrained tradition.  Starting tonight in between calls I will spend the next to weeks watching every little story, game, sport and controversy unfold.  I will revel in the togetherness of all the different countries, dismay at the idiots who use it to spout poisonous rhetoric and delight when the underdog wins.  This of course means my reading will probably slow down a bit as I use that time to watch my Olympians, but hey we all need our special things.  That being said there are several books that can help us better understand the current Olympics, Olympic history and the knowledge of the city the Olympics are being held in.

2014 Winter Olympics

A quick rundown on the history and current Olympics, complete with stories and pictures

History of the Winter Olympics

A history of the Winter Olympics...which is much shorter then the Summer Olympics

Sochi Travel Guide

Even if you are not there, you can pretend with the travel guide

Figure Skating

A guide to my favorite Winter Olympic sport, figure skating (it's harder then it looks)

Curling for Dummies

'Cause I know you want to know :-)

I hope this years Olympics are full of fun, competition and sportsmanship.  I hope the naysayers and the pot stirrers can see this as an event to promote peace, love and whacking each other with sticks (that what hockey is right?) I am very excited and if my posting is a bit spotty, just check to see what sport is on and when it will be over and then check back :-)  Happy Olympic Reading Everybody!

Baby It's Cold Outside

Ok folks I'm back in one piece...mostly.  It has been cold, and my poor Hubbin has been sick, and I have been doing my best to not freeze, while simultaneously trying to stay awake while not throwing my stupid computer out in the snow.  The plus side is I did get a little snuggle/book time, mostly at the station.  Here are some blankets that do double duty in keeping you warm and also entertained when you finish your book and are to cold to get out of your reading chair to get another one.

Dick and Jane

Here is a great way to get your little one warm and well read

Quote Blanket

This one is big and fuzzy and has so many words!

Bookshelf Quilt

I don't know if I want to use it or hang it on my wall!

Book Before Bed

I like that you are supposed to have the words facing you like a giant book

Book Quilt Fabric

And here is a little fabric if anybody would like to make me my own book blanket!

I hope everybody who is experiencing these lovely winter temps with me (which seems to be a good chunk of the world) can find a warm blanket and a good book to see them through.  Happy Reading Everybody!

Windchill Below Zero

Brrrrrrrr...it is a wee bit cold this morning. Spent the night running calls and avoiding frostbite, but the snow was beautiful.  This morning however it is just plain freezing!  This however does make for a great excuse to curl up with a blanket, a giant mug of hot cocoa and a stack of books, preferably by the fire place in your giant library, but any comfy place will do.

Alas I must first get through a day of work, and try and stay awake (seriously long cold night last night).  But as soon as I get home it is comfy cozy reading time!!!!!   Let me know what you are all reading to stay warm!  Happy Reading!

Growing Up Sucks

Hello all, flipping through my completed book stack (I love watching it grow) and realized there are a bunch of books I finished on my trip that I haven't rambled about yet.  To remedy that let's ramble about Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu.  This is a novel length retelling of The Snow Queen (which has always been one of my favorites).  This book is a perfect one to read in the winter, as the cold and icy atmosphere are very much part of the story.  As always SPOILERS AHEAD.

Hazel is having a rough time, her whole entire life has been turned topsy turvy by the divorce of her parents.  She has been taken out of her private school that encouraged individualism, creativity and other unorthodox methods of learning and plunked into the local public school into the fifth grade class taught by Mrs. Jacobs who likes things to be as orderly as possible.  Hazels only consolation is that her best friend Jack is in the classroom next to hers and sometimes plays with her at recess.  Hazel has a hard time making friends as she is a dreamer and a bit of a geek (seriously the references in this book to other books and geekdom are
pretty cool), even when she is approached by other kids, she tends to not really know how to interact with them. Jack on the other hand does have multiple friends, two other boys in particular whom he hangs out with when he is not with Hazel.  One of the boys is pretty mean to Hazel, ensuring that Jack must constantly choose one or the other.  To make matters worse, her teacher is constantly on Hazel to pay attention, which Hazel finds difficult and her mother is constantly after her to try and be more "normal" or at least try and live in the real world a bit more.  In an interlude we learn about a nasty little goblin who made a mirror that reflects only the worst in people.  He then purposely shattered it, sending pieces of it all over the world to wreak havoc.  One day when they are playing in the snow Jack gets hit in the eye with a snow ball and all of a sudden gets kind of mean.  He starts ignoring Hazel and hanging out exclusively with his guy friends.  This really gets to Hazel, who always felt she could depend on Jack to be there for her, to be creative with her and to always accept her for who she is.  This new Jack is not the one who was her friend.  Hazels mother tells her that sometimes as you grow up people change, and maybe Jack is just starting to outgrow some of the "childish" (Mom's words) games they were playing.  This upsets Hazel in multiple ways, and she tries to "grow up" herself.  This results in her giving up all of her imaginary worlds, and creative games.  Her grades improve and she quits getting in trouble, but
everybody notices that she does not seem to be herself anymore.  Jacks friend Tyler gets a hold of Hazel and tells her he thinks that something is wrong.  When Hazel goes to try and visit Jack they make some vague reference to him going to help an elderly aunt.  Tyler tells Hazel he thinks he saw Jack go into the woods with a snowy white lady.  The second part of the book has Hazel going into the forest and into what seems like a fairy tale world...except for that it is all twisted.  The people who seem most helpful are the ones who want to keep her there, or have some sort of twisted revenge. It is actually the wolves in the end that are the most helpful.  Through out her journey Hazel learns more about herself, and also has to face the possibility that Jack might not want to return home (his mother is suffering from sever depression, making his life very hard), or that even if he does he and Hazel may not have the same relationship.  Hazel eventually finds Jack in the middle of the Snow Queens realm.  Hazel challenges the Snow Queen who tells her that if Jack chooses to leave of his own accord that she will not stop them.  Hazel finally convinces Jack to return home and leads him back through the forest.  When they get back, it is like they never left.  Jack goes home and Hazel is now ready to face growing up and what lies ahead.

I have always loved the Snow Queen stories.  I think it is one of the few old ones that actually has the girl rescue the boy.  I have also always loved that the Snow Queen is not really the villain in this story (that would be the evil goblin who made the mean glass mirror), but a person who allows people to try and work out who they really are.  This version of the story was a bit sad, a bit frustrating, a bit melancholy and a bit dreamy.  For being a book about 5th graders I found it to be a bit depressing.  Every kid had some serious emotional stuff to get through, this is unfortunately realistic, but did not make it an escape book by any means.  Even when we switch to the more magical second half we see Hazels happy idea's of fairy tales take a hard downward turn, with the characters that inhabit these woods all having horrible things of their own to deal with.  I'm not sure how I feel about this, I know again that this is all real stuff that people have to deal
with, but there did not seem to be a lot of hope for something better anywhere in the story.  I couldn't tell if the author was telling us that you should be who you are, dreamy, creative and lost in your own world, but that you won't have any friends and nobody will understand you.  Or if maybe the point was we all have to
grow up sometime and that these things are childish and have no place in the real world...I never really was sure what I was supposed to get out of the whole thing.  The ending was pretty abrupt and open ended, not really telling us if Hazel and Jack ended up as friends, or started growing apart.  We never learn if Hazel took her experiences in the woods as a lesson in growing up or proof that the imaginary could be real or some combination of the two. There are some bright spots in the book, the author manages to incorporate some awesome books into the story, like A Wrinkle in Time, Harry Potter, and a delicious little jaunty wink to The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.  Hazel also makes a bit of a new friend in Adelaide who proves that being rich does not necessarily make you snobby and that ballet can be awesome, not just something for feminists to rail against.  I also like that Hazel was adopted from India, giving her a bit more of an identity crisis, giving her one more reason she felt like she did not belong.  Over all I found this to be a good little read for the winter months and enjoyed the literary references (the author obviously loves her books).  I did however find it to be a bit depressing and while I do not always need my books to end with pat answers and a perfect ending, a little more hope at the end would have been nice.  I give this book 6 out of 10 frozen tiaras.
What is your favorite old fairy tale?  Do you find books like this realistic or depressing?  Is ballet something wonderful and magical, or something that is forced upon to many little girls?

Winter Wonderland

Baby it's cold outside!  First real snow here in the DC area and I have to say, riding the ambulance in the middle of the night with just the lights on the new fallen snow and nothing else out there is kind of awesome!
Here are a few of my favorite snow/winter scenes form books that occupy my winter shelf.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe - There are many winter scenes in this book considering part of the plot is a witch who has kept the land in eternal winter.  My favorite "wintery" scene is when Edmund meets the White Queen for the first time and he is cold.  Once she figures out who she is she wraps him in warm furs, gives him Turkish Delight and the best part is gives him a drink that I want to figure out so I can try it too!

A Song of Ice and Fire- Again plenty of coldness, when one of your main families sayings is "Winter is coming" you know that it ain't gonna be warm.  The coldest part for me was probably in A Clash of Kings when they are on the other side of the wall searching for Benjen Stark.  The descriptions of this scene always require and extra blanket to read.

The Cry of the Icemark-This book is set in the frozen north featuring a strong Viking like heroine.  It also has vampires, werewolves, and snow leopards.  I know, I know this sounds a little shady, but I love love love this book.  There is a scene where she travels over the frozen tundra to attempt to garner help for her country from former foes that will make you reach for your fuzzy socks.

Graceling-Most of this book is not about being cold, however there is one part of the book where our Graced heroine must get her and a 10 year old child over a treacherous mountain pass.  The way the author writes this scene is simply amazing and I am always shivering and swear my fingers are turning blue every time I read that passage.  Do not, I repeat DO NOT read this without a cup of hot cocoa in your hands.

The Fellowship of the Ring- How can one read about the passage of our intrepid nine over the mountains and not feel the sharp wind and the biting snow.  I am usually not a huge movie/book comparison person, but I will say the sweeping views of the mountain range in the movie really nailed that epic winter cold. Warm robe and possibly a pipe required for reading this part.

I hope these gave you all some idea's on how to make a little snow seem like not such a big deal :-)  Either that or a way to cool you down if you are in a hotter part of the world.

Have you seen snow yet? Do you prefer to read about cold winters during this season, or do you prefer to read something on the warmer side?  Does reading about certain environments make you feel them on occasion?

It's Snowing Men!

This post is for my Mamma who loves snowmen! Plus it's really cold and supposed to snow tonight so maybe I will get to make one tomorrow!

Snowmen At Night

Snowmen All Year

Why Do Snowmen Wear Hats?

Attack of the Vampire Snowmen

Abominable Snowmen

Dr. Who

Do you all now have the urge to go build a snowman?  Do you beleive in abominable snowmen and who would like to go with me on an expedition to hunt one down?  Are my posts a bit random on occasion (sorry I'm really tired)?