Tabs

Thursday, July 31, 2014

July in Review

Books Read:  7  
Books on the Currently Reading Shelf on Goodreads:  13 (but I have more that I have bookmarks in that I didn't mark on Goodreads.  
Approximate Word Count: ~14,178
 
Writing improved a little, reading not at all.  Hey, I've been doing work and school and all this other crap and I'm bad at time management...
 
Book List:
  • Kiss of Fire, by Deborah Cooke, paranormal romance, 4 stars

o   PNR that ISN'T erotica.  And DRAGONS.

  • Lord of Scoundrels, by Loretta Chase, historical romance, 4 stars

o  SEE HERE.

  • Carrie, by Stephen King, horror, 4 stars

o   I read it in a night.  1) I am scarred for life.  2)  I wish I had telekinesis.  3)  I really like the name Carietta, like a good name for a kid someday. If only the story wasn't a tragedy.
4) By any other author, some of it might be annoying. Well, the narrative, excerpts, interviews, etc WERE annoying. However, you do not question the King. You. Do. Not. Question. The. King.

  • Just the Way You Are, by Christina Dodd, contemporary romance, 4 stars

o   Christina Dodd isn't one of my brand names, but I like to read her from time-to-time.

  • The Black Prism, by Brent Weeks, fantasy, 5 stars

o   I like Brent Weeks' NIGHT ANGEL trilogy, and finally started on the LIGHTBRINGER trilogy.  Wasn't disappointed.

  • Hounded, by Kevin Hearne, urban fantasy, 5 stars

o   Sexy 2100-year-old wiseass Irish Druid who runs a bookshop.  An occult bookshop.  Mayhem and awesome snark ensue.  Review calls the author and main charrie, Atticus O'Sullivan, the respective heirs to Butcher and Dresden.  NO ONE WILL EVER REPLACE BUTCHER AND DRESDEN.  However, if you absolutely adore Dresden, you will like this series, and will tide you over till the next book comes out.

  • Jim Henson's Labyrinth:  The Movie Novelization by A. C. H. Smith, movie novel, 3 stars

o   Interesting.  It was a lot more detailed than the movie (obviously).  I read a review once that there was ONE LINE from Jareth that supposed to make him look like a completely different character.  Whatever it was, I missed it.


Re-Reads - The Mane Squeeze, Bite Me, and Wolf With Benefits.  DON'T JUDGE ME, OKAY?

Oh, and I got paid today.  And passed bookstores and bought other stuff, and now I've spent all my spending money and I need serious help with this financial thing.  I'm bad with money.  Really, really bad.  Like, I have no self control in a bookstore, but all my bills are paid/will be paid because I DO set aside bill money, but still, maybe I need to buy a book about finances and read it, and apply it...

Monday, July 21, 2014

Review, Sort of, On The Ragamuffin Movie



Father’s Day weekend, I bought Ragamuffin, a film based on the life of, you guessed it, Rich Mullins.

It’s been sitting on my desk ever since. 

I’ve had writer’s block, been doing some productive reading, and keeping my head afloat school-wise.  I work six days this week.

So, my life kinda sucks right now.

I tried to write today, but I don’t know what story to work on, or what to write for those stories.  I put on the Rich Mullins, just to soothe myself a little, and eventually, just gave up and lay down.  If I can’t be productive, I may as well be comfortable, and bury my face in a warm blanket and call it a day.

I don’t consider myself a Christian much anymore.  I believe in God, and by extension Jesus—you can’t grow up in a Judeo-Christian worldview home and completely abandon everything you’ve been taught.  Or, 

I can’t anyway.  I’m INFP (that’s my excuse, and I’m sticking to it! O.o)

I got The Itch.  The last time I got The Itch, I read Carrie.  Loved it, by the way.  Well, I don’t know if I loved it, but I will certainly never forget it and may re-read it someday.  I appreciate it, I guess you could say.  But I digress.

It’s been Itching.  Like sometimes a book will say, “Jadi, Jadi, read me, read me,” for a few days or so until I’m Ready For It, and this movie has just been kind of whispering, “Soon.  Soon.”

Today, I decided, “Today’s the day.”

I’m well aware of how crazy this sounds.

So I popped it in my computer (I got rid of my TV and DVD player), and sat down to watch it.

It wasn’t really what I expected.  They left out snippets of “The Jesus Record.”  Just a little snippet of him at the piano playing one of those songs, and not “Be With You”—which is a great song, but still—would have been cool.  And something about Canticles of the Plains and there was a lot of stuff I wanted to see but they didn’t put in the film.

Beside the point. 

I watched it because while I was listening to the music, I was reminded of how soothing Rich Mullins’s voice is.  How soothing the music is.  Some people don’t like it, well, a lot of people don’t like it, but I always did.  I don’t know why.

Lacey told me one time it was because of his dramatic death, and I’m a writer, so I like dramatic stuff.  Her words, not mine.

Um, I was six when I got into Rich  Mullins, and I don’t know if I had a flair for the dramatic yet.  I remember liking the idea of someone giving their life to God, and let’s face it, the fact the guy was dead did have some sort of impact on my six-year-old self.  Pity of a child perhaps for a dead person?  Maybe.   I do remember feeling sorry for someone that gave their life to God, and then dying the way he did.

The other thing I remember is that Ray Boltz was Mom’s favorite.  Carmen was my sister’s favorite.  Rich Mullins needed to be someone’s favorite.  Might as well have been mine.

As I got a little older, I found some of his other albums. My mother and sister still prefer Songs, but I think my favorite album is probably The World as Best as I Remember It, Volume 2.    My favorite song is “Elijah,” which is on the first album, Songs, and on any greatest hits album; and a close second being, “Growing Young,” which is on The World as Best as I Remember It, Volume 2. 

It’s an interesting film.  Not bad for something that was probably low budget.  Makes me want to revisit The Ragamuffin Gospel and read all those Brennan Manning books I have in my Scribd library.  Nobody ever got through to me like Brennan Manning, or could make me cry/tear up.  I doubt I would even bother contemplating the notion of Jesus if not for Manning.  I loved the bits with him in it, and I was heartbroken when I heard he’d died.  But moving on...

I didn’t want to watch it at first.  I was a Rich Mullins fan and why were they just now waiting to make this movie and what if it isn’t any good, what if it ruins my image of him...?

Anyway, I told myself again and again I wouldn’t bother with it.  But then I started looking in WalMart and saw it, and bought it on impulse.  It was there, and why not?

I want someone I know to watch it, so I can talk about it with them.

Friday, July 11, 2014

Book Review: Lord of Scoundrels, by Loretta Chase

5948657Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase

4 stars
Goodreads synopsis:

DETERMINED LADY

Tough-minded Jessica Trent's sole intention is to free her nitwit brother from the destructive influence of Sebastian Ballister, the notorious Marquess of Dain. She never expects to desire the arrogant, amoral cad. And when Dain's reciprocal passion places them in a scandalously compromising, and public, position, Jessica is left with no choice but to seek satisfaction ...

LORD OF SCOUNDRELS

Damn the minx for tempting him, kissing him ... and then forcing him to salvage her reputation! Lord Dain can't wait to put the infuriating bluestocking in her place --- and in some amorous position, And if that means marriage, so be it! --- though Sebastian is less than certain he can continue to remain aloof ... and steel his heart to the sensuous, headstrong lady's considerable charms.


Yes, it's an old book.  Yes, it's HISTORICAL ROMANCE CANON.

I read a Chase book last year.  Turns out, it was part of the Scoundrels series.  This book is book three.  Anyway, we'll ignore the glaring error of me not reading books in order.

Dain is angsty, and very much still a little boy inside a grown man's body.  The psychology student in me screamed, "Therapy!"

The hopeless romantic whispered, "He needs a good dose of old-fashioned lovin'."

He wants to do better.  He also doesn't want to get hurt.  He's trying.  He's scared.  There's a lot going on there.  At first, I didn't know how I would respond to him, but in the end, I really liked him.  He's the character that had a lot of room to grow, and actually did grow.

I adored Jess Trent.  She is your typical bluestocking spinster who neither needs nor wants a man.  And she shoots Dain.  She.  Shoots.  Him.

SHE.  SHOOTS.  HIM.

Served the b-tard right for walking away after being caught with her.  He then marries her because he's the only man big and mean enough to handle her.  He also has a major crush on her.  Aww.

Anyway, it's a good book, and I can understand why it's canon.  Because, it's always on a best-of romance list.  Always.

I love when I read a book that's a BIG DEAL, and it is actually a BIG DEAL.