The Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The third installment of the fantastic Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. Intrigue and adventure build as Percy listens still more about being a half-blood and what it truly means to become a hero.

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Proving that I am a big ol' nerd, I think this is awesome.

The Nymphos of Rocky Flats by Mario Acevedo

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars
Feliz Gomez goes to Iraq a soldier and returns a vampire. When he returns to the states, he takes up as a private detective. He is called upon to investigate an outbreak of nymphomania at a secret government facility.

The book is not nearly as sordid as it sounds. It's fun and light with a lot of action and intrigue. Enjoyable.

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Smonk: A Novel by Tom Franklin

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
E.O. Smonk is a nightmare, a dream and on the verge of death. For years, he has terrified and tormented the town of Old Texas, Arkansas. But the town has dark secrets and Smonk knows them all. Is he evil, or is he the hand of God come to punish the townspeople?

I thoroughly enjoyed this fast-paced, brutal, violent and gory book. A great mix of Western, adventure, and gothic with characters and scenes that haunt long after the last page. Not for everyone, but the right audience will love it.

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I took today off. Hooray!

I took Calypso to the vet this morning (just a followup - she's fine). rosepurr had a hair appointment this morning, so when I returned, I just curled up on the couch with a book and a cup of coffee.

Nice.

Despite it being a short week, it's been a bit stressful and I haven't wanted to do much. One of my colleagues announced that she got a new job. It's a great opportunity for her and we're all happy for her. But we were already short-staffed and there's a hiring freeze. We'll see what happens.

I'm just glad for some downtime. rosepurr took this week totally off (which probably contributed to my work stress, just knowing she was home relaxing). She needed the time and she has spent it curled up in novels. I'm jealous. I'm hoping to do some of that myself this weekend. Even when we're just in the same room reading together, it's just wonderful having her in close proximity.

I've been meaning to update for awhile. Last weekend, rosepurr and I, along with some other poetry-appreciating friends, went and heard Billy Collins read and talk. He was very entertaining. I admit to not knowing much about contemporary poetry before meeting our friend Christina here in Nashville, but I knew Billy Collins before. I've always liked his work. Hearing him read just added to my perspective on it. Some of my favorites (even before the reading, but my fondness has since increased): Aristotle, Introduction to Poetry, and Litany. I love how, especially in the last one, he messes with tradition and expectations in poetry, turning them on their ear.

He was reading at Lipscomb University here in town for a Christian Scholars Conference. I've never associated his work with Christianity, but the focus of the conference was on narrative and, if nothing else, "Aristotle" at least addresses narrative. After the reading, there was a reception. But because it was a Christian Scholars conference, they didn't serve alcohol. Instead, they serve vanilla ice cream sandwiches on freshly made (i.e., still warm) chocolate chip cookies.

It was more fitting and more satisfying than booze.

One of the best things about the whole event is that Collins has a sense of humor. I've heard and read some wonderful poets recently, but he is definitely the most playful.

Last night, rosepurr and I faced a sinkful of dirty dishes and little motivation. So we went out for some yummy sushi. rosepurr had finished her novel and needed another. (She only buys books when she's ready to read them; the books she contributes to our shelves are ones she's already read. I, on the other hand, fill the shelves with books I want to read but haven't yet gotten to. I expect to be one of those old men who dies buried under a toppled shelf of books I never got to.)

Anyway, so rosepurr wanted to stop by the bookstore. She drove her swanky new car (did I or she mention the new car? Anyway, she got a new car) and we went to the nearest bookstore, a Books a Million. We picked up some things (the bargain bin bit me again) and got drinks in the cafe and sat there reading until they pretty much kicked us out. We came home, rosepurr poured me some Maker's on the rocks (she still had some tea from the bookstore) and we just continued reading into the night.

I think it was just about a perfect evening before the long weekend.

Speaking of the weekend, I have no idea what we're doing for it. We have a plethora of options, but I think we're feeling a bit tired, lazy and in the mood for a bit of a staycation. That could change in a hour, but that's where we are. We do have some errands to run today and Saturday.

Anyway, it's time for more coffee and perhaps more reading.

Happy 4th, everyone!

h Beat the Reaper: A Novel by Josh Bazell

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
A fast-paced crime novel about a doctor in the witness protection program who is discovered by his former employers. With flashbacks to update the backstory, the book was written by a doctor, so it is especially graphic and gruesome in spots. (How truthful I can't speak to.) A fun, fast read.


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Once a Runner: A Novel by John L. Parker

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
Runner's World calls this "the best novel ever written about running." It's high praise and well-deserved. The book captures brilliantly the insanity, the solitude, the joys and sadness of long-distance running. In short, it's brilliant, well-written, and inspiring. Highly recommended, particularly for runners or those interested in running.


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First, Farrah.

Then, Michael.

We have two very different people who have touched our lives in such huge, impossible ways that we know them by their first names, even when we've never met them. But we live in a world where that is possible - a single individual can touch us and teach us from thousands of miles away, practically worlds apart.

I don't know what else to say. I can't say too much without inadequacy drifting in. But it feels like a huge swath of my past, my childhood, my teen and pre-teen years, are dying off in some way, running headlong into oblivion and nostalgia.

With my 40th birthday next month, I feel like one of those Baby Boomers who are annoyed when they have to explain who the Beatles were.

I was reading this review of the new Transformers movie and was very amused by this line:

"Michael Bay used a squillion dollars and a hundred supercomputers' worth of CG for a brilliant art movie about the illusory nature of plot."

LOL

As the web savvy and food craving among you probably know, there is a fantastic blog called "This is why you're fat."



Today's is about perfect.

The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars

The second book in this series keeps up the fun pace of the first and the distinctive, believable pre-teen voice of Percy Jackson. A great introduction to Greek mythology for young readers or simply a fun adventure, even for us who are a bit older. Recommended.


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An Evil Guest by Gene Wolfe

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars


Set in the near-future, this novel has the feel of an old pulp novel, mixing sci-fi, intrigue and Lovecraft mythos into a story that is unpredictable, though sometimes frustrating. I liked it, but I couldn't help feeling like something was missing and that some of its locations and setups were either never followed through upon or totally unnecessary.


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LOL!

This video is awesome.

Thanks to brightflashes

I can't help but wonder if this could be me.(?) I'm keeping my good reads account, though. I like knowing what people read, and it also helps increase the always overwhelming to-read pile.

I did something to my shoulder today. I suspect my messenger bag is overfull.

So there's a wonderful blog out there called Awful Library Books. At first, that name may seem contradictory to booklovers (myself included), but then you realize that most of the blog's posts are of books that are (1) woefully out of date or (2) really should never have been published in the first place.

I'm all for Free Speech and the First Amendment, obviously, but these two books are two horrible:

This one, which is really just politically incorrect from an entirely different sensibility from the current time

Or this one, which is even more horrifying.

Hunt at the Well of Eternity by Gabriel Hunt

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars
In the tradition of pulp adventure novels from Doc Savage to Indiana Jones comes this first book of a new series. The action comes at a breakneck pace and doesn't let up, which is good. Following the pulp tradition, though, some of the prose is really clunky and slows the book down. Nonetheless, a fun read.


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Or this . . .