The Verdict...

Girl with the Dragon Tatoo
It was just OK. The story was interesting despite the complicated family tree The ending was anti-climactic and disappointing. I did like the characters Blomkvist and Salander, but I'm not that interested in reading the rest of the series. Too much hype. I would like to see the movie, but that's mostly because I think Daniel Craig is hot.

A Dance with Dragons
It was good. I particularly liked the adventures Tyrion went on and the surprising new character he discovered while at sea. Actually that boat scene where he comes to befriend everyone was pretty good. It was funny and I felt the camaraderie. I liked seeing what happened to Theon since I had completely forgotten him and I was glad to see Asha come back. Although Daenerys' storyline is getting really tired (nothing's really happening with her!), I was really moved by the scene in the colosseum pit where she is trying to get some control over Drogon (I think it was Drogon). I felt like I was right there, either as Daenerys or as myself watching her. I could hear the crowds screaming in the background and people running about in a frenzy; I could see Drogon flapping his black wings, the dust rising from the pit as a result, and I could feel the heat and see the heatwaves when he opened his mouth to release flames. It was so vivid! 

Look out old Jackie is back!

Another Repairman Jack novel is out - The Dark at the End. And I'm reading it, just like I've read almost every one of F. Paul Wilson's novels. I have been reading his books for years, ever since I picked up Legacies at the Gerrard Ashdale branch of the TPL many years ago. I've read every Repairman Jack book to date, except the one I'm currently reading and the two new teen fiction novels (Secret Circles and Secret Vengeance; Secret Histories was pretty good!). I've read The Adversary Cycle. I've read Sims, Virgin, and Black Wind. I even read Implant and tried, but failed, to read Midnight Mass (vampires? Boring...) while I was waiting for the next Repairman Jack novel to be released. I think I've read more books by Wilson than any other author! Wow!


Overall, I really enjoyed The Adversary Cycle. I loved The Keep (the opening scared the hell out of me); I found Reborn a little too much like Rosemary's Baby (an opinion I've seen posted elsewhere), although I read it so long ago I remember very little, and The Touch dragged on a bit; Reprisal had some painfully disturbing parts (bone-chilling, creepy) while other parts just dragged on a bit too long... The original Nightworld was amazing. Absolutely satisfying story. I purchased the revised version from Borderlands Press last year, even though I really wanted the original, and I was disappointed at the heavy Jack-focus. Wilson had written Nightworld long before the many Repairman Jack books (except The Tomb which is part of the Adversary Cycle and introduced Jack). I think I'm just a bit irritated with and a little tired of Jack now. I think I agree with a review I'd seen on Amazon where the reviewer said that Repairman Jack was much more interesting when the stories didn't tie so heavily into the Secret History of the World; when they stood alone and didn't involve the Dormentalists, The Kickers (I wish I could kick them), and The One. They were just creepy because of some otherness that couldn't be pinned down. I already know how it ends. I must be feeling a bit like Wilson himself, who says in the prologue of The Dark at the End "I need to move on". But he's writing two other prequels that show us how he came to meet Julio and Abe and become the Jack that we know because the fans have asked for it.

Perhaps I'm also a little tired of all the focus on the Jack because I really like the other characters of The Adversary Cycle, particularly Father Bill, and Glaeken. The way they all came together in the original Nightworld was just great. Each character is unique and interesting in their own way, not just Jack. That being said, I'm still going to read all the remaining Repairman Jack novels just so I can say I've read them all. I don't actually own any Repairman Jack novels (I own Virgin, Sims and Nightworld) which I plan to rectify this holiday season. I think I'll buy Conspiracies.

Images from www.repairmanjack.com/ (You don't know Jack!)

Reviews... helpful or hurtful?

Image from Goodreads

I'm currently reading The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson. I usually don't like to read books that I know everyone else is reading. The fact that something is on the Oprah's Book Club list is a bit of a turn off (although I did read What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day and I enjoyed it - it was different from what I usually read). I don't want to be told what to read by mass media. But sometimes your curiosity can't help but be peaked.

A crime drama, a 30 year old mystery, a social outcast with a gift... I think it was probably images of the movie, particularly Lisbeth Salander, on TV that made me decide I wanted to check it out. Also it takes place in Sweden, not North America. A friend of a friend married a Swedish guy, they have a great social system I hear, other than that I know nothing about the place. I'm also at a point in my reading where I don't have anything I'm waiting on from the library. I was recently thinking that it's only really gotten interesting just before page 200, which makes me wonder why I didn't put it down beforehand. Is it really that interesting or am I swayed by its mass appeal and the fact that it's been made into a movie. I made the mistake of reading some Amazon reviews and the first paragraph of Wikipedia's entry, and damn if they didn't give away stuff that I didn't need to know! Ugh, I hate that! Do reviews really ever help?

Image from Goodreads

I loved the first part of the story which took place in Afghanistan. I remember being caught up in the authors description of the beauty of his surroundings before Russia invaded. I was so mesmerized; it was dreamlike. I thought the characters were interesting, particularly the Hazaras with their Asian eyes from their Mongolian ancestors (cool!). I was really into the story and I cared about the characters. Somewhere along the line I made the mistake of reading an Amazon review while I was still reading it. It made some mention of the second part of the book and how it was written as if the story was meant to be made into a movie. I can't remember exact details (thankfully) but I went into the second part of the story with that in mind and it totally ruined it for me. I still enjoyed the book but I wonder if I would have enjoyed it more if I wasn't tainted by that review. Would I have come to that same conclusion as that reviewer? Probably not.

I do find myself moved by reviews. Good reviews, bad reviews, spoilers. I think it's better to save them for when I finish the book, at which point it doesn't really matter. 

A note on blogging...

I'm enjoying my blog! I'm happy to see that it's taken on a focus - books! I do spend most of my time reading so it seems like the obvious choice. "A life through books" sounds a bit sad actually, like I'm not really living. Hmmm, might have to change that line but it seems fitting right now...
I'm surprised at how much time it takes for me to finish writing a post. I imagined it would be easy, that the words would just flow. I shouldn't besurprised though. It takes me forever to write essays and publications. I read and re-read, edit... I over think it because I want to flow perfectly and be meaningful. I wonder if most people have this problem...

One of a Kind Show!

Honey Pie Soaps

My sister and I have attended the One of a Kind Show and Sale at the Direct Energy Centre in Toronto almost every year for the past few years. We skipped one year because we thought it was too expensive but then found ourselves missing it. We've attended both Spring and Christmas shows and have found the Christmas show to be the best and so only attend at that time.

We have bought a few items over the years: hats from Volang, leather purses, glass jewellery, chocolates/toffees, pepper sauce and jam, and soaps. I even bought some art one year! Most items tend to be expensive (my sister passed on a $59 felted hat by Julie Sinden because she couldn't justify the cost. I think she's still considering though...), and the "Sale" part of the show's title is debatable, but at $7 for an early bird ticket, it's just a fun girls day out.

My favorite purchase this year has been the soap we bought from Honey Pie, a natural product line from the Prince Edward County area. We buy from them consistently at the show and found out this year that they are at the Wychwood Barns and Evergreen Brickworks Farmers Markets every Saturday year round. We picked up 4 soaps for $20 - handmade, chemical free, and filled with nourishing oils (like jojoba and olive oil), essential oils, and herbs. For the first time we purchased the shampoo soap and I just love it! It lathers like you wouldn't believe. Bay, the proprietress, told me that the castor oil makes it lather while the jojoba oil (I think) makes it rinse out. Either way, my hair feels moisturized and clean and I'm quite happy with my purchase. I'll have to check out the markets soon.

Bath salts my friend made me

I love walking around the venue and seeing what people have created. I especially like the natural beauty products and the crafty clothing and accessories.I find the show inspiring. It makes me want to make my own products. I make my own deodorant from baking soda and cornstarch and use almond oil as a natural moisturizer. A friend of mine has been telling me how easy it is to make your own bath salts and body scrubs. When we were at the show, I looked closely at some bath salts and scrubs and felt good knowing that that I knew how to make these products myself. I made note of some of the essential oil blends that I thought smelled nice so I could potentially use them myself. I plan to make some soon as Christmas gifts. Just need to get the jars...

You Grow Girl by Gayla Trail

Gayla Trail's You Grown Girl inspires me to attempt making natural beauty products from herbs in my garden. I planted calendula flowers this year for the sole purpose of attempting her healing hand salve recipe, but alas because I'm a novice gardener (either that or essentially a really bad one), the weeds overtook my garden and none of the flowers grew. Nevertheless, I'm still inspired by her crafty activities and hope to attempt some next gardening season. Her Grow Great Grub is just as inspiring. The crafty ideas I liked were edible and easy: herb or flower-infused vinegars, herbal salts or sugars, herbal iced teas... I did grow borage in my community garden this year and put the flowers in ice cube trays filled with water, froze them, and used the ice over the summer. A simple pretty way to add some style to the everyday.