A Wild Ride Through the Night

by Walter Moers

The crew aboard the Adventure didn't seem to mind that their captain was only a 12 year old boy by the name of Gustave Dore. They were more worried about what they saw directly behind their ship. A Siamese Twins Tornado was bearing down on their ship fast.
A Siamese Twins Tornado is the most dangerous natural phenomenon anyone could encounter anywhere on the seven seas. A pair of tornadoes, tow meteorological twins who seemed to communicate by telepathic means and hunted ships as a team. If one failed to sink you, the other finished the job.
After it was all over, Gustave is the only one left alive on his ship. He does however pick-up a couple of very unwanted passengers, Death and his sister Dementia. Gustave is given 2 choices, either he dies right then and there or he takes on a series of 6 tasks. Each task becomes more dangerous than the last. He has only one night to complete all of them.

Another great story from the author who wrote "the 13 1/2 lives of Captain Bluebear" and "The City of Dreaming Books". One great thing about this book is that its much shorter than his other books (less than 200 pages). Mr. Moers illustrates his own books but this time he uses the drawings from the artist Gustave Dore.

Rating: 4.5/5

ISBN: 978-1-58567-873-0

Publisher: The Overlook Press

Genre: Fantasy

Books Read in 2008

My goal for 2008 was to read 75 books. Here is a list of books I read.

1. The Tea Rose by Jennifer Donnelly


2. The Pirate's Daughter by Margaret Cezair-Thompson


3. Coyote Blue by Christopher Moore


4. The Society of S by Susan Hubbard


5. The Stand by Stephen King


6. Blaze by Stephen King


7. The Ruins by Scott Smith


8. The Association by Bentley Little


9. The Store by Bentley Little
   
10. The Translator by Dasud Hari


11. Duel by Richard Matheson


12. Chasing the Dead by Joe Screiber


13. Eat the Dark by Joe Schreiber


14. The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger


15. The Somnambulist by Jonathan Barnes


16. The comfort of Home by Maria Meyer


17. Dark Tide by Andrew Gross


18. Dancing to Almadra by Myra Montero


19. Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn


20. The Jerusalem Diet by Judith Basserman


21. The Widows of Eden by George Shaffner


22. The Double Bind by Chris Bohjalian


23. The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson


24. Desperation by Stephen King


25. In the Land of Second Chances by George Shaffner


26. One Part Angel by George Shaffner


27. World War Z by Max Brooks


28. Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout


29. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith


30. Elizabeth the Golden Age by Tasha Alexander


31. The Magician's Assistant by Ann Patchett


32. La Vida Vampire by Nancy Haddock


33. Resistance by Owen Sheers


34. One in a Million by Kimberla Lawson Rody
    
35. Trudy's Promise by Marcia Preston
    
36. The Secret Life of Josephine by Carrolly Erickson


37. The Many Lifes and Secrets Sorrows of Josephine B. by Sandra Gulland


38. The Secret between Us by Barbara Delinsky


39. The Diplomat's Wife by Pam Jenoff


40. Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
    
41. Rasputin's Daughter by Robert Alexander


42. New Moon by Stephenie Meyer


43. Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer


44. Fire Study by Maria Snyder


45. The Virgin of Small Plains by Nancy Pickard


46. The Gravediggers Daughter by Joyce Carol Oates


47. The Black Tower by Louis Bayard


48. Rape A Love Story by Joyce Carol Oates


49. Terror by Dan Simmons


50. Black Ships by Jo Graham


51. Bibloholism by Tom Raabe


52. Midnight Never Come by Marie Brennan


53. Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer


54. Night World by LJ Smith


55. Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman


56. The Darkest Night by Gena Showalter


57. Arrows of the Queen by Mercedes Lackey


58. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by M. Shaffer


59. Women on the Edge of a Nervous Break through by I. Sharpe


60. Dr. Olaf van Schuler Brain by Kirsten Minger-Anderson


61. Beside a Burning Sea by John Shors


62. The Heretic's Daughter by Kathleen Kent


63. The Natural-Born Protector by Carla Cassidy
    
64. The Good Thief by Hannah Tinti


65. Woman of a Thousand Secrets by Babara Wood


66. Dewey by Vicki Myron


67. Wizards First Rule by Terry Goodkind


68. The 13 1/2 lives of Captain Bluebear by Walter Moers


69. A Thousand Veils by D.J. Murphy


70. In Odd We Trust by Dean Koontz


71. The City of Dreaming Books by Walter Moers


72. Low Man by T.J. Vargo


73. Haven by Carolyn Davidson
    
74. Before the Storm by Diane Chamberlain


75. A Gathering of Old Men by Ernest Gaines

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesday (12-30-08)
Grab your current read.Let the book fall open to a random page.

Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.

Moving on to the study-where Viney has divided the contents of one old file into tow new ones (labeled respectively "Sister City Buisness" and "Nobody's Goddamn Buisness but Yours and Mine HOW COULD YOU DO THIS??!!) Viney calmly examines the contents of the buisness file a second time, then a third.

Sing Them Home by Stephanie Kallos

page 221

That's My World

Here is my picture for today's That's My World.

I managed to get to riverside park here in Tulsa. I forgot they have most of the area under construction. The walk-way across the river was open though. I never seem to make it all the way across the river. Not crazy about that darn bridge. Plus that the wind coming across the river made it kinda chilly.

Sunday Salon (12-28-08)

I sure hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas. I know a lot of the country was dealing with some bad winter storms. We have been fairly lucky here in Oklahoma so far. We've mostly had to deal with extremely cold temps. Friday it was in the mid 70's though. Saturday we had a line of severe storms come through and drop the temps down into the 30's.

Hubby and I spent Christmas Day and home. I spent the day cooking a nice dinner for the both of us. It was nice not having to get out and go anywhere.

I got a new camera for Christmas. What surprises me the most about it is the size! It is about a third of the size of my old camera. Holds a massive ton of pictures. I went out Friday and bought a memory card for it and now it can hold over 17,ooo pictures. Can't imagine taking that many pictures though. I noticed Yogi found some neat sites that host weekly themes for pictures, similar to what we do with "The Sunday Salon" and "Booking through Thursday". Check out these sites if your interested in joining them; Scenic Sunday, That's my World Tuesday.

I did actually manage to get some books read this week. I finished reading "Before the Storm" by Diane Chamberlain and "A Wild Ride Through the Night" by Walter Moers. I'm going to try and work on the reviews for them today.

Merry Christmas!!

glitter-graphics.com

The Naming Conventions Challenge

You can find the rules here.

I will be reading authors who's last name who start with a letter in my first name.

K-

A-

T-

H-

Y-

Haven by Carolyn Davidson

Aaron McBain is the towns Sheriff. After being shot in the chest by a bank robber, he awakens in the hospital. He swears his nurse, Anna Whitfield, looks like the angels from his Sunday school lessons from when he was a child.

McBain believes he has seen Anna somewhere before but can't remember where. He hires her to be his private nurse after he is released from the hospital. It doesn't take him long before he figures out where he's seen her before. A wanted poster. Her real name is Susannah Carvel and she is wanted in connection to the murder of her husband. A U.S. Senator.

The only way McBain can figure out how to prove Susannah is being framed for the murder of her husband is to marry her, giving him more time to prove her innocent. It doesn't take long though before someone is out to stop Susannah from telling what she knows. McBain will have to move heaven and earth to protect the woman he loves.

If you like fluffy romances with predictable plots then you will enjoy this one. Fast read but I think that was mainly because the font was larger than normal. If you enjoy historical novels that a accurate you really should avoid this book.

Rating: 2/5

ISBN: 978-0-373-7719-0

Genre: Historical Romance/Suspense

According to Plan by Ray Darby

[100 Dastardly Little Detective Stories]

Ben Wayne is on a mission. He has just broken out of jail. He is hoping he won't be missed for a while yet. If things go as planned he will make it to the doctors house just in time. He does. Now it is time to settle the score with this doctor.

This is a story of a man who decides he won't take losing the woman he loves to another man. She may have been a "she-devil" but she was Ben's, not the doctors.

Great little quick short story. Well worth reading.

Sunday Salon

Well I am a little late this week posting my "Sunday Salon". I was busy yesterday and didn't think about posting until really late last night.

Wow just a few more days until Christmas!. Saturday I made a trip to the Super Walmart to get groceries. It was just starting to get really busy when I finished up my shopping. Glad I didn't come any later in the day. I'm hoping I remembered everything this year. Usually I forget the turkey bags and have to make a separate trip back to the store to get them. I made sure to pick them up first this year.

We spend Christmas Eve at my husbands family house. Christmas Day we will be spending it at home. Its kinda nice not having to go anywhere and just having a nice day at home.

I haven't done a whole lot of reading in the past week. I did manage to get a couple of shorter novels read. I still have one of the reviews still to write up.

The really cold temps will have us staying in the house today. I managed to get down to the bookstore yesterday and bought me a couple new books. Currently I am reading "Before the Storm" by Diane Chamerlain.

Hope everyone has a really nice week.

Booking Through Thursday (12-18-08)

Today's questions:





Do you give books as gifts? I buy books for my husband.



To everyone? Or only to select people? I don't buy books for anyone else but would be willing to buy them a gift card for a bookstore.



How do you feel about receiving books as gifts? I love getting books as gifts. I made out a list of books so my husband knows which ones I am wanting. My mom was the only one other than that who ever bought me books.

The Ulitimate Bookstore

I love playing over at You Tube. I came across this video today. If anyone knows where this place is let me know. I would love to go there.

This is proably what I would do if I ever win the lottery.

Tuesday Thingers

Here is todays question:

Most of us book bloggers like to write book reviews- if we don't love to write book reviews- but here's today's question.

When it comes to LT (and your blog), do you review every book you read? No I don't but this is something I have plans to do a better job of next year.

Do you just review Early Reviewers or ARCs? I try and make sure I review all of my ARC's.

Do you review only if you like a book, or only if you feel like you have to? Honestly if I dislike a book most likely I won't finish it.

How soon after reading do you post your review? It depends. Sometimes I can get the review posted within the day or other times it might take a week or longer for me to post the review.

Do you post them other places- other social networking sites, Amazon, etc.? I only post reviews in 3 places. Here, Barnes and Noble, and librarything.com

Low Man by T.J. Vargo

Benny Assissi tries hard to support his family. After being laid off from his factory job he takes the night sift at a local convenience store. He attends college during the day hoping to make a better life for his family. His wife Lisa isn't very understanding about all the hours he spends away from home.

One night as Benny is getting ready to leave for work his wife tells him she is taking their young son, Michael, to the emergency room. When he offers to go with her she tells him "NO!"

"Just go to work. I'll take care of it. Just go to work and try to be the man of the family for once."

Benny heads off to work. He wonders how his life has gotten so screwed up. He thinks maybe he's cursed. As he begins his routine of stocking and cleaning up the store he has no ideal that things are about to get a whole lot worse.

When Benny sees a man wearing a red baseball cap, something tells him this is really bad news. At the same time he is ringing up the man, his calls from the hospital needing Benny help. The man pulls a gun and tells him to get off the phone. He demands all the money in the safe. Benny bags up the money and hands it over to the robber. The robber runs out the door. Benny could have let things end there but he doesn't. Benny sees a gun lying by the safe. He grabs the gun and runs after the robber. Benny and the robber meet up in the park. Both men make a split second decision that changes not only their lives but those around them. A decision they both will regret the second its made, but unable to change the course of events that are set in motion.

I really liked this book. Its a chilling look at that place that is somewhere between life and death. Surprisingly the book does have an uplifting ending. I received this book through the Early Reviewers program at LibraryThing.com. This will definitely be an author that I will look forward to reading more from in the future.

ISBN: 978-0-9800339-3-9

Publisher: Leucrota Press

Rating 4.5/5

Genre: Horror

Lily Daw and The Three Ladies by Eudora Welty

Mrs. Watts, Mrs. Carson and Aimee Slocum are all very excited. They have just received a letter stating that Lily Daw is getting into Ellisville, The Institute for the Feeble-Minded. They just know Lily will be "tickled to death" when she hears the news.

Lily has other ideals though. When she informs the 3 ladies she plans on getting married, the ladies know some how they must make sure Lily is on the next train to Ellisville.

I enjoy Eudora Welty's stories. Great Writer.

Rating 5/5

The Barber by Flannery O'Connor

3 weeks before the Democratic primary Rayber is at his barbers having a shave. He is caught a little off guard when his barber asks him who he is voting for? When Rayber tells him, the barber makes a very racist remark. At the time it leaves Rayber speechless and its not until later he thinks of several great come back remarks.

This conversation goes on every time Rayber goes in for a shave. Each time Rayber becomes more frustrated because he can't think of any sharp replies to make to the barber. Finally Rayber decides to make a prepared speech of why he is voting for his candidate. He works hard on writing it up. He even has his wife listen to it. He heads off for his shave prepared to do battle with the barber. Things don't turn out the way Rayber hopes for though.

Flannery O'Connor short stories are some of my favorites to read. She loves to poke fun at ignorant red-necked racists.

Rating 5/5

100 Shots of Short Reading Challenge

This sounds like one I will enjoy doing. Here are the rules. I guess I can start this challenge at anytime. I will post a short review of each and link to it here.

1. The Barber by Flannery O'Connor
2. Lily Daw and the Three Ladies by Eudora Welty
3. According to Plan by Ray Darby
4. The Black Pumpkin by Dean Koontz

Booking Through Thursday

Today's Questions:

1. Do you have a favorite author? I have several favorite authors depending on the genre. I like Stephen King (horror), historical fiction- Margaret George, Romance/suspense- Lisa Jackson, and I like a lot of authors who have only published one book. I know I will think of more once I posted this.
2. Have you read everything he or she has written? I have read almost all of Stephen Kings books.
3. Did you LIKE everything? Nope I like a lot of Stephen Kings horror novels but really didn't care for his non-horror books very much.
4. How about a least favorite author? Nicholas Sparks, not so much his books but him I don't like at all.
5. An author you wanted to like, but didn’t? Wally Lamb, didn't care for either of his books.

The City of Dreaming Books by Walter Moers

Optimus Yarnspinner destiny is to become a writer. Some of the best Zamomian literature has come from Lindworm Castle where Optimus lives.

When his authorial godfather, Dancelot Wordwright, passes away he lives Optimus a mysterious manuscript. After reading it he decides he must find the author.

So he sets off for the only place a mysterious author might be found, Bookholm.

Bookholm had more than five thousand officially registered antiquarian bookshops and roughly an thousand semi-legal establishments that sold, in addition to books, alcoholic beverages, tobacco, and intoxicating herbs and essences whose ingestion was reputed to enhance your pleasure and powers of concentration when reading. There was also an almost incalculable number of itinerant vendors with printed matter of every conceivable kind for sale in shoulder bags or in handcarts, in wheelbarrows and mobile bookcases. Bookholm boasted over six hundred publishing houses, fifty-five printers, a dozen paper mills and a steadily growing number of factories producing lead type and printers ink. There were shops offering thousands of different bookmarks and ex-libris, stonemasons specializing in bookends, cabinetmakers workshops and furniture stores filled with lecterns and bookcases, opticians who manufactured spectacles and magnifying glasses, and coffeeshops on ever street corner.

Optimus was in a booklovers paradise. He spends the next couple days just wandering through the city. He even sees his first bookhunter! He happens upon a building with a sign outside saying it was "The Chamber of Hazardous Books". The Vulphead outside tells passerby to make out their wills before entering. There are books that can bite, strangle and fly. Optimus decides against going in. He also gets to see the "Graveyard of Forgotten Writers" (not an actual graveyard), "Poison Alley" and "Editorial Lane".

He makes a few attempts at finding the author to the manuscript he carries. Either no one knows or is unwilling to talk about who the author is.

Finally he finds someone whom he thinks will help him. Poor Optimus is tricked and banished deep within the catacombs of the city. Opitmus is in for an adventure of a lifetime if he can only survive trying to find his way out of the catacombs.

I truly enjoyed reading this book. I loved reading the descriptions of the city and the titles of some of the books Optimus finds. Walter Moers has written several books set in this same world of Zamomian. If you haven't had a chance to read this I think most readers will enjoy this book. I enjoyed his other book called "the 13 1/2 lives of Captain Bluebear".

Rating: 5/5

ISBN:978-1-59020-111-4

Tuesday Thingers

Todays question is:

What's the most popular book in your library? Have you read it? What did you think? How many users have it?

Took me a bit to figure out where to get the info on this. I have several of the most popular books. The top one is Harry Potter and the Socerers Stone. Yeap I read it a couple years ago. Enjoyed it so much I wento out and bought the other Harry Potter books. 37,356 users (Library thingers) have this book.