Happy Halloween and RIP VIII Wrap Up

Happy Halloween, friends! I'm sitting here waiting for trick-or-treaters that will possibly never come (we've had years with literally zero activity) and Z and his dad are out wandering the neighborhood. Since Z's got braces this year, I'm going to steal all of his caramel candies!

Per Jenny's request, here is Z as Toad from Super Mario ...

I love this kid and his mushroom hat!

We had another fantastic RIP reading season. Z and I read two books together -- The Beasts of Clawstone Castle by Eva Ibbotson and The Witches by Roald Dahl.

I read lots of short stories, first in the Oxford Book of Victorian Ghost Stories and then in Under My Hat: Tales From the Cauldron which I'm reading tonight (a book of YA witch stories!).

I read one non-fiction book, The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher by Kate Summerscale, one graphic novel, Grimm, and listened to one audiobook, The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury.

I read lots of novels too -- The End of Mr. Y by Scarlett Thomas, Greenwitch by Susan Cooper, Picture the Dead by Lisa Brown and Adele Griffin, The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova (a re-read and group read), Which Witch? by Eva Ibbotson, Coraline by Neil Gaiman (also a re-read), The Asylum by John Harwood, An Old Betrayal by Charles Finch (review and giveaway coming next week!) and The Watcher in the Shadows by Carlos Ruiz Zafón.

My favorites were The Night Circus, Which Witch?, An Old Betrayal and The Watcher in the Shadows. I'm also really liking Under My Hat -- the witch stories are not what I expected and are almost all fantastic.

I also participated in the Estella Society's monthly photo challenge, #estellagram. Here a couple of my favorites (and two that weren't for #estellagram but I just love them). All of the nature pics are from my own yard.

See you in November,
K and Z

p.s. We just got two sets of trick-or-treaters ... they were teenagers but whatever. They each got a handful of candy. Yay!

RIP Reads 13 & 14: Spooks in Other Formats

During read-a-thon, I tried out the first volume of the Grimm graphic novel, based on the NBC television show. I'm a pretty big fan of the show and had been missing it all summer long so I was hoping for a fun read. And, while this collection was a bit repetitive (they didn't edit out recaps between issues when combining them for this book), the story was indeed fun and the characters were exactly like their television counterparts. If you don't watch the tv series, I think there was still enough character introduction at the beginning that you wouldn't be lost but I do think that this will likely be more interesting for existing fans.

I also wanted to grab an audiobook for the read-a-thon but, while I didn't get to it during that day, I didn't want to miss this chance to get more familiar with Ray Bradbury through The Halloween Tree. I listened to it over the past week or so and really enjoyed this tale that is part history lesson about the cultural origins of Halloween and also a harrowing tale of a young group of friends that must rescue one of their own. I did have to rewind and re-listen at one point after one small idea by Bradbury sent me off on a thought tangent about gods for about five minutes! His word choice is amazing and the flow of his prose is magical. As for the narrator, I thought Bronson Pinchot was engaging and easy to listen to but sometimes his kid voices were a little whiny.

Here's a preview clip for the 1992 Hanna-Barbera animated film version. It looks like the drama has been ramped up a bit!


Enjoying Halloween in many ways, K

RIP Reads 11 & 12: Whicher and Watcher

I finally read Kate Summerscale's The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher! I've had this on my TBR since it came out in 2008 and though I had heard of its easy readability, I just never got around to picking it up. But, as I'm behind on my non-fiction reading for the year, I grabbed this one a week or so ago.  It's the story of a young boy who is murdered, apparently in his own home and probably by a member of the household. The investigating detective from Scotland Yard is Jonathan Whicher and this is the story of the case, his investigation and the effects afterward on both the family and the detective.

While this was an interesting book which filled in a bit more of my Scotland Yard knowledge, I thought some parts were a bit info-dumpy, especially right at the beginning. Still, it was a compelling piece of history, especially reading about how the murder became so popular in England, dominating the newspapers for a long stretch of time and inspiring writers such as Wilkie Collins.

I wasn't going to buy any new books for RIP this year but then there was this new Carlos Ruiz Zafón novel (new in translation anyway) and I couldn't resist. The Watcher in the Shadows is his third YA novel from early in his career. It is an incredibly atmospheric and melancholy book with a terrifying villain. I was in doubt as to whether many of the characters would even survive to the end of the book. I think it's amazing how CRZ can take the most elemental of fears and turn them into such imaginative and unique stories. All of his YA books are well worth picking up if you're looking for suspenseful reads. I saw that Simon got a copy of the fourth in translation, Marina, just recently so I guess that will be on my RIP plate for next year!

Finding the real and the fictional equally disturbing,
K

RIP Reads 9 & 10: Worlds of Wonder and Fear

I was a bit (okay ... REALLY) nervous before starting The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern because it was so highly praised by many bloggers with similar tastes to mine. I knew that it would either end up being a favorite or, sadly, a disappointment. I had won a copy of the ARC soon after it was released but I just never found the right time to start it. Then I also found a super-discounted hardcover that I couldn't resist so, owning two copies, I picked up one of them with excitement and a bit of trepidation. My fears couldn't have been more unfounded. This was an amazingly brilliant and beautiful book. This tale of a mysterious and magical circus and its inhabitants and fans was just so utterly unique and compelling that I got completely lost in the story. I can understand the obsession with the circus both inside and outside the book. Now my fears can be shifted to the film version that is being created at the moment. But if it can capture even a portion of the magic without adding in any Hollywood tropes, it will be something to behold.

I didn't own The Asylum when the RIP season started but I just couldn't resist a new John Harwood. I liked The Ghost Writer quite a bit and loved The Seance. His second book is still my favorite but this comes close, although it's revealed to me another of my major fears -- wrongful imprisonment in an asylum. This is a story of mistaken identity, of a past temporarily lost and of the need to know one's place in the world. The ending is a bit sudden but the suspense and intrigue of the rest of the book makes up for it. I can honestly recommend any of Harwood's books if you are looking for a great RIP read!

Escaping into one world and trying to escape another,
K

RIP Reads 7 & 8: The End of Mr. Y and Picture the Dead

I have to admit that I bought The End of Mr. Y by Scarlett Thomas without knowing anything about it. I had heard the title and the book is pretty with its black edges and, well, it was cheap at Half Price Books. So, when I thought that it would be a good RIP read, I really didn't know for sure but I was hoping for a perilous read. As I started reading it, I also began second-guessing my choice -- that is, until it became more perilous than one could ever imagine.

I don't want to give too much away about the plot so I'll just say that it's about a Victorian book that has the ability to fuel a very dangerous obsession. There's a lot of philosophy in it and sometimes I felt like it was a little too weird but, by the end, I was impressed with the direction that Thomas took. I'm definitely going to look for more of her books because of the unique ideas in this one.

At our Scholastic book fair last year, I picked up a copy of Picture the Dead by Adele Griffin and Lisa Brown. I thought this story had its ups and downs. It's a Civil War era story with ghosts and spirit photographs and love and betrayal. The story was a overly dramatic in parts but nicely historical in others. I think this is one case where I might be too old for the book. If I had read it as an eleven or twelve year old, I probably would have loved it.

Traveling from one end to another,
K

RIP Reads 2,3,4,5,6: Spooky Chapter Books Galore

I couldn't tell you why we so enjoy reading perilous chapter books during this season but it's definitely a pleasure that we find no guilt in. There's something about a spooky chapter book that is simple and frightening at the same time and these tales sometimes inspire more emotion than some of their complex adult counterparts.

Since this is our third year of reading an Eva Ibbotson ghost story during the RIP season, I think Z and I have firmly established a fall bedtime reading tradition. This time is was The Beasts of Clawstone Castle, a relatively recent book from 2006. It's the story of an elderly brother and sister who are trying to keep their family home (castle, really) from being bulldozed, their unique herd of white cattle from being displaced from their safe grazing grounds and the entire beautiful property from becoming a large tract of low-cost homes. Their young niece and nephew come to stay and come up with the idea that the only way to save the castle is to get a few terrible ghosts to come and turn the quiet home into a haunted abode to attract more tourist dollars. The plan seems to be working properly until some government-types come and tell them that the herd of cattle is infected with a highly contagious disease.

While full of ghosts and dastardly neighbors and castles, the most frightening and grotesque thing in this story was definitely the animal abuse. It is obvious what Ibbotson's feelings were about the handling of the British "mad cow" outbreak of 1996. But, while I think it's important to bring attention to the wanton disposal of living creatures, I'm not sure that an actual description of killing cattle with a bolt gun was necessarily a good choice for a children's book. Still, we really enjoyed this story and were once again enchanted by Ibbotson and her weaving of the modern world and all of its amenities with the ghosts of prior generations and a thread of social conscience.

On my own, I read another Ibbotson book, Which Witch?, during the read-a-thon. I decided that Z might not be completely interested in a marriage contest between witches, vying for the hand of a dark wizard. But after reading it, I can't see any reason why he wouldn't like it. It's an amusing story with lots of bizarre characters and some fun creatures.

In this book, Ibbotson has a lot of fun and doesn't really tackle any heavy issues (though there are a couple of dark magic scenes). I do wish that, as this book was published in 1979, I had found a copy of it in my childhood library. Unfortunately, my library was lacking when it came to British children's fiction (not surprising in a Los Angeles suburb in the 1980s). I do think I will try and get Z to read it sometime or maybe we can use it as our Ibbotson read next year. There are no ghosts in it but I'm sure I can get his attention with a baby kraken.

I finally picked up Greenwitch, the third book in Susan Cooper's The Dark is Rising series. By bringing together Simon, Jane and Barney from the first book and Will Stanton from the second, along with Uncle Merry and a trip back to the fishing town of Trewissick, this was a quick and exciting read about the fight between the forces of good and evil. I think I will read the final two books this winter.

I enjoyed a reread of Coraline during the read-a-thon as well. I had only read the story once before, slightly before the movie version was released in 2009. It was also my first Gaiman novel, read after working through the Fragile Things short story collection but before I was completely familiar and comfortable with Gaiman's prose. Reading this book again as a true fan was a much more meaningful and enjoyable experience. I adore this story. I love the movie as well but I still do wish it had been more faithful to the original.

Finally, Z and I read Roald Dahl's The Witches together but you're going to have to wait until Halloween to read our thoughts on it over at The Estella Society as it was also a Top 100 Chapter Books selection.

Enjoying another spook-filled season,
K and Z

RIP Read-along: The Historian

I am really thankful to The Estella Society for hosting a read-along of The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova. It's a book that I remembered really liking but, because of its size, I was hesitant to pick it back up for a reread. So, did it live up to my sparse but positive memories? Briefly, yes.

If you still haven't read it but are curious, this book is a weaving of the stories of three generations and their experiences while researching the ultimate fate of Vlad Tepes, aka Vlad the Impaler, aka Dracula. As they discover each other's stories through journals, letters and narrative, a full picture develops of a legacy of evil that might be impossible to destroy.

Despite one or two places where the history felt too much like a lesson, this was still a very compelling tale and the sense of peril was palpable. I enjoyed the black and white, good versus evil nature of the story and the characters. It was easy to know where one stood with each character, whom to trust and which to avoid at all costs. This is something that seems to have been lost in modern vampire mythology, with recent tales of romantic and far-too-human (and sparkly) holders of the eternal curse. More believable is a vampire who is self-serving and cruel, one who toys with people of interest to him like a cat with a mouse. He is also powerful and manipulative and he uses knowledge and history to his advantage. This is what you would expect from a creature who has lived for centuries, hiding and murdering and getting away with it all time and time again.

With awe and horror,
K

Read-a-Thon Wrap-Up

I totally meant to get this wrap-up done yesterday but then I ended up having problems with my washing machine (it put moldy residue all over my white comforter) and that claimed all of my attention for the evening.

Anyway, here is the final questionnaire --

1. Which hour was most daunting for you? It's actually hardest for me to get going in the morning. I never know if I should shower, dress and eat or just start reading and then fit the other stuff in after I have some pages under my belt. (I usually choose reading first!)
2. Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year? Any of Alan Bradley's Flavia de Luce series would be great
3. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year? I never do. I think it's such a flexible event that however it's run, it seems to work perfectly.
4. What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon? I loved that the main blog updated right on time each hour. It kept me on track and always coming back.
5. How many books did you read? Four
6. What were the names of the books you read? Which Witch? by Eva Ibbotson, Coraline by Neil Gaiman, The Asylum by John Harwood and Grimm: Volume One by various authors and illustrators
7. Which book did you enjoy most? Probably Which Witch?. It kind of bugs me that it came out in 1979 so I could have read it as a kid but I didn't.
8. Which did you enjoy least? Grimm. The story was okay but it was a little bit repetitive, both between the collected issues and in relation to the tv show. I did like the way the characters were written though. The dialogue was near perfect.
9. If you were a Cheerleader, do you have any advice for next year’s Cheerleaders? I still haven't officially cheered but maybe I will next year. They always make the day better!
10. How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time? Unless something unavoidable comes up, I will definitely participate again (and again). It's such a fun time and I end up reading far more than I ever think I can.

So my final stats were --

Books: 4

Pages: 789

Time spent reading: 10 hours, 35 minutes

I call that a productive day, especially since I got a reread in there (Coraline -- much better the second time!). I look forward to the next read-a-thon.

Already reading again,

K

Read-a-thon: Hour Twenty-One Update

Hour Twenty! Well, minutes ago I finished my third book of the day -- The Asylum by John Harwood. It was as good as I expected it would be.

Here are my stats so far:

# of Books Read: 3
Pages Read: 635
Time Spent Reading: 9 hours, 40 minutes

I'm going to keep going for at least a while longer. Say hi if you're still up!

Getting a little drowsy,
K

Read-a-Thon: Hour 12 Update

Time for the ... Mid-Event Survey!

1) How are you doing? Sleepy? Are your eyes tired?

I'm doing pretty well! I've completed a couple of mini-challenges and finished two books totalling 378 pages (3 hours, 55 minutes of reading). I'm not too sleepy yet but I did start four hours late. I also left the house for lunch which helped. I also keep using the upstairs toilet to get a little exercise in and get the blood moving to my brain and toes every so often.

2) What have you finished reading?

Which Witch? by Eva Ibbotson

Coraline by Neil Gaiman

3) What is your favorite read so far?

Both of these were great and I would read them again in a second.

4) What about your favorite snacks?

I haven't snacked much yet so probably the blueberry scones I made for breakfast.

5) Have you found any new blogs through the readathon? If so, give them some love!

I discovered a couple of new blogs because they were hosting mini-challenges -- Jehara and Nisaba Be Praised. It's a great way to find new blogs!

Now time to pick my next read ...

K

Read-a-Thon Mad Libs!

This Mad Libs challenge from Jessica seemed super fun so here goes!

Here’s what you’re gonna do: 1) pick a paragraph (not too long) from the book you’re reading, 2) remove some/most of the nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs, and either, 3a) get a friend (in person, over the phone, over the internet–whatever!) to fill in the words for you mad-libs style or, 3b) fill them in yourself from the spoiler-texted word list below. 4) post your hilarious paragraph on your blog and link us to it or leave it in a comment here!

I'm using Which Witch? by Eva Ibbotson and I'll ask Z (my nine year old son) to supply the words. Don't be surprised if "poop" shows up. :P

Original paragraph:

Belladonna had always been a white witch. Even as a tiny baby she had used her teeth only to bite the tops off milk bottles so that the bluetits could get at the cream, and as she grew older her whiteness grew steadily worse. Flowers sprang up where she walked, bursts of glorious music fell from the air, and when she smiled, old gentlemen remembered the Christmases they had had when they were children. As for her hair--from the age of six or so when it had reached her waist, there had always been someone resting in Belladonna's golden hair.

Z's Mad Libs version:

Jennifer had always been a aquamarine witch. Even as a stinky baby she had used her butt only to bite the tops off trees so that the bears could get at the pizza, and as she grew older her righteousness grew steadily worse. Poops sprang up where she walked, bursts of glorious weasels fell from the air, and when she smiled, old gentlemen remembered the leaves they had had when they were children. As for her thighs--from the age of six or so when it had reached her waist, there had always been someone resting in Jennifer's silver thighs.

So silly (and was I right about the poop?),
K and Z

Read-a-thon Hour Five Update

Good morning all! I'm about to start reading but, in keeping with my plan, I'm also participating in a mini-challenge: Capricious Reader's Spine Poetry challenge!

In keeping with the season, I've made it a spooky one ...

Now off to Which Witch? and a little breakfast ...
K

Kick-Off Post: Dewey's Read-a-Thon

Once again, we start a day where hundreds (hundreds!) of readers across the world get together for 24 hours to celebrate reading and community. I love this day ... except for one thing ... the 5am west coast start time. So, as in past years, I will not actually be here for the first couple of hours (FYI for the awesome cheerleaders). I know, I'm such a slacker and I could try and get up but I'm a night person so I would be doing the day on like 4 hours of sleep and that's just not happy-making. Instead, I'll sleep in and then be one of the few to keep going into the wee hours of Sunday!

Without further ado, here are the books I'm planning on reading today and the answers to the introductory questions ...

Rereads: The Time of the Ghost by Diana Wynne Jones and Coraline by Neil Gaiman

New reads: Which Witch? by Eva Ibbotson, The Watcher in the Shadows by Carlos Ruiz Zafón and a Grimm graphic novel

1) What fine part of the world are you reading from today?

A beautiful, tree-filled suburb of Seattle, Washington, USA

2) Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to?

Probably The Watcher in the Shadows -- I love to read a Carlos Ruiz Zafón novel right at the end of the read-a-thon. They're so spooky and have really compelling stories which makes it easier to keep going!

3) Which snack are you most looking forward to?

This is what I've put aside as read-a-thon snacks. The scones are for breakfast and I'll hopefully stick mostly to the juice, tea, bananas and nuts during the day but, really, I'm looking forward to the cinnamon sugar Cookie Chips!

4) Tell us a little something about yourself!

I have always been a reader. I taught myself to read at the age of three when my brother was born and my mom was too busy to read to me as often as I wanted.

5) If you participated in the last read-a-thon, what’s one thing you’ll do different today? If this is your first read-a-thon, what are you most looking forward to?

I have participated a few times now and I think I'm going to try and participate in at least one of the mini-challenges this year. I usually just do my own thing during the day but the challenges always look fun and I'm tired of missing out!

Well, that's a good start! As in past read-a-thons, I'll mostly be updating on Twitter and Instagram.

Ready for the show,

K