tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11212655256634928022024-03-13T23:17:20.751-04:00Thoughts on the ArtsOpinions on whatever I happen to have read, watched, or listened to recently.biblioholic29http://www.blogger.com/profile/09136944365496774210noreply@blogger.comBlogger62125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1121265525663492802.post-32003233712552349222012-06-04T14:14:00.002-04:002012-06-04T14:25:07.701-04:00Chicks Dig Comics<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Chicks Dig Comics and I am one of them. I only recently discovered the beauty and awesomeness that is the graphic novel, but now that I have I glory in it; as do the contributors to this wonderful anthology.
Part of a recent series of books dedicated to geek culture and the women who love it, Chicks Dig Comics is a collection of essays by female fans, writers, editors and authors. (There's a couple of interviews with male creators as well.) Like any essay anthology, some entries spoke to me more than others. <i>Mutants</i> by Marjorie M. Liu and <i>The Captain in the Capitol: Invoking the Superhero in Daily Life</i> by Jennifer Margaret combined to come closest to matching my own reasons for loving comics and superheros while Kelly Thompson's <i>I Am Sisyphus, and I Am Happy</i> highlighted some of the reasons that may have kept me from comics for so much of my life. But it wasn't only essays with which I personal experience with that spoke to me. <i>Captain America's Next Top Model</i> was a fun look at how a geeky fashoinista (one of the last adjectives I would use to describe myself) combines her two loves. Perhaps the essay that stuck with me the most was co-editor Sigrid Ellis' <i>Kitty Queer</i>, describing how Chris Claremont and the X-Men helped her discover and accept her sexuality.<br />
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And it's not just superheros. "Sandman", "FELL", "Vampirella", and manga all get their due as do many other comics. In the end, what this collection really does is show that there are as many reasons to love comics as their are comic fans. The fact that these fans all happen to be women makes it a must-read for geek girls everywhere!biblioholic29http://www.blogger.com/profile/09136944365496774210noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1121265525663492802.post-16245068541946779612011-05-07T19:03:00.003-04:002011-05-07T20:01:57.138-04:00Fuzzy Nation by John ScalziI usually start my reviews out with a brief, spoiler-free, plot-synopsis but I'm having a hard time doing so with this novel. The synopsis offered on the jacket takes you through about the first 2 chapters, and they're short chapters. Suffice it to say, there doesn't seem to be much to the plot that isn't spoiler-y. On top of that, <i>Fuzzy Nation</i> is a reboot of H. Beam Piper's <i>Little Fuzzy</i>, which I haven't read (yet), meaning I have no idea how much of the original work was incorporated into Scalzi's book beyond what I've read on his website and in the promotional materials provided by the publishers.<div><br /></div><div>What can I say then?</div><div><br /></div><div>I can say that, after reading <i>Fuzzy Nation</i>, I can't wait to read <i>Little Fuzzy;</i> yet I also have no desire to pick up another book tonight. To me one of the mark's of a good story is that it leaves you reluctant to let it go. In this case, I know that I can read more of this world easily (<i>Little Fuzzy</i> is in the public domain and therefore one need only head to Project Gutenberg to read it) and yet I know that the world will be different from the one I just left. The characters (at least some of them) will be the same, but they will have someone else's voice. The story will have the same over-arching ecological theme, but will have fundamental differences, otherwise there'd be no point in rebooting it. </div><div><br /></div><div>I'm also still busy digesting <i>Fuzzy Nation</i>. Like Scalzi's other works, <i>Fuzzy Nation</i> forces the thinking reader to recognize that its events aren't completely outside the realm of possibility. Certainly we're well on our way to depleting Earth's natural resources and if we were to head into space and discover planets brimming with those same or similar resources, what would we do? Likewise, I can see the reaction to discovering sentient life on one of those planets could be exactly what happens in <i>Fuzzy Nation</i>. Add to that the moral ambiguity of the main character and it's enough to leave anyone feeling just slightly uncomfortable.</div><div><br /></div><div>And still, I loved the book. I laughed out loud multiple times and I cried more than once too. In fact, I finished the last sentence with a smile on my face and tears in my eyes. </div><div><br /></div><div>I have no idea how fan's of Piper's will feel about this new interpretation of his world, but I feel confident that fans of Scalzi's will love it. As for those who consider themselves neither, I'd encourage you to pick it up when it's released on May 10th, the story itself is wonderful and the underlying theme important to remember.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><i>I</i></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span"> was provided with a completed copy of Fuzzy Nation for review by the publisher, no guarantee of a positive review was given.</span></i></div>biblioholic29http://www.blogger.com/profile/09136944365496774210noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1121265525663492802.post-51519194109691137682010-10-28T13:02:00.001-04:002010-10-28T13:03:45.321-04:00Dreadnought by Cherie Priest<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; ">Vinita "Mercy" Swakhammer Lynch is a Confederate nurse 20 years into the Civil War. Shortly after learning of her Yankee husband's death she receives a letter from the Seattle Sheriff telling her her daddy is sick and asking for her. Mercy hasn't seen her dad since he packed up and left when she was a little girl, but she decides to make the cross-country trek to see him, soon getting caught up in adventure and mystery. What is the drug the men call "sap" and what are it's ultimate effects? How did a large group of Mexicans end up in Utah and are they really eating people? What is in the mystery cars on the train that require a Yankee regiment and the most dreaded Yankee war engine in the country to guard them?<br /><br />I've never really read steampunk before, unless you count Verne and Wells, so when I learned of a first-come, first-served contest by TOR to get a copy, I entered, knowing almost nothing about it other than "steampunk". I was a bit disappointed, therefore, when I discovered it was also an alternate history and zombie novel; two "genres" that have never been favorites. Zombies in particular give me pause after what they did to Jane Austen. However, I ended up pleasantly surprised.<br /><br />Though the beginning (100-150 pages) dragged a bit for my tastes, once Mercy was on the train I was captivated. The action was perfectly paced and the mystery given just enough build; and while the book certainly subscribes to a variety of genres, all are done in a way that the book never really feels like a zombie-book, or an alternate history, or even steampunk. Dreadnought is about Mercy Lynch and her journey with the plot devices being secondary.<br /><br />It turns out, when done well, I do like all these genres. I will certainly be seeking out other Cherie Priest novels in the future.</span>biblioholic29http://www.blogger.com/profile/09136944365496774210noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1121265525663492802.post-68657190215306277112010-09-22T15:07:00.002-04:002010-09-22T15:26:40.880-04:00The New Fall Season - Part OneI know it's been forever since I posted here. My summer surprised me by being fairly socially driven and I didn't have the time I usually do to watch TV and write about it. But fall is here (or will be tomorrow) and the new fall season has started. <br /><br />Last year I wrote a lengthy post at the end of the week about everything I'd watched and blogger crashed just as I finished it. I lost the whole thing. So, this time I'm posting a couple days at a time and saving often!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Monday:</span> Monday I watched an old favorite and checked out a couple of new shows. First the old favorite.<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">How I Met Your Mother-</span> I've been watching How I Met Your Mother since it first hit the air. My Buffy-love compelled me to first turn it on, but it was the funny that kept me coming back. The 6th season premiere pushed the "mother" story-line a bit, which is always satisfying and after a somewhat lackluster 5th season, the laughs were back in full-force with Robin getting over her breakup, Lily and Marshall trying to get pregnant and Barney being Barney. I'm looking forward to the progression of this season's story lines.<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">The Event-</span> It took me a while to decide whether I was going to watch this one or not. I'm still feeling annoyed and confused by both Lost and Heroes and disappointed by the canceling of The Nine and FlashForward, but I read some good reviews and determined to give it a shot. What I saw was definitely enjoyable. If the network keeps it on the air and the writers and producers can avoid the temptation to make unintelligible goo out of the subplots, this show can definitely be a winner.<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Hawaii 5-0-</span>I'm too young to have watched the original, so I can't speak to how it does as a reboot, what I can say is that this is a refreshing change of pace to the traditional cop procedural/forensics-fest we've been subjected to for the last 10-20 years (depending on whether you blame CSI or Law & Order). Instead, Hawaii 5-0 delivers breathtaking scenery, jaw-dropping action, engaging stories and characters and some delicious eye-candy. Yes, it's incredibly unrealistic, but that's what makes it stand out from the crowd!<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />Tuesday:</span> Tuesday night I kept in on Fox.<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Glee-</span>After a weird teaser that had me a bit worried, Glee returned with a vengeance last night. The writing has continued to improve since the first few episodes last season (after which I stopped watching until this summer, it was just too painful). What made the premiere truly glorious though was the (somewhat disturbing) team of Sue and Shu. It just made me happy and I was smiling the whole hour.<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Raising Hope-</span>I've yet to make a decision on this one. I'll give it a couple more episodes for sure. On the surface, it seemed like a premise that could become one-note pretty quickly, but the last 2 minutes or so showed some real heart I'm hoping they'll expand on.<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Running Wilde-</span> The reviews I read weren't promising, so I didn't go into this one with high hopes. I didn't think it was as bad as others had been saying...I laughed a couple times and I didn't find any of the characters as detestable as some critics did. Regardless, I've been a Keri Russell fan since her Mickey Mouse Club days and Will Arnett could read a phone book and make me laugh, so I'll probably keep watching this one until it's canceled. <br /><br />Did I miss something you watched? Have a different opinion on a show I covered. Share your thoughts in the comments!biblioholic29http://www.blogger.com/profile/09136944365496774210noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1121265525663492802.post-86324162270065860862010-05-30T09:51:00.001-04:002010-05-30T09:51:35.011-04:00A Council of Dads by Bruce FeilerWhen "Walking the Bible" author Bruce Feiler was diagnosed with cancer in 2008, he wondered what would happen to his twin girls if he died. At only 3-years-old, would they remember him? How could he make sure that they continued to hear his voice? Get his perspective when he was gone. An idea was born. He would talk to 6 men from his life, all of whom represented different aspects of his personality, and form a Council of Dads. When the girls wondered how he would feel or what he would say at a given moment, these men would be there, to be his voice.<br /><br />This book is a combination of letters and emails written to friends and family during his "lost year" as he calls it, and a look back at why he chose each of the 6 men in the council. He gives us glimpses into his own family, the events that made him who he is. He also lets us sit with him in each meeting as he asked his friends to join his Council. Heartbreaking and uplifting, in the end this book is about love and the lengths we will go through to be remembered.biblioholic29http://www.blogger.com/profile/09136944365496774210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1121265525663492802.post-87920253986056083422010-04-17T19:33:00.003-04:002011-03-16T14:51:38.359-04:00For the love of Sci-FiI admit it, I totally judge books by their covers. <div><br /></div><div>While killing time in a Borders in early March, I came across a book with an intriguing cover called <span style="font-style:italic;">Your Hate Mail will be Graded</span>, a collection of entries from the blog "Whatever" written by John Scalzi. I'd never heard of it or him, but the blog had celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2008, making it one of the longest running blogs on the interwebs. I ended up buying the book and reading it pretty quickly. <br /><br />After I finished reading it, I subscribed to the blog on my Google Reader where I came to discover that Scalzi also authored sci-fi novels. This discovery led me to a new realization, while most anyone who knows me would acknowledge that I have a predilection for Sci-Fi TV and movies, it had been years since I'd read any sci-fi (excepting Michael Crichton and Jules Verne). In fact, I can't remember having read any since I switched over from Young Adult to adult novels (you know, back before Harry Potter, when adults didn't read kid's books). I wondered why this was and decided that it came down to covers. The covers of most Sci-Fi novels look cheap and or cheesy to me, I simply don't find them appealing. <br /><br />So, I made the decision to pick up some Sci-Fi novels and, of course, I started with Scalzi's. So far I've read 1 1/2 of his 4 book <span style="font-style:italic;">Old Man's War</span> series, and I love them. Once I finish this series, I'll be moving on to <span style="font-style:italic;">Ender's Game</span>, <span style="font-style:italic;">Dune</span>, and <span style="font-style:italic;">Starship Troopers</span> amongst others. I've learned an important lesson and made a significant step in my journey of geek-self-acceptance. So, John Scalzi, just in case you have happened to Google yourself and come upon this entry, thank you, you've expanded my horizons and added hundreds of books to my "To Be Read" list!<br /><br />Time to sign off, the new Doctor Who starts with a special in 7 minutes and I can't wait to see what Stephen Moffat has done with the franchise!</div>biblioholic29http://www.blogger.com/profile/09136944365496774210noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1121265525663492802.post-52197596794442373522010-04-14T11:57:00.001-04:002010-04-14T11:57:12.632-04:00The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott by Kelly O'Connor McNeesAlmost everyone knows the story of Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy; and almost everyone has wondered at Jo's refusal of Laurie. How is it that 'spinster' Louisa May Alcott could write so deftly about young love and the heartbreak of romance? Alcott guarded her privacy closely and while she claimed Laurie was based on an acquaintance from her time in Europe, many people have their doubts.<br /><br />Kelly O'Connor McNees was fascinated by the anomaly. She had been voraciously reading Alcott biographies for years before making the decision to try her hand at her first novel, and Alcott was the obvious subject. She chose a summer people knew little about and created a fictional story of what could have happened.<br /><br />Well researched and detailed, several of Bronson's well-known friends make appearances, Emerson in fact provides the impetus for advancing the romance when he brings Bronson a copy of the newly published and controversial "Leaves of Grass". <br /><br />It was a fast read, taking only five hours to finish, but I was entertained the entire time. While this book will certainly never reach the heights of literary greatness it's inspiration did, any fan of Alcott's will enjoy this jaunt into the summer that could have been.biblioholic29http://www.blogger.com/profile/09136944365496774210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1121265525663492802.post-79378705237628238422010-04-07T13:56:00.001-04:002010-04-07T13:56:48.539-04:00Mathilda Savitch by Victor LodatoMathilda's older sister is dead and her parents aren't handling it very well. On top of that, terror continues to be the big story across the country. <br /><br />I'd like to be able to give more of the plot, but after finishing this book, I'm still completely unclear as to what exactly the point of it was. Sure, Mathilda learned a little bit about her sister's final days and *seems* to have come to terms with her mother's aloofness, but Mathilda is rather strange and fickle throughout the story and the book ends abruptly. <br /><br />I can see this being a book that could appeal to some people, but the style was not for me. Mathilda grated on my nerves, alternately whiny and self-righteous, intuitive and down -right stupid, I found her to be completely unlikeable. People may argue that it's our flaws that make us human, which is true and I celebrate the authors who can bring a flawed character to life and make us root for them, Lodato could not. I stayed up late to finish this book solely to get it over with, it's done, the review is written and now I can move on to something I hope I will actually enjoy!biblioholic29http://www.blogger.com/profile/09136944365496774210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1121265525663492802.post-14591143389797345672010-02-22T15:56:00.001-05:002010-02-22T15:56:36.405-05:00Drake's Bay by T.A. RobertsDr. Ethan Storey is content with his life. He and his girlfriend of 10 years live on a boat in the San Francisco area and he's a tenured history professor at San Francisco State. One Sunday, his girlfriend, Kay, mentions the large Williams Institute they pass on their regular walks is for sale and having an open house. Ethan doesn't know it, but everything is about to change. Soon Ethan is cataloging the library full of books and manuscripts from the 16th and 17th centuries and people are dying.<br /><br />In the early 20th century, a gold plate was discovered in the area, thought to be placed there by Sir Francis Drake, claiming the area he believed to be the beginning of the Northwest Passage in the name of Queen Elizabeth. The plate was lost and then found again only to be named as a fake. But there's a rumor that Drake's lost log books reside in the very library Ethan is working in and finding those books could mean everything to the family holding the plate.<br /><br />Gripping plot, baffling mystery and intense history keep the pages turning in one of the best novels of this type I've ever read. While the historical-item-mystery-journey genre has increasingly come to be more popcorn than substance, it's refreshing to find an author that does it right. The pace is generally on target and the writing exemplary. The nautical sections were a bit too in depth for a non-boat person, but there was enough real plot peppered in to make it bearable. All-in-all, a great read I would recommend to anyone who loves a good mystery.biblioholic29http://www.blogger.com/profile/09136944365496774210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1121265525663492802.post-63513716071414501762010-01-23T09:38:00.001-05:002010-01-23T09:38:54.721-05:00The Intimate Ape: Orangutans and the Secret Life of a Vanishing Species
by Shawn Thompson'I need to see the Orangutans!' The entire time I was reading this book, I couldn't help thinking about the story my mother tells of taking her then 2 or 3-year-old nephew to the zoo, where his constant refrain was 'I need to see the Orangutans!' It's a sentiment many of the people featured in The Intimate Ape would certainly understand.<br /><br />Shawn Thompson has created a beautiful book that's not just about Orangutans, but about humanity as well. As he visits zoos, rescue centers and orangutan experts he begins to realize how much we can learn about ourselves by observing Orangutans. Each of his experts has their own ideas of the best way to interact with and rehabilitate Orangutans, but the passion of each for what they are doing the species they have chosen to focus on is evident.<br /><br />The book itself is not told chronologically. Although Thompson begins by talking about his first trip to Borneo, he jumps around in time quickly and often, which was a bit jarring at first. I soon got used to the lack of a discernible timeline as the stories Thompson told took hold of me.<br /><br />Each chapter has a theme; culture, gender and conservation to name a few, and in general each chapter focuses the interviews and time spent with one or two Orangutan experts. Thompson's research was thorough and its obvious that it quickly became more than just a book to him.<br /><br />The book itself is well written, I never found myself bored and I read it in one day. I found myself alternately laughing and crying as I read about the lives and antics of these amazing creatures. The main message of the book came out loud and clear, Orangutans are disappearing and to see them gone would truly be a tragedy. Conservation is key and in the resources appendix, Thompson gives us some ideas of how to help.<br /><br />'I need to see the Orangutans!' Don't we all.biblioholic29http://www.blogger.com/profile/09136944365496774210noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1121265525663492802.post-1236856764026718812010-01-18T16:12:00.001-05:002010-01-18T16:12:00.317-05:00Ghosts & Lightening by Trevor ByrneI tried hard to like this book. Scratch that, I tried hard to get through this book, however, after 150 pages, I've given up.<br /><br />It's hard to say what it is that turning me off. The lack of a discernible plot line? The weird dashes to denote conversation instead of quotation marks? The incomprehensible (to me) Irish slang? Or my inability to relate to the characters? I imagine it's a combination of all of these.<br /><br />That's not to say that this is a bad book. I imagine there are plenty of people out there who would truly enjoy it. Perhaps I'm just too old for this type of druggie/slacker Trainspotting kind of tale. Whatever it is, this book is not for me.biblioholic29http://www.blogger.com/profile/09136944365496774210noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1121265525663492802.post-30165132258134988962010-01-07T17:50:00.001-05:002010-01-07T17:50:04.586-05:00A Theory of All Things by Peggy Leon The Bennett family has had their share of tragedy. Their mother walked out the door and never came back and a few years later Peter, the eldest, killed himself. Now the remaining children are in their thirties and discovering the impact those early events had on them.<br /><br />Mary has never left home. When her mother left, she took on the role of mother, raising her brothers and sisters, helping her father in his business and now caring for him in the early stages of Alzheimers. Mark graduated college at the age of fourteen and now works in the astrophysics department of Stanford. Sarah and Ellie are twins and artists. Sarah photographs the homeless and Ellie paints and sculpts on an island in Greece where she lives with her teenage lover. Luke, the youngest, is also an artist, creating mobiles from found aluminum cans.<br /><br />Then Mark, the socially awkward genius commits some faux pas at a faculty function, Sarah finds a homeless woman who might be their long lost mother, Ellie discovers she's pregnant and her boyfriend leaves her, and the tattooed and pierced Willow attaches herself to Luke, frightening Mary in the process.<br /><br />Each character has their own 'Theory' of how things became the way they are. Each sees a different time or event as being integral in the shaping of their strange family dynamic. As their individual dramas draw them all back to their family home, each learns a bit more about themselves and their siblings.<br /><br />A beautiful, touching, and occasionally laugh-out-loud funny look at today's American family full of love and secrets that everyone will be able to relate to. Read this book!biblioholic29http://www.blogger.com/profile/09136944365496774210noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1121265525663492802.post-58083240491318858152010-01-02T13:57:00.001-05:002010-01-02T13:57:06.056-05:00The Chester Chronicles by Kermit MoyerChester Patterson is an army brat coming of age in the 50s and 60s. There's not really a plot, instead the novel is a series of stories from Chester's life, starting at 11 or 12 and continuing through college.<br /><br />The prose was well-written and imminently readable, with some truly stunning passages and the premise, that life is a series of stories we tell to others, was interesting. Unfortunately, the book never truly grabbed me. I felt a lack of connection to Chester, and occasionally really didn't like him. I don't know if it was the unique format, or simply the fact that I have never been an adolescent boy, but I rarely felt involved in his life. Perhaps this was the intent.<br /><br />Those interested in good prose and slightly pretentious story-telling might enjoy The Chester Chronicles, but anyone looking for a cohesive plot line and affinity for the main character might want to look elsewhere.biblioholic29http://www.blogger.com/profile/09136944365496774210noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1121265525663492802.post-48890343723715755542010-01-01T15:50:00.006-05:002010-01-01T16:44:46.804-05:00My Year in Books - 2009This year I set myself a goal through LibraryThing of reading 75 books. I managed 79. In addition to tracking titles, I also tracked how many pages I read, ending with over 27,000 (an average of 75 pages per day!) Other goals are to read at least twice as many new books as rereads and to maintain variety in my reading genres. I did pretty darn well! Here's a look at how I did:<br /><br />1. <span style="font-style:italic;">Jumble Pie</span> by Melanie Lynne Hauser<br />2. <span style="font-style:italic;">The History of Now</span> by Daniel Klein<br />3. <span style="font-style:italic;">The Six Wives of Henry VIII</span> by Alison Weir<br />4. <span style="font-style:italic;">The Book of Lost Things</span> by John Connelly<br />5. <span style="font-style:italic;">Fairy Tales</span> by The Brothers Grimm<br />6. <span style="font-style:italic;">The Vegetarian Table: North Africa</span> by Kitty Morse<br />7. <span style="font-style:italic;">The Lightening Thief</span> by Rick Riordan<br />8. <span style="font-style:italic;">The Sea of Monsters</span> by Rick Riordan<br />9. <span style="font-style:italic;">The Titan's Curse</span> by Rick Riordan<br />10. <span style="font-style:italic;">The Battle of the Labyrinth</span> by Rick Riordan<br />11. <span style="font-style:italic;">The Myths and Legends of Ancient Greece and Rome</span> by E.M. Berens<br />12. <span style="font-style:italic;">The Children of Henry VIII</span> by Alison Weir<br />13. <span style="font-style:italic;">Middlemarch</span> by George Eliot<br />14. <span style="font-style:italic;">Darling Jim</span> by Christian Moerk<br />15. <span style="font-style:italic;">The Warden</span> by Anthony Trollope<br />16. <span style="font-style:italic;">Twilight</span> by Stephenie Meyer*<br />17. <span style="font-style:italic;">Barchester Towers</span> by Anthony Trollope<br />18. <span style="font-style:italic;">A Study in Scarlet</span> by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle<br />19. <span style="font-style:italic;">The Sign of Four</span> by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle<br />20. <span style="font-style:italic;">Internal Affairs</span> by Connie Dial<br />21. <span style="font-style:italic;">The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes</span> by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle<br />22. <span style="font-style:italic;">The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes</span> by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle<br />23. <span style="font-style:italic;">The Return of Sherlock Holmes</span> by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle<br />24. <span style="font-style:italic;">The Hound of the Baskervilles</span> by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle<br />25. <span style="font-style:italic;">The Late Lamented Molly Marx</span> by Sally Koslow<br />26. <span style="font-style:italic;">The Crocodile on the Sandbank</span> by Elizabeth Peters*<br />27. <span style="font-style:italic;">The Valley of Fear</span> by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle<br />28. <span style="font-style:italic;">Something Borrowed</span> by Emily Giffin<br />29. <span style="font-style:italic;">Something Blue</span> by Emily Giffin<br />30. <span style="font-style:italic;">The Last Olympian</span> by Rick Riordan<br />31. <span style="font-style:italic;">The Demi God Files</span> by Rick Riordan<br />32. <span style="font-style:italic;">His Last Bow</span> by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle<br />33. <span style="font-style:italic;">Doctor Thorne</span> by Anthony Trollope<br />34. <span style="font-style:italic;">Journey to the Center of the Earth</span> by Jules Verne<br />35. <span style="font-style:italic;">Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea</span> by Jules Verne<br />36. <span style="font-style:italic;">Fearless Fourteen</span> by Janet Evanovich<br />37. <span style="font-style:italic;">Broken Angel</span> by Sigmund Brouwer<br />38. <span style="font-style:italic;">One for the Money</span> by Janet Evanovich*<br />39. <span style="font-style:italic;">Magic Kingdom for Sale - Sold!</span> by Terry Brooks<br />40. <span style="font-style:italic;">Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone</span> by J.K. Rowling*<br />41. <span style="font-style:italic;">Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets</span> by J.K. Rowling*<br />42. <span style="font-style:italic;">Great Expectations</span> by Charles Dickens<br />43. <span style="font-style:italic;">Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban</span> by J.K. Rowling*<br />44. <span style="font-style:italic;">Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire</span> by J.K. Rowling*<br />45. <span style="font-style:italic;">Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix</span> by J.K. Rowling*<br />46. <span style="font-style:italic;">Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince</span> by J.K. Rowling*<br />47. <span style="font-style:italic;">Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows</span> by J.K. Rowling*<br />48. <span style="font-style:italic;">Finger Lickin' Fifteen</span> by Janet Evanovich<br />49. <span style="font-style:italic;">Sworn to Silence</span> by Linda Castillo<br />50. <span style="font-style:italic;">Bleak House</span> by Charles Dickens<br />51. <span style="font-style:italic;">Jurassic Park</span> by Michael Crichton*<br />52. <span style="font-style:italic;">Three Ghost Stories</span> by Charles Dickens<br />53. <span style="font-style:italic;">On the Couch</span> by Alisa Kwitney<br />54. <span style="font-style:italic;">The Ancient Greeks for Dummies</span> by Stephen Batchelor<br />55. <span style="font-style:italic;">Loved Me Once</span> by Gail Hewitt<br />56. <span style="font-style:italic;">The Time Traveler's Wife</span> by Audrey Niffenger<br />57. <span style="font-style:italic;">Emma</span> by Jane Austen<br />58. <span style="font-style:italic;">Pride and Prejudice</span> by Jane Austen<br />59. <span style="font-style:italic;">Doctor Who: The Time Traveler's Almanac</span><br />60. <span style="font-style:italic;">Persuasion</span> by Jane Austen<br />61. <span style="font-style:italic;">The Lost Constitution</span> by William Martin<br />62. <span style="font-style:italic;">A Year of Cats and Dogs</span> by Margaret Hawkins<br />63. <span style="font-style:italic;">Mythology for Dummies</span> by Christopher and Amy Blackwell<br />64. <span style="font-style:italic;">Pride and Prejudice and Zombies</span> by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame<br />65. <span style="font-style:italic;">Dead Until Dark</span> by Charlaine Harris<br />66. <span style="font-style:italic;">Doctor Who: A Writer's Tale</span> by Russell T. Davies and Benjamin Cook<br />67. <span style="font-style:italic;">Making Mischief: A Maurice Sendak Appreciation</span> by Gregory Maguire<br />68. <span style="font-style:italic;">Dirty Little Angels</span> by Chris Tusa<br />69. <span style="font-style:italic;">A Flower Blooms on Charlotte Street</span> by Milam McGraw Propst<br />70. <span style="font-style:italic;">Ociee on her Own</span> by Milam McGraw Propst<br />71. <span style="font-style:italic;">The Best of Creative Non Fiction: Vol. 3</span> edited by Lee Gutkind<br />72. <span style="font-style:italic;">New Moon</span> by Stephenie Meyer*<br />73. <span style="font-style:italic;">The Further Adventures of Ociee Nash</span> by Milam McGraw Propst<br />74. <span style="font-style:italic;">Eclipse</span> by Stephenie Meyer*<br />75. <span style="font-style:italic;">Breaking Dawn</span> by Stephenie Meyer*<br />76. <span style="font-style:italic;">Beer and Philosophy</span> edited by Stephen Hale<br />77. <span style="font-style:italic;">A Christmas Carol</span> by Charles Dickens<br />78. <span style="font-style:italic;">The Return</span> by Victoria Hislop<br />79. <span style="font-style:italic;">Truly, Madly</span> by Heather Webber<br />*reread<br /><br />All in all, a lot to be happy about! 13 rereads to 66 new reads. 11 non-fiction to 68 fiction, 22 of which were classics. Also of note I had quotes from two reviews used on the back of the book when it was published and had a question I submitted used in an interview with Gregory Maguire (who said it was a good question!)<br /><br />My goals for 2010 are to read 100 books and attempt to average 100 pages a day of reading. I want at least 67 of those books to be books I've never read before and at least 15 of them to be non-fiction. Helping me along the way, I'm hoping to read all of Shakespeare's plays this year, some of which I've read before of course, but none since college. That should certainly help me with my challenge!<br /><br />How about you? Did you have a goal in 2009? Do you have one this year? I'd love to hear opinions or answer questions about any of the books I've listed above!biblioholic29http://www.blogger.com/profile/09136944365496774210noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1121265525663492802.post-48099243001032095502009-12-22T19:40:00.001-05:002009-12-22T19:41:00.076-05:00Truly, Madly by Heather WebberLucy Valentine can't go in to the family business. A freak accident when she was fourteen transformed her inherited ability to see people's auras and match them accordingly, to a form of ESP allowing her to find lost objects when someone touches her palm. When a family crisis leads her parents to take a sudden vacation, leaving the renowned matchmaking business in her hands. Things are going okay on her first day until she shakes the hand of her last client and sees the engagement ring he'd given his high school girlfriend on the finger of a murdered and hidden corpse. Lucy enlists the help of the handsome P.I. upstairs and delves into the mystery.<br /><br />In reading the synopses and quotes that accompanied my copy of the book, I began to worry. The comparison to Janet Evanovich sent up red flags. Was it the classic over-hyping of a new author? I needn't have worried.<br /><br />While Truly, Madly shares some similarities with Evanovich's Plum series, notably a motley cast of supporting characters including an eccentric grandmother, the premise is unique and interesting. The book started off slow, and I felt my mind wander for the first 150 pages or so, but the second half of the book picked up the pace and I began to truly care about the characters. By the time I finished, I felt as though I had made a new friend. I even laughed out loud once or twice.<br /><br />I'd highly recommend Truly, Madly to anyone looking for a fast, fun read. Particularly those who have enjoyed books by Evanovich, Charlaine Harris and similar authors. It's not going to change your life or the way you look at the world, but it will give you a couple hours of escape and sometimes, that's all we can ask of a good book.biblioholic29http://www.blogger.com/profile/09136944365496774210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1121265525663492802.post-16123880879993801312009-12-21T17:25:00.001-05:002009-12-21T17:25:06.363-05:00The Return by Victoria HislopIn an attempt to escape from her unhappy marriage, Sonia starts taking salsa lessons and quickly falls in love with dance. Her friend, Maggie soon joins her and together they plan a trip to Granada to take more lessons and dance the nights away in the local bars. While there, Sonia befriends a grizzled cafe owner, and soon discovers an interest in Spanish history, in particular the Spanish Civil War. Upon her return to England, Sonia's father tells her her mother was from Granada and pulls out some old pictures from those days Sonia has never seen before. One in particular stands out. Her mother, in a flamenco dress and pose, reminds her vividly of the girl she saw on the walls of the Granada cafe. Is it her mother? The only way to find out is to return to Granada and hear the tale of the Ramirez family...<br /><br />The Return is broken into 3 parts. The first and third parts take place in England and Granada in 2001 and focus on Sonia. The second, and longest, part is the tale of the Ramirez family in the 1930's. Father Pablo, mother Concha, sons Anotonio, Ignacio and Emilio and daughter Mercedes. Their trials and tribulations during the bloody and terrifying war are recounted to Sonia as we, the reader, listen in.<br /><br />The history was so well researched, that, at times, it seemed Hislop tried to cram in things she'd learned, though they really didn't have anything to do with the story. The narrative focus also jumped from character to character rather abruptly at times, which could be disconcerting. However, the prose was well-written and the story was compelling enough to keep me reading. Anyone who enjoys historical fiction or has an interest in Spain would certainly enjoy the history and the mystery of The Return.biblioholic29http://www.blogger.com/profile/09136944365496774210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1121265525663492802.post-15399012520026259482009-11-24T15:20:00.002-05:002009-11-24T15:36:12.201-05:00Twilight Saga: New MoonWhile it certainly wasn't a "great" movie, New Moon is light years ahead of Twilight. Considering the movies share a screenwriter and most of the same cast, it seems reasonable that most of the blame for the crapfest that was Twilight can be laid on director, Catherine Hardwick. Where Twilight's absence of a score under much of the movie was distracting and made the film feel unfinished, New Moon featured a depth of sound including birds and crickets in the forest, that brought each scene to life. New Moon also lacked the abundance of dizzying 360 degree shots that were a prominent feature of Twilight. Unfortunately, they were replaced with a plethora of slow motion shots that quickly lost their impact. <br /><br />The acting was better too. After watching the commentary on the Twilight DVD I'm not sure if the actors were embarrassed with their performances in Twilight, that Hardwick made horrible choices and there were better takes, or some combination of the two, but there were far fewer cringe-worthy moments. <br /><br />My biggest beef with New Moon, and it's a continuation of a beef from Twilight I didn't even know I had until seeing New Moon, is the added fight scenes in both movies. Without getting too spoilery, let's just say that Edward doesn't come out so well in them, yet those of us who have read Eclipse know that he's pretty bad ass in his fight scene there. I wish they hadn't gone out of their way to make him wussy in these two movies, it will distract me in the future. <br /><br />Bottom Line: If you saw Twilight and hated it but love the series, give New Moon a try. If you're new to the series, read Twilight but skip the movie and then start watching the movies with New Moon (but keep reading the books too!)biblioholic29http://www.blogger.com/profile/09136944365496774210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1121265525663492802.post-76808149882497612102009-10-20T14:45:00.001-04:002009-10-20T14:45:27.444-04:00The Further Adventures of Ociee Nash by Milam McGraw PropstEleven-year-old Ociee Nash was born and raised on a farm in Abbeville, Mississippi in the late 19th century. A year after her mother died, when Ociee was only 9, she headed to Asheville, North Carolina to live with her Aunt Mamie. Her adventures there are recorded in "A Flower Blooms on Charlotte Street". Ociee came back home in "Ociee on Her Own" for her brother, Fred's wedding and now she's moving, with her father and her other brother Ben, to Memphis, Tennessee where Fred and his wife live.<br /><br />Ociee Nash, like Pollyanna and Anne Shirley, has a knack for making people love her. Early in life Ociee learned that a person's appearance has nothing to do with their inner beauty and in her third book of adventures, she once again proves that a caring heart and a willingness to look beyond a person's outside, can break down walls and create friends.<br /><br />The author has based these books on the life of her grandmother, the real Ociee Nash. Knowing that the books are a fictionalization of a real person's life brings added depths to the major events and lessons in Ociee's life. Though they're intended for an audience much younger than I, I thoroughly enjoyed reading them and would highly recommend them for children between the ages of 8 and 11. If I had a little girl, I know I'd encourage her to find Ociee Nash.biblioholic29http://www.blogger.com/profile/09136944365496774210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1121265525663492802.post-72772553152835042562009-10-19T10:30:00.001-04:002009-10-19T10:30:08.334-04:00The Best Creative Nonfiction ed. Lee GutkindWhen I first saw this book up for grabs in LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program, I thought long and hard before I requested it. I certainly enjoy nonfiction, and creative nonfiction sounded very interesting, but I've struggled with essay compilations in the past and worried that this might end up being the same thing. In the end, I decided to risk it and I'm very glad I did.<br /><br />The Best Creative Nonfiction (3) is full of interesting experiments in writing, both through technique and through subject matter. Some pieces, like "Return to Hayneville" and "What Come's Out" are relatively simple in style but their subjects are simultaneously uncomfortable and wonderful. Other pieces, like "Life in Figures" and "Community College" are stylistically innovative while the subject matter is a bit more commonplace. I was never bored while reading and found myself in tears more that once. ("Open Letter" was absolutely heartbreaking).<br /><br />More than anything else though, this book showed me that my writing interests are shared by others. I've always thought of myself as a nonfiction writer, better at reports and research papers than stories or plays, but yearned for the outlet of creative writing. Suddenly I've been shown the way to this. It has inspired me to realize that all those semi-autobiographical, barely started novels I've struggled with through my life may be able to find new life in fully autobiographical creative nonfiction. My guess is that's exactly what the editor of these volumes is hoping for.biblioholic29http://www.blogger.com/profile/09136944365496774210noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1121265525663492802.post-72489470177322049752009-10-15T09:15:00.001-04:002009-10-15T09:15:31.977-04:00Dirty Little Angels by Chris TusaHailey Trosclair has a hard life. Living in modern-day New Orleans, her mother has recently had a miscarriage, her father is an alcoholic and her brother has been arrested several times. When her brother, Cyrus, starts hanging out with an ex-con preacher named Moses, Hailey joins him. Moses believes he's on earth to be the Hand of God and takes it upon himself to punish the wicked. As he becomes more and more violent, Hailey and Cyrus start to doubt what he's been preaching.<br /><br />The book was well-written, if a little simile heavy, and the dialogue was believable. So why only two stars? It's a simple matter of taste. I've never lived a life like Hailey's and while I'm well-aware that there are many out there who do, I had a hard time putting myself into her head. Many of the decisions she makes were simply incomprehensible to me because I couldn't understand her logic. That's not to say her decisions were illogical, they would have made sense to her and were believable, I just couldn't understand them.<br /><br />This is where the book fell short, because a truly great book can put you in the heads of people who's life you have never lived and allow you to understand their thoughts and hopes and dreams. It was a disappointment. biblioholic29http://www.blogger.com/profile/09136944365496774210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1121265525663492802.post-56453741705223582672009-08-23T17:44:00.001-04:002009-08-23T17:44:41.194-04:00A Year of Cats and Dogs by Margaret HawkinsWhen Maryanne's boyfriend Phillip finally moves out, she's left with her cat, Clement and her dog, Bob for company. Her animals quickly become much more than "pets", they are her constant companions, granting her love and loyalty when the rest of the world seems to turn their backs on her. After quitting her job to "find herself", Maryanne discovers a hidden talent, she can communicate with animals. She's soon working at a local shelter as a "dog-whisperer", helping the vet to identify complaints and ensure the wellness of the animals.<br /><br />This book is many things all at once. It is a book about philosophy, based on the I Ching and subtly comparing the Eastern philosophy of the present being all that matters with the Western philosophy of cause and effect. (Interesting that the same publisher's released a novel about cause and effect earlier this year. A Year of Cats and Dogs makes a good companion piece to The History of Now.) This book is about releasing entropy and learning to live life with a passion.<br /><br />This is a book about food. Recipes for the food Maryanne prepares are scattered throughout the book. They have names like "Quitting Your Job and Vowing to be Frugal Stew: Chicken Soup for the Sad" and, unlike so many similar books, they're well worth reading. Despite the heavy subject matter of the book, there's a humor that is particularly evident in the way the recipes have been written. Maryanne in fact is a bit reminiscent of Stephanie Plum in the way she reacts to the weirdness that surrounds her with acceptance and sarcasm.<br /><br />But finally, this is a book about love. In particular about the love that can form between a human and their animal companions (Maryanne dislikes the word "pet".) Anyone who has had an animal in their life like Bob and Clement, will instantly understand the connection Maryanne has with them and their importance to her when her life starts to fall apart. Their are some extremely moving scenes showcasing the love the animals themselves feel, but to share them would spoil the book.<br /><br />To read A Year of Cats and Dogs, is the matter of just a few hours, but it will leave you with days of ideas to contemplate. If you're an animal lover, a food lover, or a philosophy lover this book will be well worth your time.biblioholic29http://www.blogger.com/profile/09136944365496774210noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1121265525663492802.post-60923267416967508832009-08-13T09:44:00.001-04:002009-08-13T09:44:12.658-04:00Loved Me Once by Gail HewittForty-four year-old Maggie McLaurin's father left her the house in Atlanta when he died. Though she lives and works in Manhattan, she's struggling to hold on to the house for her mother, who's doctors say a move would likely exacerbate her Alzheimers. However, the property taxes are climbing while home prices around the country decline and the house is slowly falling apart. When Maggie discovers her mother's doctors will cease to accept Medicaid and she goes into a financial panic. Then she's laid off.<br /><br />When an ex-boyfriend then offers her her dream job, she takes it against her fiancee's wishes, sure it will save all her problems, but her problems are only just beginning.<br /><br />A classic case of "don't judge a book by its cover", Loved Me Once was a surprisingly good read. Neither the cover art, nor the book synopsis fully do this well-written story justice. "A Novel of Love, Romance and Business" however, is a wonderful description, as I sit here struggling to find a word to describe it. This is not a "romance" novel. There is romance indeed, but it's not the focus of the story. Nor is the financial troubles Maggie works her way through. Refreshingly, this reads as a true to life look at a woman of today, working, loving and living her life in the best way she can.<br /><br />There are, of course, some fantastical elements. The romance is a bit over the top and most women aren't given jobs where they're suddenly able to employ a personal shopper and fill their closet with designer labels; but, Maggie herself felt real to me. The author, Gail Hewitt, managed to avoid the pitfall I've been noticing with a lot of books recently of drama for drama's sake. Maggie never over reacts to a situation, she reasons things out rationally and her conclusions generally make sense, though I don't necessarily agree with all of them. All the characters are flawed, but inherently likable, the dialogue is realistic for the most part and never felt clunky and the prose was good.<br /><br />I'd recommend Loved Me Once to anyone who likes their characters real and their situations slightly heightened. It would make a perfect beach or airplane read this summer. I find myself looking forward the the sequel, Love Me Now and the further exploits of Maggie (and the men in her life) but mostly Maggie.biblioholic29http://www.blogger.com/profile/09136944365496774210noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1121265525663492802.post-77112092363106782242009-08-05T10:17:00.001-04:002009-08-05T10:17:38.298-04:00Sworn to Silence by Linda CastilloKate Burkholder grew up Amish in Painter's Mill, Ohio. When she was a young teen a series of murders gripped the town's imagination, ending when she was fourteen and leaving her to question everything she knew. At 18 she left the Amish community and became a cop. Now she's back in Painter's Mill as the chief-of-police and the murders have begun again. Is it the same killer from before, or someone new?<br /><br />It's a good premise. In the right hands, it could be a gripping thriller, full of twists and turns and heart-pounding action. Unfortunately, Linda Castillo is not the right hands.<br /><br />The story is told in both 1st person by Kate and in 3rd person from the perspective of other characters including the killer. An unreliable narrator can be a fun way to keep things fresh, however the 3rd person narration was all told in past tense while Kate told her story in the present tense and I found the switches distracting. Additionally, I've never been a big fan of stories told in the present tense as I inevitably find myself wondering why the character is taking the time to journal when running for their life!<br /><br />I also found the repetition extremely annoying. I'm not sure if the author forgot what she had written or if she just thought the reader might be stupid but the same information was repeated ad nauseum on several occasions. How many times do you have to describe the grain silo? Or tell us who "Pickles" is? I felt I was being condescended to more than once.<br /><br />The characters were all idiots too. Several times Kate would "notice a red flag" and then promptly forget about it so that she could "notice" it again a few pages later. The "terrible secret from her past" she spends much of her time worrying about seems overdone and the constant harping about it diminishes it's impact over time. The "final reveal" of the secret should come as no surprise at all to anyone who's read a thriller or two before. Finally, Kate's reluctance to involve anyone when she finally figures out who the killer is feels contrived to provide the big climactic scene which ruined it for me.<br /><br />I did manage to get through the entire book, unlike similar stories I've tried recently, so there are some redeeming qualities, mostly the premise itself. If you are a fan of thrillers and don't care about choppy editing, unrealistic dialogue and incomprehensible intuitive leaps, you'll likely enjoy this book. If, like me, you've reached a point where you want good writing in addition to a good story, this one's not for you.biblioholic29http://www.blogger.com/profile/09136944365496774210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1121265525663492802.post-69699206456793933362009-07-30T11:04:00.001-04:002009-07-30T11:04:15.238-04:00So You Think You Can Dance week 8After last week, I've all but given up trying to predict who's going to win. I can't say that any of the routines really blew me away last night, though many of them were very enjoyable, I just didn't get that emotional connection to any of them. I have decided that if Brandon and Kayla aren't in the finale, it will be a serious travesty, so I attempted to vote for them, to do my small part. I got through on Kayla's line okay, but every time I tried Brandon's I got a message saying the number was not in service, which is troubling.<br /><br />As to the other four, I adore Evan, but don't think he's very good at other styles of dance, and I truly don't understand why he's never been in the bottom. I'll be happy if he makes it to the finale, because I think he's a cutie, but I definitely don't want him to win. As to Jeannine and Melissa, as far as I'm concerned they're interchangeable. I've enjoyed watching them both, but I don't think they have the star power Kayla does. <br /><br />So, that's what I have. Nothing left to do now but sit back and see who makes the finale!biblioholic29http://www.blogger.com/profile/09136944365496774210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1121265525663492802.post-20054975834831194662009-07-23T08:27:00.001-04:002009-07-23T08:27:54.233-04:00So You Think You Can Dance - week 7After the first hour and a half of a rather boring show last night (the early exception being Travis Walls' group routine) I was pretty sure the Melissa would be going home this week, not because she's not great, but because some of the other girls have a bit more personality. Then she and Ade did a contemporary routine about breast cancer:<br /><br /><object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/hKxoCxalyWw&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/hKxoCxalyWw&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object><br /><br />And everything changed. I believe that this routine might have just saved her for another week. It left everyone watching it in tears, the judges, the audience, and myself included. It's because of routines like this that I watch the show. And tonight, we'll get to see more of these powerful routines as SYTYCD celebrates it's 100th episode with some of it's best and most popular routines throughout the years. <br /><br /><br />There was one more stand out routine for me, and it was not the Brandon and Jeanette military Jazz routine, though the judges certainly seemed to love it. Instead I was floored by Kayla and Jason's hip hop Zombie routine that finished the night. Unfortunately, it's not available in video form yet, but I'll try to get it up later.<br /><br />So, who will go home tonight? That's very much up in the air. If it were based on dancing, Evan would be the guy going home, he just hasn't been able to bring it the way the other guys have; however, Evan also seems to have a large fan base and has never been in the bottom, so I'd guess Ade will go home instead. As to the women, after Melissa's performance last night my guess is going to be Jeannine, who is amazing but perhaps not as captivating as Kayla or Janette. <br />biblioholic29http://www.blogger.com/profile/09136944365496774210noreply@blogger.com0