Sunday Post

Let's chat about what's going on this week... on my blogs.. on other blogs... on the internet... and just everywhere!  Despite not reading this week.. the blog has been busy!  I link up my post to Sunday Post, Bought, Borrowed & Bagged, and Stacking the Shelves. 

 
On the blog:
****I am really trying to stick with Blogger... So hard. I messed with my template again and this made everything go south with my comments again.  I can't reply to the comments again (this has happened before) so this time I just switched to Disqus.  Please bare with me if you find it hard to comment or if you have issues with commenting let me know through twitter please.  Thanks! ****
I talk about some really neat children's books I discovered by Jennifer Adams.
I review the book Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler AKA Lemony Snicket, and why I just had to break up with the book myself.
For you comic lovers I post another Comic Adventures Issue #3 this time talking about Mass Effect Vol 1, Justice League Vol 3, Batwoman vol 3, and Jack of Fables Vol 2. 
I decide to tackle some blog handy work and join in Bloggiesta (it's supposed to be a mini one but I am going all out)!  I have been getting a lot done with this.. worked 4 hours on my blog and goodreads on Friday!
There is a new Project Disney this week... The Sword in the Stone.  One of my all time favorite Disney movies. 
I talk about getting my walking and workouts in my monthly Book Blog Walkers update. 


Around the blogospere:
Do you hate anything about being a reader???   I totally agree with #4, reading is lonely.  I don't know anyone who reads... and chatting online can only go so far.
Laura Plus Books tells us about some GREAT apps that are helpful for book bloggers. 
Blogger etiquette is a hot topic over at A Novel Heartbeat.
Huffington Books talks about Quirky Conundrums book lovers understand. #8 is totally me.

Internet:


Yep... this commercial is TOTALLY my sense of humor!  Hilarious!

Books Books Books:
This week I got a ton of books from the library.  I mean... like a lot came in at once.  I need to hurry up and read.  I need to really have my own readathon this week.  The Madman's Daughter, the Golem and the Jinni, Champion, The book of Jezebel (which I did look through and honestly it wasn't that good looking so it's a DNF for me).

What's going on in your neck of the woods????  Let me know!

Book Blog Walkers January Check In

I was so happy when I stumbled upon Book Blog Walkers. The Geeky Book Bloggers Blog is the host so pop over there for all the details if you are interested in participating.  I have a lot of fun with the twitter hastag #bookblogwalkers .  Everyone keeps each other motivated .. it's fun.

So this month I have been doing pretty good keeping up with my fitness goals. I was never a jock girl.  I didn't play sports and hated the gym.  I have always been thin so no problems there either.  But as I've become a little older I can tell I need to work out.  I have been going to the gym for a few years now, so that is another reason I love this because I can share with others how I've been working out.

I typically go to the gym... which has great views.  This is looking outside the aerobic room. You can kind of see footprints of people crazy enough to run outside on the track in the snow.

This year I am trying something new.  On the days I don't make it to the gym I will either walk outside or do a workout video.  We have some videos for a while now, a couple of Biggest Loser ones.  So I gave it a go. WHAT!  I thought I was in shape till I tried this video!  This type of workout is totally different then the gym (where I do the bike/elliptical/weights).  I was soooo sore after doing it!

In 2014 I am also started Yoga.  My grandmother who does Yoga gave me a wonderful starter book for Christmas.  I am really glad I tried this at home before taking a class.  Yoga is much harder on the body then I thought.  I really love this book though.  It has a DVD, and really explains everything.  Even has guides for each session that you could take out of the book if you wanted.  I thought this was going to be so easy ... PLEASE.  I have a long way to go this year with Yoga but am excited to keep it up.  I haven't bought a Yoga mat yet, I need to make sure it is something that I am actually going to do it.

Well that is my check in for #bookblogwalkers this month.  Be sure to be on the lookout at the end of February to see what I have in store that month. If you want to join up be sure to check out the hashtag #bookblogwalkers on twitter. And stop by The Geeky Book Bloggers Blog to get more information!  Go walkers!!

Want to get pumped up ??  Check out this fun Arnold video:

Project Disney- The Sword and the Stone

Project Disney: The plan is to tackle all of the Disney films, re-reading the classic stories and tales that inspired many of them and to look at how the changes the filmmakers made, the new elements they introduced and the essential elements they kept. We will, of course, be talking about the films as movies as well, saying why we enjoy them and what some of our favorite moments are, but our focus will be on looking at them as adaptations. For the films that are not drawn from any one work we’ll be looking at some of the possible literary influences that we see in the stories.  Project Disney is inspired by Picture Me Reading.

"Woah-whut-WOAH" Project Disney this time is all about one of my favorite movies EVER The Sword in the Stone based off the book The Once and Future King by T.H. White.  This was always one my sister and I's go to movies growing up.  We love magic and wizards and witches!  I didn't think the book was too far off from the movie. I love the tales of Arthur so to see him as a boy is fun. Wart is Arthur and finds himself lost in a forest while chasing an arrow for Kay who is the son of his guardian. While looking around he finds Merlin (in the book Wart is chasing a hawk that Kay has lost).  Merlin knows he is coming, and I love the description of Merlin in the book.  Birds living in his hat, a spider going up and down from his head.  Humm.. who does this make you think of ? Radagast from Lord of the Rings????  The description of Merlin is exactly what Radagast looks like.. but with a pointy hat and a celestial robe.

In the book and the movie Arthur goes on several adventures where he is turned into different animals.  In the book Author learns about different types of governments.  Merlin is teaching him to be a King.  In the movie it's all fun and games.  Really who doesn't love the scene where Arthur learns about love.  I have to be honest, this book was tough for me to read.  It's the second attempt I have made at reading it.  I think I tried about 10 years ago.  The book is made up of four sections the first one is "The Sword in the Stone".   I thought that this book was just SO wordy.  It was good but then it was boring.. then it was good.  This Project Disney could be considered a fail.  Yep.. a fail.  I didn't finish the book ... I wanted to sooo bad.  I probably got through maybe 20-30% of the Sword in the Stone section. 

There are some great characters in both the book and the movie.  Archimedes is a wonderful owl.. smart and clever.  He friends Wart after some time of getting used to him in the book just like in the movie. Madam Mim is soooo great!!  I loved her so much as a kid and still love her now.  The duel between her and Merlin classic. Some people think Mim is a made up character but she does appear in the novels. Merlin ages backwards in the book and can't actually see into the future.  This blows my mind!

The movie ends very quickly.  There is the duel and then walla Wart goes to pull the sword of the stone for Kay.  Well... he goes to find a sword for Kay and sees that one and then puts his hand near it and it makes all kinds of light and sounds.  Then boom he pulls it out. Way too fast .. the movie was such a slow place and then over!  The ending should've been much longer.  I like that the movie has a boy for the central character which I don't think Disney does enough.   I wish I could finish this whole book but it is such a chore for me.  I just don't enjoy it at all.  You can actually read the Once and Future King online if you are interested.

If you have followed my other Project Disney's I always love to include the Annie Leibovitz pictures from the Disney campaign. I like the picture but I am not sure why Arthur is being portrayed as an adult.  I wish they would've had a child actor and a Merlin actor too.

 

Well let's end this with a Merlin spell shall we.... Higitus Figitus mitigus mum, hockity packity… pockity, wait, that’s not right.  Hitgitus Figitus mitigus mum…

Check out my other Project Disney:
Snow White
Cinderella
Peter Pan
Treasure Planet
Sleeping Beauty
The Great Mouse Detective 
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
The Princess and the Frog
Pinocchio 
Fantasia 
Beauty and the Beast
Lady and the Tramp
Alice in Wonderland
The Rescuers
The Rescuers Down Under
Tangled
Oliver and Company
Mulan
The Little Mermaid
Bambi
101 Dalmatians
Frozen
Fantasia 2000
The Jungle Book
The Emperor's New Groove
Aladdin
Atlantis
The Aristocats
The Lion King
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
Winnie the Pooh (2011)
Robin Hood
Hercules
Pocahontas
Dumbo
The Black Cauldron 
Mary Poppins
Lilo and Stitch 
The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad
Make Mine Music
Tarzan
Fox and the Hound 
Melody Time

Winter 2014 Mini Bloggiesta!

Looking forward to this coming weekend, the eagerly awaited Mini Bloggiesta For those of you who haven't heard of Bloggiesta, it's basically time
devoted to cleaning up our blogs, tackling those neglected tasks, and
learning new tips & tricks from our fellow bloggers.
I wasn't going to partcipate in the mini Bloggiesta but then I thought about and it would be good to get some stuff done around the blog. Sooo here is what I want to do:

• Replace the tab on top of the blog that has blogger help links to one for my 2014 challenges. I don't think people really use it for help on their blog and it's wasted space.
• Make progress bars for my book challenges
• Back Up Blog
• Visit other participants in Bloggiesta
• Go through my two groups on goodreads and make sure all the topics/threads are straight Done... took a couple hours
• Come up with ideas for future discussions on the blog and write them up
• Try to think of a feature to have on the blog (so far I have Comic Adventures and Videos Games @ Angela's Anxious Life)
• Clean up the blogs I follow - some don't blog anymore, some I just don't have the same reading interests with. This always takes a long time too. Doing this now... one of the problems is that I follow through Bloglovin but mainly use Blogger RSS to follow blogs.  As usual.. this sucks.  Blogger takes forever and half the time does load my list of blogs I am following.  I have deleted over 30 blogs so that is great!
• Clean up side bars by fixing the size of my buttons on the left side of blog move or delete items that are clutter.  I moved two of my buttons from the right side bar onto my about me page.  I think they go better there and that people don't really read or click on those two buttons anyways (they are for my goodreads book clubs that I moderate.
• Here is the BIG ONE... I am going to re-upload my template. Why you ask??? The preview button in blogger hasn't worked for me for a couple weeks now.. maybe even a month. I think that I need to reboot the system. Why does this suck you ask??? Well then I pretty much go back to default.  So I have to save all my sidebars somewhere... and reinstall Link Within. Last time I did this when my comments messes up I lost an amazing author box I had under my posts which I really loved and could never get to work again. So to say the least I am nervous about doing this again. Done complete waste of time though.  This did not fix my preview problem.  Oh blogger.. you are making me move to wordpress aren't you?  I did figure out an easier way though to get my widgets back though!  I also went BACK into the Blogger forums and updated my topic that I did these changes but no one has even bothered to answer me so far. My post on the google forums 
• Change my commenting system to Disqus! Well I just did this.  I was on the fence about this because honestly I don't think blogger commenting system is that big of a deal.  I know people on wordpress don't like it but I didn't think it was a big deal.  I have found people don't really come back and comment anyways.  BUT THEN I messed around with my template last night and it reverted back to the issues I was having before where I can't reply to comments on the blogger commenting system so that pushed me to just convert to Disqus.  Really I just need to find a newer template.  Mine was created in 2004 and so I think it's outdated and confusing the system.

Well I am going to give it a shot.. and get some stuff done. Doing that goodreads one is always a challenge for me but I hate to let it go too long.

Comic Adventures Issue #3

I read a lot of comics and rarely review them here on the blog. That's because I really don't have a lot to say for an entire post.  So I thought I would review several comics on one post.  I will still review graphic novels on their own now and then, but this is where I will talk about super-hero type comics (DC/Marvel) or sequels to some that I have already reviewed.

This time around I've read a few great graphic novels. One I received from Netgalley for free for an honest review, Mass Effect Foundation Volume 1 ,  Justice League Volume 3 The New 52 Throne of Atlantis, Jack of Fables Volume 2 Jack of Hearts, and Nightwing Volume 2 The New 52 Night of Owls.

I was a big player of the Mass Effect games.  I played all three and just really had a good time.  So when I saw Mass Effect Foundation Volume 1 (by Marc Walters, Tony Parker, Omar Francia) on Netgalley I totally requested it. Looks like the volume includes issues 1-4 from a 13 issue arc.  I thought this comic was OK.  I think if you are not a Mass Effect video game player you won't like it at all.  You will probably be confused about the universe. This is supposed to be an origins story I think but so far we really haven't seen a lot of characters yet.  Maybe if Volume 1 had collected more then just 4 of the comics it would've sucked me in more. I thought it was a really short volume.  I really liked the art so that is a plus!  2 out of 5 stars

Next up we have volume 3 of the Justice League New 52 Throne of Atlantis by Johns.   I really enjoy the Justice League comics that have come from the New 52. I love the artwork in this one as usually.  So amazing to see. Superman and Wonder Woman still have a relationship going on which is fun to read about.  I do think you need to read the Aquaman comics before reading this volume.  You don't have to... but it will add to your enjoyment of the story since the main villains in this are from those comics.  I also really love the interaction between Batman and Aquaman in this as each deals with wanting to lead the Justice League.  We also get a story of a Wonder Woman villain Cheetah which I remember loving as a little girl.  Great comic!  5 out of 5.

Batwoman Volume 3 World's Finest The New 52 by JH Williams and W. Haden Blackman, wasn't as good to me as the first two volumes in the series.  This one went a little bit in a strange direction.  Some of the art was a little too complex for me.  I was looking all of the pictures trying to find where to read next.  Wonder Woman appears in this issue and maybe that's the problem. I just don't love a Wonder Woman/Batwoman team up.  I am sad that the creators/writers have left the series.  They had a disagreement with DC on where Batwoman's relationship was going to go.  The writers wanted to have a wedding between Batwoman and her partner in the next issue but DC declined on this plot. The writers remarked that they were not allowed to expand Killer Croc's back story, keep their original ending, or show Kate (Batwoman) and Maggie (her partner) getting married.  DC announced that Batwoman cannot get married because "heroes shouldn't have happy personal lives".  3 out of 5

Jack of Fables Volume 2 Jack of Hearts by Bill Willingham (a spinoff from the Fables comics) was great.  I really love Jack.  He is a man whore but luck always gets him back.  In this issue we get to see when he is Jack Frost.. a hilarious story.  I like sometimes when Jack actually speaks to the reader while telling his stories.  One page there is a drawing of him looking back at us and it's so funny. I have noticed a lot of reviews about Jack of Fables where people don't like these comics as much as the Fable ones but that's because I think these are more humorous.  Jack lives life on the edge and just doesn't care.  He only wants sex from woman and he wants money.  I think the authors do a good job with this though. Jack is a jerk and usually ends up getting maimed.  If this is not your style then you won't like these comics.  But I like the gritty humor.  5 out of 5




Well that's it for comics this time around... can't wait to read what comics come into the library next!!

I am now up to 9 books towards my Graphic Novel Reading Challenge!
 

Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler- Review

Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler

I finally read Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler illustrated by Maira Kalman.  I read it for my Young Adult Book Club's pick this month.   Let's be honest.. this book took me way too long to read.  I just wasn't that into it.  Here's the goodreads description:

I'm telling you why we broke up, Ed. I'm writing it in this letter, the whole truth of why it happened. Min Green and Ed Slaterton are breaking up, so Min is writing Ed a letter and giving him a box. Inside the box is why they broke up. Two bottle caps, a movie ticket, a folded note, a box of matches, a protractor, books, a toy truck, a pair of ugly earrings, a comb from a motel room, and every other item collected over the course of a giddy, intimate, heartbreaking relationship. Item after item is illustrated and accounted for, and then the box, like a girlfriend, will be dumped. 

This book is written by Daniel Handler (aka Lemony Snicket),  but was just not my cup of tea.  I don't know what it was... I just didn't get really into it.  I liked the whole idea of teens dating in high school and breaking up.  That was a good idea.  It was written in a letter format with Min breaking up with Ed.  She had saved several things throughout their relationship and is putting them all into a box to give to Ed. Min also includes a long letter explaining why they broke up, which is what the story is. 

I liked the art, a lot. The art is of all the items that Min kept from their brief dating period.  I remember when I was a teen I would save things from relationships too.  In fact, my husband and I dated way back then and I remember breaking up with him once and bringing a bag of his stuff back to his house and dumping it off.  I had a friend bring it to his door.  LOL.  So this is a big teen thing to do.  I went through a few of the things that Min went through.  Though I never did get to date the popular guy.   

Sometimes in the story though I couldn't understand what Handler was writing.  I was confused.  He writes in this odd style and sometimes you are guessing what is meant.  This book is also heavy people!  HEAVY.  I went to take it in my purse to read if I was out and about and put it in my purse and was like whoa!  The pages are really nice and glossy, so the cover has to be bigger to support it.  

This book is instalove.. but when I was a teen that was something that could happen.  I love all my boyfriends and yet being 16 did I really even know what love was??  I really didn't understand why Ed broke up with Min or why she never saw the signs.  Since we only read the book through her eyes  we never really know how Ed was acting.  In the story one minute it's lala land and then boom he's a jerk and dumping her. I mean love is blind right?  We only see what we want to see.  

And the movies... God the movies!  Min is constantly comparing and watching old movies.  OLD movies.  Because of this I felt a little detached.  I haven't seen any of these movies so I really didn't totally get all the references.  I know they were supposed to be sweet and romantic but eventually I got tired of reading about them. It seems like Min really only lives in her dreams of these old movies too, which sadly real life is way more disappointing (actually I just read that these movies were made up by the author).  Also when I googled the movies I saw a link that says there is going to be a movie based on Why We Broke Up?? What? 

There is a fun website for the book where there are break up stories written out.  I do remember high school break ups being awful.  My first boyfriend showed up in school one day after we broke up holding the hand of another girl.  That hurt so bad.  Of course now I look back and then all those relationships weren't that important and why did I stress so much.  Though I do think all the boyfriends I had I learned lessons from and knew eventually the type of guy I wanted to marry.  I don't think I have read any other Daniel Handler/Lemony Snicket books.  So I am not sure if they are all written similar to this. 

The crystal ball says: 
 

Thunder is booming!! Run inside and don't bother reading!
 
 

Jennifer Adam's Children Classic Books Review

I love these picture books sooo much.  I know that you may be like... those books are for little kids.  Well yes they are.  But really neat picture books.  Written by Jennifer Adams and illustrated by Alison Oliver, these books are beautiful.  I first saw them in an independent book store in Houston Murder by the Book.  This is one of the reasons independent book stores are fun.  There was a display with these cute books.  I bought the Dracula   (a counting book) for my nephew on the spot.  My sister and I love spooky stuff so I knew this way a fun way to introduce my nephew to Dracula.

Pages from the Dracula book

I recently checked out all of these from the library to look at them.   I think these are a great way to introduce kids to the classics. The art work is wonderful... a lot of neat details went into these books. I have read  Sense and Sensibility, Sherlock Holmes, Wuthering Heights, and Moby Dick.  I really enjoyed the Wuthering Heights book.. each page is am illustration of the house from the book in different weather.  The books are hard and sturdy so there is really no way for little kids to ruin them.

Page from Sherlock

Page from Sherlock

I looked in my local Barnes and Nobles to find them and look through the ones I missed but surprisingly they were no where to be found on the shelves!  I wish they were on the shelves there for people to see.  They are unique and I think the perfect gift.  There is also a Jane Eyre, A Christmas Carol, Anna Karenina, Romeo and Juliet, Pride and Prejudice, and the Jabberwocky.

If you are out and about in bookstores and see these pick one up and look through it. Even if you haven't read the original classic story I think you will still have fun with the book.