Tag Archives: I’m Insane

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

Synopsis: After a fatal accident claims her best friends and her boyfriend, Mara Dyer starts over and finds love in Miami, only to find herself haunted by PTSD and what may be the ghosts of her dead boyfriend. Review: I was drawn in by the supernatural aspect of The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, but put off by the Twilightesqueness of the love story between Mara and Noah. The whole “he’s a bad boy with a bad reputation and a big vocabulary” thing really bothered me.…

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Stuff: Compulsive Hoarding and the Meaning of Things by Randy O. Frost and Gail Steketee

Synopsis: The psychology of hoarding in its different manifestations. Review: Stuff: Compulsive Hoarding and the Meaning of Things is eminently readable, a prime example of the best of what popular psychology has to offer. Great case studies, analysis that goes deep but never wonky, and well-chosen anecdotes bring the multi-faceted issue of hoarding to life. What struck me the most was the insight that hoarders are people who see more beauty and complexity in the world than most people, sort of like aesthetic savants. They…

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The Dragon of Trelian–A Wing of Dragons

Today is Day 3 of the blog tour for The Dragon of Trelian by Michelle Knudsen, a book I thoroughly enjoyed. My husband is not an aficionado of fantasy literature. He’s fond of saying, “How do you write a book about a dragon, anyway? Is it like, ‘There was this dragon?’” My poor impoverished dear. Anyway, I love books with dragons. Here are some links to a few other dragon-featuring books I’ve reviewed. For even more, check out the dragons tag. George RR Martin’s Dreamsongs…

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7 Random Book Facts about Me

I was tagged by Sally for this meme. Basically we’re listing 7 random book-related facts about ourselves. 1. I give books away all the time, and never expect anyone to return a book I’ve loaned to them. Of course, when it’s a loan I do hope that the books come back to me, but I never sweat it if they don’t. 2. I always return books that I borrow in a timely fashion. I have stopped borrowing books from friends because my TBR stack is…

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This is the Feast – Day 3

On the last day of the blog tour for This is the Feast, I want to encourage you to check out author Diana Z. Shore’s official website. She is a very busy author who does lots of book signings, conferences, and other speaking engagements. Her Author-on-the-Go program looks innovative and fun. This is the Feast is a retelling of the Thanksgiving story. I can’t help but reflect on last year’s Thanksgiving, when Superfast Toddler was only 7 days old! Superfast Husband cooked a complete meal…

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The Infamous Bill Cosby Pamphlet Found!

My intrepid cousin Terri of Sense of Wonder found an html version of the Bill Cosby pamphlet that taught me how to speed read when I was 7. An excerpt: Previewing is especially useful for getting a general idea of heavy reading like long magazine of newspaper articles, business reports, and nonfiction books, It can give you as much as half the comprehension in a little as one-tenth the time. For example, you should be able to preview eight or ten 100-page reports in an…

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Dewey’s Weekly Geek

I’m new to this, though am a longtime fan of Dewey and Hidden Side of a Leaf. This week’s theme is a sort of meme. (Hey, I rhymed!) Your basic challenge is to post author photos. Using the meme-like list below, post photos of authors in response. Please feel free to skip any you don’t like. You’re also free (encouraged!) to add your own, but if you do that, please be sure to indicate which are yours, so that people can credit you if they…

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Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay

Synopsis: Tigana is a country that has been obliterated by magic, down to its very name, yet a small group of rebels who remember decide to spark civil war to reclaim the honor of their homeland. Review: I wanted to love Tigana, I really did. Guy Gavriel Kay is a beautiful writer, excelling in exploring complex emotions and motivations within scenes that are startlingly original. There are scenes in Tigana that are achingly lovely without sacrificing dramatic impact. However, the overall story just never clicked…

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Chicks With Sticks Guide to Crochet by Nancy Queen and Mary Ellen O’Connell

Synopsis: A full color introduction to the craft of crochet, with 30 patterns. Review: I am a dedicated knitter and have never really understood the appeal of crochet–until I started thumbing through the Chicks With Sticks: Guide to Crochet. The patterns are gorgeous and I found at least four things I want to make immediately. I’m particularly drawn to the flower-shaped washcloths, which would be perfect for using some cotton yarn in my stash. The illustrations make the stitches very easy to understand. The patterns…

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Mayday! (Booking Through Thursday)

Quick! It’s an emergency! You just got an urgent call about a family emergency and had to rush to the airport with barely time to grab your wallet and your passport. But now, you’re stuck at the airport with nothing to read. What do you do?? And, no, you did NOT have time to grab your bookbag, or the book next to your bed. You were . . . grocery shopping when you got the call and have nothing with you but your wallet and…

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