{ ++ }In the interest of knowing where to find me, should you wish (and I hope ya'll do!) here are the best methods.
. onceuponaprologue@gmail.com (This account forwards to my primary account, so replies will likely come from whimsicalgrace@faded-oblivion.net, but it is definitely me.)
. Twitter
. Goodreads
. Livejournal
{ ++ } I look forward to hearing from ya'll. : )
Monday, April 4, 2011
Sunday, April 3, 2011
In My Mailbox: 04/03/11
{ ++ } Kristi of The Story Siren created this awesome feature, designed to give us bloggers a chance to speak out about the newest books we've bought or checked out. It's a place to share the thrill of buying a new book, holding it in your hands, and wondering what kind of adventure it will become!
{ ++ } This week I bought City of Bones by Cassandra Clare, the first book in the Mortal Instruments series.
When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder - much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing - not even a smear of blood - to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?
This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know....
This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know....
(synopsis from goodreads)
@ amazon.com (info/review) / @ goodreads.com
{ ++ } I've been hearing about this series for a few years now, seems, and I've heard good and bad and great reviews. But I'm such a fantasy girl at heart, and I always enjoy trying out new authors, and finding books that surprise me. I have a few other books I want to get to before this one, but I'm looking forward to reading it and forming my own opinions!
{ ++} What books did ya'll get this week? : )
Molli Reviews...: The Wise Man's Fear
{ ++ } Yay, I finally made time to sit down and do some serious reading on the book I've been aching to finish, and for a wonder, I managed to read through to the end! It took three cups of coffee and my eyes are a little sandy at this point, but it was well worth it. I want to talk a bit about this book and why I stayed up late (after working 6 long days in a row) to finish it. So here it is, guys: my first review here!
Title / Series: The Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss. 2 of 3 in the Kingkiller Chronicles
Publication Date: March 01, 2011
Length: (Hardcover) 1008 pages
Dates Read: March 02 2011 - April 02 2011
(The following synopsis contains some slight spoilers for the first book in the series; however, considering the scope of these two books, I do not consider them major. However, others might, so feel free to skip down to my thoughts below.)
As seamless and lyrical as a song from the lute-playing adventurer and arcanist Kvothe, this mesmerizing sequel to Rothfuss's 2007's debut, The Name of the Wind, is a towering work of fantasy. As Kvothe, now the unassuming keeper of the Waystone Inn, continues to share his astounding life story—a history that includes saving an influential lord from treachery, defeating a band of dangerous bandits, and surviving an encounter with a legendary Fae seductress—he also offers glimpses into his life's true pursuit: figuring out how to vanquish the mythical Chandrian, a group of seven godlike destroyers that brutally murdered his family and left him an orphan. But while Kvothe recalls the events of his past, his future is conspiring just outside the inn's doors. This breathtakingly epic story is heartrending in its intimacy and masterful in its narrative essence, and will leave fans waiting on tenterhooks for the final installment. (Synopsis/review from amazon.com's page for the book)
I've thought a lot about this book over the month I spent reading it. I should first say that I can normally read a book about half this length in a week (around working, family time, etc.) So for me to spend a month on one book is very rare. To be thinking quite often that I wanted to get back to it, and to be wondering what the next chapter held was a little bit like torture. When I get into a book, I don't like stopping, especially not for a long period of time. I start to care about the characters, and I want to know what adventures they are having...and I want to know now! But I will say, I am glad I savored this one because it is very likely to be a few years before Rothfuss is able to publish the third and final installment.
I liked a great deal about The Wise Man's Fear. I loved that for all this is at time a very dark and foreboding book - the bookended prologue and epilogue of both books sets the stage, as well as do events over the course of the books - that does not promise a happy or even a safe ending for our hero, I spent more time laughing out loud with this book than I have with any other one in the past. Maybe it's because I've spent the last year reading the author's blog, but I felt like I could see his thinking in the turn of some of the words, and jokes, and humorous moments. And the one-liners and hilarious situations, when they came, were a wonderful respite from the overall seriousness of the book.
Kvothe makes some mistakes here, on his various quests, always moving toward his purpose: locating the Chandrian and bringing about a reckoning for what they did to his family years past. And he grows as a person in some surprising and touching ways, showing reluctant vulnerability along the way, while still maintaining all the quirks that make him that character you love, and at times, love to hate. He's still a smartass, still more of a gentleman than he seems, and still one of my favorite male characters out of all the books I have read.
Some fascinating new characters join the cast, and we see old favorites Auri, Simmon, Bast, and Elodin among others, in a new light, as their personalities are further developed. One of the things I really admire about Patrick Rothfuss is his ability to create memorable characters, people you instantly love or hate, care about or wish away - but you can't forget them, or dismiss them. Not all authors have that.
At times the pacing did feel off - there were parts I felt lingered on too long, and areas I would have liked to have seen fleshed out that were over too quickly. Rothfuss has set himself up rather nicely for the third book; yet, I am a little scared to see the length of that novel. We know so much now about Kvothe's early years and the origins of some of the legends that surround the arcanist, but there is still a lot of ground to cover: the Chandrian, the rest of Kvothe's tenure at the Univeristy, etc. Still, if anyone can do it...
I don't have a lot of complaints about this book, but I will say it was a little scattered at times, almost like Rothfuss had too many irons in the fire, and that overall, it felt a little less cohesive than its predecessor. It is the transitional novel, so it would seem, but I have faith in the author. And this book touched me on a great many levels. Kvothe is a very believable character, who, when he shares his pain, will cut you to the quick. I laughed at him, and worried for him, both as his story unfolds, and in the present, as we see Kvothe the adult defeated, with little knowledge of how and why he has fallen so far. I cried several times, for him and for other characters (the always skittish and intriguing Denna being one of them), and once again, I am waiting anxiously for the next volume!
Final Rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Publication Date: March 01, 2011
Length: (Hardcover) 1008 pages
Dates Read: March 02 2011 - April 02 2011
(The following synopsis contains some slight spoilers for the first book in the series; however, considering the scope of these two books, I do not consider them major. However, others might, so feel free to skip down to my thoughts below.)
As seamless and lyrical as a song from the lute-playing adventurer and arcanist Kvothe, this mesmerizing sequel to Rothfuss's 2007's debut, The Name of the Wind, is a towering work of fantasy. As Kvothe, now the unassuming keeper of the Waystone Inn, continues to share his astounding life story—a history that includes saving an influential lord from treachery, defeating a band of dangerous bandits, and surviving an encounter with a legendary Fae seductress—he also offers glimpses into his life's true pursuit: figuring out how to vanquish the mythical Chandrian, a group of seven godlike destroyers that brutally murdered his family and left him an orphan. But while Kvothe recalls the events of his past, his future is conspiring just outside the inn's doors. This breathtakingly epic story is heartrending in its intimacy and masterful in its narrative essence, and will leave fans waiting on tenterhooks for the final installment. (Synopsis/review from amazon.com's page for the book)
I've thought a lot about this book over the month I spent reading it. I should first say that I can normally read a book about half this length in a week (around working, family time, etc.) So for me to spend a month on one book is very rare. To be thinking quite often that I wanted to get back to it, and to be wondering what the next chapter held was a little bit like torture. When I get into a book, I don't like stopping, especially not for a long period of time. I start to care about the characters, and I want to know what adventures they are having...and I want to know now! But I will say, I am glad I savored this one because it is very likely to be a few years before Rothfuss is able to publish the third and final installment.
I liked a great deal about The Wise Man's Fear. I loved that for all this is at time a very dark and foreboding book - the bookended prologue and epilogue of both books sets the stage, as well as do events over the course of the books - that does not promise a happy or even a safe ending for our hero, I spent more time laughing out loud with this book than I have with any other one in the past. Maybe it's because I've spent the last year reading the author's blog, but I felt like I could see his thinking in the turn of some of the words, and jokes, and humorous moments. And the one-liners and hilarious situations, when they came, were a wonderful respite from the overall seriousness of the book.
Kvothe makes some mistakes here, on his various quests, always moving toward his purpose: locating the Chandrian and bringing about a reckoning for what they did to his family years past. And he grows as a person in some surprising and touching ways, showing reluctant vulnerability along the way, while still maintaining all the quirks that make him that character you love, and at times, love to hate. He's still a smartass, still more of a gentleman than he seems, and still one of my favorite male characters out of all the books I have read.
Some fascinating new characters join the cast, and we see old favorites Auri, Simmon, Bast, and Elodin among others, in a new light, as their personalities are further developed. One of the things I really admire about Patrick Rothfuss is his ability to create memorable characters, people you instantly love or hate, care about or wish away - but you can't forget them, or dismiss them. Not all authors have that.
At times the pacing did feel off - there were parts I felt lingered on too long, and areas I would have liked to have seen fleshed out that were over too quickly. Rothfuss has set himself up rather nicely for the third book; yet, I am a little scared to see the length of that novel. We know so much now about Kvothe's early years and the origins of some of the legends that surround the arcanist, but there is still a lot of ground to cover: the Chandrian, the rest of Kvothe's tenure at the Univeristy, etc. Still, if anyone can do it...
I don't have a lot of complaints about this book, but I will say it was a little scattered at times, almost like Rothfuss had too many irons in the fire, and that overall, it felt a little less cohesive than its predecessor. It is the transitional novel, so it would seem, but I have faith in the author. And this book touched me on a great many levels. Kvothe is a very believable character, who, when he shares his pain, will cut you to the quick. I laughed at him, and worried for him, both as his story unfolds, and in the present, as we see Kvothe the adult defeated, with little knowledge of how and why he has fallen so far. I cried several times, for him and for other characters (the always skittish and intriguing Denna being one of them), and once again, I am waiting anxiously for the next volume!
Final Rating: 4 of 5 Stars
"There are three things all wise men fear: the sea in storm, a night with no moon, and the anger of a gentle man."
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
"waiting on" wednesday: 03/30/11
{ ++ } This is, I think, a fantastic thing started over at Breaking the Spine, that I recently decided to get involved in. Basically, this is a chance to go on a little bit about the books we're anxiously awaiting either to read or to be published. It seems like I'm always finding new things to read, be it a new series, or a stand-alone, and there's a peculiar kind of anticipation that comes from knowing a new book by a favorite author is thisclose to being released.
So, here's a few of mine, and the why's.
expected publication 2011
No summary up yet, but this is the first novel in the spin-off to Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy series. I'm quite excited about this one. It's currently expected out this year. I had some mixed emotions on how the final book in the VA series ended, and how some plot lines there were handled, but, this book looks like it has a lot of potential. So I will definitely be reading it.
Hardcover, 320 pages
Expected publication: April 26th 2011
Though she tries returning to the life she knew before the accident, Pierce can't help but feel at once a part of this world, and apart from it. Yet she's never alone . . . because someone is always watching her. Escape from the realm of the dead is impossible when someone there wants you back.
But now she's moved to a new town. Maybe at her new school, she can start fresh. Maybe she can stop feeling so afraid.
Only she can't. Because even here, he finds her. That's how desperately he wants her back. She knows he's no guardian angel, and his dark world isn't exactly heaven, yet she can't stay away . . . especially since he always appears when she least expects it, but exactly when she needs him most.
But if she lets herself fall any further, she may just find herself back in the one place she most fears: the Underworld. (synopsis from goodreads.com)
I don't know why the summary for this one grabbed me so much, but it did. I've never even read anything by this author before, but I saw this book online and knew I'd have to check it out. I love paranormal stuff, and this one seems like it has some potential.
Okay folks, that's it for this week! So many of the books I want to read aren't due out for awhile, or are series I am catching up on, etc, so I don't know how many reads I have that are coming out in the immediate future, BUT, I look forward to participating!
Sunday, March 27, 2011
what's in a name?
{ ++ } I finally stumbled upon what I think it is a rather cute name for this blog. I wanted something both clever, and that also expressed some aspect of my personality. Those who know me best know I am a romantic at heart, through and through, and believe entirely in "once upon a time," and am still hoping for my own "happily ever after." So...this is me, naming my blog. "Once upon a prologue." Maybe someone else out there has this name, maybe not. I'm pretty happy with it, and hope to spend a lot of time here talking about great books.
{ ++ } We start a new week tomorrow... I go back to work, and hopefully back to the gym! But for now, I think I am going to put on a kettle for hot tea (YAYS!) and settle in to finish the book that's been calling my name all weekend. : )
{ ++ } We start a new week tomorrow... I go back to work, and hopefully back to the gym! But for now, I think I am going to put on a kettle for hot tea (YAYS!) and settle in to finish the book that's been calling my name all weekend. : )
Friday, March 25, 2011
"book blogger hop": 03/25/11
This week's question: if you could physically put yourself into a book or series...which one would it be and why?
Oh gosh. I have to choose just one? Several come to mind: the world of JR Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood series (mmmm vampires) or Gena Showalter's Lords of the Underworld series. The Harry Potter series, so I could be BFF's with Hermione! But I guess I'd choose Anne Bishop's Black Jewels series. Her world has always intrigued me, drawn me in, and fascinated the part of me that sometimes feels like I was born in the wrong time and/or dimension. haha And...I want a Warlord Prince of my very own. : )
"follow me" friday: 03/25/11
Hosted over at parajunkee.com, whose blog looks ahhh-mazing, this is a fun and great way for new bloggers like me to kinda get our feet wet so to speak, venture out into the world of blogging, and hopefully meet new and fabulous people.
This week's question: Give us five book related, silly facts about you.
1) I have been known to literally jump up and down over a new book.
2) The scent of old books is one of my favorite smells in the whole world.
3) I find it nearly impossible to part with my books - no matter how many times I've read it/them. My books are about to take over my bedroom, and I keep buying them!
4) When I find a new author I love, I will talk and talk about him/her, to basically anyone whom I think will listen. Sometimes to the point of exasperating people, but I can't help it - I get carried away.
5) I have a mental list of "my favorite male/female/couples EVER" when it comes to books. This list is open to change. : )
Sunday, March 20, 2011
latest & greatest: the darkest secret
While exploring a few other blogs today, I stumbled across a great idea, which basically boils down to me squee'ing over books that are due out soon, that I cannot wait to get my hands on. Some of these are ones I will be able to read right away; others are ones I am a ways off of reading, but that nevertheless, have my heart beating a little faster in anticipation.
I don't know how often I'll do this, but like I said, I thought the idea was cool, and it might draw some good attention to authors who some of you have never tried before.
I'm tentatively calling this "feature", "latest and greatest." The name may change if I think of something cooler, but here we go. :)
I don't know how often I'll do this, but like I said, I thought the idea was cool, and it might draw some good attention to authors who some of you have never tried before.
I'm tentatively calling this "feature", "latest and greatest." The name may change if I think of something cooler, but here we go. :)
(image from amazon.com)
Goodreads page (to avoid spoilers)
Publication date: March 29, 2011
Gena Showalter writes paranormal romance, and while yes, the romance is at times a little "hot and heavy," what I like best about this series is that the romances are not the primary focus. There is a plot here. A good, solid plot that builds with every book, becoming more intricate. A band of immortal warriors who opened the mythical Pandora's box were each cursed to house a demon (defeat, secrets, pain). Suffice to say, they do not lead normal lives. And the quest they are engaged in - finding Pandora's box to atone for their sins - only ramps up the danger, yet each book tells the story of one of the warriors, and how through finding love, they learn to survive their demons.
So yes, the plot works. Showalter finds new angles to spin it in, with each book. And another thing I adore is that the same characters we met in the first few books are in the most recent ones. It's not a case of, character A had his/her book, so now they're relegated to the shadows. Far from it. Just because a couple found their happily-ever-after doesn't mean they're out of the picture. These characters all work together. And I love that we are meeting new characters who are just as interesting and compelling.
Add in to that that Amun (the hero of The Darkest Secret and keeper of the demon of secrets) has always made me curious, and in this book, Showalter seems to be planning to (maybe literally) put him through hell, not to mention, pair him up with one of the series most controversial females, and I will definitely be buying a copy as soon as this one hits the shelves!
Friday, March 18, 2011
For I think of us more as flowers in the attic...
I was born premature by three months and my mother taped herself reading me stories, and when she came to sit with baby me in the hospital, scared because she didn't know if I'd be healthy enough to come home soon, she'd play the tapes to me. She read to me all the time when I was a child, and by the time I was five, I took a book in and read it to my kindergarten class.
From there, an obsession was born.
I love books. I love the smell of old books, and the weight of them in my hands, as I turn the pages. I love the thrill of deciding to buy a book from a new, unheard of author - and then the even greater thrill of loving the book. I love re-reading old favorites, and remembering favorite passages before I come upon them. I love that I can close my eyes and watch a place an author has described bloom, vivid in my mind. I love letting books carry me away, and letting them change me in little ways.
I think that's something I want to talk about some here: authors whose stories so impressed and moved me that they literally altered the way I perceived books from then on. It's happened several times, in different genres, and at various points in my life. And it always stuns me, coming across that amazing author, who touches your heart and shakes you up, and challenges you.
Today's is V.C. Andrews.
I read Dawn first, not Flowers in the Attic as most people probably did. To this day, I get mixed reactions when I mention the author's name - some fascinated as I try to describe her gothic tales, some confused, but they all listen, and maybe that's the main thing.
I had never seen a book like Dawn. It had what I would later learn is called a keyhole cover. A scared blonde girl peeked out of it, and as I read the prologue, I instantly knew I was reading something totally foreign and fantastic. I finished the book, and realized there was a sequel, and practically ran to Wal-Mart. This was in...1999 and they had an entire shelf of V.C. Andrews books. I let out a sound so high-pitched only dogs could hear it when I saw how many other books there were.
I went through the Cutler series in no time, and moved on to the Dollanganger series. Then My Sweet Audrina, then the Casteel series. Then the Landry series, and the Logan family series. I was lost to these stories. These girls, who went through hell, and triumphed. Who found love, despite all obstacles. Who never, ever gave up, who struggled through life's tragedies and family secrets. Each story spun a dark web.
Eventually, the ghost-writer who took over writing the books after Virginia Andrew died lost his touch, at least in my mind. I stopped reading the newer books about five or six years ago. But I will always cherish the early books. For someone who was used to Judy Blume and Sweet Valley High books, V.C. Andrews was another world entirely. I am sure my 25 year old self would balk at the books if I re-read them, would probably consider them an affront to feminism. Maybe I haven't re-read them in so long because I want to keep my memories of them intact. I roleplay several VCA characters, one of who I have made so entirely my own that I know I couldn't re-read the ghost-written VCA novels he was in.
Regardless, I will always smile when I think of the adventures I had reading V.C. Andrews novels, and when I think of my favorites: Web of Dreams. Flowers in the Attic. My Sweet Audrina. Dawn. I started to grow as a writer and as a reader thinks to her genre-challenging stories, to push myself in my own writing. And later, I met my best friend through a V.C. Andrews roleplay.
And I remembered to always, always dream.
From there, an obsession was born.
I love books. I love the smell of old books, and the weight of them in my hands, as I turn the pages. I love the thrill of deciding to buy a book from a new, unheard of author - and then the even greater thrill of loving the book. I love re-reading old favorites, and remembering favorite passages before I come upon them. I love that I can close my eyes and watch a place an author has described bloom, vivid in my mind. I love letting books carry me away, and letting them change me in little ways.
I think that's something I want to talk about some here: authors whose stories so impressed and moved me that they literally altered the way I perceived books from then on. It's happened several times, in different genres, and at various points in my life. And it always stuns me, coming across that amazing author, who touches your heart and shakes you up, and challenges you.
Today's is V.C. Andrews.
I read Dawn first, not Flowers in the Attic as most people probably did. To this day, I get mixed reactions when I mention the author's name - some fascinated as I try to describe her gothic tales, some confused, but they all listen, and maybe that's the main thing.
I had never seen a book like Dawn. It had what I would later learn is called a keyhole cover. A scared blonde girl peeked out of it, and as I read the prologue, I instantly knew I was reading something totally foreign and fantastic. I finished the book, and realized there was a sequel, and practically ran to Wal-Mart. This was in...1999 and they had an entire shelf of V.C. Andrews books. I let out a sound so high-pitched only dogs could hear it when I saw how many other books there were.
I went through the Cutler series in no time, and moved on to the Dollanganger series. Then My Sweet Audrina, then the Casteel series. Then the Landry series, and the Logan family series. I was lost to these stories. These girls, who went through hell, and triumphed. Who found love, despite all obstacles. Who never, ever gave up, who struggled through life's tragedies and family secrets. Each story spun a dark web.
Eventually, the ghost-writer who took over writing the books after Virginia Andrew died lost his touch, at least in my mind. I stopped reading the newer books about five or six years ago. But I will always cherish the early books. For someone who was used to Judy Blume and Sweet Valley High books, V.C. Andrews was another world entirely. I am sure my 25 year old self would balk at the books if I re-read them, would probably consider them an affront to feminism. Maybe I haven't re-read them in so long because I want to keep my memories of them intact. I roleplay several VCA characters, one of who I have made so entirely my own that I know I couldn't re-read the ghost-written VCA novels he was in.
Regardless, I will always smile when I think of the adventures I had reading V.C. Andrews novels, and when I think of my favorites: Web of Dreams. Flowers in the Attic. My Sweet Audrina. Dawn. I started to grow as a writer and as a reader thinks to her genre-challenging stories, to push myself in my own writing. And later, I met my best friend through a V.C. Andrews roleplay.
And I remembered to always, always dream.
It is so appropriate to color hope yellow, like that sun we seldom saw. And as I begin to copy from the old memorandum journals that I kept for so long, a title comes as if inspired. Open the Window and Stand in the Sunshine. Yet, I hesitate to name our story that. For I think of us more as flowers in the attic.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
"That is how heavy a secret can become. It can make blood flow easier than ink."
So let's talk about books, shall we? That is, after all, what this blog was designed to be about. (I make no apologies for the fact that I am, at heart, a book nerd through and through. I have literally flailed over books. That isn't going to change. :) )
currently reading:
length: 994 pages
currently: 500 pages in
began on: March 08 2011
To date, I am exactly halfway through this book, and deeply craving a day to sit and read, and immerse myself in the world Patrick Rothfuss has created. There is something about his writing that just pulls me in, and refuses to let go. And one of these days when I have more than one day off at at a time from work, I - will - finish this book and review it here. : )
So, this is post #1. A testing of the waters so to speak. Maybe I'll remember to post here often. Let's find out!
There are three things all wise men fear: the sea in storm, a night with no moon, and the anger of a gentle man.
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