All Consuming : Stephanie

Why I gave up consuming "The Scottish Thistle"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Stephanie) — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 14:52:52 GMT

by Cindy Vallar

It’s just too awkwardly written… I like the idea of it, and the story is OK, but the writing is awkward to the point of distraction. The author also doesn’t seem to have a very good handle on the Scots dialect. Too much research, not enough natural feel, I think.

Why I want to consume "Outlander"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Stephanie) — Sat, 11 Aug 2007 21:19:33 GMT

Outlander

by Diana Gabaldon

I’m reading and listening to this for the 3rd time in 3 years. I don’t know what magic keeps bringing me back to this book. It is not strictly a romance novel, but is more historical fiction with a very strong romance plotline running through it. I can’t imagine it not appealing to someone, but it certainly has its graphic moments, so if you are not a fan of realism (what I consider it, anyway), then I’d suggest something a bit more fluffy (go see Kathleen Woodiwiss instead – still good, just not as shocking). This is a novel written for strong, smart women who like history, kilts, dangerous adventure, and getting all weak in the knees over strong men. And if you prefer studying the complicated workings of a complicated relationship, you’ll likely enjoy it. Not for the faint of heart, though, for sure!

BTW, if you listen to the abridged audio, you will miss some of the violent bits, but I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it – those sometimes unpleasant scenes add a lot of depth to the characters and story.

And to address a previous poster about D. Gabaldon’s writing – I think she writes the way she thinks and talks, which I find refreshing. It is not stuffy or stilted, and is very easy to read as a result. I’ve read the whole series and have not been disappointed yet.

A story about "Shanna"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Stephanie) — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 14:24:08 GMT

Shanna

by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss

Shanna is the story of the development of a self-centered, spoiled little bitch into a mature, loving wife. The transformation is painful to watch, though, and there are times when it is quite easy to hate her. But, like the hero, Ruark, this reader did not give up on her, and there was indeed a happy ending. At times the story was a page-turning epic adventure; at (many!) others a fiery passionate romance. In fact, it is a romance novel in every sense, but it is not just fluff – its twists and turns leaves you thinking about it for a while after.

And also, for you hardcore romance fans, you get heavy helpings of the good stuff at regular intervals. You won’t starve to death before you reach page 200 as in some other novels. Kathleen Woodiwiss was the master (mistress?) of this genre for a reason!

A friend has been trying to talk me into reading this book for a few years now, and I’m glad she did.

A story about "Shadows on the Grass (Twentieth Century Classics)"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Stephanie) — Thu, 12 Apr 2007 13:39:24 GMT

Shadows on the Grass (Twentieth Century Classics)

by Isak Dinesen

I would recommend this only as an addendum to Out of Africa. It’s the after-story, really, and while there are some good additional stories of Karen Blixen’s experiences in Africa, much of it is where the characters ended up afterwards, and the sad beginning of the changing of Africa after colonization took its toll.

A story about "The Martian Chronicles"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Stephanie) — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 14:53:47 GMT

The Martian Chronicles

by Ray Bradbury

This was not a compelling or particularly fun read, but it did hold my attention. By far the most interesting thing about it was the references to an unknowable future of Mars colonization. I was surprised to find that it was written in the 1940’s rather than the 1960’s as I had originally thought (I didn’t check until halfway into the book because of a particular passage about racial issues that I didn’t understand). Aside from that part, I was amazed at how ideas of the future haven’t changed that much, and how much has already come about (in the way of technology) that was predicted. On the other hand, I was a bit annoyed by impossibilities, as we know them now, that were either overlooked or unknown to the author in the time it was written.

At any rate, I won’t forget the book, but it wasn’t exactly warm and fuzzy.

A story about "The Last Days of Dogtown: A Novel"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Stephanie) — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 20:26:48 GMT

The Last Days of Dogtown: A Novel

by Anita Diamant

This took a long time for me to listen to. It wasn’t terribly exciting or engaging until near the end. But it was good. Well written, well read, and and a good story if not a great one. The characters were interesting and the setting was different than any I’d read about, but it certainly didn’t have the fire Diamant conjured up in The Red Tent. The pervasive theme throughout the book was people living through or rising above squalor and misery. That being said, it was interesting, and I have a lot of good memories of the book, but I won’t recommend it to anyone and won’t read it again.

A story about "Darkfever"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Stephanie) — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 19:38:06 GMT

Darkfever

by Karen Marie Moning

I really think this would be better if I already had the next in the series… it sort of cut off at the end, and left me hanging. Nothing was resolved. This might well be the first twenty-something chapters of a really good book, but it is not complete as is. It cannot stand alone.

Aside from that, it’s a very interesting world that Moning has created, and though I have read many of her books about the Fae, this one goes into much more depth. It’s entertaining, to say the least.

A story about "You Grow Girl: The Groundbreaking Guide to Gardening"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Stephanie) — Sat, 30 Dec 2006 03:58:24 GMT

You Grow Girl: The Groundbreaking Guide to Gardening

by Gayla Trail

Great book about gardening, particularly urban and organic gardening! The author’s passion for gardening just exudes from this book and inspires me to grow things and get my hands dirty! It is a very good lesson on what can and should be done; however, it doesn’t go into a great deal of specifics (but how can it, since it covers so much ground!)... you will need to do more homework to do what you are inspired to do. Fortunately there is a great list of resources in the back. You Grow Girl also contains a lot of garden-related projects (like making a gardening tool belt, making seed packets, and making herbal bath & body products. Highly recommended reading, especially right before spring!

Why I recommend "ReadyMade Magazine"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Stephanie) — Sat, 07 Oct 2006 01:08:08 GMT

ReadyMade Magazine

by ReadyMade

I think they’ve read the feedback… This month’s issue is soooo much better than it has been. They’ve got me back for another year. Wahooooo! (see Oct 06 issue)

Why I gave up consuming "The Name of the Rose: including Postscript to the Name of the Rose"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Stephanie) — Thu, 14 Sep 2006 18:11:27 GMT

The Name of the Rose: including Postscript to the Name of the Rose

by Umberto Eco

I hope to come back to this later, but for now I’m taking entirely too long to read this book. I’ve read much much longer books in shorter time. I’m still interested, but it feels like I will never get to the end. I think a lot of it is the history and the latin – it’s not an easy read by any means… it is doable, but I’m going to have to put it down and come back to it later.

A story about "Ashes in the Wind"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Stephanie) — Thu, 14 Sep 2006 18:09:29 GMT

Ashes in the Wind

by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss

Just need a little light reading for a while, after being bogged down in another much more mind-consuming book.

A question I have about "The Art of War"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Stephanie) — Mon, 01 May 2006 01:50:07 GMT

The Art of War

by Sun Tzu

Did anyone else notice about halfway through the first chapter that nobody in the Bush administration has ever heard of this book?! Maybe they were more interested in the “First, Break All The Rules” stuff because it fit in so well with what they were just going to do anyway. Bush has no zen. >:(

Why I gave up consuming "Far and Away"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Stephanie) — Fri, 14 Apr 2006 15:34:59 GMT

Far and Away

by Sonja Massie

I usually read books after I’ve seen a movie if I want to get MORE out of it. This book is so identical to the movie (as it was written from the screenplay) that there is literally nothing MORE to gain from reading it. I love the movie, but I don’t want to read the movie. Giving up. :(

We are all time-travelers (rated 4 stars)

nobody@allconsuming.net (Stephanie) — Sat, 04 Mar 2006 14:58:08 GMT

The Time Traveler's Wife

by Audrey Niffenegger

The point of this, I think, is to say that we all are time-travelers. We all live in our memories and expectations of the future, and we never let our loved ones go – not completely. While this is more concretely true of the Time Traveler himself, we all spend our lives traveling in our minds to times and places we’ve been before and hope to be.

More fascinating, though, was the circular nature of the actual story – that Henry and Clare were soulmates: they never had a chance to choose each other. They were always married, always committed to each other.

At times I felt the author speaking directly to me through her character’s personalities and cultural references. I saw where someone in another review called these references trite or contrived, but not so – either you get them or you don’t, and the ones I didn’t get are dog-eared for look-up! In a lot of ways it was a trip down memory lane for me, with suggestions of other works I might like.

I loved the book, and am only holding back that one last star for a few loose ends not tied up, and, frankly, I felt the book was not long enough! But the Time Traveler’s Wife developed from an excellent concept and execution, and is certainly a new favorite.

How "Here be Dragons" changed my life

nobody@allconsuming.net (Stephanie) — Wed, 22 Feb 2006 01:55:43 GMT

Here be Dragons

by Sharon Kay Penman

Now I have to add Wales on my list of places to see, in addition to Scotland and Ireland. I had never been interested in Wales, but it has a very interesting history and culture independent from the UK, similar in that way to Scotland and Ireland.

But really, this story is primarily about a 13th century woman torn between her father and her husband. A great read, if a bit difficult at times, with all the details. But recommended nonetheless, for the inside look at the 13th century, and after reading this book, I can’t believe it was so long ago… I never imagined history to be so colorful, and so similar to (and also different from) the current day.

A story about "The Dark Highlander"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Stephanie) — Fri, 01 Jul 2005 13:59:43 GMT

The Dark Highlander

by Karen Marie Moning

I like the dark highlander better than kiss of the highlander… that’s saying, among other things, that I like the evil twin better than the good one. This one was much more steamy, much better written, and made a lot more sense. Very enjoyable, as cheap thrills go.

A story about "Kiss of the Highlander"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Stephanie) — Thu, 02 Jun 2005 19:42:29 GMT

Kiss of the Highlander

by Karen Marie Moning

It’s not great… but filling in the spaces while I’m waiting for the next Gabaldon/Outlander book… not well written at all. But readable.

A story about "Outlander"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Stephanie) — Wed, 25 May 2005 16:57:46 GMT

Outlander

by Diana Gabaldon

This is romance, yes, but it’s so much more than that. You’ll just have to read it and see. If you can get in 100 pages or so, you’ll be hooked completely (and probably in love with a certain red-headed, kilted, fictional highlander). I was so hooked that I’ve read the whole series (Dragonfly in Amber, Voyager, Drums of Autumn, the Fiery Cross) one after the other with no breaks, and now am back again at the first one, which is by far the best. I am awaiting the release of #6 in September!

I recommend getting the Outlandish Companion as well, as it’s a pretty good reference for the Gaelic words and other expressions, not to mention other reference and “behind the scenes” information.

A story about "1,000 Places to See Before You Die: A Traveler's Life List"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Stephanie) — Wed, 25 May 2005 16:51:08 GMT

1,000 Places to See Before You Die: A Traveler's Life List

by Patricia Schultz

I’ve been skipping around a lot in this book, because I want to be everywhere at once. This is incredible. I have a partial list of places to go before I die that I’ve been working on myself, but this gives me more to think about, and specifics, and suggestions I would not have thought of. My favorite so far, which I am reserving for my 2005 (hopefully) UK tour: the Scotland Castle Tour combined with the single-malt Scotch Whisky Tour.

A story about "Suttree"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Stephanie) — Wed, 25 May 2005 16:51:08 GMT

Suttree

by Cormac Mccarthy

Interesting. Good imagery. A bit wordy and difficult to read at times (mostly in setting descriptions), but the stories and dialogue are easy. Had to return to the library after 6 weeks. So I guess it took me a little longer than expected. Would like to read some other books and come back to this later.

A story about "Out of Africa (Modern Library)"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Stephanie) — Wed, 25 May 2005 16:51:07 GMT

Out of Africa (Modern Library)

by Isak Dinesen

Wonderful imagery of Africa, and an incredible story of a woman standing strong on her own around the turn of the century in an exotic place. Will probably read this again, just to revisit those beautiful descriptions.