Saturday, April 17, 2010

Nocturne by Harrison Gradwell Slater

Published in 2010. 213 pages.
A novel with a soundtrack.

I received a complimentary copy of Nocturne from publicist Tricia van Dockum at Ollie Media.
Thanks, Tricia!

First sentence: What made you this way, Artemisia?

Brief summary of the plot: Hoping to leave behind a bad relationship, photographer Artemisia Talbot takes an assignment in partnership with musicologist Matthew Pierce for an article about Chopin's Paris. In addition to exploring the places Chopin lived in Paris, Artemisia and Matthew visit Warsaw, where Matthew purchases a diary that describes Chopin's ill-fated love affair with Maria Wodzinska. Unfortunately, Artemisia's former lover follows her to Europe, threatening to ruin her newfound happiness.

A favorite passage:
As she and Matthew walked toward Place Vendome, Artemisia marveled at the artistic achievements of the Parisians. "Artists are the canaries in the coal mine," Matthew said. "They are the indicators of the well-being of a city. Artists of all kinds have always flocked to Paris. That says everything."

What I liked about this book: First of all, I think that the idea of a novel with a soundtrack is brilliant! Nocturne is accompanied by a CD with 22 tracks of piano music by Chopin performed by Slater, and the music is beautiful. Just the night before I started reading Nocturne, I was talking to some book club friends about Gerald Elias's Devil's Trill and how interesting it would be to have a CD of the music that is mentioned in the novel. As Slater says in the Reader's Guide of Nocturne:
[The concept of a novel with a soundtrack] is an idea whose time has come, particularly in this age of multimedia, interactive media and new forms of communication. Nocturne is at the cusp of a new era of experimental trends in the publishing industry, all of which will make reading a more interesting and varied experience for everyone.
I also enjoyed the overall storyline of the novel. Perhaps the strongest aspect of the novel, the interspersion of the contents of Maria Wodzinska's diary with the contemporary happenings of the novel reminded me in some ways of People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks. Beyond that, who doesn't like to read about the blossoming of love threatened by a deranged, obsessive stalker?

What I didn't like about this book: Somehow, despite the great potential, the book just doesn't come together in a very satisfying way. I sometimes felt that Slater wasn't sure what kind of book he wanted to write - or maybe that he was confused about his style. Sometimes I felt like I was reading a James Patterson suspense thriller, with short chapters, lots of action, and much dialogue. Other times, however, I felt like Slater was trying to write a literary novel, and the dissonance was jarring to me as a reader. In a couple of places, there were also some intimations of the occult à la Barbara Michaels, but nothing ever came of that. Worst of all, as I read, a term I learned from my high school composition teacher kept coming to mind - purple prose - and that kept me from simply enjoying the experience of watching the story unfold.

To share in the joy of words and music: While I didn't like Nocturne nearly as much as I wished I had, I don't doubt that there are readers - especially readers who are also music lovers - who would enjoy it more than I did. After I let my daughter, who is a music major, borrow the book and CD, I'd love to pass them along to another interested reader. Leave a comment if you'd be interested, and I will randomly pick one lucky reader from those who comment by Saturday, May 1.

2010.18

Friday, April 16, 2010

Blue Heaven by C.J. Box

Published in 2007. 344 pages.
2009 Edgar Award for Best Novel.


Despite my love of suspense thrillers, I had never read any of C.J. Box's novels prior to Blue Heaven. One of the Salt Lake County Reader's Choice picks for 2010, it caught my eye when I visited the library a few months ago. Box's first stand-alone mystery - which has been called a "modern Western" not only for its setting but also for its structure - was a compelling and pleasurable read. I doubt it will be the only C.J. Box I ever read.

2010.6

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Elapsed Time 24:00









Final Report

Time Read: 9:00

Pages Read: 655. (That's about 73 pages an hour.)

Books Finished: 3. (I read A Crooked Kind of Perfect by Linda Urban and The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams, in addition to finishing Nocturne by Harrison Gradwell Slater, which I'd started before the read-a-thon. After reading a bit more of it today, I am also nearly done with Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta.)

Time Blogged: 6:00

Frame of Mind: After my 18:30 progress report, I read some, then dozed for a while, and then read some more. Finally I gave it up for good and actually got a pretty good night's sleep.

This morning my husband suggested that I ought to try to schedule a five- or six-hour block each month to just read - and I really like the idea of having a regular, personal read-a-thon lite. I am also looking forward to the next Dewey's 24-Hour Read-a-Thon!

Cans of Diet Coke with Lime Consumed: 6.

Food Consumed: One bowl of Lucky Charms cereal. One bag of microwave popcorn. Light lunch of ham, hard-boiled eggs, and French bread. Five cream cheese-jalapeno poppers. Two pieces of garlic French bread pizza. Some Cadbury Mini Eggs. Late dinner from Cafe Rio (grilled steak enchilada, rice, black beans, chips, and queso dip). Some Red Vines. Part of a roll of Necco Wafers.

Elapsed Time 18:30









Progress Report

Time Read: 8:00

Pages Read: 610. (That's about 76 pages an hour. Hooray for quick reads!)

Books Finished: 3. (I've read A Crooked Kind of Perfect by Linda Urban and The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams, in addition to finishing Nocturne by Harrison Gradwell Slater. Right now I'm working on Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta.)

Time Blogged: 6:00

Frame of Mind: My eyes are really buggy right now, but I think I could last at least another couple of hours, probably more, if I didn't keep thinking about what the read-a-thon aftermath will mean. With everything I have to do next week - especially given that I started the read-a-thon in a tension-filled state of fatigue - I just don't know if it'd be wise to miss my sleep tonight. I guess if you don't hear back from me before the elapsed time of 24:00, you'll know that I've gone to bed.

Cans of Diet Coke with Lime Consumed: 6.

Food Consumed: One bowl of Lucky Charms cereal. One bag of microwave popcorn. Light lunch of ham, hard-boiled eggs, and French bread. Five cream cheese-jalapeno poppers. Two pieces of garlic French bread pizza. Some Cadbury Mini Eggs. Late dinner from Cafe Rio (grilled steak enchilada, rice, black beans, chips, and queso dip). Some Red Vines. Part of a roll of Necco Wafers.

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Read-a-Thon Mini-Challenge

"Early Favorites"
Hosted by Michelle at Literarily Speaking


The first book I remember loving was B is for Betsy by Carolyn Haywood (1898-1990). As I recall, I was in the second grade and home sick, lying in my parents' bed, when my mother brought me a book she'd picked up at the library. First published in 1939, B is for Betsy is still in print. I loved the entire Betsy series - and that likely helped form my love of book series today.

Elapsed Time 13:30









Progress Report

Time Read: 5:30

Pages Read: 500.

Books Finished: 3. (I've read A Crooked Kind of Perfect by Linda Urban and The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams, in addition to finishing Nocturne by Harrison Gradwell Slater.)

Time Blogged: 4:30

Frame of Mind: I'm feeling pretty good right now, a bit sleepy but pleased with how the day has gone so far. I'm thinking that I may take a short nap to re-charge before picking my next book.

Cans of Diet Coke with Lime Consumed: 5.

Food Consumed: One bowl of Lucky Charms cereal. One bag of microwave popcorn. Light lunch of ham, hard-boiled eggs, and French bread. Five cream cheese-jalapeno poppers. Two pieces of garlic French bread pizza. Some Cadbury Mini Eggs.

Read-a-Thon Mid-Event Survey



Now that we're halfway through, we have a survey to complete:

1. What are you reading right now?


I'm on page 39 of A Crooked Kind of Perfect. It is a current nominee for the Beehive Award in Children's Fiction.

2. How many books have you read so far?

I have finished two - Nocturne, which I had started earlier this week, and The Chosen One.

3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon?

Because I'm not sure yet what I'm going to read, I really don't know what I'm most looking forward to. I do have the graphic novel Calamity Jack right by me.

4. Did you have to make any special arrangements to free up your whole day?

Fortunately, I didn't have any major commitments already on the calendar when I heard the date of the read-a-thon.

5. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those?

My husband and two of my kids have been in and out today, but they're pretty self-sufficient. The phone has rung quite frequently, and I've had some emails to which I had to reply. But, all in all, I haven't had too many interruptions.

6. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far?


I was totally amazed by the number of people who signed up this time!

7. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?


One thing I've thought about in the past is whether I'd do better if I started at night and read through to the next evening. I'm sure there are some read-a-thon-ers somewhere in the world with that schedule, but maybe it'd be interesting to change it up for a future read-a-thon, so that North America would start in the evening.

8. What would you do differently, as a Reader or a Cheerleader, if you were to do this again next year?

If it were possible - but it's probably not - I'd try to arrange to have my family out of the house for a good part of the day. Next time I definitely will try to do more preparation than I could this time.

9. Are you getting tired yet?

I'm not really tired yet. But I haven't been solely concentrating on the read-a-thon either, so I've had some breaks.

10. Do you have any tips for other Readers or Cheerleaders, something you think is working well for you that others may not have discovered?

Graphic novels can be good picks for the wee hours of the night.

Read-a-Thon Mini-Challenge

"If the Cover Fits"
Hosted by Trisha at Eclectic/Eccentric


Disturbing


Vibrant


Beautiful


Scary


Moving


Elapsed Time 7:00









Progress Report

Time Read: 3:45

Pages Read: 289.

Books Finished: 2. (I've read The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams in addition to finishing Nocturne by Harrison Gradwell Slater.)

Time Blogged: 2:15

Frame of Mind: I'm really tired, and I've got a headache. After I finish this post and do a little blog-hopping to visit other read-a-thon participants, I'm going to have a shower to see if that'll revive me.

Cans of Diet Coke with Lime Consumed: 3.

Food Consumed: One bowl of Lucky Charms cereal. One bag of microwave popcorn. Light lunch of ham, hard-boiled eggs, and French bread.

Read-a-Thon Mini-Challenge

"And the Nominees Are"
Hosted by Bobbie at Til We Read Again

Favorite Female Character in a Book: Tie between Jamie Sullivan in A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks and Stargirl in Stargirl and Love, Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli. Or maybe Ruby Oliver in the series by E. Lockhart.

Favorite Male Character in a Book: Owen Birnbaum in Slob by Ellen Potter.

Favorite Side Kick in a Book:
Lula in Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series.

Favorite Couple in a Book:
Henry and Clare in The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger.

Favorite Book Series: The William Monk series by Anne Perry.

Favorite Author: Just one?! Today I'll say ... Chris Bohjalian.

Favorite Book Cover:
This cover combines two of my favorite images - a full moon and the ocean.


Favorite Book of 2009: The Help by Kathryn Stockett.

Elapsed Time 3:30









Progress Report

Time Read: 1:15

Pages Read: 76. (I finished reading Nocturne by Harrison Gradwell Slater, which I started earlier this week.)

Books Finished: 1.

Time Blogged: 1:15

Frame of Mind: I don't feel particularly well this morning and I'm having a bit of a hard time concentrating, but I'm gratified that I've already finished the first book on my non-existent list and I'm encouraged by the cheerleaders and other participants who are visiting my blog and Tweeting about the read-a-thon.

Cans of Diet Coke with Lime Consumed:
1.

Food Consumed:
One bowl of Lucky Charms cereal.

Introduction Meme


The first mini-challenge of the read-a-thon is an Introduction Meme, created by Darcie a few read-a-thons ago. Here goes:

Where are you reading from today?
For the most part, I'll be sitting on the love seat in my family room, with my feet on the ottoman and my laptop computer nearby.

Three facts about me:

  • My professional life is all about numbers - I'm an accountant - but I really love words - reading them, writing them, and playing with them.

  • I also love Diet Coke with Lime, Mexican food, and chocolate - all of which I intend to consume in the course of the read-a-thon.

  • I'm addicted to Facebook and goodreads, and I also enjoy Twitter. You can follow my Tweets here.
How many books do you have in your TBR pile for the next 24 hours?
I have done almost no planning for the read-a-thon this time around. I'm going to start with the book I've been reading this week - Nocturne by Harrison Gradwell Slater - and then go from there. Of course, with the piles of books that exist around my house, I'm going to have no problem finding reading material.

Do you have any goals for the read-a-thon (e.g., number of books, number of pages, number of hours, or number of comments on blogs)?
I've been under a lot of stress at work for the last several months, and I'm way behind on the reading I have planned for 2010, as well as the blogging I want to do about my reading. This past week has been totally packed with work as well as some enjoyable family time, so I'm also behind on some of my household responsibilities as well as totally unprepared for the read-a-thon in terms of book lists, food plans, and blogging templates.

In the past I've wanted to read as many hours of the read-a-thon as I possibly could, but this time I'm thinking that some R&R is the primary goal. If I can read for eight hours and blog for eight hours, and then sleep and/or catch up on some laundry/dishes/office work in the remaining eight hours, I'll be a happy read-a-thon-er.

Any advice for people doing this for the first time?
This is my sixth read-a-thon, and I recommend that no one worry about doing everything. Just do what seems like fun and enjoy!

Elapsed Time 0:30


Here we go ...

I'm a half-hour behind the official starting time, but getting up before 6 o'clock on a Saturday morning is just really hard for me to do - even for the read-a-thon. Given my life of late, I'm just glad to be here at all.

This is my sixth time participating in Dewey's read-a-thon. (Yes, I was there at the start!) My approach this time is, by necessity, going to be more take-it-as-it-comes than in the past. But I still plan to get some relaxation and enjoyment out of the experience.

Good luck to all the other read-a-thon participants, and a big thanks to the hosts, the cheerleaders, and all the other helpers! (If you're just stopping by and want to know more about what's happening, check out the read-a-thon blog or the Twitter feed.)

Sunday, April 04, 2010

Time Again for Dewey's Read-a-Thon



Saturday, April 10

Beginning at 13:00 GMT
(which is 6 am for me)

For more information,
check out the read-a-thon blog.

Thursday, April 01, 2010

Al Capone Does My Shirts
by Gennifer Choldenko

Published in 2004. 240 pages.
2005 Newbery Honor Book.


I read Al Capone Does My Shirts with my fifth grade book club earlier this year. We all really enjoyed this children's historical fiction novel. Learning more about Alcatraz Island was fun too. I am looking forward to reading the sequel Al Capone Shines My Shirts.

2010.2