Eragon - by Christopher Paolini

I read this book almost a year ago. It was so good I read it again, out loud, to my oldest daughter. She loved every page.

Paolini is a brilliantly imaginative author of this fantasy series about dragons, family, war, warriors, maidens, elves, dwarves, and several other fantastical characters. I know I'm reading a good book when I become a better Spielberg in my own mind than what happens on an actual big screen. This book has been made into a movie. And there is still one more book in the series to be published.

Eragon, a young boy orphaned and given to his uncle as a babe walks directly into the path of nothing more than what seems to be a rock, a beautiful stone of curious workmanship. Thinking it is of some value, he brings it home hoping to sell it to the merchants to make up for a bad hunting trip. Then his life, his journey begins when that rock hatches a dragon, and together they becomes a force to be dealt with by the king Galbatorix and The Varden are seeking their help to free Alagaesia from Galbatorix's evil hand. This troubled, strong-willed boy learns quickly things he had only heard in ancient stories spun by an old story-teller in his village, Brom. Dragons are indeed real, and Galbatorix is indeed very evil, and life is not as simple as crops, hunting and long cold dreary winters.

"He felt like a ghost who had slipped out of the ether.

"Pure joy radiated from Saphira as she climbed into the sky. She loved this freedom to go anywhere. When they were high above the ground, she looked back at Eragon. He saw himself as she did, hanging on to her with a blank look. He could feel her body strain against the air, using updrafts to rise. All her muscles were like his own. He felt her tail swinging through the air like a giant rudder to correct her course. It surprised him how much she depended on it.

"Their connection grew stronger until there was no distinction between their identities. they clasped their wings together and dived straight down, like a speak thrown from on high. No terror of falling touched Eragon, engulfed as he was in Saphira's exhilaration."

This fast adventure story introduced me to a whole new world of fantasy. The idea of creating another world for a character to build and grow was new to me. I loved that Paolini could create in me a desire to create. But even more than that, a desire to read his entire series in just a few months. Thousands of pages that no doubt took him years to write, edit, rewrite and pour over again and again took me a fraction of time to devour and left me wanting more!! I can hardly wait for a release date of the fourth and final book in this series, Shur'tugal. You can find these books just about anywhere, including your local library. Eragon, Eldest, and Brisingr.

The only thing that disappointed me was the naming of the books. It was just a tad frustrating to be reading the second and third books not knowing why in the WORLD it was named what it was. You figure that out in the final chapters of each book, excepting only the first book Eragon, which is appropriately named for the main character. Although I don't know that I would have named them anything different. They are named perfectly, and I guess a little suspense won't hurt me.

Enjoy a good read today!!
~Vicki

Books I Just Read...

Okay, this will be quick, I'll add the reviews later.

Cold Mountain.... um, cold, slow, painful.
The Last Lecture.... Wish my dad had written one of these.
The Warrior Heir... Good book, number one of three.
Eragon.... LOVED IT!!

I'll get back to these later.

Marley & Me

John Grogan’s Marley & Me

As a number 1 New York Times Bestseller, most people obviously love this book, have heard about this book, maybe have even read this book. If you know me, you’d know immediately that I’d love this book. It is a dead give away. I can’t pull a poker face and lie to anyone about not loving dogs of all kinds. Big, small, energetic, lazy, well behaved and the untrained. I’m a sucker for most four legged animals. I suppose I was born that way, but I can also suppose that I could blame it on my mother and father for raising me surrounded by animals my entire life. I don’t even remember the first cats we had, or the poodles that my mother adored, but I cannot deny that they were in my family before I was. Candy, obviously a poodle, Sam, the Siamese cat, Tiger my sisters cat, Taffy the Shetland sheepdog. I think there were several Sam the Siamese cat’s. I don’t remember Tiger or Candy, but Sam and Taffy I do. They both came home with us from Florida where we were living when I was born and where they joined our family. I remember Sam in the kennel in the back of the car as we drove all the way home to Utah. I felt bad for him but I knew that was better than him crawling and crying the whole way home all over the station wagon. By the time I was five, I had my own dog one of Taffy’s pups I named Nipper. We were inseparable until he was 17 and we had to put him to sleep.

Now for the book, Marley & Me. It was my book of choice to accompany me on my surprise vacation to Hawaii. I wanted something I knew I would love, would be easy to read, and easy to hold. Check, check check. John Grogan delivered a fantastic book not just about his dog, Marley, but about his family, how they grew into each other, their struggles and heartaches as well as the joy and challenge of owning a dog. I loved how candid and honest his experiences were shared. I loved that after trash talking about Boca Raton, he ended up a resident! I adored Marley from the beginning, but he didn’t try to make me love him either. He wasn’t cuddly and cute for more than 5 pages the whole book, but it was full of his adventures, mishaps and I’ll be honest here, Marley was a pain in the pocketbook as well as the pants!

It is a great light read that will tug at the heartstrings of any dog lover. An honestly good book for those looking for something that won’t turn your stomach, will likely not offend, and if you have a dog, you might very much just enjoy comparing John’s Marley to your dog Blue. Okay, so that is my dog, Blue. And I’d never let Blue AND Marley into the same home at the same time. That would be disastrous. But they would have loved playing at the dam together, roughing around in the waves fetching sticks to their hearts content.

Several descriptions in this book brought me to laughter, and several to tears. Yes don’t forget the tissues for this one. In fact, most of the book I was giggling, if not out loud, then chuckling within myself and shaking my head. One particular description of Marley antics that I particularly could relate to was about the “Portable Alcatraz”. If there ever was an unsuspecting couple, it was John and Jen and man did Marley take that portable kennel for a trip!! I won’t spoil the description for you.

I highly suggest this book, I probably could even highly suggest the movie. The cast contains two of my personal favorites. And who could resist a show about a dog for Christmas? It should be a pretty big box office hit just like the book has been and will likely continue to be.

From Black Heels to Tractor Wheels by Ree Drummond (The Pioneer Woman)

Oh me oh my sweet baby!!! This was a great read, and it isn't finished!! From the webpage The Pioneer Woman, (go to http://thepioneerwoman.com) an amazing woman wrote out her love story about herself AND her husband, Marlboro Man, how they met, how their romance blossomed. It is amazing. Did I say it is amazing? Oh, I did, let me say it again, AMAZING!!

Ree Drummond says (from her website) "Grab a cup of coffee. Curl up with a blanket. Have a box of kleenex and a fan handy. Here's the complete saga (to date) of the rip-roaring true story of how I met my husband, Marlboro Man, and how I went from spoiled city girl to domestic ranch wife in the blink of an eye."

She's not kidding about that cold shower, the cup of your favorite beverage, a blankie or a box of tissues... really! She's just getting ready to post another chapter soon and I can't wait. I'm at home waiting for "light duty" to get better from my somewhat difficult pregnancy, and I read Ree's posts daily, and several per day sometimes!!

Her language is clear and whitty and pretty darned close to what I'd say! Right down to the "pansy ass". These little glimpses of what a real (as in life-like) hot romance is, is a wonderful addition to my personal collection of Good Reads. It has left me waiting for my own hiney tingly experience inducing husband to come home from his rough day at work. Too bad I can't do much about it!! Doctor's orders! And man, do I ever want that to be lifted soon! Thanks Ree for such fantastic words and for lighting the fire again!!

Yehaw!!

~Vicki

Pillar of Fire: Promised Land - David G. Woolley

Okay, I thought I wanted to read this series. I'll give Mr. Woolley points for writing an excellent novel on one of the things that "mormons" know like the back of our hand and making it interesting. I looked and looked for this one at the library for about ten minutes. I was glad I found it so quickly, and in the process found several other books that I really wanted to read.... I only wish that it had been an easier read!! I am wondering what "space" I am in right now because this book just wasn't that terribly interesting for me. Maybe I'm just not into this time period, or not into Woolley's style of writing: descriptive, wordy, and L O N G. But then I KNOW I love historical novels.... Maybe I'll pick it up again. My mother-in-law has the second book, that I checked out and just could NOT get into. At 200 pages in I was still bored stiff. I'd rather go read my scriptures. There are SO many characters (that did and did not exist in reality) and I had a hard time tracking them all down and kept flipping to the front of the book to the character sketches which I am very grateful were there!!!

So I don't have much GOOD to say about this series. Granted, I'm not very much into that part of my life right now. I seriously need laughs and entertainment (I'm on very light duty/near bed rest for my pregnancy). I'm sure, absolutely positively sure, that this series could be good. I have one question for David G. Woolley: Was this as painful to write as it was for me to read? It felt like I was PULLING the story, the very words out of the pages, and it took great effort on my part. I can only imagine how hard this was to write... though I have heard that "the words flowed onto the pages" for Mr. Woolley.

By the way, David G. Woolley is part of an incredible blog that you have to check out. And he's involved in some great hobbies and other activities. He's a GOOD man. And I do hope that one day I can read his series. And as far as book reviews go, I know this isn't my best written. But I had to get it out. So I can move on! Terry Prachett's The Color of Magic is next, and so far it is very colorful and very Terry!! READ ON!!!

Breaking Dawn - Stephanie Meyers

Monday, August 18, 2008

Breaking Dawn

Anyone who knows me knows that I have been a Stephanie Meyers fan. I really loved the first 3 books in her Twilight series. They are by no means in the category of "All time great literature" but I think they are a fun read, keeping in mind that they are geared for teenagers and are going to be sappy. But what girl doesn't love a good love story, complete with "Prince Charming"?
That being said, I really didn't care that much for Breaking Dawn, the fourth book. To say I was bitterly disappointed would be an understatement. I think that the author has had her fingers in too many pots and feeling the pressure to produce, gave a substandard story line. And, in my opinion, it kind of got smutty. No way would I let my teenage daughter read it. (If I had a teenage daughter that is.) It's too bad that I feel I wasted a whole week on this book.
I am still madly in love with Edward (sorry Ross!). I guess that's just the way it goes. *Sigh*

Posted by Rip Curl Mom at 3:16 PM
I borrowed this from my friend Kelly. She rocks and took on this series like a mad woman. Thanks Kel, for reading this for me!!!

Company of Good Women: Surprise Packages

Surprise Packages: The Company of Good Women

by Vicki Wight

(Quick note: I have a LOT of spoilers in this review. If you want to read the book, GO GET IT! IT is EXCELLENT! Then read my review later.)

The third, and final book in this series had a satisfying end. I felt more details could have been included, but knowing length and conclusions are considered in completing a book for publishing, the trio of Nancy Anderson, Lael Littke, and Carroll Hoefling Morris finished their series with Surprise Packages with love and grace. I will miss Deenie, Erin and Juneau. In this final book each woman experiences trials with discovering the contents of the packages they have made for themselves throughout their lives.

The book opens in 1996, but the prologue, dated 2004, left me stumped nearly through the entire book! Why was Deenie (the brunette) not “taking part in the fun” as they sat in the pizza parlor in Moab, Utah? The answer didn't become clear to me until after she hears a whispering from her sister, Sunny while visiting her home in Wellsville, Utah to attend Aunt Stell's funeral. In true Deenie flair, she keeps this to herself wanting to figure it out before she lets anyone worry about her.

The COBs (Crusty Old Broads) gather together in September of 2001 in Williamsburg for some Juneau writing research. I found myself looking forward with wonder as this special date in our nation's history approached. What will they do? How will they feel? What will they say? So many wonderful things come about because of this event in these ladies lives. And I'm very grateful that this event was included in the book. It was a great way to explore what I did personally and what others around me did following this terrible day in history.

Erin faces her own packages as she comes to the realization that she is keeping herself safe, and this is preventing her from experiencing love in a more complete form. Upon this realization, and some life changing events occurring, Erin makes a big decision and gets married! Moving a man into her life is such a big change for everyone. Cory moves on finding a partner and his parents begin their mission and his father has a change of heart. Time passes too swiftly in this book, just as it does in real life. Kayla grows up and gets married and starts a family of her own. Mark goes on a mission, and finds a special place in his heart for his own father, after a good talk from Erin. The story doesn't end there, Erin and her new husband celebrate having children of their own!

Juneau's closet of guilty secrets contains a package of something very dark. She opens her family history in Mink Creek again as she spreads Letitia's ashes with Pamela and Misty. Does Gideon come home? The events of 9/11 touch her husband in a different way and he offers her something completely amazing, does she take it? Juneau battles within herself the demon of how to be a good friend to a friend who is experiencing abuse. Her family grows and expands even broader as Trace marries, has children so does Ira! Nicole serves a mission, and pursues her dreams. There is more to the Nicole and Beto story that could be told, but it is unfortunately left to the reader to explore.

Deenie unplugs from Wellsville and moves to FLORIDA for Roger's new job leaving behind her boys to attend college at Utah State University in Logan. Elizabeth (Beth/Liz) travels Europe with Addie Spencer. She finds love from a person I hadn't expected and serves a mission before getting married. Evvy attends private school in Florida, makes friends and defends her faith. Deenie-Do-It-All faces the reality of her actions and makes a friend of a supposed enemy, Delia. Roger has an accident and an addiction and is admitted to rehab. He enters home life a lot like Deenie did, a little distant and trying to find the new Roger. Deenie and the ever faithful Bear join a Search and Rescue in the area, and the inevitable happens, Bear dies saving someone. Did he save only those children, or was someone else saved in a different fashion along the way?

I can hardly wait to get my hands on whatever might come out in the future authored by these wonderful ladies, together or separate. They are doing a Virtual Tour right now, you can visit them on their tour by going to their blog and checking in on their activities! Www.crustyoldbroads.blogspot.com