Favorites from Fairy Tales to Murder Mysteries and Everything In Between

About a year ago, while listening to Pandora, I stumbled upon a talented artist named Jamie Liddell.  The first song I heard is called, “Multiply” {the CD is also titled “Multiply”} I later found out that it had been featured on “Grey’s Anatomy” and I had probably heard it there to begin with.  But, I digress.  Back then I would have described his sound as retro; I found him on my Amy Winehouse station.  After listening to the full CD, I was amazed by his sound.  The best way to put it is from an interview with Jamie that I found from “The Believer”  (http://www.believermag.com/exclusives/?read=interview_lidell): “it’s not pop enough to be pop, but not weird enough to be weird.”  In the ten tracks on the CD, Jamie goes from bluesy, ’60s soul to funky electronica to funk-infused R & B and back again.  Not one song is alike; in fact, when I first began listening to “Multiply”, I was sure I had my mp3 player on random.  I’m not one to categorize music, especially artists, but if I had to, I would say Jamie is a handful of Prince, a sprinkle of Sly Stone, a pinch of Stevie Wonder, and a soupcon of Lenny Kravitz, while still remaining true to himself.  And that is just the music; I could go on for days about his voice. 

Earlier this year, when the performance schedule for Lollapalooza was announced, I seriously considered going to Chicago just to see Jamie perform.  It’s only a six hour drive!  I didn’t do it, but fortunately for me, AT&T provided a live webcast of Lolla, and I was able to watch Jamie’s performance.  As the band begins the first song, you can see this will not be a typical pop performance.  Only the keyboardist appears normal; the drummer is dressed in surgical scrubs, the saxophonist is decked out in a white bathrobe and a Chinese hat, the bassist is dressed as Vegas Elvis, and Jamie himself is rocking a James Brown inspired suit sans shirt and horn-rimmed glasses.  As good as his CD is, it is nothing compared to his live show!  From the CD, you realize that he is big on experimentation with drum machines and such to create atmosphere and musicality.  Watching the webcast told me that he, in fact, uses a computer (which he built) for much of his “music”.  Yes, he had a band, but at one point, they vacated the stage leaving Jamie alone with his computer; singing different octaves and beatboxing, recording each sound as he went.  Several minutes later, he had created a new song; his voice supplying all of the musical instruments.  Describing it is not nearly enough, it was an experience to behold.  It was obvious when he began his performance, that not many people in the audience even knew who he was.  By the time his hour-long set was over, he had the entire crowd dancing, shouting his name, and singing the hook to a song they had probably never heard before.  Infectious is a good word to describe Jamie Lidell’s sound and talent; it gets into your system and you just can’t shake it.  I, for one, don’t want to.

Oh yes, I’m serious, hex and the city.  I’ve recently become a big fan of the romance/comedy/fantasy series by Shanna Swendson.  Seriously, I flew through all four books and I’m a slow reader!

In this series, Katie Chandler is a small town girl from Texas who moves to New York to pursue a business career.  She feels like a fish out of water, especially when she sees people walking (floating?) through Manhattan with crazy costumes (but man do those chick’s wings look real!)

Eventually, Katie comes to find out that those chick’s wings are real, she really was floating, and the gargoyle she noticed winking at her from the top of the cathedral…well you might wanna sit down for this bit of news.  Magic is real, like for real for real, and Katie is immune to it, which explains why she sees things that others cannot.

This bit of info leads her into a very adventurous new job and a whole new host of friends (you know, the kind that fly around with magic wands and make stuff disappear).  Yeah, and it gets even better!

Do yourself a favor and check out these books…

Enhanted Inc., Once Upon Stilettos, Damsel Under Stress, and Don’t Hex with Texas

If you don’t like them you can turn me into a frog!

~S

 Jim and Louella’s Homemade Heart-Fix Remedy taught me three things. One, you are never to old to learn. Two, communication involves listening and learning when to speak and not speak. Three, I think I am only going to eat on TV trays at my parent’s house from here on out. No, no I’m serious.

Jim and Louella’s Homemade Heart-Fix Remedy by Bertrice Berry is a blend of Zane-esque interludes, a little supernatural, a lot of humor, and your parents.  Yes I said it. Your parents. (Wait don’t go!)  Okay not “your” parents but the book is about an older couple, Jim and Louella, who have lost the spice in their relationship. To figure out how to remedy the situation, Louella consults her ancestors who visit her in her sleep. (Which I think is the best way to visit the living, except for the bathroom but I am getting off track here.)  

They tell her how to rekindle the flame. They give her a four part remedy. The first part was to talk about what they liked and what they missed from one another. The other three parts were how to put that discussion into action. (I will not go into detail here but it is somewhat like your mom telling you a story about her and daddy that you definitely Do Not want to hear over breakfast because (as we all know) the best time for that type of talk is never.)   

After the flame is reignited, they discover that they have a new ability to read minds. (Who knew that applying “love secrets” can give you super powers?) They use their newfound gifts to help others in need. Through loving one another, “loving” one another, helping others find what they need, and a double portion of good communication,  Jim and Louella rekindle their passion for one another and ultimately find their  true purpose in life.

I loved this book. However, at times, I wasn’t sure if I was giggling because I was uncomfortable or if it was really funny.  A little of both, I think.  I also like a book in which I can get something out of it besides entertainment and  warm eyebrows.  (Well sometimes.)

I actually did  learn something. Good communication is powerful, important, and necessary in maintaining a relationship of any kind.  Knowing when to not to speak can be just as important as what you say. Sometimes the best advise you can give is no advice at all. Usually, Jim and Louella do not give advice.  They allow those they help to use them as a sounding board until they find the answer on their own.  In my own experience, most of the time I just need someone to listen.  In just being able to vocalize my issues, without judgement or opinion, I will usually find an answer to my own questions….eventually. But when I do receive input I did not ask for, more often than not, I will not only make the decision opposite of whatever the advice was given but do it with white hot passions that have shaken foundations to their very cores. (I’m sorry mommy ;)) Oh well, you are never too old to learn. Now if you will excuse me, I will be comparing prices on TV trays. No, no, I’m serious  �

If you haven’t read The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, by Mark Haddon (and I’m sure most of you have), well you are in for an experience.  This book is something else I’ll tell ya! 

Written from the perspective of a 15 year old, high functioning autistic boy, the author unapologetically transports the reader into the main character’s state of mind-not unlike Faulkner’s The Sound and the Fury (but wayyyy less confusing ).

I like this book because it is simple, complex, and it forced me to use another part of my brain.  I’ll admit it was difficult for me to finish, simply because I felt completely submersed in someone else’s mind and that was uncomfortable.  But some of the best books are the ones that challenge the reader–no spoon feeding occurs here. 

~S

Okay, so imagine waking up every morning in a different place in time (zone), spending one day on the east coast, then the next in the desert, having the luxury(?) of living two fulfilling lifestyles, or so you think?

This is the basic premise of Me vs. Me by Sarah Mlynowski; in this book Gabby Wolf can’t decide between living a single, carefree, “sex in the city-like” existence with her new career in New York and marrying the love of her life and staying in Phoenix.  So the cosmos pretty much decide for her and allow her to have both.  But you know it won’t be that easy!

Me vs. Me  (and other Red Dress Ink titles) is a great escape from the “back to school blues” and awesome way to close out your summer.  This is a very entertaining and quick read, and yes there is a happy ending that actually makes sense.

~S

Well, for any of you who’ve ever pondered this you are not alone.  Jennifer 8. Lee (yes her middle name is 8 ) has written a very informative and fascinating book about this and many of our favorite “Chinese”  (a.k.a American) foods called The Fortune Cookie Chronicles: Adventures in the World of Chinese Food.

Each chapter focuses on a different dish (did you know that General Tso was a real general?) The author delves into the history, culture, circumstances, and lore surrounding them (or that chop suey first appeared in the U.S. during the 19th century?)

If you love Chinese food (who doesn’t, right?), history, sociology, and travel this is the book for you!  It’s an entertaining and quick read, and you can even skip around from chapter to chapter if you’d like.    One more factoid, before I go:  There are more Chinese restaurants in this country than McDonalds, Burger King and Kentucky Fried Chicken combined.  Now how’s THAT for American cuisine?

WARNING: DO NOT READ THIS BOOK WHILE HUNGRY (and be sure to keep a few takeout menus on hand, just in case you get hungry :0)

~S

A kick in the Pants is actually a good thing. I like mysteries. I’m a big fan of Dennis Lehane mysteries; his Patrick Kenzie and Angela Gennaro series is wonderful, and Mystic River was phenomenal. Shutter Island, though, is in a class by itself, because it gave me a kick in the pants.

I read a lot, and in most mysteries I know whodunnit relatively early. I like to write, so I tend to think like a writer, which oftentimes means I’m not particularly surprised at most surprises - which is fine. I enjoy seeing an author’s craft unfold even if I don’t get caught in the twist. Good writing is always enjoyable.  

But when a book gives me a kick in the pants, I love it. It’s a special sensation to turn the page, have that neat twist there, and not have seen it coming at all. And by twist, I mean a real twist. A good twist. An author who lets the deus go all ex machina on the reader is cheating. I don’t want to read about the evil twin brother, because I don’t waste my time watching “As the General Hospital’s Guiding Light Turns” for a good reason. I want some seriously good plot or it’s not worth my time.

Shutter Island delivers a world class twist. I’m not going to tell you what it is, because you need to get the book and read it. Knowing what this twist is would ruin the book.

I will tell you that the main characters, Marshal Teddy Daniels, and his partner, Chuck Aule, are called in to an island that’s been turned from a military research facility into an insane asylum for the violently insane. An inmate has disappeared and it’s up to Daniels to find the person. The marshal has heart wrenching tragedy in his past that hasn’t stopped him from doing his job, but has certainly left its mark on him.

It starts out like a straightforward mystery - how did an inmate disappear from inside a locked room? But hints of something much more sinister start to crop up as Daniels continues his investigation. Just what exactly is going on in this asylum? Are the doctors involved in something they shouldn’t be?  Daniels ends up investigating several things at the same time and the culmination of his investigation is a mind boggling finale to a well crafted mystery.

The pacing, the dialog, the development of the characters are all up to Lehane’s top notch standards and every bit as engaging as the rest of his work. For my money, Lehane is the best living American mystery writer. This book is a harrowing book, but it’s frightening in an entirely different way than Mystic River is.

If you like a good kick in the pants, this is a book you simply cannot afford to pass up.

Call me corny, but I love teen movies, and I’m not exactly sure why.  Maybe it’s the sense of connection I feel with the writing; at different points in my teenage life, I have felt like every character in “The Breakfast Club”.  Or it could be watching young actors strut their stuff and remind me why I enjoy films so much.  I just watched “Charlie Bartlett”, which if you don’t already know, is a wonderfully written indie film that was released early this year.  There wasn’t much hype around the release of “Charlie Bartlett”, at least not like there was for that tragedy called “Juno”.  Before everyone gets their panties in a bunch, remember, this is my opinion.  And we all know the saying about opinions. (If you don’t Google it, it’s a very funny quote; or watch another great film, “Home for the Holidays.”)  I will try my best to not trash “Juno” in this “review” but there are a few similarities, so I’ll do what I want all the same, thank you!

“Charlie Bartlett” stars Anton Yelchin, as the title character, Robert Downey, Jr., Hope Davis, and a hot, young, talented group of actors.  The premise of this film is that wealthy Charlie continues to get kicked out of private school after private school.  His mother decides to enroll him in public school, where, of course, he does not fit in.  After being bullied and beat up by the resident slacker, Murphey, Charlie’s mother sends him to the family psychiatrist to see what could be wrong.  The psychiatrist decides to medicate Charlie with Ritalin to keep him on track at school.  After OD’ing, Charlie stops taking the Ritalin, but decides to recruit Murphey to sell his left over pills.  Kip, the “invisible” student approaches Charlie for medication because of his depression, and Charlie begins his bathroom psychiatric practice.  Gaining popularity with the student body, Charlie also makes a name for himself with the school principal; who also happens to be his girlfriend’s father.  This is just the bare bones of what happens, because I am encouraging everyone to see this film.  It is excellent! 

What I liked most about the film was the performances of Anton Yelchin and Robert Downey, Jr.  Is it just me or does Robert Downey, Jr just get better with age?  Gustin Nash, the screenwriter, also did a great job bringing very likeable characters to life.  I even found myself liking Murphey, the bully.  You could see the reasons behind his behavior.  This reminded me of John Hughes’ films; not all of the characters are nice, but the audience is given a glimpse into why they do what they do.  I think this film, more than “Juno” exemplified how teens are today.  Teens have money, technology, and opportunity within their reach (at least more than I had), yet they still think the most important thing about school is being well-liked.  I’ll be honest; I didn’t like “Juno”, at all.  I didn’t like the characters, especially Juno, but more than that, I didn’t care what happened to her.  I cared about Charlie, his girlfriend, the principal, the “invisible” student, all of them were important to the story and I think that is what makes this film so wonderful.

I love road tripping, especially during the middle of summer when the sun is your companion late into the evening. I know gas prices are on the rise, but I still look forward to the occasional road trip. I relish the wind blowing through the windows as I listen to some tunes on my Ipod (which conveniently plugs into my car stereo…thanks Apple). In fact, I just recently returned from a road trip to Washington D.C. for a long weekend with some great friends. Along the way we enjoyed many hours of singing along to some of our favorite songs because the only thing better than singing alone in your car at the top of your lungs is singing with a friend and not having a care in the world.

So without further ado here are some suggestions for your next road trip. I will be the first to admit that it is a bit of an eclectic mix of new and old, but I think there is something for everyone. I hope you enjoy them (and some of my photographs) as much as we did!

Ace of Base - The Sign

Daniel Bedingfield - Gotta Get Thru This

Belinda Carlisle - Heaven is a Place on Earth

Cheap Trick - I Want You to Want Me

John Denver - Take Me Home Country Roads

Everclear - I Will Buy You a New Life

Aretha Franklin - Respect

Gabe Dixon Band - Five More Hours

Goo Goo Dolls - Give a Little Bit

Joan Jett - I Love Rock and Roll

Journey - Don’t Stop Believing

Cyndi Lauper - Girls Just Want to Have Fun

John Mayer - Waiting on the World to Change

Don McLean - American Pie

Alanis Morissette - Underneath

O.A.R. - Love and Memories

Pink - Who Knew

Rihanna - Don’t Stop the Music

Violent Femmes - Blister in the Sun

The Who - Teenage Wasteland

 I have recently been reading a ton of books; there’s nothing like a summer reading contest to get the blood fired up, huh?  I’m writing about two of them because they are books two and three of the Immortality Bites series by Michelle Rowen.  Because of said contest, I made time for myself to read both books back-to-back. 

 “Fanged & Fabulous” picks up where the first book, “Bitten & Smitten” left off.  Our heroine, Sarah Dearly, newly vampired(?), crazy in love, trying to get used to the thrill of it all, has now become a marked woman…er, vamipress.  I guess killing a notable vampire hunter and starting a war will have that effect.  After having her apartment blown up, Sarah begins to realize her relationship with Master Vampire Thierry de Bennicoeur may be in trouble.  Adding to mix is the irresistible ex-vampire hunter turned vampire Quinn.  He fancies himself in love with Sarah and aims to make her his.  Unfortunately for the both of them, a mercenary cum bodyguard has other plans for Sarah.  Ultimately, things turn out fine for Sarah and Thierry, leaving Michael with the feeling that he just doesn’t belong.  This leads me to “Lady & the Vamp”.  Quinn is on the road, searching for The Eye, which legend tells will grant the one who finds it one wish.  Of course Quinn’s wish is obvious…he wants to be human again.  Along for the ride is werewolf Matthew Barkley, trying to find his way back to his pack.  What neither man knows is that there is a mercenary from their not so distant past, hot on their trail.  Mercenary Janie Parker had every intention of killing Sarah Dearly, but opted not to when Sarah saved her life.  Now, her Boss has sent her to fetch The Eye from Quinn; a job she knows she cannot refuse unless she wants to watch her Boss kill her missing sister.   After a bittersweet reunion with an old friend, long thought dead, Quinn and Janie team up to search for The Eye, hoping that each of them will be able to get what they want.  All in all, both books were good, though I liked “Fanged” a bit more.  I happen to love characters with a quirky sense of humor and a penchant for being a little bone-headed…and that is definitely Sarah Dearly.  It was nice to read Quinn’s story, to see where his character would go, and the action in “Lady” was pretty good, but the story didn’t hold my attention the way that “Fanged” did.  If you like your supernatural romance funny, “Fanged & Fabulous” is the book for you.  If you’re curious to see what happens to Quinn and Janie, go ahead and read “Lady & the Vamp”, I doubt you’ll regret it .