14 posts tagged “the host”
I have a sick, sick mind that wakes me up at 3:30AM and thinks it is time to be done with the sleeping for a while. I
So now I'm back to reading Sarah Mayberry's Below the Belt which I started on Friday morning and then read other books instead of finishing it. I'm barely into the first chapter so finishing it is actually a long way off. And today I probably won't finish it with therapy and Iso and having promised D we would watch Fool's Gold because we Netflixed it before the Olympics. Speaking of Olympics, D, Nielle and I have been hammering out details and plans for seeing the 2012 Olympics in Vancouver. Nielle says we can crash on her floor and I'm trying to convince Nicky to hang out with us a bit. I'll have to email Milton too. It will be so good seeing all of them. And D will finally see Vancouver. It will be grand.
The other day I posted a link to Oceans Will Rise in one of my posts and then I ran into someone who (I know it can't be true) didn't even know who The Stills were. So I uploaded Logic Will Break Your Heart for them and I am posting it in case someone doesn't have it or doesn't know of them.... even though I know that everyone listens to The Stills--my favoritist band, brilliant and wonderful. I do have to say that Logic is by far my favorite but I am totally loving Oceans Will Rise and we just won't talk about the CD that came in between. Everyone will be happy that way.
I've been reading Twilight with my friend Jason this summer. It's a slow process since I'm in LA and he's in Pittsburgh, with many pauses along the way. This morning I read Hide-and-Seek and The Angel and emailed him my thoughts and it struck me that I would really love to read The Host with him so I threw that idea at him. D did find me the audiobook of it and that has made me a real happy camper. I really loved that book. I am a fan of Wanderer and Ian. So I am hoping that he will say yes to the suggestion of reading that together. I should have let him pick the next book. I don't think he is enjoying Twilight as much as I did. D's mom is also reading Twilight. We traded some emails last week and it was interesting to see what she had to say. I just think Twilight is such a perfect love story I forget that some people aren't too into the love story angle.
So the rest of my day is already planned out for me. I need to get ready to go to Westwood, take the bus *shudders*, go to Iso for my usual, veggie roll with extra ginger and large raspberry iced tea, then read until therapy. Mondays are routine I could do them in my sleep. It's comforting that way.
Ah, I just finished reading the leaked chapters of Midnight Sun, which I will share. At first I was suspicious because I thought the feel was off but that soon passed. Then I was wondering about the length as S. Meyer has said she was half way through and it was over 300 pages, but then I realized this would equate to that in book format. I soon found myself engrossed and I have to say that it is a much more compelling read than Twilight. I will even add that it is more steeped in yearning and desire than Bella's point of view. More sexual. And I've only read the first 12 chapters. The manuscript is lousy with errored paging though, pages 16 and 25 come after 51 and others are inverted. One page is sideways and that will be interesting for some one on a PC to read. I want the rest now. I very much hope that this isn't a clever fake, I'm leaning hard on it being legit. Edward's perspective is just enthralling. The rest of the books need to be done, regardless of what Stephenie Meyer has to say about that.
I came across the pdf. and the audiobook of Breaking Dawn recently and took the time to upload them. The audiobook is broken up into our parts, I, II, III and IV. I still maintain that the book wasn't bad despite the ending. I think I am likely to listen to the audiobooks sometime. And I still have plans to reread all 4 books sometime and look for the clues that S. Meyer talked about being there that tell you the events of Breaking Dawn. Now I just have to find the audiobook for The Host.
I have listened to the newest Stills CD and I pretty much love it. I think that I must have listened to it about 5 times on loop when I first got it. I have uploaded that too and you can grab it here. It is a lot more of a throw back to Logic Will Break Your Heart. I think the last album tanked and they realized that people liked them for their initial sound. A few songs stand out on this one; Being Here, Everything I Build, Hands on Fire, I'm With You and Statue of Sirens--But really the whole thing is c cohesive work and it all stands out. I do have to say that as a longtime fan I miss the feathers. The skull seems a bit morbid and harsh. I am planning to see them play in October. They will be touring with Kings of Leon and the tickets were fucking expensive, 120.00 for both of us. Much different than the 15 bucks we paid last time they were out here. And I don't even plan to stay for Kings of Leon... I know they had a marketable song a few years ago but I don't really recall what it was. I miss club shows.
Going back to Twiligt-verse related things... this photo of Rachelle LeFevre as Victoria was leaked last week and I love it. The woman is totally gorgeous and I might totally be in love with her. I do have to say that I wasn't half as interested in Victoria in the book as I am as her character in the movie. I read an interview with her and Robert Pattinson last week and I can't remember who it was with but she was so well spoken and even Rob commented about it she credits it to her dad being a professor and her mom is something impressive too. There was a bit of joke from that when Rob came back with his dad made German techno music. I guess it was funnier in the context of the interview rather than my playback. I'll go back to drooling over Rachelle. I totally want her for my girlfriend.
I've been slogging away at my goal to read all the Harlequin Blaze books. I read 7 in a three day period this week before slowing down to a less machine like pace. D made me a little database to keep track of the books I have, need and what I've read. All this because I was BookMooching books that I already had or had read. I have 72 unread books at the moment. I have more that I've ordered that haven't arrived yet. And to be honest most of them aren't stories that I'm that impressed with or that I will think to ever read again, although there have been a couple. One was Sarah Mayberry's Take on Me. I totally loved it and it even warmed me some to Mayberry who I wasn't impressed with in the past. I am reading one by her now called Below the Belt. I'm hoping it will be as good as Take on Me. I have about 350 books to read to read all the Blaze books. It's quite the undertaking. I don't have a set date to read them by so it can be a marathon rather than a sprint. I still have other books to read too.
Today I'm spending time with Logan again. We are going to the Mission of San Gabriel, which will be fun for me and who knows if anyone else will actually like it. I am already late in getting ready. I don't regret it Midnight Sun was worth the upheaval this morning.
Oh and Death Race is a completely senseless movie, just like it looks, but D is happy he got to see Jason Statham. My boy has a big man-crush on him. Ian McShane was no Swearengen sadly.
Today was Twilight Tuesday and Larry Carroll delivered some behind the scenes stuff. The first blog is about the Cullen Family Crest. The other is interviews and clips regarding the direction away from the book. Catherine Hardwicke talks about how the film can show in seconds something that might take the book 25 pages to say. The one clip is behind the scenes at the field trip to the green house and how Bella is trying to get Edward to tell her how he stopped Tyler's van. I have a little wibble with the delivery of Edward's line about it being adrenaline and how it's not uncommon, that she should look it up on Google. It just bothers me. I don't know if it's Rob there or the line itself. I do like the idea that they have this talk somewhere other than the hospital. I think that is what I think, for right now atleast. Who knows I'm fickle maybe it will bother me more later.
- October 2008: Twilight Collector’s Edition: This deluxe edition, housed in a slipcase, includes a ribbon bookmark, leather-like spine, cloth cover and newly-designed chapter openers. ($30.00)
October 2008: The Twilight Saga Collection:
This stunning box set contains “Twilight”, “New Moon”, “Eclipse” and
“Breaking Dawn” as well as four exclusive, limited-edition full-color
prints - the perfect gift for fans of the best-selling vampire love
saga. ($83.00)- November 2008: Twilight Mass Market Tie-In Edition: Available for the first time in a mass market paperback edition, featuring a striking movie tie-in cover with foil effects. ($7.99)
- November 2008: Twilight Trade Paperback Tie-In Edition: Includes a collectible full-color, fold-out movie poster! ($10.99)
- November 2008: Twilight: The Illustrated Movie Companion:
Designed as a celebration of the film, this lavishly illustrated
paperback edition is an exclusive behind-the-scenes guide featuring
full-color photos of the cast, locations, and sets, as well as
storyboards, interviews, details of the special effects, and much more.
($16.99)
- December 2008: The Twilight Saga: The Official Guide:
This must have edition is the definitive encyclopedia reference to the
Twilight Saga and provides readers with everything they need to further
explore the unforgettable world Stephenie Meyer created in “Twilight”,
“New Moon”, “Eclipse” and “Breaking Dawn”. With exclusive new material,
character profiles, genealogical charts, maps, extensive
cross-references, and much more, this comprehensive handbook is
essential for every Twilight Saga fan. ($19.99)
Tonight I think David and I are going to watch Enchanted. Last summer was hard with me always being in the hospital so I didn't get to see it then. It's weird not having hockey to watch anymore. I miss Vesa. I guess this just gives me more time to read.
Before I read Wicked Lovely I was rereading The Host again and I loved it as much on the second read as I did on the first. I read all the signing questions on Twilight Lexicon and I am really excited about the prospect that this could be a trilogy. I really am hoping that it is. I know Stephenie Meyer is taking next year off to write and I hope she gets the urge to revisit Wanderer.
Today, well yesterday I guess, was Twilight Tuesday and I actually wasn't disappointed in the article this week. I thought it was a nice little grab bag of some really dorky questions. I especially loved the RPattz one. I think I could call the guy Spunk Ransom. Although D thinks it sounds like a porn star name. I think we are going to go to the red carpet for the MTV awards on Sunday. It should be interesting to see what can be seen. I hope that we do see Rob there. Kristen I could take or leave. I was talking to D and I can't even really name that many good movies from the last year. Stardust should win something though. Just so Ben Barnes could maybe get some love. I realize Charlie Cox is the star but Ben is cuter.
From there we went to San Simeon to Elephant Seal Beach. The last time we were here the look out wasn't built up and the viewing area was small with a small path that took you further down the shore. That is all changed now, it's all built up and it has this deck that follows the elephant seals area pretty far down. The elephant seals are huge and they are ruckus, making a fair bit of noise. And I don't remember it smelling the way it did today. It smelled almost like a barn. Not really a bad smell, but it wasn't the best smell either. I took some video of them. I will upload that to here too.
I finished The Host and I really loved it. Ian was my favorite
character. The way he interacts with Wanderer is great. The story was a
slow starter but once it picked up it was really interesting. The love
triangle gets a bit complicated but it's good. I didn't see the ending coming, maybe I'm dense but I just couldn't tell where she would take it. I feel like I'm jumping all over.
*takes a deep breath*
The beginning was really hard to get through. It's painfully boring for the first 100 pages. Wanderer/Wanda is so self sacrificing that there are times where you want to burn the book. BUT the interactions of the people are really interesting and you see the way a community is divided by this alien being. She illustrates the mass hysteria of fear really well and I have to say that she isn't afraid of brutality in this book.
Ian O'Shea is a real interesting character. When you first meet him he is committing the ultimate act of vengeance and fear and yet he's the first to see reason and ultimately the best character in the entire book. This man rivals Edward Cullen as being seductive and endearing.
Jamie, Jeb, Melanie, Jared and Kyle are all clearly defined and pivotal. Meyer varies the character in this book a bit more than she does in the Twilight Saga. Or atleast I think she does. Jeb is lovable and steadfast a real patriarch. Jamie is hope and love and after Ian, he's one of the most likable characters. I didn't like Jared but I got his character. I think he is the embodiment of the survival instinct. He's not very embracing or endearing but he's a great foil for Ian. Melanie is truly the spirit of willpower. She is not as compassionate as Wanderer but she is likable all the same. And Kyle is the perfect example of fear and the power of prejudice.
I think I will reread this book multiple times and I do hope that she writes a sequel.
Tonight was the premiere of So You Think You Can Dance and I love Mia Michaels. I only saw one person who really blew me away and that was a beat boy. I liked the one asian couple too. I'm really excited for this season. I hope that Neil and Hawk come to the shows. I would love to see either again. I hope that I can talk Belle into going to the Grove with me after tapings and seeing who we run into this year. Of course I don't even know yet who they will have on the show yet.
D and I have decided to go away for the holiday weekend and we are going to my favorite place in California, Cambria. We found Cambria by reading Christopher Moore books. He loosely created Pine Cove off of Cambria. A few years back while visiting Lompoc we drove through it and I found tide pools and elephant seals. I am hoping that this visit is just as magical. We'll be staying in Paso Robles so there will be other things to see too.
Last Monday I started coming down with a cold. It stayed throughout the weekend and lingers still. I would like to have veto power over it, but it rather seems to be autonomous. During this time I have been a bit down. It all seems to be compounding and I demand a change of things starting immediately. Being sick sucks.
Today was a therapy day and I got a ride in early with D. I spent two hours at Iso reading The Host. I was a little distracted and only read to chapter 5. I have to admit that I am having a hard time getting into it after reading A Sweet Far Thing. But I think once I am really in the story that that won't be the case anymore. I hope that that will be how it turns out. I plan to spend the majority of tomorrow reading so that I will be pretty far into the story before the reading on Thursday. I don't want to be spoiled when Stephenie reads. Just 2 days now.
Last night I finished A Sweet Far Thing and it was very good. I didn't agree 100% with how things ended but I would read the Gemma Doyle Trilogy again and I recommend it to anyone who likes fantasy. I would have D read it but I already told him how it ends and he is stuck on how Gemma drove me mad. I hope to get the audiobooks and then he will listen to it.
I just got off the phone with my doctor and I got, what is in my mind, bad news. I have to increase the dosage on one of my medications because I've been having some fluctuations in my moods. Why is it that whenever I think I'm getting a handle on this something happens and my meds are increased, when all I want is to have them decreased? But if it means that I will have my concentration back and I'm not feeling up one week and down in the dumps the next then I guess it's a good thing. Being bipolar really isn't the fun it would seem to be.
As for the watching of movies. Last night D and I watched Cashback with Sean Biggerstaff. In case you don't recognize the name he played Wood in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Cashback was really good. I identified with Ben's view of time, even though I can't admit to the insomnia. It was a really good movie. Tonight I was on a Pirates kick and we watched Dead Man's Chest and End of the World. Johnny Depp is just brilliant and I love watching him act. He is one of my favorite actors. And sometimes Pirates of the Caribbean can go a long way to making bad things right. Friday Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull come out. I want to be excited about it but really I'm just scared. I don't think a geriatric Ford will blow the sexy Indiana Jones role out of the water. I don't get the fuzzies for grandpas. And I know Belle is excited to see it for Shia Labouf but he doesn't do anything for me either. I do hope that it isn't a complete waste of time.
Finally, tonight, something that I have been remiss to mention. No, not remiss but maybe reluctant. The new Joss Whedon show, Dollhouse. I'm not moved. I don't like Eliza Dushku and a show centered around her does nothing for me. Tahmoh Penikett plays an FBI agent in it and not even that is really inspiring me. D is rather optimistic about it though and he had me watch the trailer. I in turn am including it in my post. But I don't think I will be sticking by Joss for this one. I maintain that I still love the man and next time if he has a pilot that stars Emma Caulfield I'll be there from the word go. But this show promises me no Anya and I'm sore about it.
Never mind the video is destined not to be posted here. Go here and watch it.
I am about 250 pages from the end of A Sweet Far Thing and I really hate Libba Bray. There is just no way that good things can really come from the mess she has unveiled. I had hopes for this book, that it would have a great deal more of Kartik in it, but I think it's even less than Rebel Angels. I love some of the scenes she has with Gemma and Kartik, but she marks them all with an awful exclamation point. Since I spoiled myself concerning the end with Kartik I can't say that she is particularly good to him in this book and that makes me really sad. I wish Ann and Felicity were left behind in the realms. They are really annoying. I actually am annoyed with 90% of what Gemma does and I don't know how it is that I claim this trilogy as something I like. But I would read it again. I would love to get it on audiobook so D can listen to it.
I bought two new books today. I will have to read The Host before Thursday, so it will be a few days until I get around to reading them. One is The Blue Girl by Charles De Lint and the other is Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr. Both are YA books but I don't think that means anything at all. I hope it doesn't anyway. I also have plans of reading a book D has been wanting me to read forever called Sword Dancer by Jennifer Roberson. That is a pretty good reading pile.
