Author: hibernatorslibrary

Homemaker, Reader, Blogger

Sunday Update Week 8

Happy Easter to those who celebrate! I thought this picture matched the season perfectly. Today I will be celebrating Easter with my parents, nephew J, fiance A, step-children D and M, and A’s mother and sister. I’ll be cooking ham, au gratin potatoes, corn bread, string beans, and zucchini squash mix. Should be yum!

I just got back from a week in Oklahoma and Texas. I visited my cousin K, and we went to San Antonio to see the Alamo and to Waco Mammoth National Monument to see fossils.

That’s a mammoth doing the splits.

Acquired

I think I’ll take the kids geocaching as a summer activity. It will get them moving around.

Currently Reading

I decided to switch to the audio version of this because it’s easier for me to finish long books that way.

I’m reading this indie fantasy that the author provided in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Still working on anxious children.

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And still working on Don Quixote

Bible Reading Project

I am going to try a literary/historical reading of the Bible again this year. I tried last year, but set my goals too stringently and stressed out. This time I have no goals other than to educate myself on Biblical literature. This week I’m starting introductory chapters in:

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Mouse Guard: Fall 1152, by David Peterson

9780345496867_p0_v1_s550x406Synopsis: Mice live in a dangerous world full of predators, cold, heat, and floods. They have built a society in small cities around the world, and they have the Mouse Guard to watch the paths between the cities. Unfortunately, a traitor has entered their midst, and they must protect their cities from invasion by traitor mice.

My Thoughts: I bought this book because I could see how beautiful the artwork was and because my friends suggested it to me as a fantastic kids book that could come with a children’s RPG. I thought it would be a good gift for my step-son-to-be. We have yet to play the game, but I was a little disappointed in the book. My step-son-to-be is almost to the level where he can read the book himself, which makes it a great purchase for him, but I found the storyline a little lacking in plot. That, of course, is true of many books appropriate for a gifted 5 and a half year old to read himself. I will encourage him to read it, though I am uninterested in reading any further in the series myself.

I give 3.5 stars because I loved the artwork and feel that it really is appropriate for the child for whom I bought it.

3 and half snowflakes

Top 10 Tuesday: Week 8

That Artsy Reader Girl hosts a weekly meme in which we respond to a pre-determined prompt. This week’s prompt is books that take place in another country. I am writing this on my phone while walking, so forgive any typos.

I recently read this rather meh book that took place in Bulgaria. Despite the rather meh plot and the over-length, Kostova did a fantastic job of bringing Bulgaria to life.

This is one of my favorite books. It takes place in Nigeria during the Biafra war. Great historical novel with memorable characters. Makes a strong point of how we in first world countries don’t give a poo about genocide of Africans.

Also taking place in Nigeria, this classic novel is set during the colonization period. It shows heart-breakingly how the lives of villagers were torn apart by introduction of missionaries and Western ways.

I usually don’t read celebrity memiors, but I heard great things about this one. The rumors were true. Taking place in apartheid South Africa, it is both educational and funny. I especially loved the story about his friend named Hitler. The audiobook is read by Trevor Noah, and is fantastic.

(Phew! 4.5 miles down, 1.5 left!)

This well-known contemporary police procedural takes place in Ireland. I wasn’t thrilled by the unlikable anti-hero’s behavior, but it was still pretty good.

This classic is about the British colonization period in India and the difficulty in communication between the two peoples. It is also well worth reading.

This memior/biography follows the lives of three generations of women in China. It was heart-breaking and educational.

Some of this teen horror book takes place in Japan. Chupeco is a fantastic author, and I quite enjoyed the book.

This is an extremely violent and vivid account of the Japanese occupation of China during WWII. I had a hard time reading it. The researching and writing of this book is rumored to have had such an impact on Ms. Chang that she later killed herself. Regardless of the violence, it was a well-written and eye-opening book.

This is a very dark Swedish vampire horror. It has some objectionable activities in it, and is therefore difficult for some to read, but it was quite good.

(Made it home!)