The Nook!

I've been playing with it.... Well, I guess I can't say playing with it. It's so user-friendly you don't really need to play with it. I finished my first book on it yesterday. It was actually a Star Wars series that my husband was reading. He decided to suggest it to me since it had nothing to do with the characters from the movies. So I picked up the first book of the Darth Bane series. It's good, I will admit--- It's really good. However, my upon completeing this last book I am confused and cannot predict if there will be another book. He left off with a way to write another book if he plays into the deception in the story line a little more, but I am not sure it is possible.  But for all intents and purposes it is the "Darth Bane Trilogy."  So..... I am thinking no fourth book. And my thinking was clarified on Wookiepedia. I don't recommend visiting Wookiepedia for a review of this book becauses it does give the entire book away. Now, if you're just interested in it, and will never read it, it does paint a clear picture, but you'll miss out on the suspense and the anticipation that these books do tend to bring on. All in all, if you watched Star Wars, you know there is an apprentice and a Sith Lord. Only two. These books explain why that is and it's a great read.  It follows Darth Bane from his teenage years, to his adult life. The writing left no detail in question, that's for sure.


Ok, so book was great, now the Nook. The Nook is so much more user friendly that the Sony E-Read. I am not really sure why that is quite yet but it even feels better when you're holding it. Compared to the sony it's slightly longer and wider. The only reason I know this is b/c  I tried to steal RedMosqui's E-reader case and of course, it wouldn't fit. Right now, that's my only complaint, which really isn't a complaint at all.... accessories aren't sold in store. I do catch myself attempting to turn a page like it's a real book, but I'm sure that'll be over soon. It's so lightweight, I can toss it in my bag, and not have to worry about shoulder pain from carrying a bag that is way too heavy to be toting around. The display is great and the when you hit the page turn button it turns relatively fast. I turn it on the last sentence that I am reading. I suppose I will eventually get pictures up. Maybe do a better comparison on the Sony, The Nook and possibly the Kindle. Although, I am not certain we will have kindle. RedMosqui's Sony kinda needs upgrading but if he gets a Nook, we can share books and read them at the same time. This E-reader has not completely replaced paper books for me yet. My collections on my shelves need to be completed first. Some series are near completion, but at least I don't have to wait for the paper back to come out before reading them!

Next review? The Zune HD and the I-pod touch (If my husband lets me touch it.) I bought them for us as Christmas presents. I don't get paid for these reviews, in fact, no one even knows I am reviewing products. I just buy them I figure I would share my experience for anyone who is considering these things.  I can't believe I just blogged this in 5 minutes! Woo hoo!! My "power blogging"  is done for the day.

Technologically speaking...

Ok, so, being a mom has affected in me several ways. BC (before children) I was into technology, if it came out, I had it. Of course after 2005, when bug came into the world.... finances were tight. Babies are what... about $900 a month?  So, being married to a teacher (no offense honey!) you can only imagine how hard it is to add a $900 expense to your life. Then along came another $900 expense in the form of the Bee less than 2 years later. So we were broke. I had jobs, but part time jobs don't really allow you to make much after taxes. 
Needless to say, I quit looking into new things. No more gadgets, gizmos, whose-its, whats-it's or thingamabobs. Well, at this point in time, almost 5 years after the bugs arrival, we're financially stable. We have a savings account that we don't touch. Enough probably for a few semesters of college if the girls go to a public college. I also have that keep the change thing set up with my bank. I started that in November, and my total savings since November is almost $400! Handy little tool, methinks..... Oh, didn't realize I went off on a mini tangent. Anyway, back to the gadgets, etc.

Recently, around the November-ish time frame as well, I have decided that it's time to look into the "cool things" that are being developed. Redmosqui has always been interested and could give me the inside scoop. I always buy him things that I have no clue how to use. Like a Sony E-Reader. Yeah, I still don't know how to use it and he's had it over a year.  I don't think it's very user friendly. He'll put a book on there for me but I have no idea how to buy one. This passed Christmas I put my foot into the door of technology again. I got Redmosqui the Ipod Touch (we had a classic), and I got myself a Zune.  I figured it would be a good fit since he is a Mac and I am a PC.  I discovered that the Zune is user friendly, for music while the Ipod touch is user  friendly for everything. So, if you really just want music (like I did) get the Zune.

What's my next venture into the world of Technology? The Barnes and Noble Nook!!!! I believe this is going to be a great thing for me. It seems more user friendly. When I got the Sony, it was just in it's early phases of development.  Here is some more information about the Nook:

Take a look at the Nook!

I stumbled upon it by accident. I was on Barnes and Noble's website looking for my next book series to start and I saw the link at the top that says "Nook," and it had a "new" on top of it... the same as it does now and I was thinking it's a book list and would inspire me to my next reading destination. No, it turned out to be an E-reader that comes with perks. Unlike the Kindle and the Sony.  I like that you can get new releases on it. Something the Sony does not provide. And I have always been in love with Barnes and Noble. I have a B&N credit card that I don't use really at all anymore, but I used to and earned gift cards. I probably won't ever use the card to get points for gift cards again but with the Nook, you can read any book in Barnes and Noble (wirelessly connects) for free while you are at the store. So shopping for books just got easier too. Generally I have to do a ton of research online to find my next book. I wouldn't have to dedicate so much time to it because I took go down my list of "maybe's" and read the first chapter. I always fall in love with a book or series in the first chapter. I think perhaps next time I get a bonus that was as good as this one, the Nook and aaaaaaaaaaalll of Barnes and Noble book-dom will be mine--- HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA AHAHAHAHAHA. 

(Sorry, I did have to do 2 Little Mermaid jokes. If you didn't get it--- then obviously you don't have a little girl that is obsessed with Ariel.)

So my foot is in the technology door, sorta. I have a netbook, which is mainly used for internet, writing. And well it sorta harbors my book ideas for the book I am writing planning on writing. It's just a bunch of ideas and possible/plausible story lines. I have my Zune HD. Next is the Nook, and then quite possibly in 2011-- A smart phone but... I don't know. With all the other stuff, do I really need freedom, ease and internet lurking around every corner?  (Ugh, more mermaid phrases!)

Kids imaginations!

Having two girls has been an experience. Bug is going to kindergarten in August and registration is March 1st. She's doing great with her writing, reading and phonics. But like her mom.... her imagination is out there. I came home from work early doubled over in pain. I slept for hours. Finally I couldn't sleep anymore. Bug told me when I woke up today that she wants to live in Paris, with her sister, her little brother, her grandma, and her two dogs. Paris! How does she know that Paris even exsists? I'm sure I'll figure it out. Probably some VHS tape we have that she watches. She doesn't even have a little brother.

I may be on my regular schedule at work sooner than planned. I've been doing well enough that I may be one of the people they kick out of training early. That's fine with me. Except that I will miss my mom. But she wants to get back to her regular life. Which means me and the girls get more time together. I bought blank story books, I've been thinking that maybe me and bug will sit down and try to create a story together. We could rough draft on construction paper, and then try to find interesting ways to illustrate it in the book. It could be a new bed time story for her. Maybe it'll be set in Paris, with her grandma, her two dogs, her sister and her little "brother!" You never know what she'll come up with next!

Book Reviews!

Good news! We were worried about what to do with the bugs. I needed childcare for about an hour a day, four days a week. I didn't want to put the bugs with someone they didn't know. But I also didn't want to put them with a daycare service and we can't put them with family do to jobs and what not. I really like my job. I'm doing well there and didn't want this to get in the way but I don't have to worry anymore. We now have awesome arrangements. Ones that both my husband and I are extremely happy with as it doesn't alter the girls lives, they will throughly enjoy where they'll be and it will bring the "normal" back to our lives that has temporarily been placed on hold while I complete training for this job. My only dilemma is whether or not I will put the Bee in a fulltime preschool and go back to school during the day while I continue to work nights since I am required to work nights for my first year at least. I did find one and I know she wants to go to school so we'll see. I think we may have to keep her in the Church preschool for at least one more year to get her prepared.

Next month I am also starting cake decorating classes with a really good friend of mine. I am so excited for that. I did miss a course though so I don't know what to expect. She already took that course, but we're doing it to spend time and have fun together. We both do our childrens, husbands and friends birthday cakes so it will be fun! But onto the point of my blogging--- Book Reviews!!! I just finished two books....


So, I received two books for Christmas. Redmosqui was determined to make me read books that are not one in a set. Just individual books.

The first one I read was The Magicians, by Lev Grossman. This book by the very last page left me speechless. His writing was beautiful. The words melted into scenes in my imagination. I was quickly swept worlds away. The details were so perfect. I was able to picture each character through the detail, all the way down to facial expressions. I can't even explain how well written it was enough so that anyone can comprehend it without reading it themselves. However, when I did finally read the last page, I was left wanting. Wanting a different ending. Wanting more details. Were more details needed? Absolutely not, but I didn't have questions.

The store follows Quentin Coldwater, a teenager about to enter into adulthood. His one downfall is that he's always looking for perfection, something better than what he has. So even when he has something really amazing, he things it's mundane, ordinary and just not worth it. It's probably how you would THINK Harry Potter should have ended. He does end up getting his initial wish to attend a school for magic. He gets wrapped up in the usual things boys get wrapped up in throughout the book--- girls, money, drinking, drugs and of course sex. But nothing ever seems to be enough for him. Even when all the things he ever dreamed about were staring him in the face. The book ends on that same note as well. Nothing, even after losing everything. I won't get into how... that's giving away the book but I will say that if you read this book you will realize that no matter how unhappy you are, no matter what situation you're in--- you're the one who decides if good things happen or if bad things happy. And you decide if you can be happy with hand you've dealt yourself.


The second book, Peter and Max, Fables A Novel by Bill Willingham essentially tells the story of Peter Piper, why he picked a pickled pepper....and his Brother Max. If I say anymore it may give away the story so I'll just talk about the way it was written. I'm very detail oriented especially when reading. So I when reading I need to know and understand everything. The book was written in third person point-of-view, shifting between the passed and the present. Even with the shift, it wasn't hard to undestand what was going on the story. Even though the story revolves around Peter Piper, there are visits from varions other "Fables," Little Bo Peep (and the true story of how she lost her sheep), Beauty and the Beast, Snow White (who has actually been divorsed a couple of times) and various others. It is an adult book, if you have young readers definitely wait until they are at least 16. But it is actually worth the read. Even though it isn't a series book.

I didn't want to spoil the books for anyone who wants to read them. I have been making a little bit of time for myself after work to deditcate to reading. Especially after reading the Magicians, I've learned that life is just that... life. You can spend your time hating it, or you can spend your time loving it. (That's how profound a lesson that book can teach you.) You could also probably spend it doing a little bit of both, but why bother? Love it and don't take things at face value so much because there is more than meets the eye--- always

What books are you reading?

I pretty much only like to read books that are series. I've been reading several of them. I take them to work and read as much as I can there.

I've been reading these Series:

The Keys to the Kingdom (7 books series)
Septimus Heap (7 books series)
The Magicians Guild (Trilogy)
Artimus Fowl (No idea when the author will quit.)
Eragon (Went from Trilogy to 4 book)
The Time Quintet (Quintet, obviously)
The Farsala Trilogy

I've pretty much read all the of books that came out this year already. I'm waiting for the Artemis Fowl book, and the Eragon book. I think those are the only ones coming out this year. Books just take me away from the busy-ness of my life. And it's great that I can do it at work too. I rarely get to pick up a book and read it in the middle of the kids running around. One and three is a busy busy age... at least, they think they're busy.


What books are you reading or do you recommend reading? I'm afraid I won't be able to buy any more books because we really don't have any where to put them. I think our books are going to completely make us out grow our house.