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Aug. 7th, 2016
I didn't want this one to get lost in the list.
Shirley Kennedy is a name I know from category Regencies, but recently she's branched into Western historicals. The first one, Wagon Train Cinderella, had a Cinderella-motif that was okay, although the main character was a bit of a doormat. (I was sort of waiting for some big reveal that she was an illegitimate child, but she seemed to just be an orphan.) But it fit with the story.
However, another Kennedy Western historical, called Heartbreak Trail, came up on the Kindle deals, so I went ahead and bought it.
I read it. I enjoyed it. But... well, let's put it this way. If I were to give you a snappy summary full of pop culture markers, I'd say that the book is basically what I'd expect if George R.R. Martin played Oregon Trail for a day straight, then wrote a romance novel about it. I gave it 3 stars on Amazon.
Why? Let me tell you (with spoilers)...
DV
This one has been building up for awhile. I had class reading, which sort of delayed my fun reading.
51. Ever After High: Next Top Villain by Suzanne Selfors - This is one of the "school stories" and deals with Lizzie Hearts and her roommate, Duchess Swann, and their classmates in General Villainy as they "compete" (some with more villainy than others) for the week's good grade. Great look at Lizzie (my favorite) and Duchess.
52. Ever After High: Wonderlandiful World by Shannon Hale - The Jabberwocky is loose in Ever After. Problems ensue, and get fixed. This one was not as good as the other two in #8.
53. Ever After High: Fairy's Got Talent by Suzanne Selfors - This one deals with Faybelle Thorne (the daughter of the Evil Fairy from Sleeping Beauty, and one of the few villains who's really MEAN) competing for the role of Evil Fairy Queen in a play. This one is pretty good, as well - some lessons get learned.
54. Sleepy Kittens - Board book from Despicable Me with some really cute (and sleepy but dont wanna sleep) kittens.
55. Thumbelina (Little Golden Book) - An older one, but nice art. No shockers on the story.
56. Ever After High: Truth or Hair by Suzanne Selfors - This one deals with Rapunzel's daughters, who may have been keeping a few secrets. Not a bad read.
57. Fabulous Five #9: The Boyfriend Dilemma by Betsy Haynes - some late 80s/early 90s middle school issues about boys and friends, and if the two can exist together.
58. Ever After High: Kiss and Spell by Suzanne Selfors - Another school story, this one featuring Ginger Breadhouse (daughter of the Candy Witch) and the son of the Frog Prince. I liked this one a lot as well.
59. The Jet Sex by Victoria Vantoch - Decent read on stewardess history, but a lot of it was either covered in other books or not delved into, and I was expecting more emphasis and pictures on the pretty.
60. BSC Graphix: Mary Anne Saves the Day by Ann Martin/Reina Telgemeier - This is one of my early favorites in the Baby-Sitters Club series, and I love the colorized art.
61. Russia Against Napoleon by Dominic Lieven - 520-something pages on the title (all the campaigns, not just 1812). This one was for my class and while good, it's very dense. Lots of people pop up for a page, then go away. But a good read.
62. Blundering to Glory by Owen Connelly - A shorter book on Napoleonic military campaigns that I enjoyed - good use of graphics in the chapters that they actually apply to. It's pretty concise, but does assume you have some military history familiarity. Also for class.
63. Collecting Series Girls Books by John Axe - I've had this one wishlisted for awhile, and while the pricing info isn't current, there's a TON of lovely pictures in the book that make it worthwhile. Heavy emphasis on Nancy Drew and Judy Bolton.
64. Kay Tracey and the Mansion of Secrets by Frances K. Judd - One of those series books. It's okay, but definitely B-rate compared to Nancy and Judy.
65. Nancy Drew #85 Secret of Shady Glen by Carolyn Keene - One of the more modern ones, has an interesting hidden passage deal.
66. Nancy Drew Files #94 Illusions of Evil by Carolyn Keene - Deals with an amusement park in trouble, a magician with a maybe-thing for Carson Drew, and the revelation that he makes cinnamon rolls. A quick read, not bad.
67. Junior Girl Scout Handbook 1963 - Bought for my new experience as a Scout leader this year, interesting to see how much some things thave changed and how they have NOT. Looking forward to working vintage GS experience in for our girls this year.
68. That Darn Cat - Tie-in to the 1965 movie, amusing. It's written from the POV of the cat.
69. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by JK Rowling, John Thorne and Jack Tiffany - I loved this. Loved it. It's got all kinds of good stuff in it, and definitely makes a great LAST book - especially if you were a little put off by the fanfic-like epilogue in Deathly Hallows. It's got funny and sad and hard-hitting and AHA I see what you did there and just everything. This is the way for it to go out. And because it's in script format, I got the pleasure of once more hearing Maggie Smith and others in my head.
( Cursed Child Spoilery Feels )
Adrianna and I also read Cherry Ames, Army Nurse. Now I need a break from Cherry, so we're on to A Little Princess (with Tasha Tudor illustrations).
DV
51. Ever After High: Next Top Villain by Suzanne Selfors - This is one of the "school stories" and deals with Lizzie Hearts and her roommate, Duchess Swann, and their classmates in General Villainy as they "compete" (some with more villainy than others) for the week's good grade. Great look at Lizzie (my favorite) and Duchess.
52. Ever After High: Wonderlandiful World by Shannon Hale - The Jabberwocky is loose in Ever After. Problems ensue, and get fixed. This one was not as good as the other two in #8.
53. Ever After High: Fairy's Got Talent by Suzanne Selfors - This one deals with Faybelle Thorne (the daughter of the Evil Fairy from Sleeping Beauty, and one of the few villains who's really MEAN) competing for the role of Evil Fairy Queen in a play. This one is pretty good, as well - some lessons get learned.
54. Sleepy Kittens - Board book from Despicable Me with some really cute (and sleepy but dont wanna sleep) kittens.
55. Thumbelina (Little Golden Book) - An older one, but nice art. No shockers on the story.
56. Ever After High: Truth or Hair by Suzanne Selfors - This one deals with Rapunzel's daughters, who may have been keeping a few secrets. Not a bad read.
57. Fabulous Five #9: The Boyfriend Dilemma by Betsy Haynes - some late 80s/early 90s middle school issues about boys and friends, and if the two can exist together.
58. Ever After High: Kiss and Spell by Suzanne Selfors - Another school story, this one featuring Ginger Breadhouse (daughter of the Candy Witch) and the son of the Frog Prince. I liked this one a lot as well.
59. The Jet Sex by Victoria Vantoch - Decent read on stewardess history, but a lot of it was either covered in other books or not delved into, and I was expecting more emphasis and pictures on the pretty.
60. BSC Graphix: Mary Anne Saves the Day by Ann Martin/Reina Telgemeier - This is one of my early favorites in the Baby-Sitters Club series, and I love the colorized art.
61. Russia Against Napoleon by Dominic Lieven - 520-something pages on the title (all the campaigns, not just 1812). This one was for my class and while good, it's very dense. Lots of people pop up for a page, then go away. But a good read.
62. Blundering to Glory by Owen Connelly - A shorter book on Napoleonic military campaigns that I enjoyed - good use of graphics in the chapters that they actually apply to. It's pretty concise, but does assume you have some military history familiarity. Also for class.
63. Collecting Series Girls Books by John Axe - I've had this one wishlisted for awhile, and while the pricing info isn't current, there's a TON of lovely pictures in the book that make it worthwhile. Heavy emphasis on Nancy Drew and Judy Bolton.
64. Kay Tracey and the Mansion of Secrets by Frances K. Judd - One of those series books. It's okay, but definitely B-rate compared to Nancy and Judy.
65. Nancy Drew #85 Secret of Shady Glen by Carolyn Keene - One of the more modern ones, has an interesting hidden passage deal.
66. Nancy Drew Files #94 Illusions of Evil by Carolyn Keene - Deals with an amusement park in trouble, a magician with a maybe-thing for Carson Drew, and the revelation that he makes cinnamon rolls. A quick read, not bad.
67. Junior Girl Scout Handbook 1963 - Bought for my new experience as a Scout leader this year, interesting to see how much some things thave changed and how they have NOT. Looking forward to working vintage GS experience in for our girls this year.
68. That Darn Cat - Tie-in to the 1965 movie, amusing. It's written from the POV of the cat.
69. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by JK Rowling, John Thorne and Jack Tiffany - I loved this. Loved it. It's got all kinds of good stuff in it, and definitely makes a great LAST book - especially if you were a little put off by the fanfic-like epilogue in Deathly Hallows. It's got funny and sad and hard-hitting and AHA I see what you did there and just everything. This is the way for it to go out. And because it's in script format, I got the pleasure of once more hearing Maggie Smith and others in my head.
( Cursed Child Spoilery Feels )
Adrianna and I also read Cherry Ames, Army Nurse. Now I need a break from Cherry, so we're on to A Little Princess (with Tasha Tudor illustrations).
DV
Remix Me: My Gift, My Work
Aug. 7th, 2016 09:43 pm So I took part in this round of Remix Me - it made me a little nervous, but I feel like it worked out okay.
My gift was Updated for the New Milennium, a remix of my work The Sweet Arcade Life from Yuletide 2013, based on Wreck-It Ralph.
I enjoyed it, and loved how they treated the characters and the situation - cute and sweet and light.
My work was Some Sins Won't Wash Away, a remix of Let The Water Wash You Clean. It's MCU (Avengers and Cap) and for the remix, I tried to give Natasha's side of everything.
DV
My gift was Updated for the New Milennium, a remix of my work The Sweet Arcade Life from Yuletide 2013, based on Wreck-It Ralph.
I enjoyed it, and loved how they treated the characters and the situation - cute and sweet and light.
My work was Some Sins Won't Wash Away, a remix of Let The Water Wash You Clean. It's MCU (Avengers and Cap) and for the remix, I tried to give Natasha's side of everything.
DV
Yes, each of these series has their own collection on the Kindle.
The Bobbsey Twins ones in here are actually older (1904, copyright free) Kindle versions, so they have a little of the old-fashioned element. I will say that NOT too much changedm although the treatment of Sam and Dinah improved with revisions.
With Cherry on Kindle, I've discovered some of books are actually collections. That's been handy a time or two. The Cherry collection is mainly backup for when the books are packed up.
DV
The Bobbsey Twins ones in here are actually older (1904, copyright free) Kindle versions, so they have a little of the old-fashioned element. I will say that NOT too much changedm although the treatment of Sam and Dinah improved with revisions.
With Cherry on Kindle, I've discovered some of books are actually collections. That's been handy a time or two. The Cherry collection is mainly backup for when the books are packed up.
DV