Wednesday, August 31, 2011

A Book in Review: Cirque Du Freak (vol 8)

Cirque Du Freak (vol 8) Allies of the Night By: Darren Shan Art by: Takahiro Arai
Non-Fiction: Manga 188 pages
Book Count: 63

In this volume they travel back to the old hometown of Mr. Crepsley. Some one enrolled Darren into high school and so he goes, where his English teacher turned out to be Debbie his old love. He also runs into his old friend, Steve Leonard, the whole reason he became a vampire. This leads to their 2nd run in with the Vampaneze Lord.

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

A Book in Review: The New Vampire's Handbook

The New Vampire's Handbook A Guide for the Recently Turned Creature of the Night Edited by: The Vampire Mile Proctor (by: Joe Garden, Janet Ginsburg, Chris Pauls, Anita Serwacki, & Scott Sherman)
Non-Fiction: Humor, paranormal 211 pages
Book Count: 62

As you could tell by the title, this is a how to book for new vampires as written by a vampire. It uses mostly traditional ideas about vampires i.e. sun light kills, no reflection, OCD counting, changing into bats, controlling animals etc. But it does put some twists on it as well as writing in a modern humorous style. It includes some interesting pseudoscience reasons for some of the things, like lack of reflections and vampire sexuality. It also deals with issues of being a vampire that at not normally addressed like: how to plan finances, why you should avoid people that are into vampires, how to act the age you look, and the pros and cons of different forms of travel. Over all this book would work well as a handbook for vampires, making it a good read for people who like humor and vampire stories.

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

A Book in Review: World of Geekcraft

World of Geekcraft by: Susan Beal
Non-fiction: crafts 145 pages
Book Count: 61

This book has instructions for 25 geek craft projects that are at various skill levels and for many different areas of Geekdom. There are templates at the end of the books and withing the sections there are also some ideas for how to change some of the crafts to fit with different areas of geekiness. Some projects are simple enough for a child to do and some require a lot more. The list of materials for each project is most to all easy to find things at a craft store, or around the house.

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

A Book in Review: Retail Hell

Retail Hell By: Freeman Hall
Non-fiction, memoir 258 pages
Book Count: 60

This is the true story of what its like to work at a big department store, anyone that has ever worked retail understands the title, but remember when it happens to someone else its comedy. It deals with pointless store regulations, useless employee moral boosters, co-workers, crazy customers, and all the other hells of stores. Also because, the author got stuck working the handbag (NOT purse) department because he is a "free-spirit" (gay) there is the fun of knowing nothing about what you are selling and having no training before you start as well as the general distrust of the people your commission is from. (Or as its known business as usual.)

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

A Book in Review: Daniel X (Vol 1)

Daniel X (Vol 1) By: James Patterson & Michael Ledwidge Art by: Seunghui Kye
Fiction: Graphic novel, sci-fi, 244 pages
Book Count: 59

Daniel is a teenage alien hunter. He's family, who also hunted alien outlaws on Earth, were killed when he was young. Luckily he has the ability to create things and people out of thin air, including his family and a group of friends. He uses these abilities to help him hunt aliens. In this volume he hunts number 6 on his father's list of outlaws (numbered from the most dangerous down) he also learns more about his family and home.

Monday, August 15, 2011

A Book in Review: regretsy

regretsy Where DIY Meets WTF by: April Winchell
non-fiction: crafts, 143 pages
Book Count: 58

This book of WTF arts and crafts found on the web-site Etsy has it all: ugly jewelry, chicken ponchos, sock monkeys in labor, tampon cozies, serial killer pillowcases, embroidered TP, and much more. Each page includes the information on the actual Etsy page, as well as the regretsy additional thoughts. It also has more info from and about the "artists" featured.

Friday, August 12, 2011

A Book in Review: Cirque Du Freak (vol 7)

Cirque Du Freak (vol 7) Hunters of The Dusk By: Darren Shan art by: Takahiro Aria
Fiction: Manga, paranormal 191 pages
Book Count: 57

In this book we learn that there are 3 vampire who might be able to stop the Vampaneze Lord and they will have 4 chances to do so. Of course Darren is one of the 3. So he and his friends set out from vampire mountain to hunt the Vampaneze Lord as well as to find Lady Evanna (who you should never call a witch.) She is able to see the furture somewhat as she was made by Mr. Tiny using vampire DNA and as such has some of his abilities as well as maybe being the only one who can have a vampire baby. They also run into the 3rd vampire who can kill the Vampaneze Lord and head back to the Cirque Du Freak. They learn about the changes in their friend's lives and have their first chance to kill the Vampaneze Lord.

A Book in Review: Cirque Du Freak (vol 6)

Cirque Du Freak (vol 6)The Vampire Prince By: Darren Shan art by: Takahiro Arai
fiction: manga, paranormal 188 pages
Book Count: 56

Darren washes down the mountain in the river. Almost dead he is saved by the wolves that he befriended earlier. After being nursed back to health he figures out the plot of Kurda and the vampaneze. With more help from the wolves he gets back into the mountain in time to try and stop them if he isn't killed for failing the trials before he can get the princes to hear his story.

Thursday, August 11, 2011

A Book in Review: Cirque Du Freak (vol 5)

Cirque Du Freak (vol 5) Trials of Death by: Darren Shan art by: Takhiro Arai
fiction: Manga, paranormal 195 pages
Book Count: 55

Darren is continuing his trails, but after his friend Harkat helps him out in one he is sentenced to death. His friend the soon to be prince Kurda works on helping him escape the Vampire Mountain, but as they are leaving the find a group of vampaneze and Darren learns the truth about Kurda when he kills Gavner and goes after Darren with the vampaneze. He has to escape using the river that they use to float dead vampires down.

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

A Book in Review: Cirque Du Freak (Vol 4)

Cirque Du Freak (Vol 4) Vampire Mountain By: Darren Shan art by: Takahiro Arai
fiction: Manga, paranormal 187 pages
Book Count: 54

In this book the vampires journey to Vampire Mountain for the meeting of vampires. While there Darren meets vampire generals and princes as well as learns more about being a vampire. He is also made to go thought a series of tests to prove that he is worthy to be a vampire.

A Book in Review: Cirque Du Freak (vol 3)

Cirque Du Freak (vol 3) Tunnels of Blood By Darren Shan art by: Takahiro Arai
Fiction: manga, paranormal 191 pages
Book Count: 53

In this book we learn about the vampaneze a rival group of vampires that kill their human victims. Also Darren has his first girlfriend, Debbie a normal girl who just moved to the city that Mr. Crepsley, Darren and Evra are staying in.

A Book in Review: Cirque Du Freak (vol 2)

Cirque Du Freak (vol 2)The Vampire's Assistant By: Darren Shan art by: takahiro arai
Fiction: Manga, Paranormal 191 pages
Book Count: 52

Darren the half-vampire and Mr. Crepsley move back into the Cirque. Darren makes friends with Evra, the snake boy and a normal boy named Sam. They work together around the cirque and Darren learns to help out in the act. He is still working on dealing with what it means to be a half-vampire and refuses to drink human blood, even though he knows that it will kill him. Then the wolfman is let loose and attacks Sam. Once again Darren must make a hard choice, drink Sam's blood so that a part of him can live in him, or keep his promise to himself not to drink humans.

Tuesday, August 09, 2011

A Book in Review: Cirque Du Freak (vol 1)

Cirque Du Freak (vol 1) By: Darren Shan Art by:Takahiro Arai
Fiction: Manga, paranormal 207 pages
Book Count: 51

First, as you can tell from the info above this is the manga version of the story (verses the novel, movie etc.). This is the story of two boys who are best friends. One loves spiders and one is obsessed with monsters. The both go to a mysterious late night Cirque Du Freak. Steve, the one who likes monsters, guesses that one of the freaks, Mr. Crepsley, is really a vampire. After the show he tries to get him to turn him, but he is told that he has bad blood and would be an evil vampire. Darren, the spider loving friend, later steals the spider that Mr. Crepsley uses in his act. It bits Steve and Darren goes to Mr. Crepsley for the antidote. He is told that he can have it, but only if he will become the vampire's assistance and a half-vampire himself.

A Book in Review: F in Exams

F in Exams The Very Best Totally Wrong Rest Answers by: Richard Benson
Non-Fiction: humor, pop culture 127 pages
Book Count: 50

This is a collection of funny wrong answeres to tests. It is like the one's that you see at verious internet sites. It is divided up by supject matter.

Monday, August 08, 2011

An Audiobook in Review: If You Ask Me (And of Course You Won't)

If You Ask Me (And of Course You Won't) by: Betty White
Non-fiction, Memoir, Pop Culture
Book Count: 49


This book is about the last few of years in the author's life. It inclues what it's like getting old, how she ended up on Saturday Night Live, and how her lack of will power landed her some of the best jobs. It is short, at times funny and at times touching.


2 C.D.s 2 hours 17 minutes