I'll Scream Later

Truly and honestly I enjoyed this book. And since I'm being honest, I wasn't 100% sure I was going to enjoy it. I didn't want any sort of biography or auto-biography; it's just not my cup of java. But since becoming fascinated with the beautiful and talented Marlee Matlin I knew it was a book I just couldn't pass up. It truly was fabulous.

There are so many things that I respect about her book. The fact that she's so candid and fearless. She delves deeply into her past, plucks out her demons and puts them on display for her readers. She's real. I loved it. And she just seems so down to earth.

For those of you who do not know, Marlee is Deaf. And for those of you who do not know the difference, Deaf has a different connotation than deaf. The capitalized D means that the individual -- or group, for that matter -- is proud of their deafness. And, possibly most importantly, Deaf person is not disabled.

On the other hand, being so profoundly Deaf ((and I mean proud)) can be...well, a turn off. ((For me.))

I took Deaf Culture and History two years ago. I received my Associates Degree in American Sign Language Communicatons and Interpretation. I've been in love with ASL since seeing the movie Children of a Lesser God. And through my college courses and getting out and meeting people in in the Deaf Community, I've learned so much. And unfortunately, one thing I've learned is that the Deaf Community can be brutal. If you're not Deaf then you're most likely ousted from the community. If you go mainstream ((public schooling, not a residential school specifically for the Deaf)), then you're almost traitorous. Often times if you speak, as opposed to signing, or are pro-Cochlear Implants you're accused of not being proud of who you are.

To me, it seemed a little too much like prejudice.

Now, allow me to say that not every D/deaf individual that I meant has shared that mentality, and after reading I'll Scream Later, I've realized that Marlee didn't either. At least, she appeared not to be. In fact, over the course of her career she's received a lot of flake from the Deaf Community. If she didn't do something to their liking then she was "unsupportive."

Anyway, the fact that she is so incredibly down to earth in that aspect and has found away to exist in both Deaf and Hearing Culture is something I admire and appreciate so much. She seems like such a sweetheart.

Now that I'm off my little pedestal -- lol -- I just want to say that this book is definitely an excellent one to pick up. It's motivational. It's funny and witty. Definitely it can be dark, what with her mention of her on-going struggle with addiction and her abusive relationship with William Hurt.

That, I think, would have to be the only thing negative to say about the book. It is one-sided and it's difficult to remain unbiased or arbitrary. I try not feel anger towards this Academy Award winning actor I don't know, but it's tough. *shrug* Maybe I'll read his biography, if he ever gets around to writing one.

Next, from my booklist I'm going to read Jane Eyre, and then I think I wanna try this new book I found:: Echoes by Maeve Binchy. I've never heard of the author. Any of you? I hope I like it! *crosses fingers*

Good Fail, Me

So, after completing The Last Unicorn, I attempted to read both A Northern Light & Atonement.

I failed.

I just couldn't get into Jennifer's book. I didn't like the way it was written; the switching back and forth was confusing, and the tone -- I just didn't like it. I feel like a failure with that one, because my friend Sarah really recommended it. As for Atonement, I didn't get to finish because it was due back at the library, and I felt incredibly ridiculous asking to check it out for the third time. It's all right, though, because I have it saved on my iPod Touch. I love WattPad. *smile*

Getting slightly off topic -- I really do lust my iPod. I downloaded the Kindle Application, and I just couldn't be anymore excited. It's awesome downloading and reading books from my iPod. Especially considering I'm not allowed to read at work and if I get caught I'll get fired and that's not good. It's a lot easier to hide an iPod.

I downloaded several eReaders like the Kindle and WattPad. More books are going to be added to my list ((I'm also going to coordinate my list a bit more to really highlight my failures, lol)). It's really cool because each eReader application gave me a few free books -- most of the classics, and most of them are doubles, but sometimes I get lucky and receive a free one. I'm stoked to really get into it.

Right, so, after taking by the library books, I went to see The Time Traveler's Wife ((this was my first solo movie adventure, which my BFF has been raving about forever; I love it. Every movie that I just *have* to see, I'm going it alone)). It was pretty amazing. Definitely not better than the book -- not by any means. Actually, a lot of stuff was left out, and a few pivotal scenes were changed but I still think they did a great job with the kind of novel they had to work with. Even now, after I've already seen the movie, I get giddy whenever I see a preview for it. Probably because I loved the book so much.

In the previews they showed a trailer for The Lovely Bones; my friend Alex said to "stop whatever I'm reading and read it now." Since I had recently returned Atonement, I thought it would be a good time to pick up The Lovely Bones, which my mother had and has never read, lol.

So, that's three books -- in one month -- that have defeated me. I got four chapters into Sebold's novel and gave up. I've never come across a book that has given me a headache while reading. I just couldn't stand it any longer. Again, it was the style of the writing, and the tone, and the fact that I had to read a simple sentence several times to understand what was going on. Maybe I'm mildly retarded, but I shelved it. No thanks.

Now, I'm reading Confessions with a Shopaholic. Good ole Ms. Kinsella won't let me down. I need to add the rest of the series to my list....

I think I'll read I'll Scream Later by Marlee Matlin next, and I've added the following to my booklist::

Butterfly Tattoo by Deidre Knight
My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One-Night Stands by Chelsea Handler
Mr. Darcy, Vampyre by Amanda Granger ((if this is anything like P&P&Zombies, then I'll adore it))

The Last Unicorn

I finished this novel two days ago. In all honesty, I wasn't anticipating that I'd enjoy it as much as I did. I've never been into fairies and unicorn, or magicians and evil Kings. Apparently I'm okay with vampires though, haha, which seems a little odd that I don't enjoy the rest.

At any rate, I think The Last Unicorn was a fantastic read; thanks to whoever recommended that for me.

I was a little worried when the back cover said it was "whimsical and sensuous," but it totally worked. The often time rhyme-y and odd speeches only added, in my opinion, to the story. That's probably only because for every whimsy detail there was a more modern flare to balance it out. In the middle of it all someone was called a dude, and I loved it.

I loved Schmendrick, the Magician (who was teased mercilessly; "can't even turn butter into cream"). Molly Grue was probably my favorite. She was completely unrefined and unrepetent, but she had a good heart. Prince Lir broke my heart into a million pieces come the end, and The Unicorn...well, I'm not exactly sure what to say about her. Beautiful. Immortal. Oddly detached. I think she had the most brillant character arch I've come across yet.

The Last Unicorn is a short read -- only 215 pages. Sad story that it took me so long to read it, but I enjoyed every minute of it and would definitely recommend it for your enjoyment as well.


Next I'm reading A Northen Light by Jennifer Donnelly.

& It Feels So Good

So, I've been gone for a bit. I've actually just returned a few days ago from the Happiest Place on Earth. I *love* Disney World.

With that said, battling the masses of people and the elderly on scooters, while racing madly through the Magic Kingdom (and the rest of the parks), it left me little time to read.

I have...much to my chagrin...shelved Anna Karenina for now. I do fully intend to pick it up later. Right now, I'm just not into it. I did start reading The Host by Stephenie Meyer before I left for Florida. I'm just about half way finished with it -- it's so wonderful. I do enjoy it immensely, just as I suspected I would. I feel much better, actually being able to sit down and get absorbed in a book again. Yay!

I have no idea what to read next. I bought, recently, East of Eden by Steinbeck; my co-worker was reading it and was just gushing the whole way. She said it was awesome. So, I wanted it to put it on my list.

I also bought a hardback edition of Charlotte's Web, but that's just because it was my favorite childhood book and I lost my old copy. I put it in my bookshelf, and I just like to stare at it. It was such a darling little book!

But this is what I'm thinking about picking up next::

I'll Scream Later by Marlee Matlin -- this is pretty much a biography, which I swore I wouldn't do. But I love her, and made the exception.

Mr. & Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy by Sharon Lathan -- this I bought at Target on a whim. It's supposed to be the sequel to Pride and Prejudice. I hope it's good....

My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult -- I own several of her books, and I loved them. So I'm sure this is going to be win, as well.

Those are all books that I currently have waiting in my shelf. I could, instead, breakout my library card and pick something else::

The Story of Edward Sawtelle by David Wroblewski
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd

Or I can look for that odd series by the author who wrote Crank and Identical. Those are supposed to be wicked.

*shrug* We'll see. It feels good to read again.

"Your balls, Mr. Darcy?" "They belong to you, Miss Bennet."

For anyone who may be reading this ... I go a little nuts in this post. Spoilers will be revealed. You have been duly warned.


Just like I knew I would, I have fallen in love with Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. It basically removes every thing that I hated about the original ((which, honestly, wasn't much)), and added every thing that it had been sorely missing That is Grahame-Smith took out all the unnecessary long-windedness of Austen and got right to the point. That's not to say I think the zombies were a "missing" piece to the original novel, but I do think it was a nice touch.

Most importantly, having completed the novel, it hasn't made me favor the original work less; it makes me appreciate it more. While Grahame-Smith tries to mimic Austen's style, he doesn't quite nail it. It's kind of like reading a fanfiction. A really, really good, exceedingly funny and violent fanfiction. Still impressive, for sure. I loved and hated ((and loved to hate)) an assortment of characters in the original, and I get to do the same in this edition as well, only I get more satisfaction out of the way certain players got their comeuppance, if you will.


Elizabeth, I felt, was pretty badass in Pride and Prejudice. She wasn't afraid to speak her mind. She was smart, and witty, and impressive yet modest. And most importantly, she was not infallible. When she made a mistake, she admitted it. In and Zombies, she's still all of those things, with the exception that she wields a Katana sword. True story, and I freakin' love it. Turns out, Daddy ((who is awesome)) sent his daughters to China to learn under a Master Liu-something-or-other in the deadly arts. There they learned kickass skills to defeat the icky zombies. They are all quite impressive, and of course Elizabeth is the best. The final show down between her and Her Ladyship was brillant. Whoa.

Mr. Bennet I also enjoyed in the original, though he made me a little frustrated at times. I never understood how he could continually hold his composure in regards to that nutty woman he called a wife. She got on my ever-livin' nerves. It was funny when he'd toss out zingers that would fly over her head, but just once I wanted him to mention one that she was sure to comprehend. In this one, Mr. Bennet is decidedly blunt. I think my favorite Mr. Bennet line is when he pleads for Mrs. Bennet to "spare [him] the expense of having [her] lips sewn shut." On numerous other occassions he complains about her "prattling" while I continue to laugh. Such was the attitude he was missing in the original.

Mrs. Bennet is exactly the same. I hate her, and I love it.

Charlotte Lucas becomes a zombie. ((HA!)) She is beheaded, most honorably.

Mr. Collins is short and fat. He is continually describe as short and fat. He can't defend himself against the unmentionables. He's just as annoying as ever. He hangs himself after beheading his wife.


Lady Catherine de Bourgh is a pretty kickass old bag. She's slain 10 thousand ((maybe?)) unmentionables in her day. She has a dojo in her home, and a plethora of ninjas at her disposal. She's just as uppity as ever.

Mr. Darcy is pretty much the same. Tall, handsome, arrogant and oblivious, plus he has mad musketry skills and was educated in Japan. He, too, is a slayer of zombies. And of course, he falls in love with Elizabeth for all the same reasons as before, with the addition of her rivaling deadly arts skills. I particularly love the sparring match between the two when he proposes for the first time. It's kind of like foreplay. Mr. Darcy is also is a little less censored. He specifically tells Miss Bingley that she'd enjoy balls better if she "knew the first thing about them." Such a remark causes Elizabeth to blush and try not to laugh.

Mr. Wickham is still an epic bag of douche. She still seduces the ridiculous Lydia, and many others, leaving in his wake a trail of debts and bastards (("a bastard-maker?"- quoted from Jane Bennet)). His commeupance is the most satisfying of all, I do believe. Not only is he forced to marry Lydia, but he gets the hell beaten out of him by Darcy. He is left paralyzed and bed-ridden, where he continually soils himself. It's terrific.

As much as I enjoyed this book, I can't express enough that the original Pride and Prejudice is 10 times better. My favorite is still the former, but I do enjoy satire and this was the best. I don't mind at all that this novel is thoroughly poking fun at a classic. It just proves how influential Austen and her works have remained today.

If you love or hate Austen, I would definitely recommend this book.



**Next, I'm reading Anna Karenina. It'll be a while 'til my next post....

Reason Number 1,029 Why I Love Nicholas Sparks

Aside from the fact that he's just amazing, he's a terrific author who just understands girls. I mean, in his novels it's glaringly apparent that he gets us. And nearly every book I've read by him, I've devoured in hours and enjoyed thoroughly.

With that said, I had no intention of reading Three Weeks with My Brother; I just don't do memoirs. But my co-worker, Sarah, said it oozed awesomeness and, truth be known, I'm was getting a little tired of the classics and period pieces. I needed something a little fresher. So, I started it yesterday, and I'm almost half-way finished with it.

It's truly an amazing book. He co-wrote this with his brother ((though, I think it's obvious that it's predominantly Nicholas's work)), and it's literally about the three weeks he spent with his brother traveling the world, interspersed with details of their lives growing up together. They had an interesting childhood, to say the least.

I think another reason I'm just *in love* with this book is because I can relate to certain aspects of what he's writing about. Not a lot mind you. I certainly haven't dealt with the kind of tragedy he has ((and I certainly wouldn't have such a good sense of humor about life now)), but the ones that I do are just startling; the whole middle child syndrome for instance - I get that.

It's heartwarming to read about the type of relationships he had with his brother, sister and parents ((even if I maintain that they needed to be taken away from said "parents)). I don't know what it's like to grow up with your sibling as a best friend. My brother and I certainly don't share that type of relationship, nor my sister and I for that matter. And the way those two boys ((Nicholas and Micah)) treat their sister is just...awww; I mean, those boys asked their sister to the prom. How freaking sweet is that? I want my kids to grow up like that - that close ((wait, I decided today I wasn't going to have any...wild children-customers have stauched any desire for me to procreate)).

*sigh* And reading this book ((reading in general, but I've noticed moreso with this book)) makes me want to write...soooooo bad. I can sit at my computer for hours and just pound away at the keys. I really want to do that again; I don't know why I'm not.

Anyway, I'm really excited about this book. I'm pretty exhausted after today, but I want to keep reading. I need to sleep...I don't know what I'll do.

Amazing - anyone who hasn't read this book needs to. Foooor sure.





***((Also, added The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd to my books list))

Spring Break

I am now officially on spring break ((thank God)). In between sleep, sleep and bad television, I plan to:

1. complete Emma
2. complete Mansfield Park
3. begin either The Enchantress of Florence, Anna Karenina or Jane Eyre

Number 3 does not necessarily have to be accompished during spring break, but definitely by it's end. If I wanna even get close to 50 novels, I need to put a dent in the list already.

Big time serious for number 1, though. I'm tired of posts complaining about that novel. I need a new one to complain about.

Book List

**21 novels read in 2009

I've decided to return to the world of blogging. Though, I should probably use the term loosely. I'm not so much blogging as I'm participating in the 50 Books a Year fun-time madness. And this will be the locale of my success or failure.

So far, I'm not off to a good start, lol.

Here is my list. It's not 50 yet, but I figure I'll add more as I start crossing them off. I'm not reading in any particular order, either.

It'll consist mostly of books recommended to me by others, and almost all of them will be books I would never read under normal circumstances. I do have several "safety" books thrown in, by authors I know and trust to keep me entertained.

K. That's all.

1. Emma by Jane Austen (3.18.09)
2. Mansfield Park by Jane Austen
3. A Long Way Home: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah
4. The Enchantress of Florence by Salman Rushdie
5. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
6. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte (4.30.09)
7. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolskoy
8. Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez (5.20.09)
9. The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger (5.6.09)
10. The Catcher and the Rye by J.D. Salinger
11. MacKenzie's Magic by Linda Howard
12. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
13. Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert
14. Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
15. Scarlett by Alexandria Ripley
16. The Cutting Edge by Linda Howard
17. Come Lie With Me by Linda Howard
18. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
19. Atonement by Ian McEwan
20. Marley & Me by John Grogan
21. The Last Unicorn by Peter Beagle (7.29.09)
22. The Scarlett Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne ((I totally cliffnote-ed this baby in HS; I'm for serious this time))
23. Stardust by Niel Gaiman
24. Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict by Laurie Viera Rigler
25. *The Host by Stephenie Meyer (7.17.09)
26. *Three Weeks With My Brother by Nicholas Sparks (5.4.09)
27. A Northen Light by Jennifer Donnelly
28. The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd (7.21.09)
29. The Story of Edward Sawtelle by David Wroblewski
30. Angels of Destruction by Keith Donohue
31. Hands of My Father by Myron Uhlberg
32. Awake by Lisa McMann (10.19.09)
33. Fade by Lisa McMann
34. *I'll Scream Later by Marlee Matlin (8.28.09)
35. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen & Seth Grahame-Smith (5.25.09)
36. The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
37. The Pilot's Wife by Anita Shreve
38. The Weight of Water by Anita Shreve
39. *Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella (8.23.09)
40. *Shopaholic Takes Manhattan by Sophie Kinsella
41. *Shopaholic Ties the Knot by Sophie Kinsella
42. *Shopaholic & Sister by Sophie Kinsella
43. *Shopaholic & Baby by Sophie Kinsella
44. Butterfly Tattoo by Deidre Knight
45. My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One-Night Stands by Chelsea Handler
46. Mr. Darcy, Vampyre by Amanda Granger
47. Echoes by Maeve Binchy
48. The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton (9.05.09)
49. Soldier's Heart by Gary Paulsen (9.15.09)
50. *The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella
51. The Light of Day by Graham Swift
52. Pink Slip Party by Cara Lockwood
53. A Perfect Day by Richard Paul Evans
54. Roadside Corsses by Jeffery Deaver
55. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
56. Lolita Vladimir Nabovok
57. Prime Time (Charlie McNally Series) by Hank Phillippi Ryan
58. The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier (10.08.09)
59. The Sign for Drowning by Rachel Stolzman
60. The Twisted Window by Lois Duncan (10.16.09)
61. The Giver by Lois Lowry (10.31.09)
62. John Dies at the End by David Wong (11-28-09)

*Denotes safety read.
*Red Strike-Thru denotes very slim chances of me picking up the novel again.