Books I read in February

One for the Money (Stephanie Plum, No. 1) by Janet Evanovich
I had to reread this for my book club.


Emily of New Moon (The Emily Books, Book 1) by Lucy Maud Montgomery
It is funny that I've never read this book before, even though I love Anne of Green Gables. The next book is of course in my "to read" pile.


Alice in Wonderland: The Vampire Slayer (Vampire Wonderland Series Book 1) by J.J. Maddox
This is a short story, kind of Buffy:the Vampire Slayer meets Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Luckily it was short, because it jumped around in the story and I really couldn't get into it.


Maelyn (The Nine Princesses Book 1) by Anita Valle
A short story, almost too short. I couldn't get a good feel on the author's writing, so I am not sure if I want to buy the next part of the story, which is also a short story.


New Girl (Anti-Heroes Book I) by Louise Bohmer and K.H. Koehler
Another short story. The plot was good, but felt unfulfilled, maybe because the story was so short, but I probably won't be getting the next part.


The Stumpwork Robe (The Chronicles of Eirie Book 1) by Pure Batten
Do not read this book if you have trouble reading rape scenes. There is pointless rape scene in chapter 4, honestly I couldn't finish the book.


ODDILY (Oddily Series 1) by Linda Pohring
This book was a bit blah. There is no explination for the girl's, Oddily, name. The most developed character is Maxim and really most of the story is about him and not about Oddily. Oddily is such a flat underdeveloped character. The narrator goes on and on about how Oddily is different, but it is never shown, just the bullying is. I will probably not buy the next book in the series.


Reckless Magic: The Star-Crossed Series Book 1 by Rachel Higginson
This book was pretty good, and you can't beat the price of free. There are a few times that the main character, Eden, does just plain stupid things, not reckless. I understand that the character is 16 years-old, but that doesn't explain away ignorant things she does, but if you can get pass those few moments the rest of the story is pretty enjoyable.


Ship's Boy (The David Birkenhead Series Book 1) by Phil Geusz
Another free book. This one was really enjoyable. A review I read said that David is a genetically altered bunny, but I must have skipped over the genetically altered part some how. I did know he was a bunny/rabbit. The reason for have altered bunnies as slaves isn't explained in this book, but hopefully it will be. I would describe this as a cross between Watership Down and an epic space opera book. I will be buying the next book in this series.


Takeaway by Catherine Sampson
A short story who-dun-it. I'm of two minds about this story... no probably just one mind. To me it was very obvious who the killer was, from the very beginning of the story. The other part of me does not like this story because while the author did study Chinese, at Leeds University even, and live in China it just reeks of exotifing and fetishizing Asian people. There are two other books featuring the character of Detective Song Ren, but they are luckily out of print.


Thirst (Ava Delaney Book 1) by Claire Farrell
Another free book, about a daywalker. Nothing new to the mythos of daywalkers, but an entertaining story.


Robopocalypse: A Novel by Daniel H. Wilson
I tried to read World War Z at the end of last year, but I was turned off by the style of writing. This is a bit in the same style, journalist style of question and answer (as a journalist myself I do not like this style of writing), but some parts are narrated and a few of the characters or their family members are carried on, I think it makes the style a bit more personal than what is seen in World War Z. What I think is especially great is that the author, Daniel H. Wilson, has a doctorate in robotics, but his story isn't full of technical jargon, so there is a believability about the robot uprising, but put in a way that the average nontechnical person can understand.


Books read so far: 9 1/2 January plus 11 1/4 February equals 20 3/4 books so far this year.

Currently watching:Inspiring Generation - 감격시대 I can only seem to watch one drama at a time, so I am a bit behind on this.

Currently reading:

Avalon Revisited: A novel of Vampires, Murder, and Sex in Victorian England (Volume 1) by O.M. Grey
I am not sure about this book.


Swagbucks it is how I make money for amazon gift cards!
I made $20 in Amazon.com gift cards for the month of February.

5 March wants

1.
It is funny. The humidity is much higher here in Leeds, but my lips are very dry and cracking right now.

2.
My lips aren't the only thing dry. My skin is horribly dry. Normally I don't use an exfoliant, but it is needed right now. Luckily I do have my Italy towel and use it on the rest of my body.

3.
Needs something cute to hold the hair back while scrubbing the dry skin off.

4.
Maybe a moisturizer would help with the dry skin. I don't know, but it'd probably smell good.

5.
Then I'd need a sunscreen to finish it all of, 'cause yes, even in a place like Leeds that barely gets any constant sunlight you should still wear sunscreen.

Currently watching: Screening Humanity 인간극장 . Love this show. It shows real Koreans living in Korea. Not Korean idols and Kpop.

Currently reading:

Robopocalypse: A Novel by Daniel H. Wilson

The same sort of journalist style as World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks, but since a few of the characters are connected it was much more interesting and easier to read to me than World War Z, which I tried to read in December, but I just never could get into the story.

Swagbucks it is how I make money for amazon gift cards!
So far I've made $15 in amazon gift cards with Swagbucks and it is only the 22nd of February.

Tales of Hansik by Arirang

For anyone who has wanted to learn more about Korean food Arirang television has produced a series called Tales of Hansik that shows some of the major types of Korean food.

The first episode begins with 밥 (bap) rice. Rice is a basic of every Korean meal. Besides plain, regular old white rice I also enjoy 닭죽, chicken and rice porridge, and 비빔밥, rice mixed with various types of 나물 with 고추장 (a spicy chilli paste.)


Episode 2 tells about 떡 (ddeok) rice cake. Favorites for me are: 떡볶이, rice cakes in spicy sauce (some times with onions, fish cakes (오뎅), and some times ramyeon noodles; and 떡국, rice cake soup, a traditional soup eaten on Lunar New Year's Day.


Episode 3 has 국수 (guk su) noodles. I like: 비빔국수, noodles mixed with spicy 고추장 and vinegar sauce with a few slices of cucumber; and 물냉면, buckwheat or arrowroot noodles with refreshing cold and tangy broth.


Episode 4 features 전 (jeon) Korean style pancakes. There are so many types that it is hard to choose just two. I would have to say my most favorite is 파전, incredibly easy too make, you just need flour, water and green onions. My second favorite is 해물전, seafood jeon, another incredibly easy to make pancake, but very delicious.


Episode 5 has 죽 (juk) porridge. I think the most famous kind of juk is 전복죽, abalone porridge, often given to sick people. Another one is 호박죽, pumpkin porridge and is nice and creamy.


Next up for episode 6 is 육류 (yugru) meat! There really are so many delicious types of meat, I think the most famous ones are 갈비/LA 갈비, 불고기, and 삼겹살. I often enjoy: 육회, which you can think of as Korean steak tartare; and 짜장면, which is a Korean-Chinese fusion dish with black bean sauce, noodles, pork, zucchini and onions.


Episode 7 is about 생선 (sang sun) fish (dead fish actually since 물고기 means live fish.) I like 고등어구이, grilled mackerel, and 회덥밥, rice with salad greens, raw fish and a spicy sauce made with 고추장.


Episode 8 국 (guk) most easily explained as soup. Favorites of mine include: 배추 된장국, a nice and easy napa cabbage and soybean paste soup often had with rice for breakfast; I also love 미역국, seaweed soup, I make a large batch of this and freeze it, this is the soup that Koreans have on their birthdays and mothers will eat a lot of this soup after giving birth.


Episode 9 brings us 나물 (namul) I think this is best explained as seasoned vegetable side dishes. Favorites of mine include: 오이 초절임, a cold, sweet and tangy cucumber dish; 시금치나물, blanched spinach mixed with green onions, garlic, soy sauce and sesame oil.


Episode 10 is about 찌게 (jigae) stew. I love 김치찌개, kimchi stew, and 된장찌개, soybean paste stew.


Episode 11 you can't have a story about Korean food without having 김치 (kimchi.) Some of my favorite recipes with 김치, and there are hundreds of types of 김치, are 김치볶음밥, kimchi fried rice, and 부추 김치, garlic chive kimchi.


Episode 12 is all about 두부 (Dubu) bean curd. Some of my favorite dishes with dubu are: 두부부침양념장, a pan fried dubu with a spicy sauce, it is nice and lovely straight from the frying pan and 순두부찌개, a silken dubu stew, which is just great and really a comfort food for myself.


Episdoe 13 is about 반찬 (Banchan) side dishes. Episode 9 was about 나물, which is a type of 반찬. My favorite types of 반찬 are: 멸치볶음, pan fried mini anchovies; and 가지나물 eggplant namul, which is chewy with the eggplant skin but also melts in your mouth.


I hope you enjoy the videos, but remember the videos don't even begin to scratch the surface of Korean food.


Swagbucks it is how I make money for amazon gift cards!
So far I've made $10 in amazon gift cards with Swagbucks and it is only the 8th of February.

5 February wants

1.
It is still really cold here, so I don't know where or when I'd ever wear these, but I adore the print.

2.
This would go really well with the new wool coat I got.

3.
I would need these too for the coat.

4.
Yep, something else to match with the new coat.

5.
These would be great for Jasmine. I think she would love the Electric Violet color, now if I only had a spare £66 laying around.


Currently watching: 별에서 온 그대 (My love from the star)

Currently reading:

I Am Number Four (Lorien Legacies Book 1) by Pittacus Lore


Swagbucks it is how I make money for amazon gift cards!

Books I read in January

The Honour of the Knights (Second Edition) (Battle for the Solar System, 1) by Stephen J. Sweeny
I would describe this as kind of like David Weber'sOn Basilisk Station Honor Harrington series. (On Basilik Station is free by the way.) Only Honour of the Knights has less politics and history going on, at least in the first book.


City of Glass (The Mortal Instruments) by Cassandra Clare
I continued with rereading this series. I had forgotten a lot of the details of the story, but I did remember the basic plot.


Wicked Appetite (Lizzy and Diesel) by Janet Evanovich
Since I still haven't been able to find Two for the Dough (Stephanie Plum, No. 2) at the library, or at the local bookstore, I may have to wait to finish that book series until I can buy it on kindle, or go to a different library. The library did have the first two books in this series, so I thought I would try it. It is a bit jumpy in spots and none of characters are ever amazed at the magic that happens. I think that even people who lived in Salem, Mass. would be surprised that magic actually existed.


City of Fallen Angels (The Mortal Instruments) by Cassandra Clare
The library doesn't have the fifth book, so this is the end of rereading this series for me. It has been fun to reread, but on to other stories.


Wicked Business (Lizzy & Diesel Book 2) by Janet Evanovich
So... I just finished the second book in this series and I don't know... I won't be buying the books, but if they were at the library I might check them out. It is just... this series has some problematic words and phrases. They biggest one I remember is "slut makeup." The main character, Lizzy, is describing what she is putting on for a night out with her friends, and she says that she puts on "slut makeup." Why couldn't she just say that she was putting on makeup, why does it have to be "slut makeup?" What is "slut makeup?" There were other things too, not so many in the first book, but this second book had me a bit disappointed.


Chocolate Box Girls: Cherry Crush by Cathy Cassidy
I got this book from the library, I thought it might be something that Jasmine would enjoy having read to her. But it is a pre-teen/young adult book. Originally I was delighted when I found out that the main character, Cherry, is biracial, half Japanese and half white, because maybe Jasmine would enjoy the book when she was older. Unfortunately there is some cultral appropriation that happens fairly early in the book when the soon to be step-mom, Charlotte, places chopsticks in her hair, because she doesn't know how to use them. Asians don't put chopsticks in their hair, there are hair pins that might look similar, but they aren't the same thing. There really was no point for this character to be part Japanese, besides for othering and exotification purposes. Too bad, could have been a good story. Overall disappointed.


Curtsies & Conspiracies (Finishing School Series Book 2) by Gail Carriger
From the authoress of the The Parasol Protectorate series, here is Curtsies & Conspiracies the second book in the Finishing School series. I really enjoyed this book, as I have of the other books by Ms. Carriger that I have read, there are a few short stories by her that I have not read yet.


City of Lost Souls (The Mortal Instruments) by Cassandra Clare
Oh, managed to snag this from the library. I thought that I had read this book before, but if I have I have forgotten a lot of it. I guess it is just as well that I am rereading it, the last book in the series comes out in May.


Mermaid: A Twist on the Classic Tale by Carolyn Turgeon
I got this book from the library, but I was turned off in the first chapter when Lenia, the mermaid, not only describes her naked breasts, but also her nipples. I got about half way through the book, but I gave it up.


I Am Number Four (Lorien Legacies Book 1) by Pittacus Lore
I watched the movie, which was honestly quite horrible, I figured I'd give the book a try.

Books read to date:.... 9 1/2

Currently watching: 별에서 온 그대 (My love from the star)

Currently reading:

I Am Number Four (Lorien Legacies Book 1) by Pittacus Lore


Swagbucks it is how I make money for amazon gift cards!