Amysue's Read-o-rama

Book 9.

  In any event, Tamora Pierce delighted me as always with her new book, The Will of the Empress. A fun fantasy with likable characters (from two of her earlier series) and the wonderful, comfortable feeling you get returning to a world you've come to love.

52 Projects..

and my 8th book of the year.  I love the 52 Projects website and the book is just as wonderful.  I want to do pretty much every writing, photo, creative spark jumpstarting project mentioned and have already started riffing on how to adapt them to fit my life and needs.  I read it cover to cover in under a day, and made everyone else look at it too.  My first plan is to pick up a few more copies to send to friends/family and a random person or two. 

I also decided to use the ideas to craft a project John and I can do together.  It was in the spirit of the website that rather than buy a card for a friend's recent birthday, I created one with fabric and the sewing machine.  A sort of homage to her beloved cats.  The caption read: Defying the laws of gravity, Karen's cats take a celebratory float in honor of her birthday.  They return in time for dinner.

Garner makes 7.

Kirstin Allio's novel is such a spare and exquisite work of prose.  And yet, I couldn't like any of the characters, not even the poor young girl whose death opens the novel.  This book is receiving such praise and The Litblog has chosen it as it's winter read.  I feel like such a lowlife for not liking it more.  It just depressed the heck out of me.