Book# 49 of the 50 Book Challenge

Handling the Undead by John Ajvide Lindqvist

From Goodreads.com:

Something very peculiar is happening in Stockholm. There's a heatwave on and people cannot turn their lights out or switch their appliances off. Then the terrible news breaks. In the city morgue, the dead are waking up... What do they want? What everybody wants: to come home. 'Handling the Undead' is a story about our greatest fear and about a love that defies death.

My Take:

3 out of 5 Stars. It was a decent story but it just petered out at the end, no real wrap up.

I thought you weren't supposed to labor on labor day...

But it seems like I spent most of my labor day weekend doing chores. I scrubbed floors on my hands and knees and washed dogs among other things...

Poor wet Dixie
I think Rex is almost drowned!

A New Book!

A few months ago, fellow Blogger Gertie (she blogs at Gertie's New Blog for Better Sewing) posted that her husband had written a book and it was being published. Being that the book is about what happens after the end of the world, I hauled tushy over to Amazon and pre-ordered it. Gerties husband, Jeff Hirsch posted a guest post on her blog about the book (find it here). I'm really excited about the book and I can't wait to get some time to sit down and read it. It fits in with all the books I've been reading and the general genre of post-apocalyptic that I seem to be in love with lately.

Congratulations to both Jeff and Gertie on the new book! I'm sure it will be a huge success!

Book# 48 of the 50 Book

Divergent by Veronica Roth

From Goodreads.com:

Beatrice "Tris" Prior has reached the fateful age of sixteen, the stage at which teenagers in Veronica Roth's dystopian Chicago must select which of five factions to join for life. Each faction represents a virtue: Candor, Abnegation, Dauntless, Amity, and Erudite. To the surprise of herself and her selfless Abnegation family, she chooses Dauntless, the path of courage. Her choice exposes her to the demanding, violent initiation rites of this group, but it also threatens to expose a personal secret that could place in mortal danger. Veronica Roth's young adult Divergent trilogy launches with a captivating adventure about love and loyalty playing out under most extreme circumstances.

My take:

5 out of 5 stars. Excellent book. It only took me two days to read this book, I couldn't put it down. I requested this months ago from the library and was on a hold list so long that you couldn't see where it ended to get this book. After reading it, I know why the hold list was so long. Lots of action, adventure, mystery and just a touch of romance for the teenager in all of us. Good book.

I can't believe that I'm almost to the end of this challenge. 2 books to go. I'm starting to look forward to reading whatever I want...not that I haven't been in addition to the books in my challenge. But it will be nice to request whatever catches my fancy.

A broken Rule and a New WIP

For the first time this year...I have more then 4 Works In Progress. Insert menacing music here. I have 5, count them, 5 WIPs. Run!!! I'm pretty sure that its one of the 7 signs of the apocalypse. Or at least a sign that I need to finish up a couple of projects that have been languishing (I'm looking at you, Larch and Lacy Leaf Satchel) or maybe frog and re-purpose the yarn (Central Park Hoodie).

But in being true to myself I had to have a new project to take on vacation with last weekend. I can't help it. The thought of being at the beach with nothing to knit makes me stir crazy. I like going to the beach and hanging out with Hubbs and our friends but I can't just sit, I need something to do and still be social. Enter Shalder by Gudrun Johnston.

Stockinette body, circular yoke, seamless construction ...perfect vacation knitting. Nothing too strenuous and nothing too boring.

Beautiful lace yoke

Interesting I-cord bind off or something. Not sure about that part. I've never done one before.

Love the pockets.

Super cute.

I ordered my yarn from Jimmy Beans Wool last week before we left. I had high hopes that it would arrive before we left and it did. Jimmy Beans is so fast! I love them! I ordered Bamboo Ewe by Debbie Stroller. I've used this yarn before for my Lacy Leaf Satchel and I loved it. However that being said I'm less then thrilled with one of the skeins that I received. No fault of Jimmy Beans, but one of the skeins of yarn had at least 3 separate joins in it, big knots. I kept having to cut them out and then rejoin the yarn to my fabric. Not really that big of deal but it was annoying. So far I have only experienced this with only one of the skeins.

Book# 47 of the 50 Book Challenge

Rot and Ruin by Jonathan Maberry

From Goodreads.com:

In the zombie-infested, post-apocalyptic America where Benny Imura lives, every teenager must find a job by the time they turn fifteen or get their rations cut in half. Benny doesn't want to apprentice as a zombie hunter with his boring older brother Tom, but he has no choice. He expects a tedious job whacking zoms for cash, but what he gets is a vocation that will teach him what it means to be human.

My take:

4 out of 5 stars. I really enjoyed this book. Lots of action and it totally set it up for the next book, Dust and Decay. I've already requested it from the library!

Book# 46 of the 50 Book Challenge

Patriots by James Wesley, Rawles

From Goodreads.com:
"Part novel, part survivalist-handbook, Patriots tells of a small group of friends facing every American's worst nightmare - the total collapse of society. The stock market plummets and hyperinflation cripples commerce and then a seemingly isolated financial crisis passes the tipping point when an unprepared government fails to act. Practically overnight, the fragile ...more"Part novel, part survivalist-handbook, Patriots tells of a small group of friends facing every American's worst nightmare - the total collapse of society. The stock market plummets and hyperinflation cripples commerce and then a seemingly isolated financial crisis passes the tipping point when an unprepared government fails to act. Practically overnight, the fragile institutions of democracy fall apart and every American is forced to survive on their own." Evading mobs of desperate, out-of-control citizens who have turned Chicago into a wasteland of looting and mayhem, this novel's protagonists make their way to a shared secure ranch in the wilds of northern Idaho. Here the survival-driven group fends off vicious attacks from the outside and eventually assists in restoring order to the country. The compelling, fast-paced action-adventure novel has readers jotting notes and referencing the book's impressive index for informative survivalist tips on everything from setting up a secure shelter to treating traumatic flesh wounds.

My take:

4 out of 5 stars. It was a good book but I found it interesting that the author seems to think that all the good guys will be christian after the fall. Over all I liked the book but I could have done without the, what seemed to me, forced religious lessons.