NerdyNatasha Musings

Since joining Netgalley, I've c been super excited about the books, comics, and graphic novels I've received. I've been introduced to some excellent  up and coming authors and had a chance to preview books from authors well known.  Between Netgalley and Edelweiss I can't complain that I have nothing to read anymore, my TBR list has grown faster and higher than Jack's magical beans. 

Thankfully the up side of being ill is being forced to stay in one place, like the bed for most of the day. I used the time to let my OCD and Virgo organization skills kick in, arranging an order of Netgalley book to read and review. I learned the hard way that you don't gain the books permanently and through Adobe Digital Edition, you only have a certain amount of time with the book before you can no longer open it, or even access the digital notes attached to it (if you use certain programs, like my use if the Kindle application).

I've never committed myself to reading books in a certain order, I guess that's why on certain challenges I don't submit my book list because....yes, I'm afraid to commit. But that's just to what books I'm going to read and in what order ....now, don't read into things. I do not have any commitment issues as far as dating or anything else.

So for right now, here is my ARC/reviewer reading list. Now this isn't set in stone, see there's my book commitment issues I was talking about....lol, sometimes I receive a book that needs to jump up on the list. I should have the other books listed on my shelf cleaned up too. I wish being unwell always made me motivated to get so much work done. This list might be altered at anytime....see now you think I have commitment issues. I don't, well....maybe with books. Just because. because can't commit sometimes because I want to read everything, and the books tell me they want me to open them and explore. Is it getting hot in here, so let's open that book jacket, ohhh yea, I'm going to read the novel adj night long.loL I hope somone got that song reference; otherwise I won't just seem like I have commitment issues, but that I need to wear a straight jacket and be in a padded cell.

U

If you've read any of these books, I would love to hear your opinion. My reviews will still be unbiased and not influenced by others. Reading the viewpoint fatty others helps me to sociologically, understanding more information of how a person draws conclusions of their literary mates.

I can see why the cover for Memory Zero was changed to something more in the action/mystery/thriller realm instead of looking like a cover from Underworld. The further I delve into reading the more hooked I'm getting by the slinky like twists and thrilling action. I hope this place and trend continues not only for this book but for the rest of the series.

Being bedridden is allowing me to catch up with my TBRs, get lost in good books while forgetting the pain. When reading about characters that have no pain or heal quickly regardless of whether they are human or nonhuman is a an easy way to pretend (like we were little) that I am one of those characters and the pain is nothing and Wil subside rather quickly. It is beyond humorous though that Memory Zero contains vampires, because I can't go in the sun right now.

On top of all else I have a migraine so my blackout curtains make my room look like a supreme masters coffin, with a place to lay, a sitting area, and a table filled with a red drink (pomegranate tea). Is there something secretly wrong with me and I'm really a vampire. With my insomnia if I do sleep I tend to get more of a nap during the day than at night.....maybe this isn't a coincidence. I do like my meat bloody raw. I've charmed people with my eyes. This is too I much. Someone call the Spook Squad for me and ask Finley to run comprehensive tests and more. Maybe I'm something other than a vampire?...and something other than a nerd. 

lol

NerdyNatasha - This is the absolute truth. I am a Doctor Who fan. I've written Doctor Who fan fiction. I have Doctor Who dreams. I have been told that I obsess a little about Doctor Who. I've just been given a restraining order to stop talking about Doctor Who and to leave the cast alone. Perhaps I've pushed the limits. LOL.  Those that e-mailed me with questions about Doctor Who this week can attest to that....LOL. 

Starting here, what do you want to remember?
How sunlight creeps along a shining floor?
What scent of old wood hovers, what softened
sound from outside fills the air?

Will you ever bring a better gift for the world
than the breathing respect that you carry
wherever you go right now? Are you waiting
for time to show you some better thoughts?

When you turn around, starting here, lift this
new glimpse that you found; carry into evening
all that you want from this day. This interval you spent
reading or hearing this, keep it for life -

What can anyone give you greater than now,
starting here, right in this room, when you turn around?

--William Stafford

This is old news by now, but I was driving home from Indianapolis during the ceremony and haven't had a chance to post it yet. To make up for that, I'm providing links again (to the piece/excerpt/description of winning works, as applicable, and the website or interview of winning people), and a link to the ballot statistics.

BEST NOVEL - Ancillary Justice, by Ann Leckie (Orbit US / Orbit UK) [Excerpt]

BEST NOVELLA - “Equoid” by Charles Stross (Tor.com, 09-2013)

BEST NOVELETTE - “The Lady Astronaut of Mars” by Mary Robinette Kowal (maryrobinettekowal.com / Tor.com, 09-2013) [If you aren't familiar with the events referenced in the intro, here is a link.]

BEST SHORT STORY - “The Water That Falls on You from Nowhere” by John Chu (Tor.com, 02-2013)

BEST RELATED WORK - “We Have Always Fought: Challenging the Women, Cattle and Slaves Narrative” by Kameron Hurley (A Dribble of Ink)

BEST GRAPHIC STORY - “Time” by Randall Munroe (xkcd)

BEST DRAMATIC PRESENTATION, LONG FORM - Gravity written by Alfonso Cuarón & Jonás Cuarón, directed by Alfonso Cuarón (Esperanto Filmoj; Heyday Films;Warner Bros.)

BEST DRAMATIC PRESENTATION, SHORT FORM - Game of Thrones “The Rains of Castamere” [links to wiki summary of episode, spoilers, duh] written by David Benioff & D.B. Weiss, directed by David Nutter (HBO Entertainment in association with Bighead, Littlehead; Television 360; Startling Television and Generator Productions)

BEST EDITOR, SHORT FORM - Ellen Datlow

BEST EDITOR, LONG FORM - Ginjer Buchanan [links to interview excerpt with the recently retired Buchanan]

BEST PROFESSIONAL ARTIST - Julie Dillon [note: still a few hours left to back her KickStarter]

BEST SEMIPROZINE - Lightspeed Magazine edited by John Joseph Adams, Rich Horton, and Stefan Rudnicki

BEST FANZINE - A Dribble of Ink edited by Aidan Moher

BEST FANCAST - SF Signal Podcast, Patrick Hester

BEST FAN WRITER - Kameron Hurley

BEST FAN ARTIST - Sarah Webb

JOHN W. CAMPBELL AWARD FOR BEST NEW WRITER - Sofia Samatar

As behind as I am, I see quite a few winners haven't yet updated their websites with the news. Somehow that makes me feel better about the world.

Ballot Statistics for each place in each category, and with a list of nominating votes that extends beyond the ones on the ballot.

Some thoughts on that link:

 - Ancillary Justice didn't just win - it freaking destroyed the competition. Remember this next time someone declares a subgenre dead, claims women don't write science fiction, or dismisses the idea of a significant fan base existing for stories not staring white dudes. This novel has been racking up the awards, and I couldn't be happier.

 - Fandom voted No Award over Beale's story. Enough said.

 - Shining Girls only just missed being on the novel ballot. Holy shit. Actually, only one of the novels I nominated didn't make the list included in the report. But this one was 2 votes short of the final ballot!

Groucho Marx on Reading

So apparently J.K. Rowling posted a short story on July 8 and I was unaware of it! I should have known especially since I have a Pottermore account and I did everything to gain early access when the contest was available (which I won). Here is the short story for those who haven't read it. Proceed with extreme caution. Your hatred for Rita Skeeter will increase as your read the story. Ughhhh... She really knows how to press my buttons and she's only a character..

Dumbledore’s Army Reunites at Quidditch World Cup Final

By the Daily Prophet’s Gossip Correspondent, Rita Skeeter

There are celebrities – and then there are celebrities. We’ve seen many a famous face from the wizarding world grace the stands here in the Patagonian Desert – Ministers and Presidents, Celestina Warbeck, controversial American wizarding band The Bent-Winged Snitches – all have caused flurries of excitement, with crowd members scrambling for autographs and even casting Bridging Charms to reach the VIP boxes over the heads of the crowd.

But when word swept the campsite and stadium that a certain gang of infamous wizards (no longer the fresh-faced teenagers they were in their heyday, but nevertheless recognisable) had arrived for the final, excitement was beyond anything yet seen. As the crowd stampeded, tents were flattened and small children mown down. Fans from all corners of the globe stormed towards the area where members of Dumbledore’s Army were rumoured to have been sighted, desperate above all else for a glimpse of the man they still call the Chosen One.

The Potter family and the rest of Dumbledore’s Army have been given accommodation in the VIP section of the campsite, which is protected by heavy charms and patrolled by Security Warlocks. Their presence has ensured large crowds along the cordoned area, all hoping for a glimpse of their heroes. At 3pm today they got their wish when, to the accompaniment of loud screams, Potter took his young sons James and Albus to visit the players’ compound, where he introduced them to Bulgarian Seeker Viktor Krum.

About to turn 34, there are a couple of threads of silver in the famous Auror’s black hair, but he continues to wear the distinctive round glasses that some might say are better suited to a style-deficient twelve-year-old. The famous lightning scar has company: Potter is sporting a nasty cut over his right cheekbone. Requests for information as to its provenance merely produced the usual response from the Ministry of Magic: ‘We do not comment on the top secret work of the Auror department, as we have told you no less than 514 times, Ms. Skeeter.’ So what are they hiding? Is the Chosen One embroiled in fresh mysteries that will one day explode upon us all, plunging us into a new age of terror and mayhem?

Or does his injury have a more humble origin, one that Potter is desperate to hide? Has his wife perhaps cursed him? Are cracks beginning to show in a union that the Potters are determined to promote as happy? Should we read anything into the fact that his wife Ginevra has been perfectly happy to leave her husband and children behind in London whilst reporting on this tournament? The jury is out on whether she really had the talent or experience to be sent to the Quidditch World Cup (jury’s back in – no!!!) but let’s face it, when your last name is Potter, doors open, international sporting bodies bow and scrape, and Daily Prophet editors hand you plum assignments.

FOR THE COMPLETE STORY go to Pottermore.com and go to The Daily Prophet from July 8

Thanks to Netgalley, I have the other three books in the Spook Squad to review and read as well. I feel so lucky. I can't wait to see how the characters grow the world filled with these unhumans expands, and if there is any romance to fall the main character's way. I'm not sure how I feel about the whiter covers that show more genetics and science, as to the darker ones that seem more as if the main character is guarding the city.  Maybe as I read the series I'll see why the changes are probably more appealing to the book series.

Happy #Caturday everyone. #Caturday and #DoctorWho premiere, coincidence....I think not. For everyones viewing pleasure tonight. Sweet dreams when you click the TV off and open your book to start the journey to your dreams. 

Sorry that I've been a little absent from this site. Now that I'm out from feeling under the weather, I'll return e-mails and comments as fast as I can. Thank you for your patience in the mean time.

JOIN. PICK. REVIEW. We are giving away an unlimited number of Warren Adler's bestselling eBook titles that are slated to be made into movies in 2015 and 2016. To receive your copy simply comment below with the title(s) you'd like to receive. Available titles are listed in the poster.

Rules:
*All Participants must provide an accurate E-mail Address for contact purposes and to receive eBooks.
*More than one title may be chosen.
*All Reviews may be sent to Customerservice@warrenadler.com and we also encourage you to place reviews on Amazon.

LET THE BOOK REVIEW BONANZA BEGIN!

NerdyNatasha -

This might hurt my chances.... but would really like to see others get an opportunity at winning a book from Warren Adler. Who didn't love The War of the Roses? Maybe this will improve my chances who knows.....? Wish me luck. It would make a great birthday gift!

So I  was über excited to receive a few other books within the Kevin J. Anderson series Dan Shambles, Zombie PI. I have been a fan of Kevin's other works including his work with Dune. So since I have books further ahead in the series that are,ARC and review gained by Netgalley I thought I would get a head start. It just seems lately that I keep get pulled back into the paranormal genre. I'm not complaining. I just think that it's funnyy how eclectic my reading choices range from. Probably by the end of the month I'll be returning to classics, Angie Fox's demon slayer series, and my signed, gifted, book from a friend by Christopher Moore The Serpent of Venice.......not to mention the work I need to return to for Danielle Paige and Dorothy Must Die.

And then the though part. To write all my reviews. Make all my posts. Update all my sites. Respond to all the discussions. Contact and follow through with the authors and publishers. And keep Amity away from blocking my Kindle. Oh yea and make some new tee combinations. The life of a professional book reader is though. Now let me fluff my pillow and get to work with a snoring cat sleeping right by my head sharing the pillow as usual.

She's emo? You'd cut too, if you've been through what she has.
She's anorexic? You'd be too, if everyone called you fat everyday.
She's a whore? She made one mistake that cost her, her reputation.
She's a show off? Her parents abuse her, & she's never heard a praise.
She's loud? She's invisible at home, & she wants to be heard.
She's quiet? She's afraid to speak, because she's afraid to get made fun of.
She's fat? She eats, because she misses her dead brother.
She's a geek? She wants to get into college, so she can support her poverty ridden family.
She's ugly? Tell me, what is the definition of beauty. Who are you to judge them? You know their name, not their story.
REPOST if you're against Bullying. I bet 99% of you won't
-Reposted

I don't know how I missed this, since the person behind it, Ashley with Creative Whim, is my blog host for my main blog. But I'm wondering if any of my booklikes peeps have heard anything about this proposed new site.

Ashley is also the designer of the Ultimate Book Blogger (UBB) plug-in, which is beloved of wordpress book bloggers. She has her own book blog, and is well-connected with the book blogger community. I can also personally attest that she is extremely responsive to questions - every time I have put in a service ticket, my question has been answered or issue resolved within hours.

Her kickstarter page is here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1537387347/litrate-an-online-community-for-book-lovers?ref=card

I still haven't really connected with leafmarks. I remain bound to Goodreads by one group, the challenge function (which is far superior to the booklikes challenge) and their book database.

NerdyNatasha - Sweet! Another book social community. I'm looking forward to seeing what this site has to offer. Plus I have my blog launching soon, so I'll have a chance to meet and befriend more of my kind. 

As far as landmarks, librarything, and shelfari, I Always keep falling behind on my posts and updates. So much reading and writing.....sometimes you have to limit yourself to those that are worthwhile. I guess I'm still learning.

Books and cake?

I'm in heaven.

NerdyNatasha - suddenly I want cake to finish this book. I could have my cake and eat it too.

"And don't worry,  they come if like succubae, but deep down they're just little Disney Princesses at heart." - K.M. Randall

 

 

All the fairy tale characters that travel the mountain become tainted by chaos, perhaps not even a familiar version of themselves. Adam, the good guy, always tried playing hero, He was able to save two princesses at once without even breaking a sweat during the save. It made me wonder what these converted from Disney princesses would look like.

 

 

 

Well tattoos aren't what corrupted the minds of these princesses....they look amazing.

 

 

 

Now these princesses look look a little fractured.

 

 

As the book said, dreams can be nightmares and nightmares can be dreams. This picture, is the most befitting for Adam's experience with Snow White & Sleeping Beauty. The imagery of the Disney picture for the princesses was perfect to remind the reader that this is a true fantasy read, filled with dreams and nightmares. It simply comes down to whose realization it comes from an if trickery magic was used.