And now a few words about Mockingjay

On 09.01.10, In Book Blather, By Natalie

**NO SPOILERS, JUST A BRIEF OPINION**

Will you stone me if I say that Mockingjay was utterly underwhelming and disappointing?  Well, I’m saying it anyway.

This was one of my most highly anticipated books of the year, and I’m supremely let down by Suzanne Collins’s final installment.

'Shock and Dismay' is a more apt title...

At several junctures, I wanted to jump into the book and box Katniss around the ears for her actions, inaction, and attitude.  And don’t even get me going on Peeta and Gale.  Collins managed to alienate me from my favorite characters with their incongruous behaviors.

It took me an entire week to slog through, and it never captured me the way the first book did.  I haven’t been this let down by a sequel or series-ender in ages.

Did you read and love it?

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Happily Ever After

On 08.29.10, In Book Blather, By Natalie

While treasure hunting at some garage sales and a flea market today, I came across one of my favorite childhood books.

The book had clearly been loved, abused, and well read, as evidenced from the missing cover, torn pages, and random crayon scribblings on some pages.  I thumbed through the tattered remains, wondering what I could do to save it from a certain trip to the dumpster.  A while back, I made coasters out of old Scrabble boards but dismissed that idea because pages weren’t sturdy enough.  The seller waved off my money, and I walked away brainstorming.

Two projects I completed--Scrabble coasters and candy wrapper pen holders!

And then I had an epiphany.*

I skipped home and tore through my stationery crate for envelopes in a variety of sizes.  I unglued the envelopes and used them as templates to create envelopes with the illustrated pages that I could rescue.  Then I cut them out and glued the flaps together, save the top flap.

I plan to use these envelopes to hold invoices for client purchases in my newest venture–an Etsy shop**.  I won’t need to address them, so they will work perfectly.

I am looking forward to recycling all kinds of picture books to create envelopes that I can use in the mail and for my  shop.  For mailers, I’ll have to hunt down pictures that have some blank space where I can squeeze in a name and address.

*I felt like Max looks when I discovered that others have already laid claim on this crafty idea. Thought I was so original!

**My shop, Peppermint Natty, should be fully stocked and running by October 1st.  I plan to sell vintage, retro, and generally kitschy stuff that I love.  Nothing like a little cross promotion among friends, right?

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Mailbox-ish Mondays

On 08.23.10, In Book Blather, By Natalie

Technically, none of these books graced my mailbox, but I did pick them up this week.  A few came from the thrift store and a few from the library.  The Betty Crocker book is really interesting, but can’t say why I picked up the Dan Brown one.  I may have actually read it already–that’s how memorable it was for me–bargain books are hard to resist, I guess.  On Folly Beach was recommended by a fellow blogger, and I finally got tired of  being the only blogger on planet Earth who has never read Rebecca.

Hope your mailbox was laden with goodies this week.

Mailbox Mondays was created by Marcia at The Printed Page and is being hosted this month by Chick Loves Lit.

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My Audio Book Boyfriends

On 08.16.10, In Book Blather, By Natalie

My library has such a paltry selection of audio books that in desperation, I’ve checked out books I wouldn’t normally read.  Jonathan Kellerman and Clive Cussler pen some of these books, and after listening to John Rubinstein and Scott Brick narrate them, I’m smitten.

Meet Scott, one of my audio book boyfriends.

I’m telling you that these two narrators elevate these books–most of which are just run-of-the-mill thrillers–to new levels and leave me salivating for more.  As far back as I can remember, I loved being read to and suppose that this is just an extension of that.

But Scott Brick! His commanding voice brings on the vapors.  I find myself making excuses to run errands just to spend a few more minutes listening to him.  I take the long way home from work, and weekly rides back and forth to my sister’s house (180 miles round trip) are made impossibly short when listening to him.

Right now, I have a Clive Cussler novel on my nightstand that I can’t get into because Scott’s not reading it to me.  The man has ruined me for Cussler novels.  Scott, I love your voice!  Sing me to sleep!  Record the message on my answering machine!

I never spent much time considering audio books until a few years ago; today I can’t drive without one.  I lay in a surplus because the thought of being trapped in the car without something to listen to is intolerable.  I’ve blogged about audio books in the past and there was a recent spate of audio book posts around the blogs, but this is more of a tribute to the heroes of audio books–the narrators.

Lucky for me Scott Brick has narrated over 400 audio books so I won’t be running out of his material any time soon!

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