Review: Shutter Island November 17, 2009
It has been a very long time since I’ve finished a book with a twist as shocking as the one Dennis Lehane throws at his readers in Shutter Island. I’d like to say that I picked up clues on the twist here and there in the novel, but I assure you that there is no time to do so. You will be so wrapped up in this psychological thriller and so sympathetic to the main character, Teddy Daniels, that any possible clues will go right over your head. I’m not even positive that a twist is the correct word for this. Truthfully, I think readers begin to fool themselves right along with Teddy and the shock back to reality is so suprising that you will want to call it a twist so you don’t feel too lead astray by your own mind.
Shutter Island is set in the mid 1950’s where we find two U.S. Marshals, Teddy Daniels and Chuck Aule, who have taken an assignment at Ashcliffe Hospital located on a small island off the coast of Massachusetts. Now I don’t know about you, but any time there is a hospital located on an island it’s pretty easy to guess that it’s not a hospital for happy children and their pet unicorns. In this case it’s a hospital for the criminally insane and Teddy and Chuck have been given the lucky assignment to investigate the disappearance of one of the patients. The plot moves along very quickly and soon enough readers are wondering, along with Chuck and Teddy, how exactly a criminally insane patient disappears from their locked cell past a myriad of guards and obstacles. When we start to get hints of the hospital’s administration using the patients for radical experimental surgery, readers will know that there is an inside job to uncover. And that uncovering is not going to go smoothly.
Lehane wrote this book back in 2003 but the past few years have created additional publicity due to Martin Scorsese showing interest in making a movie with Leonardo DiCaprio. After a few setbacks, the movie is currently slated to debut in February of 2010. Here is the latest trailer for your viewing pleasure:
Brag Monday #2 September 28, 2009
It’s Brag Monday over at the Graphics Fairy again and my latest piece of work with Karen’s graphics is my blog header! It got a bit chopped up due to size restrictions for custom headers here at wordpress but I think it looks pretty spiffy! I added a lemon-lime title inside the frame which leaves it super girly but a little fall-ish too 
Here is the full size version:
Which I made out of this frame:
If you haven’t visited Karen before please do. She makes wonderful graphics available to everyone for FREE!
Nancy Drew PC-Warnings at Waverly Academy September 24, 2009
New trailer!!
I am so excited about this game. It’s so Fall! The game will be released on October 13, 2009. Just in time for Halloween
Play a mini-game here.
New Challenge-Fall Into Reading 2009 September 22, 2009
Today is the first day of the Fall Into Reading 2009 Challenge and I hope you will join me!
Just the facts ma’am
Challenge runs September 22-December 20.
Make a list of books you want to read (or finish reading) for the challenge and post about it on your blog. Feel free to alter your list as the challenge goes on. Book readers are very forgiving people.
Katrina encourages you to check out other participant’s blog posts to find more books to read (she’s an enabler).
Post an entry in December to let everyone know how the challenge went for you. This is a low-pressure challenge so make it fun! Maybe add a few reading-related goals to the challenge.
My List
Finish reading-Murder, She Wrote: Panning for Murder by Jessica Fletcher and Donald Bain.
Read-The Man Who Loved Books Too Much: The True Story of a Thief, a Detective, and a World of Literary Obsession byAllison Hoover Bartlett
Read-Murder, She Wrote: A Fatal Feast by Jessica Fletcher and Donald Bain. Being released on October 6th.
Read-Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury.
I’m keeping my challenge list small since I am participating in a few other challenges at the same time and I’m trying not to overlap books too much. Remember, this is a low pressure challenge! It would be great to read more and I will definitely add books if I can, but this list is my bottom line. In addition, I have two goals for this challenge: 1. Visit my local library three times over the duration. 2. Write two book-related blog posts per week.
Let me know if you decide to join in and I hope you will! Fall is the best time of the year for hot toddies, cozy chairs, and good books.
How do you know it’s time for Fall? September 21, 2009
-I start crafting.
The birthday card I made for my Dad this weekend:
-I start reading mysteries with fall or holiday themes.
-I want to be surrounded by pumpkins and apples.
I picked these up at Publix after work today. Aren’t they cute?!
-I bake.
Chocolate cupcakes filled with nutella and topped with almond buttercream and coconut to be exact. No, I did not save you one.
-I get obsessed with nailpolish.
My current fave, Dior Rouge Dahlia (Sephora exclusive):
-I start wearing long sleeve t-shirts even though Atlanta won’t see Fall until December.
How do you know it’s Fall?
Hang ‘im from the yardarm September 11, 2009
Yar, in case you landlubbers didn’t know it September 19th be Talk Like a Pirate Day. Gofita is roundin’ up ‘er crew to participate in ‘er weeklong Pirate Challenge runnin’ September th-aaaarrr-teenth to September 19th. Plus she be givin’ away a grand booty of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Pirates.
This fun challenge is meant to enc-arrrrr-age ye sprogs to read or watch anything related to pirates.
If ye don’t be participatin’ then I’ll be placin’ the black spot on ye and ye will soon find yeself in Davy Jones’ locker. So don’t be a son of a biscuit eater and miss out.
R.eaders I.mbibing P.eril…IV August 31, 2009
Just in time to catch my Fall mood, Carl at Stainless Steel Droppings is beginning his FOURTH year of R.eaders I.mbibing P.eril book challenge. Can I please just tell you how excited I was to read about this challenge over at Stephanie’s blog?! I hit the ground running with Stephanie’s Everything Austen challenge but I’ve been out of it for a few weeks now. What can I say, along with my Fall mood comes a desire to read mystery and horror! Fortunately, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies fits right in.
Carl’s challenge revolves around anything pertaining to mystery, suspense, thriller, dark fantasy, gothic, horror, and the supernatural and he only has two rules: 1. Have fun reading 2. Share that fun with others.
Now those are some rules I can work with! Officially the challenge starts tomorrow on September 1st and runs through October 31st, but Carl is inviting everyone to start right away and I think I will follow his instructions. We have a gloomy, rainy, and grey day today in Atlanta and it’s just perfect for a hot beverage and a scary book after work. Carl has four options for this challenge, the biggest being four books in any genre of scary. Please check out his blog entry for more information plus some great writing! I am definitely going to take on the full challenge of four scaaary books. I won’t even pretend to have a list ready for this challenge but I will be starting this evening, possibly after a trip to the bookstore or library!
I can’t wait to get to know some of my fellow challengers and read the wonderful book reviews that will surely come along with it.
Nail of the Day-Essie Rock the Croc August 27, 2009
Rock the Croc is a gorgeous deep red wine color from Essie’s Fall 2006 collection. It’s much more glossy and deep in real life and doesn’t throw as much bright red as this picture would lead you to believe, though it can depending on how many coats you use. It’s one of my favorite polishes and perfect for this fall mood that I’m in! You can still find it at Transdesign and head2toebeauty which are two of my favorite places to buy polish at (mostly) discounted prices. They are also great for finding the newest polishes the minute they come out, or a little before!
