Author: Kathy Harriott

My husband, Mike, and I moved from NJ to Southwest Florida in September 2006. I currently work for the local county Facilities Dept. and fill my free time with crafts, reading and my experiments in the kitchen.

Some of my favorite Young Adult Dystopian novels

I have to admit that I’ve been reading a lot of YA (young adult) dystopian novels.  Dystopian fiction, or apocalyptic literature, depicts a horrible or degraded society characterized by a focus on mass poverty, squalor, suffering, or oppression. In these novels the main characters are often faced with terrible danger. To me, they are a refreshing change from young adult books about sparkling vampires and rich, spoiled teens.

The young adult dystopian novels that I have found most compelling are the ones that I could actually see occurring. Some of my favorite novels and series, in no particular order, are:

1. The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins – In a post war future, citizens are separated into different districts based on the type of industry that they specialize in.  To control the citizens after a rebellion, the government gather one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen from each district each year, to take part in The Hunger Games, where they have to fight to the death until only one participant, or tribute, remains.  This violent, yet compelling story, follows what happens to the heroine, Katniss Everdeen.

2. Gone by Michael Grant – In this six book series, all persons 15 and over in Perdido Beach disappear.  They are gone and the town and surrounding area is encased in a giant bubble. Some of the children left behind develop “super” powers.  The protagonist, Sam Temple, is set up as the leader of the children.  During the series, the children must deal with hunger, disease, bad guys and an evil entity called the Gaiaphage. This series caught my attention and kept me involved right up to the end.  It does have a lot of violence and there is a hint of teen sex, which is not graphic.

3. Starters by Lissa Price – This two book series tells the story of Callie and her brother Tyler. They are “starters” or young people whose parents both died in the Spore Wars. With no grandparents to take them in, they are considered “unwanted”. In order to obtain money to take care of her sick brother, Callie signs on as a “body donor” with Prime Destinations.  This company allows the older generation, or Enders, to rent out the bodies of the Starters for some fun by using a chip implanted in the Starters brain.  The owner of Prime Destinations has a sinister plan and Callie must figure out what that plan is before it is too late.  The story continues in the follow up book Enders.

4. Divergent by Veronica Roth – Currently being made into a movie, Divergent tells the story of a future society where the public is separated into groups or “factions” based a particular virtue.  At the age of 16, teens are allowed to select the “faction” they would like to belong to, the one they grew up in or a different one. The main character Beatrice, or Tris, has a secret to hide which can be deadly. In Divergent and the two follow up books of the series, Insurgent and Allegiant, the war between the factions heats up and comes to an unpredictable conclusion.

These are just some of the YA dystopian books out there. While not great literature, they are generally a good read.

Thanks for reading.

 

Most memorable books I read in 2013

I have read some excellent books in 2013. Some I have reviewed here on my blog. Others I have just recommended to people in person. As I make my list of the best I’ve read in 2013, I have to point out that they were not necessarily released in 2013 but were read by me this past year. Some were bits of fluff and some were serious books. All had a way of touching either my heart, soul, or brain in some way. I hope that you all will take the time to read some or all of these books and then share, in the comments section, the books that made your Best of 2013 list.

I branched out and read genres that I don’t normally read. I have never been a fan of non-fiction but this year I read several excellent non-fiction books. Here are the four that stand out:

  • Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness by Susannah Cahalan – The author was working as a reporter when she started to show signs of psychosis. After waking up in a strange hospital bed having no memory of her month of madness. She pieces together what happened to her when her immune system attacked her brain and caused her to swing back and forth between violence and catatonia. A scary and fascinating story.
  • The Reason I Jump by Naoki Higashida – This book gives great insights into the autistic mind. As a person with multiple family members “on the spectrum, this book was inspiring and extremely moving. If you ever wondered why an autistic person acts the way they do, this book, written by a 13-year-old autistic boy, will give you insight and useful tips for dealing better with those around you who are on the spectrum.
  • Rediscovering Catholicism by Matthew Kelly – As a struggling Catholic in a world that revels in bashing Catholics, this book has been a great handbook for getting excited about my religion again.
  • Karma Gone Bad: How I learned to love mangos, Bollywood, and water buffalos by Jenny Feldon – I am not a fan of self indulgent, whiny autobiographical books like Eat, Pray, Love (probably one of my least favorite books) and it’s “poor me”-isms. Karma Gone Bad is not that kind of book. I have reviewed this book in a previous blog (read it here). I really enjoyed this book and have recommended it highly.

I was all over the place with my fiction reading this year. From murder mysteries to juvenile fiction, there was nothing out of bounds. Here are the ones I found most memorable:

  • Wonder by R.J. Palacio – Yes, I am starting with a juvenile fiction book. I can’t help it. I loved this book. Working in a library certainly does open me up to books that I normally wouldn’t read. Wonder by R. J. Palacio was one of those books. It has been a long time since a juvenile fiction book has mesmerized me in such a way that I feel compelled to tell people to read it. The last book to do this was “Where the Red Fern Grows” by Wilson Rawls. Wonder is the story of 10-year-old Auggie, who was born with severe facial disformities. His parents decide, after years of homeschooling, that Auggie should go to school. Auggie is both excited and afraid. We then have the pleasure of following Auggie and his classmates through his first year at school. I could NOT put this book down and lost several hours of sleep reading it. Sad and triumphant, this book is…a WONDER.
  • Inferno by Dan Brown – I loved all of Dan Brown’s previous books. Inferno made the list this year because I was so excited when I heard that it was going to be released and it was such a disappointing book. Mr. Brown is either loosing his touch or trying to pull a “Patterson” by riding on the coattails of his previous EXCELLENT books. The puzzles and symbolism that made his previous books so great were sorely lacking in this installment. I actually wanted to get my money back on this one.
  • The Walk by Richard Paul Evans – Let me start this by saying I hate sappy books. I have always put Mr. Evans’ book in the Sappy Crap category. At one point during the Summer, I was without a good book to read and The Walk was a Kindle Deal. I went for it. The main character, Alan Christoffersen, decides, after a series of personal and professional set backs, to walk from Seattle, WA to Key West, FL. It, of course, has a “cliff hanger” ending which made me read the next book in the series (Miles to Go), the third (Road to Grace), and the fourth (A Step of Faith). I currently am hanging there waiting to read the fifth and hopefully last of the series (Walking on Water) which is scheduled to release in June 2014. While they are not great literature, they were pleasant books that kept me involved and interested enough to want to read the next book.
  • Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn – I waited until the hype died and broke down and read this book. What stands out about this book is the fact that there is not one likable character. Even in the most horrible stories you can normally pick one sympathetic person that you can identify with. In the end, I wished that they had all killed each other.
  • Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman – I have always been a fan of myths. Each culture has it’s own myths, from the Native American’s to the deepest jungles of Africa. Mr. Gaiman has a magical way of telling updated stories of these myths. Anansi Boys tells the story of two brothers, Fat Charlie and Spider. They meet after their father Mr. Nancy, dies. In typical myth fashion, Spider takes over Fat Charlies life – from his job to his girlfriend – and the two get discover and get tangled in a coworkers embezzlement scheme and a mythic struggle between good and evil.
  • Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter – A struggling inn on the Italian coast is visited by a beautiful young actress, who is there to rest because she is “dying”. Pasquale, the innkeeper, falls in love with the actress, Dee Moray. She, unfortunately, is involved with the famous husband of a famous actress in the movie in which she is an extra. A thoroughly entertaining book which the characters interact with two Hollywood legends.
  • Divergent, Insurgent, and Allegiant by Veronica Roth – I know, I know…not another YA (young adult) dystopia (noun. An imaginary place or state in which the condition of life is extremely bad, as from deprivation, oppression, or terror) triliogy. This trilogy follows the story of Beatrice Prior from her Choosing Day ceremony in which she chooses which of the five personality based factions she joins. She can choose the faction she was born into (Abnegation) or one of the other four (Amity, Candor, Dauntless, or Erudite). I enjoyed the first two books so much that I actually pre-ordered the third book. Divergent has been made into a move which comes out in March 2014.
  • When Mockingbirds Sing by Billy Coffey – Nine-year-old Leah’s invisible friend starts telling her to paint pictures that predict things that are to happen. From the winning lottery numbers to a storm that will change the lives of those in her new town. Is her invisible friend God or something sinister? This question is asked by those around her.
  • While We Were Watching Downton Abbey by Wendy Wax – The story of the residents of the swanky Alexander apartment building forge a bond while watching the weekly episode of Downton Abbey. Not my normal type of book but I was missing Downton Abbey. While I wouldn’t give it high marks for literature, it was a pleasant book and will kind of give you a Downton Abbey fix.
  • The Fault In Our Stars by John Green – There are some young adult authors who are NOT writing clique novels about rich guys and girls who have everything they want and still want more. John Green writes books about realistic teenagers and their lives. My favorite of his books is The Fault In Our Stars, the story of Hazel and Augustus, who meet in a Cancer Kids support group. Moving and well written, I advise you to keep the tissues handy.
  • 11/22/63 by Stephen King – I decided to read King’s fantasy about time travel and the Kennedy assassination when everyone was talking about the 50th anniversary of the assassination. What would happen if you could go back and stop the assassination? You might be surprised at King’s take on the idea. Great read.

That’s all I can think of now. If I think of any additional books I forgot, I will add in the comments.

Please share your favorites of 2013.

Thanks for reading.

 

Epcot Food & Wine Festival Day1

After arriving at Port Orleans Rverside around 9am, Mike and I headed to Downtown Disney to await a text message saying our room was ready. After a leisurely stroll and some fun shopping, we headed back to the resort to check in our room around 1:30pm.

At 4pm we decided it was time to head to Epcot. First I have to say – WOW are there a lot of people here. If you don’t like crowds, don’t bother to come for the food and wine festival.
Our first food stop was Hawaii for Kalua Pork Sliders with Sweet and Sour Dole Pineapple Cutney and Spicy Mayonaise. This was a tasty little morsel that proved that Mike CAN eat mayo and not have it kill him. We shared a Kona Brewing Company’s Big Wave Golden Ale, which I enjoyed a lot but Mike said was “okay”.
Next we tried Dole Pineapple Fritter, which were so good I forgot to get a picture of them.
Our first “must try” spot was Canada for some Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup. I wanted to get a vat of this delicious soup. With the soup I tried some La Face Neige Apple Ice Wine. This was a very strong and delicious wine reminiscent of hard apple cider.
Since the foods we tried were just little bites, I was feeling hungry and knew what I was going to have when I saw “Fish n Chips” in England. This was the second best fish n chips I ever had. (The best was Sullivan’s Gaslight Inn in Franklin, NJ.) I even tried it with malt vinegar. YUM!!!
We continued through the countries and shops and, in America decided FUNNEL CAKE!  Even better…pumpkin spice funnel cake.
It was the best funnel cake I ever ate.  This is what did us in. After our funnel cakes, we were full. No mas food in ze belly por favor.
We road the Three Caballeros boat ride and hobbled back to the resort with our eating plan ready for tomorrow. Watch out Poland…you have some Keilbasa & Potato Pierogis with MY NAME on them.

Looking forward to visiting the Epcot Food and Wine Festival

My wonderful hubby, Mike, and I are finally heading to the Epcot Food and Wine Festival next week.  All week I have been checking out the menus and pictures of the food that they are serving this year.

Check out the website here: Epcot Food and Wine Festival

Stay tuned for blogs from the festival.  You may want to cover your keyboard with a towel…you will be drooling.

Review: Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple

I love a book that keeps me wanting more.  The first book that I borrowed from the Charlotte County Library System’s new e-book provider 3M Cloud Library had me wishing that I could stay home and keep reading.

Where’d You  Go, Bernadette is the story of 15-year old Bee, her hilariously dysfunctional parents Bernadette and Elgie, and the events that lead up to the disappearance of  Bernadette. Dad works at Microsoft while mom stays home and finds ways to annoy her neighbor, Audrey Griffin.

When Bee brings home her report card with straight A’s, her parents are forced to give her “anything she wants” because they promised her they would if she got straight A’s.  What Bee wants is to go on a family trip to Antarctica. The problem is, Bernadette is a bit of a recluse. It turns out that she was a famous architect until she had a breakdown due to a neighbor tearing down the famous house that she built all from extremely local building materials.

Between the feud with her neighbor, Audrey and the rest  of the mothers at her daughter’s school and Bernadette getting scammed by the Russian mafia through the false virtual assistant, Manjula, that she hires, the story of Bernadette’s mania and the inevitable “intervention” and disappearance – this book had me not wanting to go to work, food shopping, get out of bed, because I HAD to find out what was going to happen.  I found myself chuckling one moment and sniffling back a tear the next.  It was a truly enjoyable book.

Thanks for reading.

These Poisoned Apples treats are delicious

Several months ago, I discovered an awesome “auction” website called Tophatter.  It is a fun, interactive website where you bid on items you wish to purchase.  It is actual time auctioning, unlike Ebay where you have to wait to see if you win for several hours to several days.

One day, I was on Tophatter and came across an auction for caramels from Poisoned Apples. I was lucky enough to win the auction for a pound of orange caramels. When they came, very well packaged and looking beautiful, I bit into one and have been a fan ever since.

You do not have to wait for another caramel auction. You can purchase items right from The Poisoned Apples Etsy store.  Go and check them out. You won’t be sorry.

I’m currently attending a Tophatter auction to try to get some more yummy caramels. Wish me luck!!!

Review: Something Borrowed, Someone Dead by M.C. Beaton

I received a copy of Something Borrowed, Someone Dead by M.C. Beaton from NetGalley.com in return for my honest review.

I am late to the Agatha Raisin series by M.C. Beaton.  I see them come and go at the library and always think to myself, “I should try one of these books. They seem popular.”  It took book #24, which is set to be released on September 17, to get me started.  Better late than never!

I loved this book.  The characters, including Agatha Raisin, are so quirky and fun.

Agatha is a private investigator in England.  Due to the current financial climate, business is slow in the P.I. business. That is until Agatha gets called to a nearby village to investigate the murder of Gloria French, a randy widow with a penchant for “borrowing” things.  Everyone in the small village in which the murder occurs seems to be hiding something.  With the help of her employees, her fellow private investigators, and her ex-husband James, Agatha gets to the bottom of the murder and more.

With enough twists to make a pretzel, this book kept me interested and planning to go back and read the other 23 books in order.

If you like a good British mystery or are a fan of the Agatha Raisin series, you are going to love Something Borrowed, Someone Dead.

Thanks for reading.

Title release date: September 17, 2013
Find it at Amazon, Books-A-Million, Barnes & Noble, your local independent book store, or your library .

Dessert doesn’t have to be unhealthy

My husband, Mike, and I have been TRYING to eat healthier.  Being food lovers, this is very difficult. Tonight I decided to show him that you can have a tasty dessert without ruining a healthy eating day.

Poached pears with raspberry sauce

For the poached pears

2 pears (I used bosc), pealed, cut in half and cored
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp. honey
1 cinnamon stick
3 small pieces of candied ginger

Place the pears in a small saucepan. Add the remaining ingredients.  Bring to a boil.  Once boiling, lower temperature and cover until sauce is reduced and pears are tender. Remove cinnamon stick. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

For the raspberry sauce

1 pint raspberries
1/4 water
1 tbsp. honey

Put ingredients in a small saucepan.  Bring to a boil.  When berries have started to burst, stir.  Simmer for 3 minutes. Remove from heat.  Pour into a fine strainer over a boil and remove to remove all of the seeds.  Taste. If not sweet enough, add 1/2 tbsp. honey.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Serve 2 halves of pear in a bowl with cooking juices. Drizzle with the raspberry sauce. DELISH!

I served them with a spoonful of vanilla ice cream and some fresh raspberries.

Broke down and read it – Gone Girl

Ever since the much hyped book, “Gone Girl” by Gillian Flynn came out, I have been resisting reading it. For the past year, I have heard both good and bad reviews on this book.  One day it was returned to the library and I started to skim it and decided to give in and read it.

My ridiculously short synopsis:  On their 5th wedding anniversary, Nick’s wife, Amy, disappears.  It looks like there was a violent struggle…or was there? Told from both Nick and Amy’s points of view, follow the investigation and see if you can figure out what happened.

Here are my thoughts on the book.

  1. There were so many twists in this book that I started to feel a little car sick.  Every time I thought I had figured out what actually happened, the author would throw in a new twist. I was totally prepared to hate this book but the twists had me needing to read on to find out what REALLY happened. Positive!
  2. I disliked every single character in this book.  There was not a single person that I felt sympathy for. Nick and Amy, the “happily” married couple, to Amy’s psychologist-author parents, I felt that each character deserved the horrible things that happened to them.  Not only would I not want to be related to any of these people, I wouldn’t want to live in the same town.  It was the first time I’ve ever read a book where I wasn’t rooting for anyone except for KARMA! Negative.
  3. The ending left a LOT to be desired. There was absolutely NO closure.  No one was punished – legally.  There was no satisfactory payoff at the end.  Maybe the author is planning a sequel?  All I know is I feel cheated. Negative.

I don’t want to spoil the book for those who would like to read it, so I will not give more details on the story.  I did enjoy this book and will recommend it even though I didn’t like any of the characters. The story did keep me interested, right up until the end.

Thanks for reading.