I'm Twelve

My child is far more mature than I am:

ParaNorman is on Netflix and I'm uber excited to watch it, but she's all, "Nah, let's check out Top Model."

I want to get cute tutu skirts to twirl in, but she's checking out the bootie shorts section.

She just asked when she can get her first phone. Hello - what happened to walkie talkies? Tin cans and string?

Also, she has decided that at fourteen she's gonna "get herself a boyfriend." Mama expired upon hearing that news; send chocolate in lieu of flowers.

I begged her to watch the newest episode of Gravity Falls because I wanted to find out what was going to happen.

Also, Good Luck Charlie is my favorite show on TV. I can't pass up a sitcom with the phrase "Has anyone seen my left shoe?" in the theme song. "There it is, up on the roof!"

There were rumblings of getting rid of the Barbies for a while, but that seems to have blown over. Whew! Dodged a bullet there! However, the not-so-good news is the Barbies are re-enacting Top Model.

All-day marathon of Avatar, the Last Airbender? I'm so in, with iced coffee and smores. But no.



I do see some hopeful signs:

When I offer to give helicopter rides - the kind where you pick up a kid with one arm, one leg, and spin them like mad - she still goes for it.

image courtesy of lindalu.typepad.com

She and her friends still enjoy making mud.

Stuffed animals are the most important thing in the entire world, so there's that.

She thinks it's funny to whack my butt cheeks and make a crashing cymbal sound. Mama's Junk Orchestra, y'all.


Yes, I'm twelve.

Threads, by Erin Latimer

Threads is a compelling, fun read, perfect for the beach or poolside. It is light as whipped cream or champagne bubbles, and just as delightful.

Alice is a 20-something whose boyfriend has just broken up with her. She lives with her parents and is shy; she also considers herself as a mousy, plain girl. When she gets a letter stating she has inherited Threads, she goes to visit it.

The store seems to be a boring shop that sells vacuums, until (SPOLER ALERT)
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...Alice discovers  the Threads in the title are actually threads of magic she can manipulate, and the store sells magical items. Not vacuums. Yay! 

She and her staff, an elder witch, a tiger, and an elf, work in the shop (which moves to different cities depending on its whims.) I'm not usually an Elf type of person, but Latimer makes Demetri and the other characters very real. Their conversations and interactions are delightfully effortless. I adored Shakra, the tiger, as well as the friendship between Alice and the Azura, the older witch who teaches the girl magic and how to run the store.

Image courtesy of colourbox.com

The first section sets the scene, and enter two very different, enticing men: Alexie Ambrose, the popstar of the magic world, and Altair, a thief. Both are dangerous and exciting, and their interactions bring a round of adventures, complete with pretty clothes, limos, and more champagne.

I do see the Kindle version, at least, is immature in its formats. Formatting an ebook is an art unto itself, and the paragraph indents double up throughout the book. (I agree in advance I'm being uber-picky, but it is distracting.)

However, for 99 cents - NINETY NINE CENTS!!!! - this is a great choice. Latimer's characterization overcomes the format issues (as well as a need for another edit) and make this a wonderful book for the summer, if you like magic and adventure, plus a bit of romance. 


What I liked:

Demetri (not usually an elf gal, as I said, but he is well done.)

Alice herself - great main character.

The cover - Gorgeous.

Alice's friendships - I'm always up for a book that showcases female friendships. Alas, they are hard to find!

Altair - The thief is wickedly handsome, and the sparks between him and Alice fly.

The price - Again, 99 cents! For a week's entertainment! Unheard of.

The world - Latimer's creation is real. I can picture the shop and the characters.


The length - Chapters and chapters of magical reading.

Readability - Is that a word? In any case, Threads has that "elusive compulsive factor" I'm always on about. Latimer's style is effortless and breezy, and her chapter endings kept me reading far past my bedtime.


What I didn't like:

All the "A" names. I got a bit confused between Alexie, Altair, and Azura.

The formatting - A simple redo of the indent tabs would really improve the reading experience.

The main storyline - Latimer deftly creates her own living, breathing world, but the plot gets a bit lost in the result. However, it's not a huge deal, since there is excitement throughout. Things certainly pick up in the second half of the book, but I felt as though the author had to shuttle the characters to Altair's mansion to really get things going. (As an author, I sympathize. Moving characters around is exhausting.) 

I must add here: I was never bored, and I give this book a solid four stars for pure delightful fun and value.

Summer Reading

What's on my summer reading list:

Threads - Almost finished with this lovely, fun, light read from Erin Latimer. Expect a review soon. 

The Memory Keeper's Daughter - Actually, I just finished this one last night. I'll be writing a review for this book as well.

Shift - In the middle of the self-published Hugh Howey book. It's very compelling, although not quite as neatly done as Wool.

The Hope Store - I'm beta reading for the fabulous Dwight Okita, pictured above. Is that a face???!!! I just turn into my Great-Aunt Ada when I see him and want to pinch his cheeks!

Well,  the cover's beautiful.

A Discovery of Witches - I'm going to give it another try. Perhaps it will grab me this time round.

The Brothers Karamazov - I really need to read this. I never have, and it's time.

Poetry - I must feed my new poetry addiction. Not quite certain what I'm going to read yet; used to have a big collection inherited from my mom's English professor days. Would like something like that.

The Fault in Our Stars - I read the sample on Amazon, and it looks fantastic.

Black Numbers - I'm rereading this one. When it's done, I can then read Blood Numbers, the second Aleph Null book. Be warned - these are NOT for the faint of heart or readers under 21! However, the concepts, world-building, and the author's depth of feeling for his characters make these books wonderful.

...and just maybe all three Fringe books too. I can't get enough of Walter Bishop.