Someone Else’s Love Story by Joshilyn Jackson

Ms. Jackson is a local author and one I have not previously read. I really was super stoked to join this tour and honestly could not wait to start reading this. But then the end of my reading world happened and I haven’t finished a single book this month. Including this one. So now I begin my groveling and hoping that y’all will still love me. I do fully intend to read this, but it might not happen until January when I host my Southern Literature Month. I can only hope I’ve found my reading mojo again by that time.

That being said, Jackson’s newest novel is getting so much love! The reviews have really been superb. I’ll link a couple here:

S. Krishna’s Books

Write Meg!

What I’ve been gathering is that Someone Else’s Love Story really reads differently than the cliched, overdone romance plot. The novel also apparently has quite the emotional punch. I follow Joshilyn Jackson on Twitter and love her! Read a recent interview she did for Powell’s here.

Also, if you live in the Atlanta area she’ll be spending Small Business Saturday selling books and greeting customers over at Eagle Eye Bookshop in Decatur. I’ll most definitely be stopping by.

***********************************************

Thanks to TLC Book Tours and the publisher for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review (which will definitely happen soonish!). Stop by TLC’s site for all of the tour stops.

About the Author:

Joshilyn Jackson is the New York Times bestselling author of six novels, including gods in Alabama and A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty. Her books have been translated into a dozen languages. A former actor, Jackson is also an award-winning audiobook narrator. She lives in Decatur, Georgia, with her husband and their two children.

Advertisement

The Walking Dead: Dead Weight

I’m alive. I’m still just not reading much of anything. So onwards we ho with The Walking Dead recaps.

You guys, DM has a killer golf swing, no?

The second (and final) Governor-centric episode aired last night and TG has made his rise back to crazy town. This time around he has a tank. A TANK. Team Prison can’t defend themselves against a tank. Their only sensible option is to flee.

Sometimes I look at Brian/Philip/TG and think he’s not entirely wrong in his leadership. The man is sort of the ultimate survivor regardless of how ugly that looks. His pitfall, though, is that he acts a little too quickly. Like, if he would just sit down over a cup of coffee and mull over the situation instead of heading off all hot-headed to the prison with a gun perhaps things could end better for everyone? Hell, Rick might have even enjoyed being under another leader as long as the man had morals. Ah, morals. Where have you gone since the world turned? Is TG moral?

What I really liked this episode was how all these other human groups seem so unorganized and weak. Team Prison is BAD ASS. I miss them so much. I think they might be one of the few groups who have been with each other long enough to truly have evolved into a family unit. That makes them so incredibly strong. After all, you can’t do this world alone. Season Three was all about that shit.

RIP Martinez and Pete. I sort of liked Martinez. Pete could have been a nice addition to an already attractive male cast (pardon my shallow).

Finally we’ve found some gay people in the apocalypse! That makes me super happy because when they initially cast these two girls I was thinking they might try and make them love interests for our male leads. Forty-somethings with twenty-somethings is just not my cup of tea, even though I know love in the zombie apocalypse can be complicated.

I think Hershel’s in trouble, y’all. And Michonne. Also, Rick. Rick standing down a tank on his own mouthing off has me worried. I think I have a general idea of what happens, but maybe I don’t. Maybe something is going to surprise the hell out of me next week and slay me. OH GOD. I’m going to be nursing a bottle of bourbon during the mid-season next Sunday night.

WHERE IS JUDITH????

The Walking Dead: Live Bait

Hello, Governor! Welcome back. It seems that you’ve been on a long, harrowing journey that reminded me of Forrest Gump’s cross country run. When you crawled out of that tiny little tent at the beginning of episode 6, I might have giggled a little bit. Overall, I enjoyed your emo opening montage.

Unlike many others, I was well aware that ‘Live Bait’ was a David Morrissey-centric episode and that we wouldn’t be spending anytime with the prison camp. I was a bit sadface at first, but quickly got wrapped up in the story and got over myself.

I think him finding a new family is genuinely creepy and humanizing all at the same time. There were times when I was yelling at Lily & Co. to get the hell out of there and others when I was glad they had someone to protect them. I also found the chess scene with new!Penny really endearing. I kept having to remind myself that he had somewhat recently slaughtered a bunch of innocent people.

The spaghettios were awesome. Spaghetti Tuesdays, indeed. Cheeky writers.

Lily hooking up with ‘Brian’ was understandable, but one of those moments I was yelling at the tv in utter disgust. Not that DM isn’t attractive (he totally is), but the last girl he slept with he fed to a zombie.

The final scene with the pit was great. Loved all the grotesque zombie kills and the gore, I think, wasn’t gratuitous. Watching TG kill those walkers with his bare hands in such a fashion helps remind us of his own brutality and the limits he’ll probably go through to keep new!Penny safe. Rick and the prison had better not get in the way of that. Bad things that involve tanks are likely to happen.

So, yay for TG’s return! Next week’s episode looks to be a little more action-packed but still centering on TG and the return of Martinez. It will be interesting to see how that dynamic works out. TG is a master charmer and manipulator extraordinaire.

State of Reading Address 2013

I’m not reading. I have no desire or drive to read right now whatsoever. When books glare me in the face I just stick my tongue out at them in childish revenge. My first epic reading slump of 2013 waited until November to rear its ugly head. I’m not sure when it’s going to let go.

I’m currently ‘reading’ three different books. I got halfway into Night Film and couldn’t bring myself to read any more. Then I picked up The Slynx and read two chapters this weekend before realizing my next book club discussion is in just a few days. So I picked up The Song of Achilles (our November pick) and have managed 30-40 pages this week. All three of these books were mostly entertaining in their own way, but the act of reading just isn’t doing it for me right now.

I’d like to blame being busy, traveling for work, or illness. But no. My brain is just not in a literary headspace. Instead, I’ve watched The Walking Dead from the beginning season 2 separate times. And some episodes 3-4 times. I love everything about it, even the flaws.

Confession time: I have actually been reading. When I get super obsessed with a television show (which rarely happens these days), I automatically want to READ about the show since, you know, I like to consider myself a reader. So fanfiction has entered the picture. In a very big way. Almost in a way where I’m so disgusted at how poorly it’s written that I’ve considered writing some myself (I’m a bit cocky). I have a fanfiction past so none of this is surprising. My first forays into the fandom universe occurred during the late nineties during my X-Files days. Mulder and Scully will always be my OTP.

What’s really interesting (to me, not to y’all) is that I ship no one on The Walking Dead. NO ONE. Not even Maggie and Glenn who are in a relationship. As much as I love the characters on the show, I just don’t feel any sexual chemistry between them. So…if I write something I’ll be creating an OC for Daryl (shut up, Norman Reedus pushes all my buttons) and maybe Rick as well. You know, come to think of it, I could totally ship Rick and Daryl…

This is what my days have come to. I go home and watch more episodes, read fanfiction, scour youtube for TWD videos, and then cry myself to sleep. And since I’ve developed this new obsession, I’ve also revisited an old obsession – The Boondock Saints. Have I mentioned Norman Reedus yet? He’s one of the people on my list of freebies (you know what I’m talking about). Jimmy just shakes his head at me, but I suspect he secretly has Norman on his list as well because of the motorcycle thing.

Are y’all still reading? I figure I lost everyone normal a long time ago. I do miss my reading mojo and hope it comes back soon. For those of you who don’t watch TWD, I highly suggest you start. It has its problems every now and again, but the characters and thematic explorations are some of the best on television. I mean, this show gets the highest ratings in the most important demographic week after week. One article I read had to go back like 10 years to find a show that rated higher (American Idol in an early season, I believe). I dig it.

P.S. Y’all totally want to know my other four, right? Daniel Craig, Henry Cavill, Adam Levine, and Jennifer Lawrence (shut up, you know you would too).

The Walking Dead: “Internment”

There are SPOILERS. Beware.

I’m back! The Governor’s back!

Best episode of the season thus far. Scott Wilson is one bad ass motherfucker. I’m so proud that he grew up in my hometown!! I hope the Emmys notice his performance. I’m slightly worried about his longevity this season, though.

I thought Glenn was a gonner for sure. Maggie is awesome. Sasha has really grown on me. Lizzie is still super creepy.

Rick and Carl were an amazing pair tonight! I loved their scenes.

I’m glad Maggie sided with Rick on the whole Carol issue. Also super happy that Rick told the truth about his banishing her. I only wish he’d told Daryl and Tyreese in this episode so we could see their reactions. Shit is going to hit the fan.

But let’s talk about Philip/The Governor for a moment, shall we? This could be a great, exciting few episodes or a really boring season 3 rehash. I hope whatever The Governor has in store feels fresh and genuinely scary. Whatever it is, I think the prison plotline is DONE. Time to hit the road. I think the next couple of episodes center around The Governor outside of the present story – either back history or what he’s been up to/planning. I’m fairly certain the shenanigans will go down in episode 8 which is the mid-season finale. I am getting nervous as hell.

Bienvenidos, Noviembre!

Hola, amigos! How’s tricks?

Halloween has come and gone quicker than I can wrap my  mind around at this point. The holiday season is now in full throttle, and I suspect all things Christmas are about to really get annoying. Money is also about to fly out of my bank account.

My TBR for November is filled with mostly obligatory readers. I’m currently reading Night Film which is 100% by choice (and hype) and enjoying. Here’s what’s on tap the rest of the month:

Not sure how much posting/visiting/commenting I’m going to get around to this next week as I’ll be travelling to Florida for work. I’m hoping to, at the very least, put my review up of the newest Walking Dead episode and my review of Night Film. But don’t hold your breath!

Oh, and Ender’s Game! A huge group of us are going to see it Saturday. I’m terrified by how horrible it might be. But some reviews I’ve seen have been positive.

Have a great November!