The Sunday Salon -- I ain't changed but I know I ain't the same

Hey guys happy start to a new week!

This week I went to the Book Warehouse for the last time. This is the second time I've watched a store that sells remaindered books go out of business in the last couple of years and they always mark the books down to a dollar. And THERE ARE STILL SO MANY GREAT BOOKS LEFT! It's really surprising to me, but then again, it's pretty hard to stock up on books. Especially these days with how slow I'm reading, but the temptation is big and of course I got some.

The National Book Critic Circle Awards finalists were announced and in keeping with my stellar track record, I've read none of them! In more exciting news, the Newbery, Caldecott, and Printz awards will be announced on Monday and you can watch it all via webcast. And the Edgar nominees were also announced! An exciting time for book awards, I guess.

In other fun book news, Fyrefly is offering her great spreadsheet for tracking your reading again, Ana offers an annotated reading list of ladies in comics, and there's going to be a Jane Eyre board book, which might be the coolest thing ever.

TV

Alcatraz--I liked this. I think a lot of the appeal is the lead, she's fun and cute (and female which is always a plus with me). The mysteries of the prisoners might become a bit formulaic? But with the longer ongoing mystery, I think it has potential. Jorge Garcia is pretty much playing the same character he played on LOST, and Michael Giacchino scored the pilot beautifully, too bad he's not doing the rest of the show. I feel like both episodes they showed ended with good surprises, so I don't know I'm willing to stick with it awhile. Also you know, with so much of the LOST team involved it's hard for me not to want it to be great.

Switched at Birth--I loved this episode, toooo! It's always a good sign when a show is willing to bring things back and have consequences to actions, and also I just kind of love that they don't shy away from things like the fact that yes, sometimes Emmett hates hearing people or that Daphne might run up against being used for her "disability". And...I don't know I think it's just kind of amazing that Daphne was able to determine the root of her problem being with her dad and facing him. But the real winning scene to me was the one between Bay and Daphne, I can't imagine a more complicated relationship than theirs. They alone can understand each other, yet at the same time there's just so much resentment between them.

Revenge--I actually thought this was pretty good this week, I was kind of struck by how Emily was kind of facing what she'd given up. When she saw how Jack cared for Amanda, if she'd just come back, with no thought for revenge, that's the life she could have had. Instead, she's stuck in this never ending cycle of destroying people. I thought it was sad when Daniel proposed, though, and told her he could be his true self with her. I guess I'll stick with this one for a little while longer.

Gossip Girl--Ha ha ha, are they serious with this storyline? Okay I have actual serious issues with the way they ripped The End of the Affair for their show, but maybe I'll save those for another time.

Ana pointed me to this great piece on Racialicious about The Vampire Diaries, and it paints a pretty clear picture about the problems with the show. It was eye opening for me, I knew I had vague issues with the show I couldn't exactly define, they are well defined here.

Film

The Ides of March--I liked this a lot actually. I thought it was a clever and interesting look at just how one man's idealism was shattered. And in smaller ways, it was just a convincing look at the lengths people are willing to go to win and how they sort of lose the things that were once important to them.

I also watched Don't Be Afraid of the Dark and Fright Night neither one was great.

Books and Reading

I read Sara Zarr's How to Save a Life this week and it was amazing. Truly a great book, I'm kind of scared to try to review it. I also read Stewart O'Nan's new one, The Odds which was typical O'Nan meaning amazing characterization. Right now I'm reading Legacy of Eden by Nelle Davy which is good as well, except that she makes out every single event in the past to be like the EVENT THAT CHANGED EVERYONE FOREVER.

Enough about me! Tell me what's new with you, what you've read that you loved or if you liked Alcatraz or even just you know, what you had for breakfast.