This and That

I just finished the first round of edits for Bone River, which is tentatively scheduled for a December release, and while I'm waiting for the book to speedily boomerang back to me for the next round, I've gone back to the new ms for a few days to address the problems my critique partner found (numerous and extensive, no surprise there). In essence, I'm in EDITING mode. Which means I'm probably not at my best for reading or watching movies for enjoyment.

However, having said that, I have rather enjoyed a few things lately. I just finished Book 5 in Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments series--City of Lost Souls--which I liked, but I have to admit is not my favorite of the series. Usually I love the main couple in these books, Jace and Clary, but in this book they were a bit one note to me, and it was the secondary characters who grabbed my interest. But it's all building up to what I'm sure is going to be a pretty fantastic finale in the final book. I also saw The Avengers, which I really liked, especially after the first half hour or so. Tom Hiddleston, who plays Loki, was just fantastic, and though I went in expecting to be underwhelmed by Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow, I actually found her pretty compelling and really interesting. Robert Downey Jr., was, as always, perfect. And the rest of the cast were equally mesmerizing.

I've been watching Game of Thrones, which gets better every week--I cannot believe we're nearly at the end of this season--and Vampire Diaries, which took me by surprise in the last episode, as always and rather breathlessly, easily making up for seemingly killing off one of my favorite characters in the penultimate episode. I've been watching The Borgias again this year too, but I'm finding it a little slow going. I keep watching it because I love Cesare, and I keep waiting for Lucretia to come into her own. And it has these really great episodes interspersed between those that are, for me, a bit boring, so I never know which I'm going to be watching from week to week.

And I've been immersing myself in French literature, which I'm finding strangely and alternately fascinating and comforting. All that fatalism is somehow compelling. Not entirely sure what that says about me, but I've really enjoyed Duras and Cocteau, and am looking forward to some Zola in the next few weeks. Also on my TBR pile are The Lifeboat, by Charlotte Rogan, and the latest fantasy series by Carol Berg, who I love. And I'm looking forward to Kristin Cashore's newest YA, Bitterblue.

And now, back to enjoying the few hours I have before I must start thinking again...