Моя жизнь по соседству (Хантли Фицпатрик) на английском – понравилась

Дочитала: My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick (Publication Date: Jun 14, 2012. Print Length: 400 pages).
Только три слова: очень хорошая книжка. И звучит в душе мелодия:

Интересные слова/выражения:
Be poles apart = быть диаметрально противоположным (Everything about the two women profiled in the driveway is poles apart);
burn the midnight oil = работатьпоночамилизасиживатьсязаработойдопоздна (I trace the dark bluish shadow under his eye with a slow finger. “Are you burning the midnight oil?”);
due respect = должное, заслуженное уважение (Everything you say makes sense, sir. I guess it’s logical. But with all due respect, you’re out of your fucking mind);
DUI = driving under the influence = управление автомобилем в нетрезвом состоянии или под воздействием наркотических веществ (He has two DUIs);
EMT = emergency medical technician = фельдшер скорой помощи, медицинский работник, оказывающий первую помощь пострадавшему на месте происшествия (He was in a puddle when the EMTs got there);
for keeps = навсегда, окончательно, насовсем (“No creo que se pueda volver y recuperar su trabajo”, Felipe shaps, moved to his native Spanish. “you go out now, and you go out for keeps”);
hush money = взятка, плата за молчание (Mr. Garrett doesn’t want charity – or hush money);
ICU = intensive care unit = отделение интенсивной терапии (The ICU is on the fourth floor and we need passes to get up there);
pay phone = телефон-автомат (He called 911 from a pay phone nearby);
put the moves on someone = что-то типа «подкатывать», пытаться соблазнить (Stop putting the moves on my sister in our kitchen, Tim!);
quote, unquote = буквально, так называемый (“I want to go to college. I want to be… good enough”. He pauses. “For you. Not that guy from the quote-unquote wrong side of the tracks, Samantha”);
think of one’s feet = быстро соображать, отвечать сразу, выступать «без бумажки» (He’s always thinking on his feet).

This entry was originally posted in my livejournal (LJ) but I don’t use LJ anymore so I’ve transferred all of my Livejournal content to this website.

Моя жизнь по соседству (Хантли Фицпатрик) на английском – первые впечатления

Прочитала половину: My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick (Publication Date: Jun 14, 2012). Вроде ничего особенного, а оторваться невозможно! Отличная книжка и читается легко.

Beat it! = прочь!, вон! (George! Beat it!);
come to terms (with smth.) = примириться, привыкнуть к чему-либо (It only took Clay a little while to come to terms with the fact that I had teenaged daughters);
CVS = CVS Pharmacy = распространенная в США сеть магазинов аптечных товаров + товаров повседневного спроса (We go to CVS later that night);
every trick in the book = все (возможные) средства (Tracy pulled every bad-teenager trick in the book. She played with drugs and drinking, she shoplifted, she slept with too many boys);
hangnail = заусенец (Tim’s eyes are cast down as he tears at a hangnail on his thumb);
ministering angel = (обычно о сестре милосердия) добрый ангел (What, you don’t see my big sister as a ministering angel? I’m shocked!);
no sweat = никаких проблем, не волнуйся (“Thanks,” I tell Alice. She fixes me with a stare “No sweat.”);
ole = (ам. разг.) old (S’up with ole Jase Garrett and you?);
Q-tips = «кью-типс» – товарный знак пластиковых ватных палочек с ватой на обеих концах (I bought Q-tips, and almost nothing else);
R and R = от военного Rest and Recreation = отпуск, побывка (He came here for a little R and R);
take in stride = accept good or bad luck and go on (Am I somebody who takes things in stride?);
to a fault = excessively, extremely = чрезмерно, чересчур, бесконечно, слишком (Punctual to a fault, I’ve never understood the expression “I lost track of time”);
up-and-comer = что-то вроде – подающий большие надежды, обещающий (Our Timothy is an up-and-comer, Samantha. I’m so proud!);
windbreaker = windcheater = ветровка с вязанными манжетами и воротником (In some of the posters mom’s wearing a yellow Windbreake.

This entry was originally posted in my livejournal (LJ) but I don’t use LJ anymore so I’ve transferred all of my Livejournal content to this website.

Не все то золото, что…

Прочитала-вымучила: The Secret by Taylor Hart (Publication Date: March 24, 2013. Length: 259 pages).

Зря купилась на красивую обложку! В книжке лишь отдельные моменты ничего, а по большей части – скука несусветная… Зато выписала немного новых слов/выражений:

HOV lane = carpool lane = полоса движения, выделенная для машин, в которых едут два и более человека, включая водителя (I noticed the limo was in the HOV lane, going faster than what should be legal);
license plate number = регистрационный знак на автомобиле (Your friend memorized the license plate number);
make-shift = самодельное, временное, кустарно-сварганенное-на-коленке (Rob sat down at the make-shift computer station he’d put together at the kitchen table);
pinky = (ам. разг.) мизинец (I touched the lily with my pinky, catching it as it formed into the real thing before it could fall to the ground);
putz = придурок, идиот (You’re such a putz!);
sitting duck = легкая добыча, удобная мишень (We are like sitting ducks here, just waiting to be taken or killed);
sucker punch = a sudden surprise punch, esp. from behind (Shaking my head, I felt like I’d been sucker punched);
take a load off = присесть, дать ногам отдохнуть; что-то типа «в ногах правды нет» (The officers came in and Reed motioned for them to sit on the couches. «Take a load off».);
tarnation = a euphemism for damnation (Sheriff Boyle looked slowly around the cave. «What in tarnation has been going on?»);
tick off = (ам. разг.) выводить из себя, раздражать, сердить (He laughed again, which was starting to tick me off);
wear one’s feeling on one’s sleeve = скорее всего, равно по смыслу словосочетанию: wear one’s heart on one’s sleeve = не уметь скрывать своих чувств. Синоним нашего «рыдать и сопли рукавом вытирать», видимо (I could feel he has disappointed, but he hasn’t a man to wear his feelings on his sleeve).

This entry was originally posted in my livejournal (LJ) but I don’t use LJ anymore so I’ve transferred all of my Livejournal content to this website.

A great plot twist!

Прочитала и всем любителям YA-books советую:
Funny Tragic Crazy Magic by Sheena Boekweg. (Publication Date: December 8, 2013. 307 pages).
Amazon и Goodreads оказались правы. Действительно, интересная вещь! Да, есть небольшие пропуски (провалы) в повествовании, и стиль изложения довольно своеобразен, но эта книга стоит того, чтобы ее прочитали!
Надеюсь, что скоро будет продолжение, и одновременно боюсь этого. Достаточно кошмариков выпало на долю девочки – главной героини, пусть подрастет сначала. :)

Традиционно, фразы:
a tad = a little (While he looked at my hands, they felt a tad hotter);
bisabuela (Esp) = прабабушка (I could get my mother’s notebook back. It was my legacy. There were runes in there, from her abuela… maybe her abuela’s bisabuela);
bleeping = a word to block out or substitute swear words (Every day from the hours of three until five, I come into the cafeteria: the one room in this bleeping place that they allow us a computer);
dog ear = загнутый угол страницы (My notebook had a crease down the middle, and a few of the pages were dog-eared);
doodle = рисовать чертиков, или просто каракули, когда мысли заняты чем-то другим (Joe took out a black BIC pen and started doodling on the edge of my notebook);
drop cloth = чехол для защиты мебели от пыли и т.п. (There was a furniture inside covered with drop cloths);
faux = фальшивый (His hair has this sticky-up faux Mohawk («ирокез») quality, which I have never found attractive);
farmers tan = интенсивный загар открытых участков тела во время полевых работ (He had a farmers tan);
ground beef = говяжий фарш (My parents were in the kitchen talking about the price of ground beef);
half ponytail = прическа «Мальвина» (Ms. P. had long light brown hair pinned up in a half ponytail);
in a pinch = при крайней необходимости (I don’t usually lie, but in a pinch, I find I’m pretty good at it);
IOU = I owe you = я тебе/вам должен (Inside the car, on a post-it note stuck to the steering wheel, was a note – IOU one ride to school ~ J.);
my bad = my mistake (Whoops, guess I just spilled a Witch secret. My bad);
on a hunch = интуитивно (On a hunch, I opened my backpack);
on the dot = ровно, точно в срок, пунктуально, минута в минуту (Ryan got a haircut like every three weeks on the dot);
silver lining = a comforting or hopeful aspect of an otherwise desperate or unhappy situation (At least Joe was still in his right mind as they decided whether they should kill him or not. Silver lining);
USPS = United States Postal Service = почтовая служба США (A couple days later, when the hospital returned all my family’s belongings through USPS, my mom’s notebook was gone).

И еще одна фраза зацепила: «The house looked like chaos and felt like home». Хорошо сказано!

This entry was originally posted in my livejournal (LJ) but I don’t use LJ anymore so I’ve transferred all of my Livejournal content to this website.

A Measure of Disorder

A Measure of Disorder (Book1 in The Mother-Earth Series) by Alan Tucker. (Publication Date: April 30, 2010. 352 pages).

A few days ago when I first started reading this book, I was a little skeptical about the plot. I even posted that I didn’t like the story that much…
How wrong I was! I’m about half way through the book right now and I have to take my words back.
The book is just amazing! I really love the setting, the descriptions, the writing. I enjoy every page!

Some useful words and expressions:
beats me = не могу понять, сдаюсь, ума не приложу (Jenni tapped Sara on the shoulder. «What’s that?» Sara looked up and shrugged. «Beats me»);
bobbi pin = hairgrip, kirby grip (UK) = a type of hairpin, usually of metal or plastic (He tried to catch fish by using a bobby pin bent into a hook shape);
bottom line = итог, резюме («Bottom line is», she said, «we leave in the morning»);
dragon lore = драконология (по аналогии с bird lore = орнитология);
for that matter = коли на то пошло, по правде говоря (She smiled at him. «I’d like to know what happened to my friends. Mr. Kain too, for that matter»);
good riddance = used when you lose something and you are happy about it = счастливо, скатертью дорога («And good riddance I say.» Mrs. Minch spat. «They shouldn’t have separated my daughter from me!»);
it’s up to her (him, etc.) = ей (ему) решать, от нее (него) зависит («Well, the way I see it», Brandon replied, «it’s pretty much up to her»);
litterbug = a person who leaves garbage in a public place, such as a park or a street; one who litters (No one wanted to chance angering the forest people by being a litterbug);
much as = even though, although (Mush as she loved her, Jenni was glad her mother hadn’t decided to come);
not half bad = pretty good, good enough (Jenni looked in the pocket mirror and smiled at what she saw. Not half bad!);
sub sandwich = a submarine sandwich = it’s a sandwich that consists of a long roll of Italian or French bread, split widthwise either into two pieces or opened in a «V» on one side, and filled with variety of meats, cheeses, vegetables and sauces. The sandwich has no standardized name, and many U.S. regions have their own names for it: sub (widespread), hoagie (Philadelphia), hero (New York), grinder (New England), etc.
take at face value = what one can actually hear, read or see; literally («Are you just going to take that at face value?» – She laughed);
take in stride = to meet happenings without too much surprise (She took the interruption in stride);
the Big Dipper = Большая Медведица (созвездие);
to get the hang of smth. = освоить, овладеть чем-либо (It had taken him a few tries to get the hang of snatching a deer while in flight);
to turn the tables (up) on smb. = бить противника его же оружием, поменяться ролями (Behind her, Jenni could hear the screams and shouts of their unlucky attackers, who had the tables turned on them once again);
tube top = a shoulderless, sleeveless women’s garment that wraps around the upper torso;
visit = (US and Canadian informal) a friendly talk or chat (He indicated to the chairs and said. «Please, let’s sit and visit».)

This entry was originally posted in my livejournal (LJ) but I don’t use LJ anymore so I’ve transferred all of my Livejournal content to this website.

An expression to remember

not my cup of tea = something not to your liking; something you don’t like to do
(rus) Это не моё, это мне не нравится.
Examples:
1) reality shows are not my cup of tea;
2) some people love playing video games, but it’s not my cup of tea.

This entry was originally posted in my livejournal (LJ) but I don’t use LJ anymore so I’ve transferred all of my Livejournal content to this website.

The Salvation (Roswell High, #10) by Melinda Metz

Дочитала последнюю книгу из серии Roswell High. Жаль, что все закончилось! У автора редкий на сегодня талант – создавать у читателя мощнейший эффект присутствия. Ты не просто следишь за развитием сюжета со стороны, ты в нем живешь, да так плотно, что в какой-то момент теряешь ощущение реальности!
Кто бы мог подумать, что среди великого множества не-особенно-интересных Yound Adult books удастся отыскать такое чудо! Хотелось бы надеяться, что не в последний раз.
Интересные фразы:
Factoid = любопытный, но бесполезный факт, малозначащая статистика (Alex struggled to remember some factoid about the Carlsbad Caverns);
like hell = черта с два («Shi didn’t…» – «Like hell she didn’t», Kyle interrupted);
rocket science = an activity requiring considerable intelligence and ability (It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out why…);
up to speed = в курсе дела, последних событий («I’m up to speed» – Michal said, cutting her off).
А еще, американцы очень забавно отсчитывают секунды: «One, one thousand; two, one thousand; three, one thousand…» Вполне вероятно, что такая система отсчета есть и у англичан, и у австралийцев, но мне она встретилась только здесь. :)

The Salvation (Roswell High, #10) by Melinda Metz

This entry was originally posted in my livejournal (LJ) but I don’t use LJ anymore so I’ve transferred all of my Livejournal content to this website.

The Dark One (Roswell High, #9) by Melinda Metz

Прочитала 9-ю, предпоследнюю книгу из серии Roswell High. Откровенно говоря, читается она довольно нудновато, и, наверное, сейчас лишь моя природная упертость не позволяет бросить серию в конце дороги. Надо ж узнать, чем дело кончится!
Интересное выражение встретилось только одно:
Push up (the) daisies = to be dead and buried (The woman warned him: «Another step and you’ll be pushin’ up friggin’ daisies!»).

The Dark One (Roswell High, #9) by Melinda Metz

This entry was originally posted in my livejournal (LJ) but I don’t use LJ anymore so I’ve transferred all of my Livejournal content to this website.

The Rebel (Roswell High, #8) by Melinda Metz

Here are a few words and expressions from the book that caught my attention:
AIDS = Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome = СПИД (к стыду своему, не знала…);
at stake = at risk, in great danger (All our lives could be at stake);
big enchilada = (AmSlang) босс, большая шишка (Anyway, this other alien, DuPris, the big enchilada of aliens);
big-D = (AmSlang) = город Даллас (Since the big-D my mam and dad try never to be at the same place at the same time);
ding = (амер.) = вмятина, оставить вмятину (Doesn’t he realize that he has a better chance of getting his precious Mustang dinged when he takes up two parking places?);
FYI = сокр. от for you information = к вашему сведению, для информации (Oh, and just FYI, …);
in plain sight = на видном месте, у всех навиду (Edgar Alan Poe had given him the idea for hiding the Stone pretty much in plain sight);
making goo-goo eyes = смотреть влюбленными глазами (I saw you making goo-goo eyes at my brother);
sans = (AmSlang) without (I’m almost always sans car).
И еще, очень понравилось выражение: «be in guilty-until-proven-innocent mode».

The Rebel (Roswell High, #8) by Melinda Metz

This entry was originally posted in my livejournal (LJ) but I don’t use LJ anymore so I’ve transferred all of my Livejournal content to this website.

The Vanished (Roswell High, #7) by Melinda Metz

Нет ничего хуже, чем читать книгу, текст которой распознан коряво! С другой стороны, для практики иностранного языка, подобное чтение – очень даже интересный опыт. Плавного скольжения по тексту больше нет, приходится часто останавливаться, пытаясь постичь смысл слов:
Bluned (out) – на поверку оказывается blurted (out), непонятное слово hean – простейшим heart. Pan = part, snon= snort, staned = started, tum = turn и т.д., и т.п.
В общем, сложноватенько. :) Зато, в результате того, что текст приходится читать медленнее и внимательнее, интересных слов/выражений выловила больше:

A special on smth. = специальная цена для чего-либо (Shopping network had a special on metallic nail polishes);
catch = загвоздка, подвох (The has to be a catch);
doctored photograph = fabricated photograph = поддельная, сфабрикованная фотография.
(Кстати, то же касается и пары: doctored/fabricated evidence = сфабрикованное док –во);
draw a blank = (дословно: вытянуть пустой билет) – ничего не найти, потерпеть неудачу (I’m drawing a blank);
fountain pan = авторучка (не знала!);
in one’s tracks = on the spot = (разг.) на месте, немедленно (He froze in his tracks);
on the house = за счет заведения (The tea’s on the house);
PBS = Public Broadcasting Service = Государственная служба телевещания (США);
shoulder = (амер.) обочина (He slowed down and drove onto the shoulder);
shoulder blade = shoulder bone = лопатка (scapula);
small of the back = поясница (His hands clasped at the small of her back. – Wow!);
think the world of… = быть высокого мнения о… (Now I know why my son thinks the world of you);
zilch = (AmSlang) нуль, ничто (“Anything?” – she asked. “Zilch” – he said);
zip = см. zilch.

И еще одну вкусную фразу подглядела: «Your wish is my command!» Надо запомнить!

The Vanished (Roswell High, #7) by Melinda Metz

This entry was originally posted in my livejournal (LJ) but I don’t use LJ anymore so I’ve transferred all of my Livejournal content to this website.