Top Ten Tuesday

hosted by: The Broke and the Bookish

This week's topic is great book club picks.

My top ten book club picks:

The Book Thief by Mark Zusak- I really enjoyed this book. I read it with my book club last year, but only about half of the group liked it, which was disappointing.

The Radleys by Matt Haig- I read this last month for my book club and I am so anxious to discuss it with the group. 

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman- I think this book has a lot of potential for discussion. So many themes were present and it was such a unique story.

Life of Pi by Yann Martel- While I absolutely hated this book, it is one of those I wish EVERYONE would read so we could all discuss it. There is a quite a bit going on under the surface of this book and it would be perfect as a discussion piece.

The Passage by Justin Cronin- I think there is something in this book that can appeal to different kinds of people and open up a lot of discussion. I loved this book.

The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls- I would have loved to discuss this book with a book club.

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson- I read this one with my book club last year and it was a hit. 

Hunger Games- This was a perfect book club book. There was so much to discuss.

Catching Fire- If you read the first book together, I always think you should finish the series together.

Mockingjay- I couldn't wait to discuss this one with my book club. It was the conclusion of the Hunger Games trilogy.

Poetry: I carry your heart....

hosted by: regular rumination

Poetry: Read More/Blog More – A Monthly Event!

1) Post about poetry on your blog on the following dates:

January 30th
February 28th
March 27th
April 23rd
May 29th
June 26th
July 31st
August 28th
September 25th
October 30th
November 27th
December 18th

2) Sign up with Mr. Linky on the blog site! (Please link to a post specifically about this event if possible!) 

 One of my favorite poems:

 by e.e. cummings

Musing Mondays

hosted by Should Be Reading

 

This week’s musing asks…

How far along are you in your current read before you start thinking about what you’ll read next?

I have a constant flow in my To Read list. As soon as I hear about a good book, I'm adding to my list. I usually buy books at the beginning of every month because I need a book for my book club and I pick books at random from my to read pile when I'm ordering. 

No matter where I'm at in my current book, I'm always thinking about what to read next. If I'm reading a book from a series and I'm enjoying it, I mentally add the rest of the series to my to read list. 

So I guess you can say that I'm simply ALWAYS thinking about what to read next and what to buy next. With over 200 books in my TBR shelf on goodreads (and only about 8 that I currently own), the biggest conflict is which book I'm going to PURCHASE next. =)

 

Quote It Saturday

hosted by Freda's Voice

Rules: 
Welcome to Quote It!
Please feel free to grab the button and create your own post.
Add as many quotes as you wish, from whom ever you wish. It can even be lyrics to a song.
And please leave your link at Freda's Voice.

 "Don't let the world bring you down. Not everyone here is that fucked up and cold. Remember why you came and while you're alive experience the warmth before you grow old." -Incubus

 "And that's when she put her book down. And looked at me. And said it: 'Life isn't fair, Bill. We tell our children that it is, but it's a terrible thing to do. It's not only a lie, it's a cruel lie. Life is not fair, and it never has been, and it's never going to be.'" -William Goldman, The Princess Bride

 "You may not see it now," said the Princess of Pure Reason, looking knowingly at Milo's puzzled face, "but whatever we learn has a purpose and whatever we do affects everything and everyone else, if even in the tiniest way. Why, when a housefly flaps his wings, a breeze goes round the world; when a speck of dust falls to the ground, the entire planet weighs a little more; and when you stamp your foot, the earth moves slightly off its course. Whenever you laugh, gladness spreads like the ripples in the pond; and whenever you're sad, no one anywhere can be really happy. And it's much the same thing with knowledge, for whenever you learn something new, the whole world becomes that much richer."
— Norton Juster (The Phantom Tollbooth)

 "If the world were merely seductive, that would be easy. If it were merely challenging, that would be no problem. But I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day."
— E.B. White

Questionnaire

Stolen from Insomniac Migraineur =)


1) Put your iTunes on shuffle. Give me the first 6 songs that pop up.
(I don't have any Apple products, but I do have music on my phone. Here goes..)
-Sugar by System of a Down
-Useful Idiot by Tool
-Clean by Incubus
-Gravity by John Mayer
-Trenchtown Rock by Sublime
-Pride and Joy by Stevie Ray Vaughan

2) If you could meet anyone on this earth, who would it be?
I don't know. I don't really idolize anyone, but I guess it would be nice to meet someone who has published a book.

3) Grab the book nearest to you, turn to page 23, give me line 17.
"'.... like you!'" from It. Sorry, that's all there is on that line.

4) What do you think about most?
All sorts of things. I often think about people and what makes them tick or the universe or strange paradigms. I think about what books I want to read next and I think about my husband. My brain is always going on about things.

5) What does your latest text message from someone else say?
It's a picture sent by my husband that says "Who's awesome? You're awesome." that he sent me when I was at work.

6) Do you sleep with or without clothes on?
With clothes on, multiple layers. My husband gets hot while sleeping and I get cold. I must bundle or freeze.

7) What's your strangest talent?
I have a great memory that surprises people, especially family members. My dad is always saying, "You can't possibly remember that." But I do.

8) Girls.... (finish the sentence); Boys.... (finish the sentence)
Um... Girls should strive to be intelligent; Boys should do the same and both should appreciate it.

9) Ever had a poem or song written about you?
Not that I am aware.

10) When is the last time you played the air guitar?
Good question.

11) Do you have any strange phobias?
No. I have the same fears as most people, I imagine.

12) Ever stuck a foreign object up your nose?
The back of my nose ring. It stays in there.

13) What's your religion?
None.

14) If you are outside, what are you most likely doing?
Fishing. Shooting Rifles. Doing Yard work, Reading

15) Do you prefer to be behind the camera or in front of it?
Both. I enjoy pictures, whether I'm capturing a memory or a scene.

16) Simple but extremely complex. Favorite band?
My taste in music ranges so much. I guess I could say Tool, Sublime, and the John Mayer Trio. All are bands and not single artists and I like them all a lot.

17) What was the last lie you told?
I honestly have no idea. I don't lie often. I don't see the point.

18) Do you believe in karma?
Not at all. I think it's a nice idea to make us all feel better about people who do bad things, but I just don't see evidence of anything coming around or going around.

20) What is your greatest weakness; your greatest strength?
Weakness: Maybe being too shy and afraid to put myself out there. I shoot myself down a lot and my lack of writing is a good example. Strength: Well, I'm good at remembering things, like I said earlier and that really transfers to a lot of things like being able to pay bills efficiently, remembering notes and things I have do, and being able to work really hard because I'm a fast learner and remember how to do things and what to do.

21) Who is your celebrity crush?
I don't have one.

22) Have you ever gone skinny dipping?
Nope.

23) How do you vent your anger?
I clean.

24) Do you have a collection of anything?
No. I don't count books or my high school newspapers that I wrote articles for because I'm not really collecting them but keeping them. I don't count my rifles either, because I use them.

25) Do you prefer talking on the phone or video chatting online?
Talking on the phone.

26) Are you happy with the person you've become?
Yes.

27) What's a sound you hate; sound you love?
I hate the damn train that comes through town frequently. I love the stillness of the flats in Tampa when I'm out fishing.

28) What's your biggest "what if"?
I don't know.

29) Do you believe in ghosts? How about aliens?
No, not ghosts. I believe aliens probably exist somewhere, but not in the form that we frequently discuss.

30) Stick your right arm out; what do you touch first? Do the same with your left arm.
Um.. the computer desk.

31) Smell the air. What do you smell?
Home.

32) What's the worst place you have ever been to?
I have no idea.

33) Choose East Coast or West Coast?
East

34) Most attractive singer of your opposite gender?
You know, it's not something I really pay attention to.

35) To you, what is the meaning of life?
To live and be productive, whatever that word means to you.

36) Define Art.
The expression of emotions and thoughts in the form of visual pieces, sounds, or written words? Will this be on the test? =)

37) Do you believe in luck?
No. Things just happen, good or bad.

38) What's the weather like right now?
50 degress and cloudy, but clearing up.

40) Do you drive? If so, have you ever crashed?
Yes and yes.

41) What was the last book you read?
Crime and Punishment. I really need to finish the next book so I can stop recalling that one.

42) Do you like the smell of gasoline?
Yes and no. If that makes sense.

43) Do you have any nicknames?
No. I've always just been Megan.

44) What was the last movie you saw?
In theaters? Harry Potter (the last one). At home? I think I last watched I Am Legend.

45) What's the worst injury you've ever had?
I fell off of a bike rack when I was in elementary school and my two front teeth went through my lip and I needed 9 stitches.

46) Have you ever caught a butterfly?
Yes

47) Do you have any obsessions right now?
No, I'm not really the obsessive type.

49) Ever had a rumor spread about you?
I did go to high school and I'm a Navy Wife. Of course. Frequently.

50) Do you believe in magic?
No. It would be awesome, but also terrible if it did exist.

Friday 56

Hosted by Freda's Voice

Rules:
*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56.
*Find any sentence that grabs you.
*Post it.
*Add link on Freda's site.

 

"Did a shadow fall across the moon or did the moon simply go out, extinguished as abruptly and completely as a candle?"

 A Wrinkle In Time

by Madeleine L'Engle

 

One of my favorite books growing up and one I randomly picked off of my bookshelf. I normally do the Friday 56 for the book I'm currently reading, but I decided to mix it up a bit today. =)

Third Sentence Thursday

hosted by: Proud Book Nerd

 

Third Sentence Thursday is a weekly meme that Proud Book Nerd hosts.

How to play along...

1. Take the book you are currently reading and post the third sentence of the third chapter.

2. Share your thoughts on the sentence.

3. Post a link to your blog in the link list (Leave it in the comments if you don't have a blog)

4. Visit the other blogs to check out their third sentence.

 

"She should have known it, she said, because Stanley never took baths in the early evening. He showered early each morning and sometimes soaked late at night (with a magazine in one hand and a cold beer in the other), but baths at 7:00 P.M. were not his style."

 

 It by Stephen King

My thoughts: I'm actually on the third chapter so far, so I have no idea what is about to happen and what could be wrong to make this character change his routine.

Booking Through Thursday

hosted by Booking Through Thursday

  

Today's Question: What’s more important: Good writing? Or a good story? (Of course, a book should have BOTH, but…)

 

If I absolutely had to pick one, I think I'd pick a good story. After all, you can say something beautifully, but what really matters is WHAT you said, not how you said it.

I do appreciate great writing and sometimes I read well written books that I didn't enjoy all that much because I didn't enjoy the story. I probably forgive bad writing more than I do a bad story.

 

W..W..W.. Wednesdays

Hosted by Should Be Reading

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you’ll read next?

What are you currently reading?
It by Stephen King


What did you recently finish reading? 
Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky


What do you think you’ll read next?
I may start the Twilight Challenge so I can get rolling on that one. Before I go buy a bunch of books and put it off. =)

Crime and Punishment Review

Crime and Punishment

by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Summary: A desperate young man plans the perfect crime -- the murder of a despicable pawnbroker, an old women no one loves and no one will mourn. Is it not just, he reasons, for a man of genius to commit such a crime, to transgress moral law -- if it will ultimately benefit humanity? So begins one of the greatest novels ever written: a powerful psychological study, a terrifying murder mystery, a fascinating detective thriller infused with philosophical, religious and social commentary. Raskolnikov, an impoverished student living in a garret in the gloomy slums of St. Petersburg, carries out his grotesque scheme and plunges into a hell of persecution, madness and terror. Crime And Punishment takes the reader on a journey into the darkest recesses of the criminal and depraved mind, and exposes the soul of a man possessed by both good and evil ... a man who cannot escape his own conscience.

Review: I gave this book 1 out of 5. I just didn't enjoy it. I usually love classics and the plot of this book was intriguing and exciting to me. In fact, rereading the summary, I really wish that I could have enjoyed it. Doesn't it sound so awesome? 

Mostly, it was boring. I felt like everything is excruciatingly drawn out. The dialogue was weird. I realize this book was set in a different time and place with different customs. That wasn't the problem though. I just can't believe there was ever a time or place in which people talked to each other like they do in this book. It's just awkward. 

I didn't like how the main character's thoughts were written. This may seem trivial, and maybe it is, but his thoughts are in quotations. In the middle of conversations. Here's an example that I'm making up so you can get a feel for way the main characters thoughts read:

"Hey! It's been so long since we last spoke. Have you gotten my letters?" she asked.

"Yes, I've received your letters and thrown all of them out because I can't stand you and I wish you leave me alone!" I thought.

"Oh, no, I must have had a mail issue. I haven't received any of your letters. How have you been?" I replied.

 Do you see the problem? I would read out the entire sentence and think he's talking out loud to the person and then realize he was just thinking it. It was aggravating, especially because the main character really struggled with confessing his crime and would think it quite often mid conversation, so I kept thinking, Oh he's going to tell this person he is the murderer! and then I would have to readjust and realize it was just a passing thought. It was extremely tedious.
My final issue with this book, another trivial matter, is the names. Now, I can read and thoroughly enjoy things like the Iliad. Greek dramas have insane names and relationships and somehow I'm able to file it all in my head and keep track of everyone quite easily, even if they have similar names or they are referred to in a few different ways. For some reason, I couldn't do this as easily with Crime and Punishment. I still don't get why people are referred to a bunch of different ways, but I'd have to stop myself confirm that the paragraph was still referring to the same person I thought, but for some reason addressing that person differently. Again, another tedious thing.
All of these things really stopped me from enjoying this novel. But after reading it, as agonizing that was for me, I didn't enjoy the story at all. I didn't like any of the characters, I didn't like the plot at all. I didn't like the ramblings of the main character. It just seemed pointless.
I wish I could have enjoyed this book as much as I wanted to. Maybe my expectations were too high.

This book also completes 1 of the 6 books I chose for the That's What You Think Challenge.

hosted by Alex @ The Blethering Bookworm

1. A Confederacy of Dunces – John Kennedy Toole
2. Crime and Punishment- Fyodor Dostoyevsky
3. The Lovely Bones – Alice Sebold
4. Catcher in the Rye – JD Salinger
5. The Lord of the Rings – JRR Tolkien
6. The Wind in the Willows – Kenneth Grahame

Musing Mondays

hosted by Should Be Reading

 

This week’s musing asks…

Why do you think that the Young Adult genre is so popular with even the adult readers? Do you read YA books, yourself?

Yes, I read YA books. My book club reads YA exclusively. 

 I can only speak for myself as to why the YA genre is popular with adults. 

I've always loved younger books, especially fantasy, such as the Chronicles of Narnia, Abarat, The Hobbit, Harry Potter, etc. But I recently "discovered" YA books. Back when I was a teenager, the only YA book I recall reading was the Gossip Girl series, which was fun, but when I got to be 17 and 18, I wasn't looking for that kind of book. Teenage girl drama was not my thing. 

I read literary fiction that sometimes involved slightly younger characters, but I kind of avoided YA books thinking they would be too immature for me.

 

I think the first real YA book series I read on purpose was the Hunger Games series and I was so surprised. I picked that book at random for my brand new book club and absolutely fell in love with YA fiction.  (I'm not going to count Twilight, because I merely stumbled upon those books by accident and had no idea who they were marketed for.)

Now that I've read quite a bit of YA fiction, I can definitely say exactly why it appeals to me. It's so much deeper than adult fiction. 

I've read a lot of popular adult authors like Nicholas Sparks, James Patterson, Sandra Brown, Nora Roberts, Christine Feehan... etc. And while I enjoyed them at the time, as soon as you've read one, you've kind of read them all. Each one of those authors has distinct plots and after reading 2 or 3,  you are not surprised anymore. With the exception of fantasy, which seems to be less predictable to me, adult fiction is kind of boring to me. 

With YA fiction, even the same author can throw so many twists and turns in multiple novels. The books can touch on a variety of things. Using Hunger Games as an example, there's dystopian aspects, a small love triangle, an adventure, conflict, internal turmoil, and coming of age. I can't think of many adult books that would have so many angles (again, with the exception of fantasy and perhaps classics). I feel like YA fiction isn't tied down to genres like adult fiction. A YA book can be a lot of things and the only thing the author has to "worry" about is marketing it to a younger audience. An adult author has to worry about marketing to adults that read specific books, which limits the variety of things you can encounter while reading. And the very fact that YA books are marketed to a younger audience is the great part. All the deep and profound themes are not spelled out. They are hidden among the text so that days after finishing the book, it stays with you and you can't wait to discuss them amongst friends. It's rare that an adult book does that to me, unless it's a classic (and we all know those are discussed at length in schools everywhere). 

I hope this trend of amazing YA books stays with us for awhile, because I find it to be extremely refreshing. I love the new ideas presented and new plots involving some of my favorite themes, especially Dystopian themes. It's like rereading some of my favorite books with fresh faces. 

Also, I think YA fiction appeals to adults for one of the reasons I mentioned above. With so many adult authors having mirrored plots in all of their books, I think adults are looking for something new, something they haven't read before. And even if adult authors release new novels, it's the same story in disguise, under new names. YA is a breath of fresh air for those of us who have read a lot of books and crave something new.

Goodreads for FB Timeline

Goodreads for Facebook Timeline

I wanted to share this new feature from Goodreads, since I know a lot of us book bloggers use it and Facebook. I had the Facebook app disabled because it would spam my news feed every time I did something, like add a book as to read, update my progress, etc. I really like this new feature because it's all in one spot and it doesn't post on the news feed near as often.
Here's what it looks like on my facebook timeline profile:

Quote It Saturday

hosted by Freda's Voice

Rules: 
Welcome to Quote It!
Please feel free to grab the button and create your own post.
Add as many quotes as you wish, from whom ever you wish. It can even be lyrics to a song.
And please leave your link at Freda's Voice.

 "...they came with stars and badges and rules and regulations, bringing some of the red tape that had crawled across Earth like an alien weed, and letting it grow on Mars wherever it could take root. They began to plan people's lives and libraries; they began to instruct and push about the very people who had come to Mars to get away from being instructed and ruled and pushed about." The Martian Chronicles

 "When we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall into mutually satisfying weirdness - and call it love - true love." Robert Fulghum

 "Being raised as a military brat has a way of making things blur together, simply because of how often you have to move. Friends come and go, clothing is packed and unpacked, households are continually purged of unnecessary items, and as a result, not much sticks. It's hard at times, but it makes a kid strong in ways that most people can't understand. Teaches them that even though people are left behind, new ones will inevitably take their place; that every place has something good- and bad- to offer. It makes a kid grow up fast."
Nicholas Sparks- The Lucky One

Friday 56

Hosted by Freda's Voice

Rules:
*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56.
*Find any sentence that grabs you.
*Post it.
*Add link on Freda's site.

 

"It floods into her, drowning the weak girl she thought she was and lifting someone new --her strong and true self-- to the surface."

The Radleys 

by Matt Haig

Booking Through Thursday

hosted by Booking Through Thursday

 

 

I saw this article the other day that asked, “Are you ashamed of skipping parts of books?” Which, naturally, made me want to ask all of YOU.
Do you skip ahead in a book? Do you feel badly about it when you do?

It is rare that I skip ahead. 

If I'm reading a really action packed scene, I catch myself reading really fast, but I slow myself down. If I'm suffering through a lull in a book, I just keep reading and pay attention. I might miss something important if I skip ahead. 

The only time I really skip (and it's more like skimming) is if I read the book before and fairly recently and I can remember exactly what is a about to happen. I'll just do a quick skim for a mental recap and get back to the parts and details that I reread the book to recapture!

Third Sentence Thursday

hosted by: Proud Book Nerd

 

Third Sentence Thursday is a weekly meme that Proud Book Nerd hosts.

How to play along...

1. Take the book you are currently reading and post the third sentence,

2. Share your thoughts on the sentence.

3. Post a link to your blog in the link list (Leave it in the comments if you don't have a blog)

4. Visit the other blogs to check out their third sentence.

Here's mine: 

" But his sleep had not refreshed him; he waked up bilious, irritable, ill-tempered, and looked with hatred at his room. It was a tiny cupboard of a room about six paces in length."

Crime and Punishment 

 I had to add the previous sentence because the third sentence by itself would have been boring, dry, and confusing.

 

W..W..W.. Wednesdays

Hosted by Should Be Reading

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you’ll read next?

What are you currently reading?
Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

What did you recently finish reading?
The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury 



What do you think you'll read next?
I can't decide if I want to get the Twilight Challenge finished and under my belt by starting on Twilight, continue with the Eclectic Reader Challenge by reading It by Stephen King for horror.

The Martian Chronicles Review

The Martian Chronicles

by Ray Bradbury

Summary: Leaving behind a world on the brink of destruction, we came to the Red Planet & found the Martians waiting, dreamlike. Seeking the promise of a new beginning, we brought our oldest fears & deepest desires. Humanity conquered Mars--& in that instant, Mars conquered us. The strange new world with its ancient, dying race & vast, red-gold deserts cast a spell, settled into dreams, changing us forever.

Review: I really enjoyed this. I have to admit, there were times when I didn't quite grasp what was happening, but later understood. The writing is beautiful. Some of the short stories (or chapters) were so poetic, some gave me a sense of true loneliness. So much was sort of unexplained and mind boggling, but I think it had to be in order to make a point. I will definitely revisit this book many times in the future. 


This book also completes category 7 of the Eclectic Reader Challenge 2012:

  hosted by: bookedout

Genres

1. Literary Fiction
2. Crime/Mystery Fiction
3. Romantic Fiction
4. Historical Fiction
5. Young Adult
6. Fantasy
7. Science Fiction
8. Non Fiction
9. Horror
10. Thriller /Suspense
11. Classic
12. Your favorite genre

Life is short

I just had to share this.

Musing Mondays

hosted by Should Be Reading

 

What devices –if any– do you read books on? Do you find it enjoyable, or still somewhat bothersome? Or: If you only read the print books, why haven’t you chosen to read on any devices?

I've read books on the computer via pdf files and I've read free classics on my smartphone and desktop through my nook app. I can't stand it, but I also don't have the "correct" reader to read books on. I've checked out the nook and thought it was much easier on the eyes than a computer, phone, or tablet screen.

So I guess you could say I read only books in print. I just don't travel enough to buy an e-reader. I like to own the books, smell them, and wear them out over time. 

I can't keep track of what music I have because it's all digital, so I would hate to treat books like a file.I guess I feel that books deserve better than to be reduced to a digital file floating around. I don't know. Maybe I am over thinking it, but I prefer "real" books for now.

Quote It Saturday

hosted by Freda's Voice

Rules: 
Welcome to Quote It!
Please feel free to grab the button and create your own post.
Add as many quotes as you wish, from whom ever you wish. It can even be lyrics to a song.
And please leave your link at Freda's Voice.

"...he sat on the bank, while the river still chattered on to him, a babbling procession of the best stories in the world, sent from the heart of the earth to be told at last to the insatiable sea." -The Wind in the Willows

 "No matter where you are, people are basically the same." -The Name of the Wind

 "It is unwise to be too sure of one's own wisdom. It is healthy to be reminded that the strongest might weaken and the wisest might err." -Mahatma Gandhi
 

“After all, reading is arguably a far more creative and imaginative process than writing; when the reader creates emotion in their head, or the colors of the sky during the setting sun, or the smell of a warm summer's breeze on their face, they should reserve as much praise for themselves as they do for the writer - perhaps more.” — Jasper Fforde, The Well of Lost Plots

The Radleys Review

The Radleys  

by Matt Haig

Summary: Meet the Radleys. Peter, Helen and their teenage children, Clara and Rowan, live in a typical suburban English town. They are an everyday family, averagely dysfunctional, averagely content. But, as their children have yet to find out, the Radleys have a devastating secret. In this moving, thrilling and extraordinary portrait of one unusual family, The Radleys asks what we grow into when we grow up, and explores what we gain - and lose - when we deny our appetites.

Review: I gave this 5 out of 5. 
I thought about giving it a 4 because it was kind of a light read, but it was so much deeper than it appeared on the surface, I thought 5 would be more appropriate. Without giving too much away, since my book club has yet to finish, I will say that I enjoyed this. 
 On the front cover of my edition, the Associated Press says, "Irresistible... Full of clever turns, darkly hilarious spins... Even if you're suffering from vampire fatigue, you'll find The Radleys is a fun, fresh contribution to the genre." I couldn't agree more with that. When I read vampire novels these days, I expect something a little bland, which could be vampire fatigue. This was definitely a nice change and was much better than I expected it to be. 


This book also completes category 12 of the Eclectic Reader Challenge 2012:

  hosted by: bookedout

Genres

1. Literary Fiction
2. Crime/Mystery Fiction
3. Romantic Fiction
4. Historical Fiction
5. Young Adult
6. Fantasy
7. Science Fiction
8. Non Fiction
9. Horror
10. Thriller /Suspense
11. Classic
12. Your favorite genre

I am on a roll!

Friday 56

Hosted by Freda's Voice

Rules:
*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56.
*Find any sentence that grabs you.
*Post it.
*Add link on Freda's site.

"'And if ever you catch me going a-pleasuring with this provoking animal again!' --He snorted, and during the rest of that weary trudge addressed his remarks exclusively to Mole."

-The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame

Booking Through Thursday

hosted by Booking Through Thursday

1. What’s your favorite time of day to read?
The Afternoon when the sun is shining brightly through the windows. Afternoon is also normally where most of my free time seems to be.


2. Do you read during breakfast? (Assuming you eat breakfast.)
No, I usually do some work if I eat breakfast.


3. What’s your favorite breakfast food? (Noting that breakfast foods can be eaten any time of day.)
Eggs. I love eggs.


4. How many hours a day would you say you read?
Maybe 3 to 4, depending on the day.


5. Do you read more or less now than you did, say, 10 years ago?
Definitely more. 10 years ago I was still in high school and only read required books for school.


6. Do you consider yourself a speed reader?
Yes and no. I read relatively fast, but I've always associated speed reading with skimming, and I don't skim.


7. If you could have any superpower, what would it be?
I've always wanted to read minds, even though I know it's a terrible idea.


8. Do you carry a book with you everywhere you go?
No, only if I'm going to a place I know will have downtime, like a waiting room.


9. What KIND of book?
A real book. I haven't quite jumped on board with the whole e-book craze because I don't travel enough to warrant it. I'm unable to listen to audio books, too. I don't commute in the car and if I listen to something without looking at it, I will zone out.


10. How old were you when you got your first library card?
Maybe 8 or 9, if I remember correctly. It was yellow.


11. What’s the oldest book you have in your collection? (Oldest physical copy? Longest in the collection? Oldest copyright?)
Since I have a few books from the used bookstore, some of the copies are worn. Crime and Punishment seems to be in the worst shape. Half of my collection is at my mom's house, but I think maybe A Wrinkle in Time is the book I've owned the longest. I have NO idea what the oldest copyright is.


12. Do you read in bed?
Only if my husband is gone (like out to sea or on duty).


13. Do you write in your books?
NO, no no no. It irks me at the used book store to see a book in such wonderful condition with writing all in it. I understand buying a book for a loved one, but why not place a card inside instead of writing on the pages? And if you own a book, you KNOW you own it, so putting your name inside is just crazy. Put your name on the bookmark if you're worried about losing it.


14. If you had one piece of advice to a new reader, what would it be?
Find a book that's right for you. Readers tend to be snobby. Look at all the anti-Twilight stuff all over the internet, belittling those books and those who like them. But don't let them discourage or devalue what you choose to read. There's time in your life to branch out once you've gotten comfortable with a genre.


15. What question have I NOT asked at BTT that you’d love me to ask? (Actually, leave the answer to this one in the comments on this post, huh? So I can find them when I need inspiration!)
I'm new to this site, so I don't know yet.

To Participate, go to Booking Through Thursday's blog and follow the directions!

Third Sentence Thursday

hosted by: Proud Book Nerd

 

Third Sentence Thursday is a weekly meme that Proud Book Nerd hosts.

How to play along...

1. Take the book you are currently reading and post the third sentence,

2. Share your thoughts on the sentence.

3. Post a link to your blog in the link list (Leave it in the comments if you don't have a blog)

4. Visit the other blogs to check out their third sentence.

Here's mine: 

Book: The Wind in the Willows

3rd sentence: "Spring was moving in the air above and in the earth below and around him, penetrating even his dark and lowly little house with its spirit of divine discontent and longing." 

Thoughts: This sentence really captures the essence of spring after a long and dismal winter. I love the description of the spirit of divine discontent and longing. This is the kind of sentence to make you look outside and hope for a beautiful day, the kind of day where you set your chores aside and enjoy it. 

(I typed this blog up on Tuesday and scheduled it to post. It's Wednesday and I finished reading the book above, so I'm going to include the one I'm about to start, too.)

Book: The Radleys by Matt Haig


3rd sentence: Indeed, at three o'clock in the morning in the village of Bishopthorpe, it is easy to believe the lie indulged in by its residents --that it is a place for good and quiet people to live good and quiet lives.


Thoughts: I'm immediately intrigued. My first question, WHAT is going on in this village? I can't wait to read more!

Joy of Books

The Wind in the Willows Review

The Annotated Wind in the Willows 

by Kenneth Graham

Summary: Meek little Mole, willful Ratty, Badger the perennial bachelor, and petulant Toad. In the almost one hundred years since their first appearance in 1908, they've become emblematic archetypes of eccentricity, folly, and friendship. And their misadventures-in gypsy caravans, stolen sports cars, and their Wild Wood-continue to capture readers' imaginations and warm their hearts long after they grow up. Begun as a series of letters from Kenneth Grahame to his son, The Wind in the Willows is a timeless tale of animal cunning and human camaraderie. An instant bestseller upon its initial publication in 1908, The Wind in the Willows has become one of the beloved stories of all time. How could Ratty and Mole have known when they took to the river over one hundred years ago that they would begin a phenomenon that would produce one of the most oft-quoted lines in British literature, and inspire everyone from the creator of Winnie-the-Pooh to Pink Floyd? Drawing from more than a decade of research, Annie Gauger, one of the world’s leading experts on Kenneth Grahame and The Wind in the Willows, now presents a fascinating new annotated edition that reintroduces readers to Otter, curmudgeonly Badger, and rollicking, boastful Toad, while revealing the secrets behind this treasured classic.

Review: I gave this a 5 out of 5. 
I loved this story. It was fun and adventurous, had a lot of character building, and was extremely well written. My father in law gave me this book for Christmas and said it was his favorite book growing up. I can see why and I will definitely reread this book many times in the future. 
The only downside is the annotations. It was a bit difficult as a first time reader to decide whether to ignore the annotations or pause my reading to glance at each one. I opted for reading a chunk of chapters and then going back to each of the notes. Most of the notes were fairly interesting, especially some of the artwork and letters, but some of them were distracting. Some notes were more interpretations based upon knowing the conclusion, which I didn't. After finishing the book, the interpretations began to interest me and I appreciate them now. 
I suppose this version would better suit those who have read this book before. I look forward to reading it again and catching any details I may have missed the first time around. 


This book also completes category 11 of the Eclectic Reader Challenge 2012:

  hosted by: bookedout

Genres

1. Literary Fiction
2. Crime/Mystery Fiction
3. Romantic Fiction
4. Historical Fiction
5. Young Adult
6. Fantasy
7. Science Fiction
8. Non Fiction
9. Horror
10. Thriller /Suspense
11. Classic
12. Your favorite genre

This book also completes 1 of the 6 books I chose for the That's What You Think Challenge.

hosted by Alex @ The Blethering Bookworm

1. A Confederacy of Dunces – John Kennedy Toole
2. Crime and Punishment- Fyodor Dostoyevsky* edited since I picked it up today.
3. The Lovely Bones – Alice Sebold
4. Catcher in the Rye – JD Salinger
5. The Lord of the Rings – JRR Tolkien
6. The Wind in the Willows – Kenneth Grahame

Interesting article.

In the Land of the Non-Reader

WWW Wednesday

Hosted by Should Be Reading

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you’ll read next?

 What are you currently reading?
The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame. My father in law bought it for me for Christmas and told me it was his favorite book growing up. I'm close to finishing and I love it so far. 


What did you recently finish reading?
The Name of the Wind. I posted my review already. Looking forward to reading the rest of the series.


What do you think you'll read next?
I have to read The Radleys by Matt Haig for my book club this month, but I can't decide if I'll start it next or read The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury before starting The Radleys. I'll probably start on The Radleys first.

I love book recommendations

I absolutely love when friends of mine stumble upon books that remind them of me. It's happened twice this week and it always makes me feel good. Not only does it tell me that someone is thinking of me, it also tells me that they know me relatively well to read a synopsis and think, "Oh, that is SO Megan."
I just felt like sharing that. =)

Read more/Blog more Poetry Challenge

hosted by: regular rumination

Poetry: Read More/Blog More – A Monthly Event!

1) Post about poetry on your blog on the following dates:

January 30th
February 28th
March 27th
April 23rd
May 29th
June 26th
July 31st
August 28th
September 25th
October 30th
November 27th
December 18th

2) Sign up with Mr. Linky on the blog site! (Please link to a post specifically about this event if possible!)

Eclectic Reader Challenge 2012 Update

Eclectic Reader Challenge 2012

  hosted by: bookedout

I will read at least one book in each of these genres:

 

My list so far.....

1. Literary Fiction - I have many to read books in this genre, so I haven't chosen the one I'll read yet.
2. Crime/Mystery Fiction- Presumed Innocent by Scott Turow
3. Romantic Fiction- The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han*
4. Historical Fiction- A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith*
5. Young Adult- Uglies
6. Fantasy- The Name of the Wind COMPLETED
7. Science Fiction- The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury
8. Non Fiction- The Virtue of Selfishness by Ayn Rand. It's already sitting on my bookshelf, waiting to be read.
9. Horror- It by Stephen King, again, already on my bookshelf.
10. Thriller /Suspense- Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt*
11. Classic-Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
12. Your favorite genre- The Radleys by Matt Haig. I love vampire novels, and I'm reading this for my book club.

*= not sure yet, just an idea

The Name of the Wind Review

I finished the first book of the year, The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss.

Summary: Told in Kvothe's own voice, this is the tale of the magically gifted young man who grows to be the most notorious wizard his world has ever seen.The intimate narrative of his childhood in a troupe of traveling players, his years spent as a near-feral orphan in a crime-ridden city, his daringly brazen yet successful bid to enter a legendary school of magic, and his life as a fugitive after the murder of a king form a gripping coming-of-age story unrivaled in recent literature. A high-action story written with a poet's hand, The Name of the Wind is a masterpiece that will transport readers into the body and mind of a wizard.

 Review: I gave this a 5 out of 5 on Goodreads. I really enjoyed it. It didn't follow the typical fantasy guidelines. Instead of being focused on the quest and the main adventure, like most fantasies, it was focused on a character. We begin the story knowing the man Kovthe is an innkeeper. The first question I had (and still don't have an answer to) is why is Kovthe disguised as an innkeeper in a tiny village? What on earth would possess a hero of his time to tend a bar? 
I enjoy character based literature, so this book captivated me. 
I did not purchase the rest of the series since I didn't know if I'd like this one, but now I wish I had because the story ended so soon. If I paid more attention, I would have notice this was entitled Day One of the Kingkiller Chronicles. This means it was Day One of Kovthe telling his story. 
Another thing I really enjoyed was the prologue and epilogue. I don't want to give too much away, but it was perfect. I recommend this book, even to those who aren't huge fans of fantasy. 


This book also completes category 6 of the Eclectic Reader Challenge 2012:

  hosted by: bookedout

Genres

1. Literary Fiction
2. Crime/Mystery Fiction
3. Romantic Fiction
4. Historical Fiction
5. Young Adult
6. Fantasy
7. Science Fiction
8. Non Fiction
9. Horror
10. Thriller /Suspense
11. Classic
12. Your favorite genre

Musing Mondays

hosted by Should Be Reading

Are there any “raved reads” –books that everyone seems to be talking about– that you’re hoping to get read this year, yourself? What books are they, and why are you hoping to read them? Is it because you want to say you’ve read it? Or, would you have chosen to read it, even if you’d discovered it yourself, and no one was raving about it?

I am considering reading The Help. I usually avoid the books everyone seems to be talking about, unless "everyone" is simply other readers who opinions I trust. I don't think I would consider reading The Help if my grandmother hadn't told me I should read it. 

I tend to be disappointed by books that have a lot of hype so I wait a while before finally reading them. There are always exceptions, like the Hunger Games and the Game of Thrones books, so I try and keep an open mind.

Nobel Prize

I read today that Tolkien was rejected for the Nobel Prize for LOTR because The Lord Of The Rings had 'not in any way measured up to storytelling of the highest quality'.
Read the News Article here

Reading the comments made me think.
LOTR is very popular, probably/possibly launched the fantasy genre, and has held up to the test of time.
Obviously, these three things and an award (such as the Nobel Prize) are not sufficient to judge a book as good or bad.
Readers of good literature (if any definition can be agreed upon in the first place) both enjoy or dislike the LOTR books. It really can't be agreed upon that any of the current Nobel Prize winning authors/books are unanimously good, and the same can be said of the most popular books, books that launched genres, AND books that hold up to the test of time. People will always dislike books and authors that are the top of any of these categories, while others praise them.

This leaves me wondering.... what is a good book and who decides?

The Friday 56

Hosted by Freda's Voice

Rules:
*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56.
*Find any sentence that grabs you.
*Post it.
*Add link on Freda's site.

"If I seem to wander, if I seem to stray, remember that true stories seldom take the straightest way." 

pg 56 of The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

Booking Through Thursday

hosted by Booking Through Thursday

(I just discovered this site, so I'm doing some older questions and getting caught up before the comments close) 

 

What’s more important to you? Real, three-dimensional, fleshed-out fascinating characters? Or an amazing, page-turning plot?
(Yes, I know, they are both important. But if you had to pick one as being more important than the other?

Characters. I can read a book with a generic plot and well thought out characters, but I cannot read a book with an amazing plot and flat characters.

Booking Through Thursday

hosted by Booking Through Thursday

Of the books you own, what’s the biggest category/genre?

Is this also the category that you actually read the most?

 Looking at my shelf, I honestly don't know what the answer is. Perhaps YA or Fantasy.
I do own quite a few books that could be categorized as fantasy. I'm not sure that I read fantasy more often than other genres. I don't even know if I like fantasy more than other genre, but I suppose fantasy is often in a series form, and therefore the books are popping out on the shelves because they are big matching sets with other genres sitting mismatched beside them.
I really don't have a preference with genre. I look for intriguing stories that are well written.