Poetry

I am not an avid poetry reader. But I do surf the web for amazing poems. Many of them are not contemporary poets. I find them on different sites and keep them in a word document. My topics that I collect range from death to life, happiness, heartbreak, loneliness, love, friendship, and many more. I would love to actually memorize some of my more favorite poems. But I am content with just finding them for now. I have found a large (10x13 or so) journal that I can start writing them down in. My handwriting is not the best so it'll take awhile. But these are poems I want collected in one book for myself. Maybe even put some artwork around them. I already have a spiral bound art book that has some of my favorite poems already typed up in it. Within this book I paired my collected poems with pictures I have taken over the years of nature and inanimate objects; some wildlife. I think even a person who doesn't like poetry can appreciate how poets can create a feeling in a reader through a few lines.

It would be amazing if I could write poetry. I have dabbled in it and have a few of my own poems. But they aren't really for sharing until I polish them up some more.

"Zoo" by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge

This is the first book I have read by James Patterson. Eventually I will try the Alex Cross series since I have heard great reviews about it. I decided to read "Zoo" because of the commercials I saw about the miniseries and then saw it at Walmart. It was pretty much a decision of the moment book. It was very good! There isn't a lot of the plot I can talk about. To me it is along the lines of a doomsday book. Towards the end I am angry for the human race. We can be stupid as a large population and Patterson and Ledwidge show how. The book is disturbing to read; especially if you own an animal. But it moves along quickly and keeps the reading thinking about why the animals all went homicidal on humans and if we are going to figure out how to stop them before we become extinct. The authors also touch on how political forces can sway a population to go the way they want it to. All in all I would say it is worth a read. I'm not sure if I an watch the miniseries. But it would be interesting to see how they align the events with the events of the book.

Current Reading Status

I am very jealous of the number of books you have read (Brenna). I am planning on catching up soon. The little break from reading is over now. I have acquired new books, many at the suggestion of others, and from going through Half Price Books a few times recently. I have started Glory Road by Robert A Heinlein. He became a favorite of mine in the last few years. I learned about him by researching other authors that influenced one of my favorites Ray Bradbury. Heinlein's characters always intrigue me. We'll see how this book goes.

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close is a book that interests me. Sadly, the books listed in the previous post are more my sister's taste than mine. Science fiction and fantasy of course more my reading style. But there are so many good books that I need to branch out and try reading.

Books I have read since April 1st...

The month of April has not only brought Spring showers, but it has also reawakened the library monster in Brenna!

Here is a list of what I have read:

• Annie's Song, Catherine Anderson

• Wicked Business, Janet Evanovich

• The Liar, Nora Roberts

• Brown Girl Dreaming, Jacqueline Woodson

• The Schwa Was Here, Neal Shusterman

• Envy, Sandra Brown

• Purpose for the Pain, Renee Yohe

Here is a list of books other have lent me:

• Their Eyes Were Watching God, Zora Neale Hurston
• A Crazy Little Thing Called Death, Nancy Martin
• No Way to Kill a Lady, Nancy Martin
• A Spell for Cameleon, Piers Anthony
• Best Friends Forever, Jennifer Weiner
• Ender's Shadow, Orson Scott Card
• Singer, Karen Casey
• Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, Johnathan Safran Foer
• A Reliable Wife, Robert Goolrick
• The Taqwacores, Michael Muhammad Knight
• There Was a Little Girl: The Real Story of My Mother and Me, Brooke Shields
• Sing You Home, Jodi Picoult
• All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten, Robert Fulghum

Some of the books listed above, I have had for so long I cannot remember if I read them or not. Some of them, I read halfway through and then stopped for whatever reason. As a result, my goal for May and April (once I read the other six books I have on loan from the library), is to read through these thirteen books. Hmmm... maybe I should tack July on there, as well. Someone read through this list and tell me which one to start with. 

The Lake of Dreams by Kim Edwards

Kim Edwards, who also penned The Memory Keeper's Daughter, has created a compelling family story about a hidden family history. The protagonist, Lucy Jarrett, has come to a crossroads in her life and returns to her family home. Lucy does not intend to stay for very long as being in her family home brings up unresolved feelings of her father's death when she was a teenager. However, Lucy discovers seemingly benign objects locked up in a window seat and she throws herself into unearthing a history for someone in the family known as "R."

The Lake of Dreams is written with powerful female characters and provides a unique look into the suffragette movement. The art world plays a heavy hand in the novel's tale. A few members of the Jarrett family possess a gift for being able to hear the inner gears of a locking mechanism and are able to unlock it. I felt that this relates to our ability to hear our own inner workings and ask ourselves, "Can I unlock my heart?" How can we transcend our deepest pain? I cried when I finished this book and as wrapped up into a novel as I can get, I don't often cry. Edwards has tied the past with the future and illustrates the emotional journey of two strong women. You wont want to put this novel down!

Books to tide you over...

If you are anxiously awaiting the release of Harper Lee's novel Go Set a Watchman (like me!), Barnes and Noble has a list of books for you:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/9-books-to-read-while-you-wait-for-go-set-a-watchman-to-come-out/

The Last Word, A Spellman Novel by Lisa Lutz

The Last Word is "Document #6" in The Spellman Files series by Lisa Lutz. I couldn't remember if I can read this one or not, so I checked it out from the library and it renewed my love of the Spellman Family. The Spellman's are a family of personal investigators and they are truly crude, rude, generally messed up, sarcastic, witty, and I love them!

The Spellman Files series is written from the perspective of Isabel Spellman (Izzy) who is the second of three children in the family. Reading about Izzy's journey into adulthood and finding her place within her family will resonate with any reader who has ever thought to them self, "Really? This is my life?" Perhaps you will discover for yourself that Izzy has a huge heart under all her sarcastic armor, terrible fashion taste, and lack of social etiquette.

The Last Word is the final (!) novel in the series so I wont post too much about it. I recommend this series to everyone who loves to read. Lutz writes with hilarity and sarcasm. There is an appendix with character dossiers and other ridiculous information. Lutz also supplies footnotes through out the text that further my love of her writing style. You truly need to start from the beginning and become obsessed with the Spellman family like I did. If you choose to go through life without reading The Spellman Files series, you will have regrets. I promise.

Althea & Oliver, by Christina Moracho

Althea & Oliver is a Young Adult novel about two teens who have been best friends since they were six years old. "...she's the fist-fighting instigator to his peacemaker, the artist whose vision balances his scientific bent." When Oliver comes down with a life-altering illness their relationship is thrown off-balance and they are both sent on a path to discover themselves.

Even though the book was published in 2014, it takes place in the mid 90's. I love this, since I am a child of the 90's. Moracho has created these two vibrant and unique personalities. She so accurately illustrates how there are some catalysts in life that can shake up the lives of people who truly love and care for one another. I couldn't stop reading this book, because I wanted to know what happened to Althea and Oliver. I can't say that I loved the resolution, but I don't know how I would have written the ending. I will say that because the characters and plot were so rich and quirky, I will be looking for more novels written by Christina Moracho.

The Wanderer by Sharon Creech

I read Walk Two Moons a few years ago and liked Sharon Creech's writing very much. Lately I was at the library and picked up The Wanderer. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The format of a diary fits the story. Also the viewpoint of a few different characters adds to the story. I have always been fascinated by water. I love to listen to and watch the ocean (when I'm near it) or a waterfall or river. Really any body of water. Some of my fondest memories are from the cabin. I would sit down on the dock at dusk and listen to the sound of the lake; the birds, fish, waves, and the feel of the setting sun. It was one of my favorite places to be. Of course the ocean terrifies me and a trip across it in a boat the size of the Wanderer gives me small nightmares.

Creech doesn't use a lot of words. But the ones she chooses to describe Sophie and her trip are the perfect ones. The reader can feel the boat and smell/see the ocean. They can also feel and understand the emotions Sophie experiences. This journey isn't just a physical one for her but an emotional and life changing event. The same goes for her cousins and uncles. Definitely a read for any age.

The Odditorium and The Night Gardener

My last visit to the library renewed my love of young adult literature. I picked up quite a few of them but am only going to talk about two right now. 

The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier is an interesting read. It is about two Irish kids who have left Ireland for a better life. The eldest (a girl) has to take over the part of being a guardian to her younger brother. She weaves stories to make things better. This is a large part of the story. They procure employment at a household that is haunted. But how it is haunted and how they get out keeps the reader going. There are some very important themes such as loyalty, family, friendship, and sacrifice in this book.

Alistair Grim's Odditorium by Gregory Funaro deals with magic and boyhood. It is a cute quick read. Grubb, the main character, is a chimney sweep who ends up working for Alistair Grim who may or may not be a mad sorcerer. The Odditorium is full of surprises and new experiences for Grubb. Funaro takes magical creatures like fairies, sirens, dragons and more and creates a story of adventure with a twist at the end. 

March Madness: Battle of the Books

Check this out: http://www.mprnews.org/story/2015/03/15/books-bracket

Looks fun!!

Novelist Plus

There is a database I think everyone should be familiar with. I learned about it during my graduate studies and have used it off and on. Every public library website I have been on has had it. It's called Novelist Plus. There is also a Novelist K-8 version of it. All you need to access it is your library card number and pin. Very simple.

On the main page you can search for fiction or nonfiction titles on the left by genre, audiobooks, and Best of 2014. The database also singles out titles that may be of interest to a reader. If a researcher wants to be more specific they can type in an author, title, keyword, subject or narrator.

Let's say I type in Nora Roberts. I can find a list of her books, series, audiobooks, more information about her as well as lists and articles that mention her. This is great if you want to make sure you have read all the books in a series or by the author. I know it is possible to just Google the author. But this database provides much more information. If you scroll down you can select different genres and categories for different books/authors that fall under the same story lines as Roberts. Lastly, there is a list of Read-alikes for author suggestions.

There is so much a person can learn from this database.

Book Cover Designs

A while ago I came across The New York Times section on books and literature. They provide a variety of information about authors, reviews, changes in the industry and many more topics related to the field of literature.

One article that I found interesting is about book covers. It is a list of the best book cover designs from 2014. So many people just have their eReaders now so the novelty and importance of a book's cover seems to be going along the wayside. Just like the design on a wine or beer bottle or toy packaging; the cover art for a book is instrumental in the selling of the book. Of course the content of the book is the most important. But when you peruse the shelves (or online) the title and cover art jumps out to you. Does it say "Open me now!" or "Will I sleep at night reading this?" or "Hmmm...I must read on" or "What is this about?"

An artist may make a complicated picture to portray what is in the book. Or it may be as simple as the title in black and white, dripping blood, on a back drop of black (Dracula perhaps). Or just plain white with the title. Then there is the difference between the original cover art and the movie cover art (once it is a movie). Which copy sells more? Take your favorite book: how would you depict the story on the front cover? What scene would you illustrate? Or are there certain symbols or colors that you would use? Would you be more detailed or less?

The Huffington Post has an interesting article titled "20 Beautiful Book Cover Designs to Swoon Over." They also have a Rejected Covers series. It is interesting to look at some of them. 

Reading Statistics

I recently found a research article by the Pew Research Center published in January 2014 about the statistics about our reading habits. The study covers parameters like gender, age, and education level of readers. It is pretty interesting. As I suspected eBooks are becoming more popular. This isn't surprising with the number of tablets and other devices available to read on. Of course it is still only 28% compared to print which is 69%. More women have read a book in the last year (2013). Also the higher the education the more likely they have a read a book. All this data (so much more available in the report linked above) is good to see because people are still reading. However, it is saddening because there is much to be said about having the weight, smell, and chance of a paper cut with a print book.

Statista Inc, a leading internet statistics company, has projected that by 2018 eBooks will surpass print by a couple billion dollars. Of course there are many factors that can change the number. I will be sad if that does happen in the next few years. But as long as reading stays popular (and maybe increases in numbers) then I will be happy no matter what format. If I am being honest I have to say that a third of my reading right now is on my Kindle. It fits nicely in the purse without adding more weight. I also have my Kindle books linked to my iPad. Of course I had to buy another bookshelf this year for my print. But now I am more selective in the books that I buy in print. This is partly because of cost (right now I have to be a little cheaper) and space. There are so many books available for free, largely classics, on sites like Project Gutenberg. I also have a free app on my iPad called Free Books. Of course we can't forget the library. In recent years a lot of library systems have begun offering eBooks. This can be tricky because not all eReaders are compatible. But this is changing and is a great way for more people to have access to what is available. 

If you are interested in more statistical evidence check out Statista Inc and the Pew study. I have linked both in this post. Project Gutenberg is also worth a look.

Yesterday HuffPost Books wrote an article titled "Sorry Ebooks. These 9 Studies Show Why Print is Better." It is refreshing and exciting to look into them. 

All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

This is the first novel I have read by Anthony Doerr and it is heart achingly beautiful. Doerr takes the viewpoint of a blind French girl in Paris and a German boy and weaves a tale around their lives from 1934 to present. Doerr doesn't tell the tale in a linear path but takes the reader from past to further past to present. His writing is clear and succinct filled with description without bogging the reader down. There are many characters that play an integral part in the story as well the legend surrounding a single blue diamond.

World War II is a fascinating time period for me. I'm sure many cringe at my word choice of fascinating. I receive different reactions when I tell people I have been reading a biography of Hitler. But to read and watch accounts of lives that were forever changed (or obliterated) makes me grateful for the time period I live in now but also curious to learn how social, economic, political, and psychological (to name a few) aspects of a time period can create a perfect storm.

I picked up this book and couldn't put it down. (I apologize: I am still learning how to write reviews without telling to much.) You keep learning more about how the outside world is changing in these children's lives and how these changes are affecting their small worlds. With the French girl, Marie-Laure, the reader learns how a child "saw" and felt the changes in her homeland. She is dependent on others because of her blindness yet a fierce independence grows in her as she ages. Children are often not told everything; yet they are very perceptive and create their own thoughts about the world around them. The German boy, Werner, is a genius with radios and it seems anything mechanical. This leads him to a prestigious school for boys and on to the war. His inner struggle with what he is told to believe (by the Reich), what he has learned about humanity before the school, and what he endures and sees in his life is a continual battle for him.

Although some will think it is a snapshot of the war; I would argue that it is more a snapshot of human integrity and survival. I continued to read to see where their lives intersect and then how they reconcile with themselves and the other characters as well as the world post war. Doerr is definitely an author that I will read again.

The Divergent Trilogy

Yes it took me until 2015 to read the Divergent Trilogy Veronica Roth. After three sleepless nights I have read each one and am very confused. Here is where I say **Spoiler Alert**. Of course I won't say certain facts from the books. But I am very confused by how Roth finished the series. I know from reading other series that the deaths of certain characters are profound and meaningful and sadly necessary for the outcome of the book. The person Roth decides to kill in the end of the series doesn't make sense to me. If someone could explain it that would be awesome! I understand that losing someone close changes a person either to the better or the worse. But things are wrapping up in the end for the better. I think it was a needless death. But on to other matters.

These books are well written and I think are worth reading. A reason that I don't read an abundance of books anymore is because I get lost in them. It isn't good to read non-stop and refuse to sleep until you finish the story. Even harder if it is a series. Divergent reminds me about all the wonderful things in my life that are still available for me. One of them being decision making/freewill. Also having a system that is dysfunctional yet still trying to make things better. There are aspects of the society that I see in real life. Aspects that can get worse and take over our humanity. But we are 'still fighting the good fight' if I think hard about it. Humanity is so destructive to each other. I wonder what my factions would look like if I were to think about it hard enough. What parts of being human would I emphasize. The book is correct in saying that being strong in one area makes a person weak in another. Other than the final act of Tris (the main protagonist) I enjoy the books. I understand the symbolism/meaning that Roth wanted to get across with Tris' final act; but I still think she could have got her meaning across a different way. 

Strong female heroes as well as male heroes. Resistance from the oppressed. Teenagers saving society. I can see why this series swept through the young population. I am not sorry for reading these books. I just have to figure out how to process them. All books that dwell on the collapse of society as I know it and how humans are afterwards are strange for me to stomach. If someone isn't disturbed by reading books from this genre then I would wonder and worry about them. 

Nathaniel Hawthorne

The pink ribbon, the scarlet A, real or dream. These are some famous things remembered from Nathaniel Hawthorne's stories. Usually the only works introduced in school. I would venture to say most people polled would say they know The Scarlet Letter. The majority of people have also read and been made to study the short story "Young Goodman Brown". However, there are many more tales by Hawthorne that are just as thought provoking and deep as this one. It is a shame to not look at the other tales as well. Of course there is only so much time in English classes and a lot of literature to teach. But if one is inclined to read more one can start with Twice Told Tales: a collection of 32 short stories. There are also his stories for children (A Wonder Book and Tanglewood Tales) that retell some memorable classical myths. These collections are all made available through Project Gutenberg of which I have provided links to. Hopefully you will check them out.

When reading his stories I become thoroughly engaged in them. They are full of so much imagery, historical references and allegories. He is very specific in his use of words, colors, names, and time periods. Although he lived in the 19th century he sets many of his stories in the 17th and 18th centuries centering around happenings and periods in America's early history. He is descriptive yet ambiguous at the same time. Some themes Hawthorne delves into are: insanity, common sense, humanity, Puritanism, supernatural, science, and nature. His knowledge and material comes from historical readings, happenings and places along with classical literature (Shakespeare, Dante, the Bible, mythology, etc) and of course influences from his own life and age. 

One short story I recently read was "Earth's Holocaust." To summarize the story humans decide to rid the world of it's "trumpery" in a large fire. The narrator (I believe is Hawthorne) describes what is tossed into the fire and the reaction of the people watching. Everything from riches, crowns, titles, liquor, literature (everything ever written) and much more. Hawthorne ends the story by commenting "to discern and rectify what is wrong, our whole accomplishment will be a dream so unsubstantial that it matters little whether the bonfire, [...] were what we choose to call a real event and a flame that would scorch the finger, or only a phosphoric radiance and a parable of my own brain." The story makes the reader think about the attachment they have to material objects as well as how institutions like church and state influence their life. It is a large allegory. Has the human race reached it's peak of civilization and now has to/must start over? What would you throw into the fire? How would you react to what others see as "trumpery?"

This is just a small look into Hawthorne's writing. He is a beautiful writer that has influenced many. His stories delve into the bad and good of human nature and ask questions that are on both a group and an individual scale. A good book to check out is Nathaniel Hawthorne: the man, his tales, and romances by Edward Wagenknecht. Wagenknecht writes on specific tales and romances in depth. He has done extensive research on other critiques of Hawthorne and his writings. It is a more scholarly read yet Wagenknecht makes the reader interested in reading more of Hawthorne's stories. I would challenge you to pick up The Scarlet Letter again and reread it now many years after you first read it and now that you have lived some. How do the messages in the book read to you now? What other imagery and symbolism do you find now?

Romanticism

In honor of the month of February I thought I would look into the Romantic period and it's authors. I am not talking about Harlequin and other romances. But instead the time period from late 18th century to mid 19th century. Many well known authors and poets came out of this period. Out of Europe we were given poets like William Blake, Wordsworth and Lord Byron. America brought about authors Hawthorne and Melville along with Poe. Just to name a few. Of course we can't forget American poet Walt Whitman.

Romanticism was varied among topics and themes along with what they wrote about. There was a strong emphasis on the pastoral, natural, mythology, and medievalism. The authors and poets also delved into the supernatural (as evidenced in Hawthorne and Poe) as well the past and present and looking at the darker side of humanity. Josh Rahn writes in his topic of Romanticism that "[it] can best be described as a large network of sometimes competing philosophies, agendas, and points of interest." (The Literature Network) He also continues on to say that Romanticism can be seen in all periods of literature. Along with all the fiction and poetry being written there was nonfiction writing and literary criticism making it's mark.

This month I plan to look at different authors and poets in more depth and learn more about their works and influences. There are so many of them! Great books like Frankenstein by Shelley, Young Goodman Brown by Hawthorne, all the works by Poe. I have never read The Marriage of Heaven and Hell by Blake or Wordsworth's Lyrical Ballads. I also want to take a look at Charles Lamb and his personal essays as well as some of the criticism that was written during this time. We shall see how many I can get into one month. I may have to stretch it into March. We shall also see how much I learned in college classes comes back to me! That will be interesting.

Harry Potter: after all these years

Recently I have been thinking about the Harry Potter series and why it is a favorite of mine. I started doing some research to find out how the series has influenced others and not just me. The millennial generation as well as anyone else who reads it.

The impact of the Harry Potter series is profound and widespread. Digging into the web I found many articles about the political, moral and psychological influence he has had on preteens to teenagers. There is also a book recently published titled Harry Potter and the Millenials by Anthony Gierzynski with Kathryn Eddy. When the first book was published in 1997 I was in high school. I fell in love with them! I remember thinking there wasn't really anything to them. But then I picked up book one and wasn't able to put it down. I still remember it took me 13 hours to finish the seventh book. And I cried that it was all over. That there wouldn't be anymore stories in the future. When a series has that much of an impact on the reader's life it is something to think about and know that you are changed for the better from reading it.

The themes that run through each book are universal: good/evil, bullying, sense of home, friendship, love, school, adolescence, mentor/pupil and the list goes on.

Every child and teen can relate to one of the characters in the books. Maybe you are the bookish overachiever. Is that really bad? No - Hermione shows us that she is a strong, capable, daring and loving person. The awkward kid that isn't wealthy? Ron is your steadfast, trusting, got-your-back friend. Of course there is the smart, bullied, and courageous Harry who shows you that not just the athletes are the heroes. We can't forget the thorn in his side Draco. It is hard to imagine someone might relate to him. But if you think about it, he has been conditioned to hate Potter and everything that Potter stands for. I won't spoil anything though if someone hasn't finished the series. 

Each character develops and transforms more with each book. It is only natural that as a person ages, moving from preteen to teenager to adult, life becomes more complex and decisions made can affect so many people. Each book is darker then the previous. This is okay because the reader is growing up with Harry and his friends and can learn how to behave in situations. Of course there is no amazing game called quidditch with flying brooms. But there are all the other sports and activities to compare. Also how does one deal with the bullies at school? How does one handle open hostility? Is it right for someone to desire to rid the world of those unlike them? How should one think about right and wrong? What is true friendship?

These books will forever be a favorite of mine as will the movies. In 2013 there were 450 million copies in print worldwide. The series had also been translated into 73 languages. This is a worldwide phenomenon. And think of how many kids don't enjoy reading and then pick up book one and fall in love with where a story can take them and what it can teach them (whether they realize there's a lesson or not). It is sad but not surprising that the series is constantly being challenged and wanted to be banned. My response to this is that people are ignorant and scared of what they don't know (or think they know). I would gift this book to every kid if I could. 

The Quick and the Dead by Louis L'Amour

Since I read Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry I have looked for old westerns that I may like. I found The Quick and the Dead and thoroughly enjoyed it. The romantic image of the lone gunslinger has always been a favorite of mine. This is a short (154 page) story about the McKaskel family of three moving out west. They chance upon Con Vallian who is a lone cowboy that, for reasons he is not sure of, decides to help them cross through the plains. Vallian becomes a mentor to the son and a friend in general to the family. The plot doesn't have twists and turns but that is what makes this book a good read. It is simple and shows the difficulties a family faced when going east to west. L'Amour also has the wife/mother have backbone which I admire. She is a strong female who doesn't shy away from the surprises along the way but instead faces them head on.

Favorite books from 2014

I really liked Sarah's post on this topic and have adopted for myself.


Letting Ana Go by Anonymous
This is a story about a teenage girl's struggle with Anorexia Nervosa. It is her very powerful journal, which starts out as a food journal for class and turns into an obsession. Having struggled with eating disorders myself, I found this to be a novel that lead me to dark places internally, but I do not regret reading it.
Looking for Alaska by John Green
This is one of my favorite novels. I have read it so many times. I love the characters immensely. I think that one of John Green's successes as an author is that he can illustrate the heart and soul of what it truly means to be a young adult without trivializing the experience.
A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
I attempted to read this novel several times and was successful in 2014. While the books in this series are very dense and long, the characters are fascinating. This novel had me feeling a myriad of emotions. The series is very dark, however. I also read the second novel in the series and started the third, but had to take a break. My goal is to finish the next three books before the seventh come out. (!)
Sway by Kat Spears
Another YAL novel. I guess I can't get enough of them. I was really taken with the main character, Jesse (Sway). He tries to keep himself so emotionally shut off, but events in his life lead him to open up about many of the emotions he has kept shut out. He is very troubled and some might consider him a bad guy. I found him to be good with all the beautiful and ugly flaws that come with humanity.
The Fault in our Stars by John Green
Another favorite that I reread for the movie release. I found the novel to still be my favorite of the two mediums, but I think they did a fabulous job with the movie. Once again, John Green covers a troubling issue (this time, cancer) that young adults may deal with honest and beautiful words.
Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng
This novel is set in the 1970's. A daughter goes missing from a family of five. As you read and get closer to resolving the mystery of the missing daughter, many other family secrets are uncovered.
Margot by Jillian Cantor
This is a fiction novel that focuses on Margot Frank, sister of Anne Frank. The novel follows Margot's life after the war, as if she had survived.
Graveminder by Melissa Marr
This is a gothic novel. The main character, Bek, discovers that she has taken over as the town Graveminder. This is a role her now-deceased grandmother held. A role that Bek thought to be just a personality quirk on the part of grandmother. This brought up a lot of interesting points about life and death, good and evil, afterlife, etc.
Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick
I LOVED this novel. I did not love the movie. I think that the main character, Pat, is illustrated so much better in the novel. I also found his relationships to be so my richer in the novel.
The Lowland by Jhumpa Lahiri
I think I have read everything that Jhumpa Lahiri has written and this novel only served to further my belief that she is one of the richest authors of this century. She primarily writes about the experiences of Indians immigrating into the United States. Lahiri has great talent in helping the reader feel what the characters are feeling. It is so easy to get attached.
The Collector by Nora Roberts
I read an awful lot of romance novels. I love them because they are mostly predictable and when I am in a bad place emotionally, they perk me right up. Nora Roberts is one of my favorite romance authors. This novel follows Lila, a professional house-sitter, who witnesses a murder. As I have an equal love for the mystery genre, this novel covers all the right bases to turn a depressed mood into a happier and more relaxed mood.

2014 Books Read

Last year wasn't devoid of any reading. I was just forgetful and lazy in blogging about them. Of course I didn't read as much as I would have liked. Since finding out that I am walking distance from a Half Price Books my collection of old science fiction books and Steinbeck books have expanded. It is fun to search for the old books that aren't in circulation anymore or have been forgotten for the new bestsellers. Plus when they are half price they are dirt cheap! Since I am putting a bunch of books together I will section them out in very brief write ups.

Robert A. Heinlein: I really enjoy reading his stories. I picked up The green hills of earth and The Unpleasant Profession of Jonathan Hoag both of which are collections of short stories. It's nice because you can read a story in a short sitting. They are catchy and thought provoking. Of course I do still love Bradbury. But it is interesting to read some of the others Bradbury has pointed out to be influential on his writing.

Isaac Asimov: The movie version of I, Robot with Will Smith is one of my favorite movies. I found the book and decided to see what else there is to the story. The book is of course more in depth. However, the entire story line of Smith's character is not in the book. The movie takes some of the characters and adds to them. This makes both book and movie great on their own standing. The book has so many more characters and spans a long period of time. It is very interesting. I will definitely read more by Asimov.

Jules Verne: In all honesty I am still trying to finish Journey to the Center of the Earth. I feel like it could have ended a long time ago. Sadly I have come to where I needed something new and haven't picked it up again. However, I did read Master of the World and this book (shorter in length) had me turning the page. I wanted to understand how one man thought he could outsmart everyone and his belief system of why he should be "master" of the world.

Peter Benchley: Jaws. If you don't know about the movie then you need to rent it. I came upon the book at Half Price and didn't realize the movie was based on a book. The book is so much better! Usually is the case. The movie and the soundtrack to it are of course great. But you get to see so much more into the lives and minds of the characters in the small town of Amity.

So there is the nut shell of reading last year for me. I know there were probably more that I read. But these are the ones that stand out in my mind while looking back.

The Dog Stars by Peter Heller

This past Christmas I received three books. One of them was The Dog Stars by Peter Heller. I had never read a book about the end of civilization and I have to say it is a little depressing and very eerie when you finish at 4:30 in the morning. All I wanted to do was talk to someone to ensure that the end of the world had not happened. Luckily I live on a busy street and could hear the sounds of other people still.

Written years later from the perspective of Hig (one of two main characters) you slowly learn about the flu pandemic and how he has had to survive and what he has lost. The other main character is Bangley; a man to be feared, but knows how to survive. Heller writes his sentences as the thoughts of someone who has had only one other man and a dog to talk to in close to a decade. This makes the knowledge of how Hig's life has been even more emphasized to the reader. Hig's thoughts are not completely linear and he bounces from past to present often. It is a well written book and definitely a page turner.

I must say though that reading about the end of the human race is not something I enjoy. The book had me turning the page though to see if Hig ever found other "civilized" people. People who didn't want to kill him on sight for just living.This topic has me thinking about whether it would be better to die with the majority of the population and everyone you love or to be a lone survivor. How hard would it be to stay sane knowing that the rest of the survivors are scattered around the world and probably hostile? Would my desire to live be strong enough to endure through everything I would have to see and do to survive? It is also depressing to think about how society crumbles and breaks down. I will have to read a few other books about this topic to see how other writers have portrayed the last surviving humans.

The Fireman's Wife

I received a new (to me) collection of short stories for Christmas from my amazing team of managers. I have been reading at least one story in it per shift and am almost halfway through it. One story has really resonated with me. The Fireman's Wife, written by Richard Bausch. The main character is Jane and her husband, Martin, is a fireman. The story focuses on their relationship, with sprinkles of information regarding their friends within the firehouse circle. Jane is feeling very lost in her marriage and considers leaving Martin. Before she can act on this, there is a terrible fire and Martin is sent home very injured and they lose one of their friends to the fire. Now Jane has to decide to stay or go.


I think that all of have those moments when we feel lost. Have we forgotten who we were trying to be? Have we changed into someone else because we were trying to please someone? Should we stay or go? Relationships are never easy. They are full of questions and conflict, as well as beauty and compassion. Life takes us on an unknown adventure with great highs and tragic pitfalls. Can we maintain the person we are through it all? If we lose ourself, can we find our way back? Do we want to?


Well, I just thought I would take a stab at this blog/discussion thing. Thanks for reading.

2015 Reading Resolution

Okay, I make this every year and every year I don't stick to it. But this year (2015) I plan to be more active and diligent with this blog. Trying to make it more interactive with other readers also. I want people to be able to create their own posts and not just comment on mine. Of course this means that I may have quite a few authors but I am okay with that. So...here's to 2015 and reading more and writing more!