Lin Ryals's Blog, page 20
May 18, 2019
Down the TBR Hole #6
Do you ever look at the TBR list on Goodreads and feel completely overwhelmed? I do!! That’s exactly why I LOVE this idea!!!
Down the TBR Hole was created by Lia @ Lost in a Story to help decrease the size of our TBRs.
HOW IT WORKS:
Go to your Goodreads to-read shelf.Order on ascending date added.Take the first 5 (or 10 if you’re feeling adventurous) booksRead the synopses of the booksDecide: keep it or should it go?
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For Whom the Bell Tolls
In 1937 Ernest Hemingway traveled to Spain to cover the civil war there for the North American Newspaper Alliance. Three years later he completed the greatest novel to emerge from “the good fight”, For Whom the Bell Tolls.
The story of Robert Jordan, a young American in the International Brigades attached to an antifascist guerilla unit in the mountains of Spain, it tells of loyalty and courage, love and defeat, and the tragic death of an ideal. In his portrayal of Jordan’s love for the beautiful Maria and his superb account of El Sordo’s last stand, in his brilliant travesty of La Pasionaria and his unwillingness to believe in blind faith, Hemingway surpasses his achievement in The Sun Also Rises and A Farewell to Arms to create a work at once rare and beautiful, strong and brutal, compassionate, moving and wise.
“If the function of a writer is to reveal reality,” Maxwell Perkins wrote to Hemingway after reading the manuscript, “no one ever so completely performed it.” Greater in power, broader in scope, and more intensely emotional than any of the author’s previous works, it stands as one of the best war novels of all time.
I like to put books like this on my list because it makes me feel smart. The truth is, I’m probably never going to read this.
Final Verdict: Go
Love the One You’re With
The New York Times bestselling author of Something Borrowed,Something Blue, and Baby Proof delivers another captivating novel about women and the choices that define them. This is the story for anyone who has ever wondered: How can I truly love the one I’m with when I can’t forget the one who got away?
Ellen and Andy’s first year of marriage doesn’t just seem perfect, it is perfect. There is no question how deep their devotion is, and how naturally they bring out the best in each other. But one fateful afternoon, Ellen runs into Leo for the first time in eight years. Leo, the one who brought out the worst in her. Leo, the one who left her heartbroken with no explanation. Leo, the one she could never quite forget. When his reappearance ignites long-dormant emotions, Ellen begins to question whether the life she’s living is the one she’s meant to live.
Love the One You’re With is a powerful story about one woman at the crossroads of true love and real life.
This is probably another one I’ll never read. I try to branch out sometimes and try different genres, but I really have to be in the mood and then it’s a spur of the moment decision, not something planned. This will probably never happen.
Final Verdict: GO
Tangled Roots
Holly Weston, a teenager locked down in drug rehab, claims she’s never used drugs, but that her incarceration is all a plot by her parents. Why? To establish her mental incompetency so she won’t discover that they’ve embezzled the fortune she is about to inherit. Her grandmother, a slightly dotty widow claims that her father was murdered when she was nineteen, after which she dyed her hair platinum, went to Hollywood, and met Clark Gable (and her husband). Holly’s mother, a rigid, disapproving figure, tells Alex and Briggie both her her mother and daughter are lying, forbidding them to dig any further among the family’s roots.
What in the world are Alex and Briggie up to now? Holly’s counselor has hired them to do a genogram or psychological pedigree, to find where the family secrets are hiding. She is convinced Holly’s mother is frightened for Holly. Why does Mrs. Weston refuse to acknowledge her grandfather’s murder? What is she so afraid of the RootSearch, Inc. team discovering about her family?
What does the family history have to do with: another murder, Holly’s disappearance, and the strange trio of middle-aged men who are following Briggie and Alex and her mother?
Alex accepted this case in order to be back with her mother for a while, now that she has emerged from her rehabilitation. A fifteen year estrangement has rendered them strangers, and she feels it her duty to try to mend the rift. Her mother proves to be “pluck to the backbone” as Alex’s British suitor, Charles, says. The four of them soon become mired in Holly’s unexpectedly tangled roots, with surprising off-shoots surfacing all over the country. Encountering both danger and new friends, they also take responsibility for a slew of eccentric pets. Amidst the action, Alex’s love life takes a turn that both baffles and scares her.
Join our genealogical sleuths as they strive, as always, to find out the real truth that is at the “root” of this family’s dysfunction and fear, enabling it to take the first steps to healing.
I really don’t know why this is in here. I’m not a fan of mystery and have never read a book about genealogy, but it doesn’t sound exciting. Also, this is the 3rd book in a series. So….
Final Verdict: GO
The Two Princesses of Bamarre
Twelve-year-old Addie admires her older sister Meryl, who aspires to rid the kingdom of Bamarre of gryphons, specters, and ogres. Addie, on the other hand, is fearful even of spiders and depends on Meryl for courage and protection. Waving her sword Bloodbiter, the older girl declaims in the garden from the heroic epic of Drualt to a thrilled audience of Addie, their governess, and the young sorcerer Rhys.
But when Meryl falls ill with the dreaded Gray Death, Addie must gather her courage and set off alone on a quest to find the cure and save her beloved sister. Addie takes the seven-league boots and magic spyglass left to her by her mother and the enchanted tablecloth and cloak given to her by Rhys – along with a shy declaration of his love. She prevails in encounters with tricky specters (spiders too) and outwits a wickedly personable dragon in adventures touched with romance and a bittersweet ending.
So, this is Gail Carson Levine. There is really only one answer to this one.
Final Verdict: Keep
The Wish
Wilma Sturtz is invisible and miserable at school. So when an old lady on the subway offers her a wish, Wilma immediately asks for popularity — in fact, she asks to be the most popular kid at school.
Suddenly, Wilma has more friends than she can keep track of, forty dates to the Grad Night Dance, and a secret admirer writing her love poems. Everything is great, until she realizes there’s a loophole in her wish, and her time in the spotlight has almost run out.
Again, Gail Carson Levine.
Final Verdict: Keep
Review: We got rid of 3 books and kept 2, bringing the total down to 645 books. 
May 17, 2019
Blog Hop: Fantasy Integration in Society
Welcome to my post in this Urban Fantasy blog hop!! I am sure you enjoyed your previous stop at Heidi Angell‘s blog! She and I have been friends since we were twelve, so it’s fun working with her in the book world. Also, welcome the OWS CyCon!!! This is my first year participating, but it’s been so much fun. Since it’s my first year, and I only have one book out, I’m not participating in a lot – mainly just blog hops. OWS CyCon is also taking over the Fantasy and Sci-Fi Readers Lounge! I’ll be on there Saturday at 10am (eastern). Yesterday, I posted my Historical Fiction Blog Hop post. Hope you enjoyed that! Also, be sure to check out my author booth! There is a giveaway at the end of this post and your next destination in this Urban Fantasy Blog Hop, so keep on reading.
Wouldn’t it be amazing if our modern day society had magic? Perhaps paranormal creatures like vampires, werewolves, ancient gods and goddesses, or mythical creatures from my childhood fairy tales could be here today. I know, grown ups keep telling me they don’t exist, but I still say they’re wrong. I see them. I see the nymph hunched over in the bushes. I know that giant wolf is actually a werewolf. That old woman who doesn’t like her neighbors, she’s secretly a witch. And me, well, I still believe in fairies.
Urban fantasy is magical, because all those things that we love exist in our world. However, all authors choose to integrate the fantasy into their society a little differently.
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Let’s talk a minute about Holly Black’s The Darkest Part of the Forest. In this story, there are fairies. The really interesting thing that stands out from a lot of urban fantasy is that the people in the town of Fairfield know the fairies are there. They even have a changeling who goes to the local high school with all their kids. The humans and fairies have an arduous relationship at best. They don’t like each other. It’s interesting reading the struggle, which is told from the humans’ point of view. In this book, the fantasy elements are integrated as part of the human society – not a secret, but a PART of it.
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There’s the Harry Potter world created by J.K. Rowling. The fantasy elements are integrated a little differently than in Black’s. In Rowling’s world, the human and wizarding worlds are completely different and separated. The humans have no idea wizards and magic are real. The wizards use magic to hide it from the humans. Even when there’s a full blown war going on in the wizard world, the humans have no clue. They just think there are a few extra natural disasters happening around the world. Hmmm… maybe that’s what’s going on now. Ya think?
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Yes, I’m using Twilight as an example. I don’t care if you hate it. Shh! It works for what I need. LOL! In Twilight, there are vampires and shapeshifters living amongst the humans. They don’t have their own world inside the world like in Harry Potter. They also don’t have a relationship with humans (unless we’re talking food here, but that’s a different topic). They are completely independent and secret.
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Renegades! This is a newer book, the third one in the series isn’t even out yet (you can bet your butt I have it pre-ordered though). This one is a world with super heroes! A lot of people have extra powers, but some are pretty lame. Ever year the super heroes have auditions for the others to try and become a super hero. They have huge parades for the super heroes that go down the middle of the city. The heroes, of course, save the humans because what else would be the point of a super hero? Secret identities are a necessity for the super heroes, so even though they are known by all the humans, all the humans don’t know them by their real names, just their hero names. An interesting thing about this story, is that it’s told from the point of view of the villains. Yeap! Awesome! But… that has nothing to do with integrating fantasy into society. So, this one has the fantasy as part of the human world, the humans depend on the their supernatural friends to keep them safe. They don’t fear them, like in Black’s world.
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In Charmed and Lethal, Christine and I took a combination of ways to integrate the fantasy elements into our society. There are several different types of supernatural creatures – Witches, Warriors, and Were (as in werewolves, werefoxes, werebears..etc). The Witches and Warriors kind of have their own world, like in Harry Potter. They go to their own schools, work for themselves, and work together as their own community inside the world of humans. The Were are a little different. They like to live amongst the humans. The humans don’t know they can shift into an animal at will and have super strength. They just think they’re their goody two shoes neighbor living next door. Of course, that changes. For reasons I can’t give without supplying spoilers, they have to live together for a while and form their own community or they go into hiding and live on their own, like the vampires in Twilight. Their existence is kept a secret from the humans though.
There are so many ways to integrate fantasy elements into a society. What is your favorite way?
NEXT on this blog hop is P.J. MaClayne!
Be sure to visit the CyCon website and Facebook event acting as the hub for all of our events. Sign up for the newsletter or RSVP to the event to make sure you don’t miss out on any of the bookish goodness being offered.
Click HERE to get your own copy of Charmed and Lethal.
To enter the givaway, go to Rafflecopter.
May 16, 2019
Blog Hop: Bringing the Past to Life
Welcome to my post in this Historical Fiction blog hop!! Also, welcome to the OWS CyCon!!! This is my first year participating, but it’s been so much fun. Since it’s my first year, and I only have one book out, I’m not participating in a lot – mainly just blog hops. OWS CyCon is taking over the Fantasy and Sci-Fi Readers Lounge! I’ll be on there Saturday at 10am (eastern). Tomorrow, I’ll post my Urban Fantasy Blog Hop post. Hope you enjoy it! Also, be sure to check out my author booth! There is a giveaway at the end of this post and your next destination in this Blog Hop, so keep on reading.
I’ll be the first to admit that history was my least favorite subject in school. It’s the only class where I earned anything lower than a B. I was so embarrassed to take that report card home. As I have gotten older, went through college, and earned my own degree in education, I have learned it wasn’t from a lack of studying or an inability to learn. It was because I couldn’t relate to the characters when reading them straight from the textbook. The characters have to come alive!
Don’t just take my word for it though. Tarry Lindquist from Scholastic wrote this:
Social studies texts are often devoted to coverage rather than depth. Too often, individuals — no matter how famous or important — are reduced to a few sentences. Children have difficulty converting these cryptic descriptions and snapshots into complex individuals who often had difficult choices to make, so myths and stereotypes flourish. Good historical fiction presents individuals as they are, neither all good nor all bad.
This is why I have set out to write in the genre of historical fiction. I wrote The King’s Advisor many years ago. It wasn’t published, but quite a few friends read the rough draft. My favorite reaction was from my sister, a homeschooling mother of seven children. She loved it. Any time her children are studying medieval history, she has them read my very, very rough draft of The King’s Advisor. “Why?” you ask. Well, that’s what I asked, too. She said the characters are relate-able. She also said that while her children are pulled into a gripping medieval tale, they are also given many facts of the time period without realizing they are learning. The world is created for them so it’s easy to dive in.
I believe this is true for many historical fiction novels. I love learning about history though novels. There’s a story that pulls me into the world. There are characters I can relate to. It’s a story about people and not just a list of facts. We’re able to see the rawness of emotions and feel that heart wrenching pain when your favorite character dies, even when you know that person will die because you remember it from eighth grade history class. That’s when you know the story is well written. That’s when you know the characters are well developed.
History can’t just be a list of facts or they will only be memorized long enough to pass the test. It needs to be real. That’s how one remembers history.
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Randi is excited to spend the summer with her Uncle Rick exploring Europe on an Arthurian tour. At an archaeological dig, something goes horribly wrong and Randi finds herself back in fifth century Camelot. It's everything she ever dreamed it would be, except for Arthur's best friend, Gawain. He's gruff, rude, ... and very handsome. As she adjusts to the difficulties of Medieval life, Randi must learn when to be quiet and when to speak about the tumultuous times she knows lie in Camelot's future. The great battles are coming. Can Randi do anything to protect those she has grown to care for without changing the future she knows?
The King’s Advisor is not yet published. If you’d like to read the unpolished version of it, I’m slowly, but surely adding it to my account on Wattpad. Once it’s all there, it’ll go to the editor, and then published! Follow me if you want to be one of the first to know about it.
You’re next stop on this Blog Hop is to the talented Fallacious Rose!
She lives on a rural property on the south-east coast of NSW, Australia, and writes under the pen name Fallacious Rose. Her sister thinks nobody will take her seriously with a name like that but then, she doesn’t want them to. Her brand is ‘eccentric’, her genre is ‘everything’, and the only thing standing between her and a career as a famous singer is…that she can’t really sing. Now, go check out her post!!! I’m sure you won’t be disappointed!
May 15, 2019
Author Interview: Zachary Ryan
Zachary Ryan grew up in a black-and-white box in Maryland, before moving to Chicago to start a new life. There, he found that he was accepted for his misfit status—and learned that it’s perfectly normal to spend your twenties feeling lost and confused.
After a disastrous sexual encounter, Ryan stumbled on a group of true friends, or “soul cluster,” that he connected with. Through his writing, he hopes to help other broken souls out there find comfort amid the chaos.
Interview
When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
I grew up just writing little stories here and there. I remember writing this story about these kids going in a magical portal when I was younger in the back of my step dad’s car. It wasn’t until I started writing poetry and then my novel that I wanted to be a writer.
How long does it take you to write a book?
It takes me on average a month in a half to two months to write it. It takes me another two months for all my editing to get done.
When did you write your first book and how old were you?
I wrote and completed my first novel at 17. I wrote it about this kid getting revenge on his school. It was a nightmare that I had, and I was like I’m going to make that into a book.
What is the first book that made you cry?
Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin had to make me cry. I think the fact that even in the end he didn’t get what he wanted. He struggled with his sexuality the whole time and he still had to lie.
Does writing energize or exhaust you?
It depends on the scene. If I’m writing a really scandalous scene then I’m so pumped to keep writing. I want to see what happens next. Once I get to a really huge emotional scene, I need to step back and take a break because I just need a moment to decompress from the intense emotions.
Does a big ego help or hurt writers?
I think you need to be obsessed with your writing. If you don’t have some confidence or self-delusion about it then you’re going to have some thin skin when people come after you. I also think you need to be open to criticism because that makes you better. I think a combo of both is perfectly fine.
Have you ever gotten reader’s block?
I get too many ideas, and I get freaked out. I have it right now where I’m working on a book, and I’m getting ideas for the next book that’s getting me excited, but I don’t want to give up on the book I’m working on right now.
Do you try more to be original or deliver to readers what they want?
I’m the number one reader in my book. I’ll do whatever I need to do to make myself happy. If no one buys the book that’s fine. I don’t care if I please my readers because this is something I’m obsessed with. If people are like that doesn’t make sense try it this way then I’ll listen. I usually try to have a series all written out before I publish book one, so I don’t let readers influence the ending of a series.
What was your hardest scene to write?
Honestly anything with a lot of description. I hate writing descriptions, it’s my least favorite thing, so anytime I have to do that I want to cry. Also, if there’s a scene with a lot of different characters, I wish I didn’t have to do that.
Do you read your book reviews? How do you deal with good or bad ones?
I feel like it depends on the review. Good ones, I enjoy reading, and I get a boost of energy. I want to crawl into a hole when people give me bad reviews. I don’t mind if you’re attacking me for grammar issues, I can take that because I’m not the greatest at grammar. I had it one time someone called me the worst writer they’ve ever experienced. After I survived that, I knew I could survive any review.
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They all thought they did a masterful job of keeping their secrets close to their chest. These stupid fools thought they were the high court of this kingdom, but they had no clue who was really pulling the strings. You might wonder to yourself, who would be that heartless to make them backstab their friends, expose other’s secrets, and lose their morals? You don’t need to know who I am, but you better remember my name, The Marked Queen.
If you’re interested in purchasing your own copy of this book, check it out on Amazon here.
May 14, 2019
Teen Tuesday: How To Train Your Dragon
Genre: Children’s fantasy
Publish Date: May 1, 2004
Synopsis (Goodreads):
Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III is a truly extraordinary Viking hero known throughout Vikingdom as “the Dragon Whisperer”…but it wasn’t always so. Travel back to the days when the mighty warrior was just a boy, the quiet and thoughtful son of the Chief of the Hairy Hooligans. Can Hiccup capture a dragon and train it without being torn limb from limb? Join the adventure as the small boy finds a better way to train his dragon and become a hero!
Review by Jade:
At first, I wasn’t really excited about reading How To Train Your Dragon. However, when I started to read this book, it was amazing.
My favorite part in it, is when Hiccup was trying to defeat the Green Death.
The character I like best is…. Toothless. I love how stubborn he can be. I can not believe how much he can complain.
After reading How to Train Your Dragon , I thought about how much imagination the author must have had to write a book like this. I also like the way she set up the plot.
It was an awesome book and I enjoyed it , so I rate this book five stars.
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Top Ten Page to Screen
Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.
My Top Ten books that made it to the big screen.
To Kill a Mockingbird
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True Grit
I do know there are two movies. While I’m a huge John Wayne fan, the more recent one was more true to the book.
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Sense and Sensibility
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The Hunger Games
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The Fellowship of the Rings
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Holes
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Much Ado About Nothing
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The Outsiders
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Ender’s Game
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The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
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May 13, 2019
Spotlight: Little Big Brother
Charlie is like most high school freshmen: prone to embarrassing moments and little experience with the opposite sex (okay, none). Thank God his older brother can guide him through it all. Well, sometimes. The dead can’t visit on a whim.
DeAndre’s visits are the only things keeping Charlie afloat as he navigates his teenage years. But this blessing is also a curse, straining Charlie’s friendships and threatening to derail his wishful romance with Samantha. Before Charlie can move on he needs to know if he’s really communicating with his dead brother or if it’s all in his mind as his mother and therapists believe. The clock is ticking. DeAndre tells him he won’t be around forever and the grief is tearing at the seams of Charlie’s relationships.
An encounter between DeAndre and Samantha may provide the answer, and how Charlie deals with it will be the difference between keeping those he loves and losing them forever.
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Arsenio Franklin is the author of Unholy Revelations. A lifelong reader, he left his public relations job to be a writer.
He also works as an after-school teacher. In his free time he enjoys running, watching NBA basketball and playing video games. A born-again WWE fan, he will defend professional wrestling as the last great performance art until his death. He lives in Gallatin, TN with his wife, Laura.
Check out his Website here: https://depressedhousehusband.wordpress.com/
Q&A with the Author
● How do you deal with writer’s block?
Write. Write. Write. Eventually something will happen.
● What’s the best thing about being a writer?
Giving readers the same feeling I get when reading a great story.
● What’s your advice for aspiring writers?
Do it. Don’t let fear hold you back. The hardest part is getting started.
● How do you get inspired to write?
Inspiration is everywhere. Books, television, music, video games. I get a lot of good ideas while running.
● What prevents you from writing?
The Internet.
● If you could tell your younger self anything, what would it be?
Go for it. You are the only thing that matters. Support is great, but believing in yourself is the most powerful tool.
● When did you learn that language had power?
I stayed up all night reading Harry Potter as a kid. When I couldn’t stay awake any longer, I’d fall asleep thinking about what I’d just read. The words made me feel. I’d find myself thinking, “What if.”
● What is your favorite book?
1Q84 by Haruki Murakami. It’s a dystopian, a fantasy, a mystery, a romance and so much more. It sounds like a jumbled mess, but it’s woven together beautifully.
● What is your spirit animal?
Rapper J Cole is my spirit animal. I love his music.
● How many unpublished and half-finished books do you have?
Probably one half-finished novel and so many at other stages of incompletion.
● What does literary success look like to you?
I just want to make people feel the way I feel about words and stories. Financially, I’d love to make enough money to supplement my part-time job as an after-school teacher.
● What’s the best way to market your books?
Know your audience. Nothing works without that.
● What’s the most difficult part about writing characters from the opposite sex?
I have no idea what it’s like to be a woman. The best I can do is think on my interactions with the women in my life and try to use their words and actions to peek into their thoughts.
● How many hours a day do you write?
It depends. One hour and I’ll feel okay.
● Have you read anything that made you think differently about fiction?
I’m finally at a point in my writing that I’ll catch myself thinking about another writer’s process when reading their book. Like, “Oh, now I see why they did that.”
● How do you select the names of your characters?
Sometimes it just comes to me, other times I’ll use a placeholder until I find one I like.
● Do you read your book reviews? How do you deal with good ones and bad ones?
Of course, I read them. Good or bad, I’m appreciative they took the time to read my book.
● What is your favorite childhood book?
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
● What is the most difficult part of writing?
Resisting the urge to edit while writing my first draft.
● Is there anything you would do differently in your writing career, given the chance?
Start earlier.
● How long on average does it take you to write a book?
Several months for a complete first draft. There’s no telling once I start editing and rewriting.
Purchasing Links:
May 12, 2019
Weekly Wrap Up 5/12/19
This is a blog hop hosted by the Caffeinated Reviewer.
Seriously, there has been nothing worth talking about in my personal life. Teaching, writing, reading, arting, ate some delicious Swiss food, growing a garden, washed lots of dishes, folded tons of clothes…. Really, that’s all I have. Just monotony of life.
Books I read:
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Books that entered my home:
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I currently have too many books in my TBR pile, so until I can manage to catch up, I may not be accepting many more for a while.
Currently Reading
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On the Blog
Life got in the way, so I haven’t gotten as much up this week. I realize I said I haven’t done anything exciting, but that non-excitement kept me busy. LOL! Monday and Tuesday didn’t get anything. Ooops!
Wednesday: 2019 CyCon Top 5 I am participating in the 2019OWS CyCon. It’s for all members of the book world – writers, readers, bloggers… etc. I’m pretty excited about it.
Thursday: Book Review of Excalibur Rising
Friday: Friday Blog Hops
Saturday: Down the TBR Hole #5
Art accomplishments:
I’ve been slacking in this category as well. I did some art journaling in my planner, which isn’t very exciting. Basically, I doodled while watching Netflix because my brain was not dealing with life well. I don’t know how much you know about art journaling. Basically, you don’t do it to make it look pretty, you just do it to get it out of your system. LOL! I wrote out feelings and thoughts on both these pages once I was finished doodling. I didn’t want to include pictures with those though.
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Writing accomplishments:
I decided to put my books on Wattpad. Charmed and Lethal is on there for FREE. Check it out and vote on it!
May 11, 2019
Down the TBR Hole #5
Do you ever look at the TBR list on Goodreads and feel completely overwhelmed? I do!! That’s exactly why I LOVE this idea!!!
Down the TBR Hole was created by Lia @ Lost in a Story to help decrease the size of our TBRs.
HOW IT WORKS:
Go to your Goodreads to-read shelf.Order on ascending date added.Take the first 5 (or 10 if you’re feeling adventurous) booksRead the synopses of the booksDecide: keep it or should it go?
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The Wings of a Falcon
There was something different about him. He had no name. He showed no emotion, never yielded. And Griff had always stood by him. Even in this place where cruelty and betrayals were the way of life. So when he decides to escape, he takes Griff with him. Their journey has no known destination, and no purpose except to make their way through life’s chances.
I went through a Cynthia Voigt phase and put all her books on my TBR list. I just don’t have a desire to read them any longer.
Final Verdict: GO
Homecoming
It’s still true…
That’s the first thing James Tillerman says to his sister Dicey every morning. It’s still true that their mother has abandoned the four Tillerman children somewhere in the middle of Connecticut. It’s still true they have to find their way, somehow, to Great-aunt Cilla’s house in Bridgeport, which may be their only hope of staying together as a family.
But when they get to Bridgeport, they learn that Great-aunt Cilla has died, and the home they find with her daughter, Eunice, isn’t the permanent haven they’ve been searching for. So their journey continues to its unexpected conclusion — and some surprising discoveries about their history, and their future.
I told ya I went through a Cynthia Voigt stage. LOL!
Final Verdict: GO
Big Fish
He could outrun anybody, and he never missed a day of school. He saved lives, tamed giants. Animals loved him. People loved him. Women loved him (and he loved them back). And he knew more jokes than any man alive.
Now, as he lies dying, Edward Bloom can’t seem to stop telling jokes -or the tall tales that have made him, in his son’s eyes, an extraordinary man. Big Fish is the story of this man’s life, told as a series of legends and myths inspired by the few facts his son, William, knows. Through these tales -hilarious and wrenching, tender and outrageous- William begins to understand his elusive father’s great feats, and his great failings.
I loved this movie, but the reviews I’ve heard and read about the book don’t seem quite as promising.
Final Verdict: GO
Water Horse
When eight-year-old Kirstie and her family go beachcombing near their home in Scotland, she finds something that looks like a giant fish egg, which is just too interesting to leave on the beach. So she brings it home and sneaks it into the bathtub overnight. The next morning, she is surprised to find that the egg has hatched, but the newborn is unlike anything anyone has seen before. With its long neck, head like a horse, skin like a toad’s, flippers like a turtle, and a tail like a crocodile, her brother Angus declares it a monster. Grandfather knows better and tells them it’s a kelpie, or what he calls a water horse. The family keeps the baby and names it Crusoe. But as Crusoe grows, he becomes a bigger and bigger problem, literally. They are forced to find him a new home, away from people and boats. They settle on a beautiful Loch, now known as Loch Ness. From the author of beloved Babe
comes the soon-to-be-classic story of how, thanks to the love and kindness of the human family that raises him, the Loch Ness Monster found his home.
I didn’t even love this movie. I liked it, but didn’t love it. I’m not really sure why I added this to my list though.
Final Verdict: GO
Wuthering Heights
This best-selling Norton Critical Edition is based on the 1847 first edition of the novel. For the Fourth Edition, the editor has collated the 1847 text with several modern editions and has corrected a number of variants, including accidentals. The text is accompanied by entirely new explanatory annotations.
New to the fourth Edition are twelve of Emily Bronte’s letters regarding the publication of the 1847 edition of Wuthering Heights as well as the evolution of the 1850 edition, prose and poetry selections by the author, four reviews of the novel, and poetry selections by the author, four reviews of the novel, and Edward Chitham’s insightful and informative chronology of the creative process behind the beloved work.
Five major critical interpretations of Wuthering Heights are included, three of them new to the Fourth Edition. A Stuart Daley considers the importance of chronology in the novel. J. Hillis Miller examines Wuthering Heights’s problems of genre and critical reputation. Sandra M. Gilbert assesses the role of Victorian Christianity plays in the novel, while Martha Nussbaum traces the novel’s romanticism. Finally, Lin Haire-Sargeant scrutinizes the role of Heathcliff in film adaptations of Wuthering Heights.
I have mixed feelings about this one. I’ve always wanted to read it. However, my high school stalker gave it to me my senior year saying he wanted me to read it because it was his favorite book. Now, every time I see it, I think of him. I’m not sure if I should keep it on the list or not. I think it may go. It’s still sitting on the shelf in my library. If i want to read it, I can.
Final Verdict: GO
Review: We got rid of all 5 books this week. I am down to 649 books in my TBR list.
May 10, 2019
Friday Blog Hops: Final Flight of the Ranegr
A deepening crisis aboard a deep-space colonisation vessel has forced most of its crew to evacuate to the nearest planet.
During the evacuation, a ship carrying three young friends to safety malfunctions and strands them in interstellar space.
It’s not long before the Ranegr – a drifting ship of outlaws – captures their derelict vessel.
Put to work in the reactor core amidst hardened brutes by a captain with conquest on his mind, and stalked by bizarre creatures in the shadows, the children’s bid to escape and return home is just one thread in a web of ambition and clashing desires, bringing them ever nearer to an ancient mystery lurking in the cosmos.
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“You see,” bellowed the geography teacher, “thanks to the bioplants, we can recycle matter much more efficiently than a planet can. We do this because we can’t afford to lose anything on our voyage.”
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At that moment, Zeers walked onto the observation deck, panting and covered in sweat. As he sat, Neliya leaned away from his billowing musk.
“You look like you’ve been having fun,” noted Fyuren.
Book Blogger Hop
Which book do you wish you’d written?
Answer: Harry Potter
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