Miranda Atchley's Blog, page 35

Anne of Green Gables Read-Along Chapters 1-3

Happy Thursday, readers and friends! Today is the first discussion for the Anne of Green Gables Read-Along.

I must admit, reading Anne of Green Gables brings back some lovely memories for me. Watching the movies was something special my grandmother and I used to do together. And random fact: my mother used to work with a woman name Yvonne Rachels, and we always called her Mrs. Rachels. Even though she was nothing like Mrs. Rachel Lynde, (our Mrs. Rachels was reserved and sweet) I always think of her when I read Anne of Green Gables. We used to go to her house a lot, especially in the summer time, and I loved her house. It had all these neat nooks and crannies, and a passageway of sorts that connected two rooms. There certainly was much scope for the imagination in that house. Reading this book brings back the best memories from my childhood, and that has been dearly needed as of late.

I find it interesting that the first few pages have nothing to do with Anne. They're all about Mrs. Rachel and her suspicions, and my does she have suspicions. But it kind of builds the suspension and keeps you guessing just who this Anne is going to be.

I apologize; I only have 4 questions written for this week, whereas I had wanted 5. I've been having technical difficulties (those are a real joy, aren't they?), but I will try to do a better job next week. I hope you all find these questions interesting. Feel free to answer them in the comments, or leave a link to your own post if you write one.

Discussion Questions
1: What was your first impression of Anne Shirley?
She's such a dear. True, she certainly talks a lot, but she's such a sweetheart.

2: Matthew Cuthbert, a shy old bachelor, quickly comes to love the talkative orphan mistakenly reserved for he and his sister. Do you find this to be a likely situation?
It does seem a tad far-fetched, but stranger things have happened! Either way, I'm glad, because I think the relationship between the two is so sweet.

3: L.M. Montgomery is known for her descriptions of nature.  Do you find them to be bothersome?
No. I love her descriptions of beauty. They give me the "queer ache" as Anne would say.

4: Is this your first time reading Anne of Green Gables?
No. I think it may be my third time? Not positive, but it isn't my first.

Thank you all for stopping by for the first discussion day of the Anne of Green Gables read-along! I hope you all have fun with it. I can't wait to read more of your thoughts throughout the month. And don't forget; if you use Twitter, tweet some of your thoughts throughout the week using #AOGGRAL

-Miranda Atchley

Book of the Week #46 "A Singular and Whimsical Problem"

A Singular and Whimsical Problem by Rachel McMillan
Jem Watts and Merinda Herringford are two Edwardian bachelor girls on the wrong side of twenty living in their own apartment in the bustling Canadian city of Toronto. Yet these two ladies are anything but the typical Edwardian women of the 1910s. They're up-and-coming detectives and charge people to investigate cases around the city. In their unusual careers, Jem and Merinda often disguise themselves as men, wearing trousers, bowler hats, and the occasional fake mustache, in order to blend in during certain circumstances they go through to solve cases. And neither one could keep house well enough to save their lives. In A Singular and Whimsical Problem, the two are asked to find a missing one eared black cat named Pepper by his wealthy owner. Feisty Merinda is put out with the seemingly miniscule case, but Jem treats the situation just as she would other cases and takes it seriously. As they meet newspaper writer Ray DeLuca for lunch, they're approached by a waitress who is worried about her sister and her "loose" lifestyle. As the two investigate the case, they find themselves in unsavory parts of the city. What seem like simple cases could lead to much bigger issues.
I can't say enough good things about this book. This was the first time I've read anything in the mystery/detective genre. I had sort of been interested, but never got around to reading anything in the genre. Yet the premise of this series really intrigued me. First of all, I love the Edwardian era. And I love the idea of two female sleuths running around Toronto in the 1910s solving cases, sometimes in proper ladies attire, other times disguised as men. It sounds so incredibly fun. And trust me; it's as fun as it sounds. The writing is done beautifully and flows at a wonderful pace. There are plot twists, but they all make sense and tie in together. All of the characters balance out one another perfectly. *Sigh* It's simply lovely.
I love Jem and Merinda. They make the perfect pair of friends. Jem is more levelheaded and easy going, whereas Merinda is a "guns-blazing" type of person who's ready to jump straight into the thick of things. I have a feeling in future books, Merinda will help challenge Jem to have a little more fun and come more out of her shell, and that Jem will keep Merinda from getting in over her head. Like peanut butter and jelly, Thelma and Louise, Jem and Merinda are meant to be best friends. And in case you were wondering, yes; there is romance. Jem has her eye on the tall, dark, and handsome newspaper reporter Ray DeLuca. But there's also a friendship/partnership about the two. Ray helps the girls with the ins and outs of the business and supports them greatly. He's a nice contrast to many men of the 1910s; a very forward thinking type of guy. If you know me, then you might find my statement biased, but I do love a newspaper guy that supports women's rights. ;-) And though we don't see an awful lot of Jasper in this novella, I've heard that he plays a bigger role in future books, and I must admit to being intrigued, especially after seeing Rachel's visual inspiration.
I really love seeing women's rights being written about in Christian fiction. I feel like you don't see that topic much in this particular genre, but I wish it were more prominent. Suffrage and romance are balanced beautifully in this book. Jem and Merinda want to have their careers and to be treated fairly, but they also look for romance. It shows us that it's okay to be strong and independent and to do bold things, as well as fall in love with the perfect guy. You can have both.
There are so many reasons why I love A Singular and Whimsical Problem. It's a wonderful start to a beautiful series that I can't wait to read more of. If you love books at all, check this one out.
I give this book a 5 out of 5.

P.S. In case you were wondering, yes; I did keep trying to replace the "e" with an "i" and the "i" with an "a" in Merinda's name. Same thing happens when I write my mom's name, "Marina." ;-) Though, I do love the name Merinda and find it oh so charming. Jem's name, too. I lovespelling "Jem" with an "e."

Top Ten Tuesday: As Time Goes By

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and The Bookish.
This week's topic is books that you feel differently about after time has passed. I have to admit, this one was a little bit hard for me. A few books immediately came to mind when I approached this topic, but it was hard to fill up all ten slots. I just couldn't think of a lot of books that I feel differently about. Still, I persevered, though I was only able to come up with eight books that fit the bill. Some books on my list I don't love as much as the first time I read them. Others I love much more than I my first encounter with them.
8: What's Eating Gilbert Grape by Peter HedgesThe movie is one of my all-time favorites. When I found out that it was a book, I knew I wanted to read it. I really liked it a few years ago, but now that time has passed I don't consider it a favorite like I used to. It has some risqué descriptions that I don't care for and Gilbert is much harsher in the book. I'm glad that Peter Hedges changed those things while writing the screenplay for the film. I'll stick with the movie on this one.
7: Flowers For Algernon by Daniel KeysI remember reading this when I was around sixteen. I thought I was so cool reading a mature novel like this. Like What's Eating Gilbert Grape, it has some risqué situations that I wish they'd left out. I still think it would be a good novel had those not been included, though it is a very sad story.
6: True Colors series by Melody CarlsonIt isn't that I don't like this series anymore, I just don't love it the way I used to. I think that's pretty understandable though, because it's definitely a series targeted toward teens. I really loved them when I was between the ages of 14 and 16, and have read all of them. I own 11 out 12 books in the series and will keep them until I feel I no longer want them.
5: A Life of Faith seriesI loved these books when I was a young teen. I remember tearing through them one summer. I tried to re-read one of them recently and it just wasn't the same. I guess I was at just the right age when I read them the first time.
4: Fame Is Infamy by Andrew SchwabWhen I was in my early teens, Project 86 was one of my favorite bands. When I found at that their lead singer was publishing a book, I really wanted to read it. I loved it when I was fifteen. I still consider it a good book, though I don't love it as much as I did then.
3: Northanger Abbeyby Jane AustenI had read this book last year and thought it was okay. When Amber hosted a read-along of it this last March, I participated and came to really enjoy this book. Reading it as part of a group caused me to dig further into the book and pay more attention to detail rather than skimming over it like I tend to do with some classics.
2: Amy Inspiredby Bethany PierceThe first time I read this gem of a novel, I kind of had mixed feelings about it. It has a bit of a heavy tone, seeing as the protagonist is going through a challenging time in her life. Yet the second time I read it, I fell in love with it and now consider this book a favorite.
1: Little Womenby Louisa May Alcott
I read this book for the first time when I was fifteen. I really liked it back then and had plans to re-read it for years. This past February, I participated in a read-along and fell in love with it even more. It's one of my all-time favorites and I am glad to have revisited this lovely classic novel.

Anne of Green Gables Read-Along

I've participated in two read-alongs this year and had a blast with both. It's nice to read great books in a group and get to know others that enjoy the book as much as you do. I had so much fun, that I knew someday I'd like to host my own. When I posted my reviews of the Anne of Green Gables series, Julieplanted an idea in my head; an Anne of Green Gables read-along. It makes perfect sense! Anne of Green Gables is my favorite book, as I know it is for many, many others around the world. What better way to celebrate that than with a read-along? June seemed like a nice time to do this, and so I began planning one.
I'd like to cordially invite you all to the 2016 Anne of Green Gables read-along.When: June 1-30Where: A cherry blossom tree; or your favorite place to read.Who: Kindred Spirits all across the globe.
Reading schedule:
Week 1 (June 1-2): Chapters 1-3Week 2 (June 3-9): Chapters 4-12Week 3 (June 10-16): Chapters 13-21Week 4 (June 17-23): Chapters 22-30Week 5 (June 24-30): Chapters 31-38
Each Thursday in June, I'll post 5 discussion questions here on my blog. You can either answer them in the comment section of the post, or answer them on your blog (if you have one; it isn't necessary to have a blog in order to participate in the read-along) and leave a link in the comment section. You can join in anytime you'd like. If you have a Twitter account, you can share some of your thoughts on the book throughout the week and use the hashtag #AOGGRAL
I'll be reading the Sourcebooks edition. Any edition will do; unabridged would be ideal.
It's been far too long since I've read Anne of Green Gables. I'm greatly looking forward to revisiting it with all of you!

-Miranda Atchley

Brought To You by Spellcheck

I'm going to tell you a secret. Sometimes I can't spell. That's bad; isn't it? I mean, after all, I am an author. Yet there are so many times when I'm writing furiously, and I cannot remember how to spell the word I want to use. I simply have to give it my best shot and hope that spellcheck can fix it for me. Don't pretend like you don't do this. I know better. And even then sometimes a word will get left out of the sentence. It can be quite humiliating. But why should it be so bad?
I've noticed some people complain about spelling mistakes and missing words in novels, claiming that it ruins the story. All I can think is, "How does that ruin the story?" If the book were chock-full of spelling errors, then I could totally see it. But if there are only a few words missing out of an entire book, then why is it that big of a deal?
I've read bits of A Castle in the Sky on my Kindle. I've noticed some minor things that I didn't while I was editing. Of course I was embarrassed; I want my book to be perfect! But then again, why should I be so hard on myself? I wrote a freakin' book. Actually, I wrote four, but who's counting? So once I was through crying, I listened to Laugh It Off by Eisley and decided that it really wasn't that bad.
Most of the time, when you're writing a book, you get caught up in the story. Your main concern is getting the actual story on the page, not if you've used the correct "there," "their," or "they're." Sometimes missing words and spelling errors mean that the author was so focused on the story that they paid no attention to technicalities.
It's important to make your story the best it can be. When editing, fix as many issues as you can. You want to make your book the best that it can be. Yet if in the final product there are a few mistakes, remember that it isn't the end of the world. It's nearly impossible to publish an entire book that won't have a few errors. I've read books that are on The New York Times Bestseller's Listthat have a few mistakes in them. It just happens, and it's no big deal. I just feel like readers need to be more understanding about little things like this.
Nobody is perfect. I see about a thousand grammar errors a day. For goodness sake, there are people who write "u" in reference to a human being and think that it's acceptable to write "this" as "dis". And don't even get me started on "bae". *shutters* But you know what? I can still understand what they're saying. When someone sends a text message to me that says, "Wut u doin dis wknd?" I know that they want to see if I have any plans for Saturday. And when somebody tweets about their "bae" it's a pretty sure bet that they're talking about their special someone. I may not like reading messages like this, but I can still understand what is being said. Just like a reader can still understand the sentence "The duck flies midnight."
So authors, don't feel bad if there are little mistakes in your novel. You wrote a novel; meditate on that and the wonderment of it. Should a reader find issue with a little word that they cannot see, they will soon find some other trivial concern to direct their distaste toward.
Happy writing

-Miranda Atchley

Book of the Week #45 "Cress"

*This post contains spoilers. If you haven't started The Lunar Chronicles yet, you might want to wait to read this post after you've finished Cinder and Scarlet.*
Cress by Marissa Meyer
As a child, Cress was locked in a satellite, filled with computers, that orbits Earth and the moon, where Luna is located, the place where Cress was born. Secluded from others, Cress is ordered by her mistress, Sybil, who is a thaunmatange to Queen Levana, to keep watch over Earth and report anything suspicious. With Linh Cinder's escape from prison, Cress's new orders are to track Cinder and report any information to Sybil. She doesn't mind too much, though, because it gives her an excuse to keep an eye on Cinder's handsome accomplice, Captain Carswell Thorne. She doesn't want to turn Cinder and her band of rebels in; in fact, she herself would like to join them against Queen Levana. Yet keeping information from the queen could result in disastrous consequences.
Cress has been my favorite book in The Lunar Chronicles. Cress is shy, but she wants to be bold, and I can relate to that. She's very smart when it comes to computers, but seeing as she has lived in seclusion most of her life, she can be naive when it comes to interacting with others. I didn't care for Thorne in Scarlet, because he seemed like an airhead. Yet in Cress, we see another side of him, and I came to like his character.
I thought it was such a neat touch to include Cress's day dreams and imagination, especially when she's in difficult situations. How she imagines herself as an adventurer as they traipse through the dessert. I think a lot of us readers can relate to that.
 All in all, Cress is a lovely addition to The Lunar Chronicles, one that I consider my favorite.

I give this book a 5 out of 5.

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Picked Up on a Whim

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and The Bookish.
Even though I have an enormous "to be read" list and am always making lists of all the books I would like to read someday, I still pick up books on a whim. Whether I find them browsing at the library, see a good deal on a Kindle book, or find a book at a yard sale for dirt cheap, if a book sounds like something I would be interested in, I'll give it a go. Today's Top Ten Tuesday topic is all about such reads. So without further ado, here my top ten picks that I read on a whim.
10: Reconstructing Natalie by Laura Jensen WalkerI found this book at a thrift store for a very reasonable price and decided to give it a try. It's not my typical read, but I did enjoy it.
9: Garden of Angels by Lurlene McDanielRandomly found this one at the library and decided to give it a shot. Not one of my favorite novels, but it was a pretty decent read.
8: Kilmeny of the Orchard by L.M. MontgomeryWhen I found this book at the library, I rented it simply because it is by L.M. Montgomery. It isn't one of my favorites by her, but I still enjoyed it.
7: The Heir by Kiera CassI didn't know much about this series at all when I saw this book at the library. I picked it mainly because I thought the cover was so pretty. I still haven't read the rest of the series, though I'd like to at some point.
6: What I Know For Sure by Oprah WinfreyI remember seeing this in the new release section of my library last year. I used to watch The Oprah Winfrey Show with my grandma, and so I picked it up. I really liked it.
5: The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom I picked this book up on a whim a few years ago. I loved it. It's thought provoking and heartbreaking, but such a good read.
4: The Help by Kathryn StockettRandomly decided to read this last year and loved it. It totally deserves all the hype it gets.
3: When I Married My Mother by Jo MaderI know that that title is odd, but isn't what you'd think. Jo and her mother, Mama Jo, weren't close until Mama Jo's health began to decline and they bought a house together so Jo could take care of her. I've signed up for BookBub and one day this book was in the daily email listed for free. I really love it. It's heartwarming and heartbreaking.
2: A Singular and Whimsical Problem by Rachel McMillan Before reading A Singular and Whimsical Problem, I had never read mysteries or detective novels. Yet this book is set in the Edwardian era, which I love, and a lot of people kept raving about it. So, when it was free for a few days, I downloaded it on my Kindle. I read it in a few hours and absolutely loved it! I love Jem and Merinda, and Ray and Jasper. The writing is fantastic. It's just so good. I'm really excited to read the rest of the Herringford and Watts series and am planning on featuring A Singular and Whimsical Problem as a Book of the Week soon.
1: The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer
I was still on the fence about this series when I saw the books at the library last month, but I figured I'd give it a shot. I've really enjoyed them and am glad I gave them a try.
So there are ten books I picked up out of the blue. Have you randomly found a book gem lately?
-Miranda Atchley

Armchair BEA 2016 Day 5 | The Wrapup

Share your overall thoughts on the week, list your posts for the week, and/or share your highlights or favorite posts from fellow participants, then link up!
I thought Armchair BEA was a fun experience! I love doing things like this and it was a pleasure to answer questions each day. I think my favorite post this week was introductions. It was just a fun post to do. My favorite post from another participant would have to be Rissi'spost for day 2. She does such a good job with the design of her blog and putting together Cover Candy posts, I feel like this topic was right up her alley.
My Posts From This Week:
Armchair BEA 2016 Day 1 | Of Introductions and SuchArmchair BEA 2016 Day 2 | The PrettiesArmchair BEA 2016 Day 3 |Beyond The Book and BlogArmchair BEA 2016 Day4 | Fictional Worlds

Thanks for following along this week! It's been a lot of fun and I'm looking forward to doing this again next year.

-Miranda Atchley

Armchair BEA 2016 Day 4 | Fictional Worlds

Today on this fourth day of Armchair BEA 2016 we're talking about fictional worlds. The ones we'd love to find ourselves in, and the ones we'd rather stay out of. Here are my answers to today's questions.
We all know that sometimes, the worlds we love in fiction can be dangerous. Which fictional worlds would you want to live in?Narnia (duh), Wonderland (duh again)




Which worlds do you never want to dive into?The Hunger Games! *shutters*
Which worlds are you content to stay behind the glass, so to speak, rather than wishing to dive through the page?Probably Luna. It sounds like fun, but I ain't going near Queen Levana!
And once you get there, what would you do?In Narnia I would walk through the snow and up to infamous lamp and look for Mr. Tumnus and ask him to accompany me on a visit to Aslan. In Wonderland, I would eat all the petite fours and macarons I could while drinking tea, and admire everything. In The Hunger Games, I would cry. And pray. And cry. A lot. And pray a lot. And if I ever happened to land on Luna, I'd just sit and stare at the stars.
Thanks for stopping by for the fourth day of Armchair BEA!

-Miranda Atchley

Armchair BEA 2016 Day 3 | Beyond the Book and Blog

Here on Day 3, we are moving our focus beyond the traditional format of the media we consume and create! Beyond the traditional form of the novel, what are your favorite alternative forms (graphic novels, audiobooks, webcomics, etc)? Do you have any favorite works within these alternate forms? How do you think the changing format affects the reading experience?
I don't read graphic novels or comic books, and I've never listened to audiobooks. I have a Kindle and read e-books, though I don't know if that really fits the category. If so, then I would say I don't really feel that it affects the reading experience. I still get my fiction fix and I love how convenient it is, but I still love old fashioned books, too.
Our secondary topic, beyond the blog could focus on the ways you engage in talking about books outside of your blog.
Do you participate in book clubs, take classes, meticulously maintain your goodreads profile? Let the world know!I am not a member of any book clubs and I don't take classes, but I have considered it and would to love to if the opportunity presented itself. Unfortunately, I live in a pathetically tiny town that to my knowledge offers nothing in the way of book clubs/classes We have a small library, and that's it in the way of books. No bookstores (though I find used books at some thrift stores/yard sales and our Walmart and Dollar General both carry a small selection of books). Thinking about that makes me sad. I do participate in read alongs, but I suppose that falls under the blog category. I keep up my Goodreads page fairly well.
So there's day 3 of Armchair BEA. Thanks for stopping by today! See you tomorrow with a post that's all about fictional worlds.
-Miranda Atchley