Miranda Atchley's Blog, page 42

Book of the Week #35 "Anne of Green Gables"

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
I've already written a post about my love for Anne of Green Gables and the franchise, but seeing that this is my favorite series of all time, I definitely wanted to feature each book in the weekly installment, Book of the Week. Hope you enjoy!
Anne Shirley has been an orphan since she was a young child. Throughout her young life, she has been sent to numerous homes, most of which were run by women whom had an abundance of children (Anne claiming she always gets stuck with twins) and Anne was left to care for them. After the man of the home she has been living in most recently died, she has been sent to an orphanage.Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert are brother and sister who never married. They've spent their lives caring for their family home, Green Gables. Yet they're now getting on in years and find they need help with their farm. They send word with a neighbor who is to adopt a child from the orphanage that they would like to adopt a boy, around the age of eleven. Yet when Matthew goes to pick up their boy, he's surprised to find a red haired girl who immediately begins talking his ear off. As they drive back to Green Gables, the shy and reserved Matthew happily listens to talkative Anne's ponderings. Yet Marilla isn't too thrilled with the mistake. After Anne pleads with her, Marilla decides she will let Anne stay until she can find a new home for her. A neighbor has recently lost her husband and is left with a house full of children, but when Marilla takes Anne to meet her, she knows there is no way she can leave the girl with the woman. She decides that Anne can stay, as long as she is good.Throughout the years, we see Anne get into mischief unintentionally, her temper cause her issues, and watch as she wins the hearts of those around her. She finally finds the "bosom friend" she's always longed for in Dianna Barry and a rival in Gilbert Blythe. She thrives in school, dreaming of writing and finding a man who "isn't really wicked, but could be if he wanted to."

I think the appeal of Anne Shirley is that she's so relatable. Who hasn't felt lonely and longed for a friend? All of us have felt excluded at some time. And all of us have had our obstacles to face like Anne with her temper. She's imperfect and that's why we're drawn to her. We see something of ourselves in her. And you can't help but love the girl who's always finding beauty in the things around, eloquently defining those she loves best.
I give this book a 5 out 5.

Top Ten Tuesday: Y/A Lovin'

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly series hosted by The Broke and The Bookish.
Today we were to choose ten books from any genre we want. I decided to go with young adult because I haven't talked about young adult novels in while. It's weird, because that's how I got my start and I loved reading Y/A for so long. But I guess now that I'm in my twenties (and wow, does it still feel weird to say that), it's only natural that my taste in books matures, but I think I'll always have a soft spot in my heart for Y/A. And you better believe that this list brings back some memories! For example, my copy of The Hunger Games still has melted gum on it from when it stayed in my backpack while I went to the local community college to study for the G.E.D when I was 17. Holy nostalgia, Batman!
10: True Colors series by Melody CarlsonNow that I'm older, these wouldn't be my absolute favorites, but when I was a teenager I really enjoyed them. They're very good for kids that have a hard time fitting; it gives them something to relate to.

9: A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'EngleThis is a very fun novel. It has a bit of that "classics flair" that I love with lots of sci-fi and fantasy elements. It also has that sort of coming-of-age quality as we see Meg transition from being a weak and sort of "backward" girl to a strong character in the 5th dimension.
8: A Life of Faith series by Martha FinleyThis would be a good series for teens that are interested in historical fiction. There are eight books in total and spans about ten years, I think.
7: A Charmed Life series, Jenny B. JonesI thought these books were pretty funny when I first read them. They're the type of books you get sucked into and just fly through.

6: The Hunger Games trilogy, Suzanne CollinsIt may be cliché to list The Hunger Games on a Y/A list, but sometimes things are cliché for a reason. These books are really good.
5: The Katie Parker series, Jenny B. JonesAnother good series by the funny Jenny B. Jones.
4: Just Another Girl, Melody CarlsonThis is one of Melody's best. It's a very touching and well written novel about a girl trying to find her place in the world.
3: The Giver, Lois LowryMost of you have probably read The Giver, but it's one of those that I think everyone could benefit from reading.
2: Anything But Normal, Melody CarlsonI think this is probably Melody's best Y/A novel. She really writes the story of a pregnant teen well and captures the emotions and thoughts I'm girls in that position go through.

1: The Diary of a Teenage Girl series, Melody Carlson
I loved these books when I was a teenager. They really inspired me to write and kind of gave me something to relate to in my early teens.

So there are my top ten picks for the young adult genre. I hope you enjoyed post and thank you for stopping by! Talk to you later....

-Miranda Atchley

Little Women Read Along Discussion #3

Today is the last day of the Little Women read along. Sad! I can't believe it's over; I've had so much fun with this. But I suppose all good things must come to end (or least most of them) and at least I'll have a new read along to participate in starting tomorrow! And I also want to encourage any of you interested to join the Northanger Abbey read along. One chapter per day is so doable and read alongs are so much fun. Reading good books and making new friends? What more could you ask for?
Today we're covering chapters 34-47 of Little Women. Discussion questions were written by Jenni.
Q & A
1. What do you think about the girls now? Has your opinion of them changed since the beginning or even the middle of the story?Subtly. I still feel that Jo is my favorite and Beth is a close second because I relate to them the most. Meg has improved in my opinion, though she still seems a bit superficial here and there (but I think we all have those moments, so I'm not judging). I think Amy has changed the most. She still loves pretty things (and I don't blame her; I do too) but she doesn't focus on riches like she did prior to marrying Laurie.

2. At the end of the book, which character do you relate to most? Is it a different character than at the beginning?I still feel that I relate to Jo the most. We both love reading and writing and hate the idea of growing up. True, she changes her views on certain things as she grows older, but I'm not at that point in my life yet so I can't relate in those areas yet. I think I relate to Beth more than I realized. I'm not nearly as selfless as she was (though I wish I could be) but I am a shy person who likes to stay at home (even though I wish I had the guts to travel) and can relate to a quote from the movie quite well. "Everyone is growing up and leaving me."
3. Do you think Beth should’ve died when and in the way she did?This is kind of a tough question to answer, especially seeing that it was based on a real event in Louisa May Alcott's life. I'm glad that Beth lived longer than they expected her to when she got scarlet fever, but it's still so sad that she did die from a disease that is now so curable and at such a young age, when life is just beginning, really. I think it was very fitting that she died with her family surrounding her because they were all so close.
4. How do you feel about Laurie’s romantic decisions? Did his relationship with Amy seem developed enough to be sincere?It did seem to go a bit fast. And really, she probably wrote it that way to keep Laurie as a part of the March family. I'm kind of grateful for that because I couldn't imagine the March family without Laurie. As for it being sincere.... I'm not sure. But Laurie does say wonderful things of Amy and that's nice to see.
5. How do you feel about Jo’s romantic decisions? Do you think they were consistent with her character?In a way I would say no, it's not consistent with Jo's character because she always said she would remain an old maid. But then again Jo will surprise you and it definitely surprised everyone when she fell in love with Professor Bhaer. Plus, he's unconventional; he's older, he's poor, and he's from a different country. He isn't the type of guy Meg or Amy would have gone for, but he and Jo fit well together (even though I wish she would have married Laurie!).
6. What do you think about the names the girls and their husbands gave to their children?I love that Jo named her son Teddy! I just think that's great. And I love that Amy named her daughter Beth, even though it is sad especially seeing that her Beth is sickly, too.
7. If this was your first time reading Little Women, what do you think? Did it meet your expectations? Would you read it again? If this was a reread, do you feel the same as you did when you read it the first time? Or, has your opinion changed?N/A
8. Do you have a favorite quote or passage from Little Women?I have so many! Here are a few:




9. Would you change anything about the story if you could? If so, what?I'm a little conflicted. I do wish Jo and Laurie would have wound up together, but I do like Professor Bhaer. But at the same time it would be interesting to see Jo as a spinster. Maybe we could see some alternate endings and then I would give you my opinion. And it would be nice to see Beth grow up and be well, though it's hard to imagine her as a full-fledged adult.

10. Even though the setting for Little Women is quite different from today’s world, do you think we can learn anything from this story? If so, what?I think there are many things we can learn; the importance of work, how to be respectful toward one another, to never give up on yourself even if you face difficulties. Little Women is full of lessons that apply to everyone at any time.

Other Thoughts:
I've seen a lot of people comment that they think Jo's turning down Laurie's proposal was forced and didn't seem to flow. Like she didn't really want Jo to turn down Laurie. And I agree, it didn't seem right (and I'm not just saying that because I wanted them to be together). Knowing that Louisa May Alcott was a spinster all her life, and that Little Womenis semi-autobiographical and that she based Jo on herself, I almost wonder if maybe she wrote it this way to protect herself. Maybe she wanted to leave some aspects of her life (and one's love-life can be a very personal thing) out of the story and she wanted Jo's romance to be different than her own. Or perhaps it's true that she did have a friend that was like her "Laurie" and things just didn't work out and she wanted to channel that pain into art. Who knows? This is just my humble opinion.

Favorite Quotes From Chapters 34-47:
"There were lines upon his forehead, but Time seemed to touch him gently, remembering how kind he was to others." Chapter 34, talking about Professor Bhaer.
"....for love is the only thing that we can carry with us when we go, and it makes the end so easy." -Beth, Chapter 40
"....a face so full of painless peace that those who loved it best smiled through their tears, and thanked God that Beth was well at last."  Chapter 40

"I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning to sail my ship." -Amy, Chapter 44

And so now I say farewell to the Little Women read along of 2016. It was more fun than I could have imagined and a decision I will never regret. I've fallen in love so much with this book over the course of the month. I will most definitely read it again many times in my life.

February in Review

Sometimes it felt like the days in February dragged on, but as a whole I feel like the month has really flown by. Lots of things happened in February books-wise, and that is a very good thing! The most exciting being that I released the cover for my upcoming novel, A Castle in the Sky (squeal!). I'm so excited about this novel and I am very grateful for all of the support and encouragement you guys have shown me. THANK YOU!
Another fun thing that happened was the Little Women read along. I loved participating in this and am sad that it's over, but I'm glad that it happened. I can't wait for the movie watch along on Friday! And I excited for the Northanger Abbey read along in March!
And last but not least, I started doing Top Ten Tuesday. This has been fun so far. Sometimes it's scary trying to participate in challenges, but it's also a good thing to push myself in writing.
My favorite posts from February were:
A Castle in the Sky Cover Reveal!All of the Little Women read along postsLately 2.8.2016Top Ten Tuesday: Fictional CrushesBook of the Week #34 "Little Women"For The Love of Old Books
Thank you guys for reading along in February! I look forward to talking with you all in the coming months.

-Miranda Atchley

Northanger Abbey Read-Along

Hey friends! Today I wanted to share with you a new read along. Each day in March, a group of us will be reading a chapter of Jane Austen's classic, Northanger Abbey . I had so much fun with the Little Women read along, when I saw that Amber was hosting this, I thought, "Count me in!" I read Northanger Abbey last year, but I think it will be fun to read it in a group this time. :)

If you want more details on the read along (and to read her charming invitation!), just visit Amber's blog. It sounds like a lot of fun!

Talk to you all later.....

-Miranda Atchley

For The Love of Old Books

I was thinking about bookstores the other day. I'm not a big fan of the chains. It isn't that I dislike them, per say, it's just that I think the old used bookstores are better. I love the homey atmosphere. Books stacked tall, surrounding you. Uneven floors that creek when you walk across them. I love it when you can approach the owner and they actually know books; you can ask them about a certain author and they know exactly who you are talking about. There's one like this an hour from my house and it has all these neat little nooks and crannies, peeling paint, these large lovely windows from ages ago and that oh-so-lovely musty smell.
Old books are just better than new books. Don't get me wrong, I love new books. I read them, own them, my books are new.....; they're great. And my Kindle is amazing, too. It's so convenient and I have found so many great books that I wouldn't have known of otherwise, so of course I'm a big fan of that. But I feel like old books are becoming less appreciated by the day and I hate that. Old books are so comforting. Those crumbly yellowed pages, the worn and fraying spines, and that smell...... *Sigh* Few things compare. And plucking them from a library or a bookstore bookshelf is just so satisfying; I love walking about with a stack of books in the crook of my arm; it's wonderful.
Really, I am thankful for places like Amazon and for e-readers because they do make a bookworm's (and an author's) life much easier. Yet I love the old guys and I'd hate to see them become obsolete.
Thanks for stopping by today. I'm curious; do you have a have a favorite used book store?

-Miranda Atchley

Book of the Week #34 "Little Women"

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
Beginning during the civil war, Little Women revolves around the March sisters, Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy. Each sister has a different personality and both their strengths and faults are presented throughout the novel. Their father is a chaplain in the war and at home the girls are brought up by their loving and patient mother whom they affectionately call "Marmee" with help from their housekeeper Hannah. Throughout the 47 chapters, we see the girls meet and befriend their lonely neighbor Theodore "Laurie" Laurence, coming to think of him as "their boy," as well as his grandfather Mr. Laurence and a myriad of other characters. We also see the differences between the sisters, the maternal Meg and her wish for riches, Jo's quick temper and her dreams of writing, sweet Beth's wish to care for their family home and play music, and Amy's love of beauty and talent for art. We see the sisters at their best and we see them at their worst; they quarrel and threaten, but they also love and stick together. As with any coming of age tale, many transitions take place within these 600+ pages (depending upon which edition you read). The girls go from being young, "little women," to graceful grown women full of wisdom, grace, spice, and many more things, thanks to their careful upbringing.
I had featured Little Women as my 5th Book of the Week last year when I started this feature. I read this book for the first time when I was fifteen, but I had read an abridged version. In January, I heard about a read along that was taking place and decided I wanted to join. I had the full version on my Kindle that I was planning to read later when my TBR had been brought down some, but this seemed like a fun opportunity to finally read the full version. Little did I know how much more I would fall in love with this book. Before, I considered it a favorite, definitely in my top ten. But now, I consider it to be a close second to Anne of Green Gables, and anyone who knows me knows that that is really saying something. Before, I had a casual appreciation for this book, a shallow sort of fancy. Now, I love it deeply.
Louisa May Alcott is a master. How can one overlook the talent that this woman possessed? Sure, there may be some things in the book that would never survive the red pen of modern editors, but I love those little things and find them charming. This book holds so many of what I call "golden nuggets"; phrases that touch your soul and you just can't shake from your mind. Such wisdom, such talent. You just have to read it for yourself. Some of my favorites:






I've heard that Louisa wrote Little Women as a sort of Pilgrim's Progress for kids. I'm not positive if this is true or not, though. Morals fill the book, but it doesn't feel preachy. The lessons flow throughout the story and are an integral part of the book. And though some lessons may seem old-fashioned, this book has stood the test of time over these near 200 years.
There are so many things in this book, I really don't know where to begin. There's so much that I want to say but I don't want to give away any spoilers. Little Womenoffers a little bit of everything; there's romance, there's heartache; we see lives end and we see lives begin. We watch as our favorite characters make mistakes and learn from them. And we later watch as they teach these lessons to others. One cannot help but become absorbed in the book. Who wasn't in agony when a certain girl turned down a certain boy's proposal??
There's so much to say about this beloved novel, but everything I think of just seems to fall short. It doesn't seem like enough to say that I love this book, but it's true; I do love it. If there's one thing I could tell someone who has never read Little Women, never even considered cracking its hardy spine, it's that you are doing yourself a great disservice.

I believe it is plain to see that I give this book a 5 out of 5.

Top Ten Tuesday: Hits and Misses

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly series hosted by The Broke and The Bookish.
I think in order for this list to make more sense, I first need to list the type of books that I normally do read. I read a lot of historical fiction. I love classics and anything set from the late 18th century to like, 1950-ish. I also read a bit of fantasy, like The Chronicles of Narnia and the Harry Potter series, with bits of contemporary thrown in. I like Y/A and coming of age, too. So I'm pretty all over the place, haha! I've read books from almost every main genre and enjoyed books in each, so that makes this post a little bit hard for me to write, but I'm up for the challenge. Basically, the only genre I refuse to read is erotica. No, just no. And I don't like much of the supernatural (i.e. vampires, ghosts, werewolves) genre. A lot of the books on this list are contemporary romances. Normally when I read romance, I like for it to be of the historical variety, but sometimes I do find exceptions.  Some of these I rather enjoyed, while others, not so much.
Books I didn't enjoy
5: An Irish Christmas by Melody CarlsonI just couldn't get through this book.
4: Miranda The Great by Eleanor Estes"3: Confessions of a Prayer Slacker by Diane MoodyThere were certain parts of this book that I liked, like when she speaks of talking to Jesus over morning coffee as if He's sitting right across the table from you, yet there are moments where I feel like the author gets a bit "in-your-face." It's not a bad book, just not one that I particularly enjoyed.
2: Sisterchicks on the Loose! by Robin Jones GunnI just could not get into this book. There were certain moments that I liked, but for the most part I felt like it just tried too hard.
1: The Notebookby Nicholas SparksI feel bad about putting this one on the list, but I just couldn't get through it. I liked the parts where Noah and Allie are older, but those were the only parts that grabbed my attention.
Books I enjoyed
5: The French Twist Series by Sandra ByrdI'll admit that this wasn't my absolute favorite thing to read, but I did enjoy the series more than I expected to. I think that can be attributed to the bits of witty humor and the lovely French setting. Bon Appetite is my favorite from the series.
4: The Heir by Kiera CassThis is a sort of dystopian, which I enjoy in moderation if it's well written. But it also has fairytale elements, which I love. I was a bit skeptical about it in the beginning, but it turned out to be a decent read.
3: The Bronte Plot by Katherine ReayWhen I first heard of this book, I thought it was going to be like a retelling of one of the Bronte novels or something to that effect. In reality, it's a fan-fiction novel, which in this case means it's a contemporary novel about a woman who loves the Bronte's and many references to their works are scattered throughout the book. Normally I wouldn't find that concept appealing, but I really enjoyed this novel. Of course, there were certain elements of this book that I didn't really care for, but the good outweighed the bad.
2: How a Star Fallsby Amber Stokes I love the whimsical aspects of this novella. And the setting... so lovely! Makes me want to go to the Pacific Northwest even more!
1: While You're Awake by Amber StokesI like reading contemporary romance from Amber because she doesn't try too hard. A lot of contemporary romance writers just try too hard to be funny, but Amber just lets everything flow organically and that makes for a much better read.
So there's my top ten this Tuesday. I hope you all enjoyed this post and I thank you for stopping by. Let me know in the comments if there are books you were surprised that you liked or that just didn't cut the mustard. Until next time.....

-Miranda Atchley

A Castle in the Sky Update #3

Editing is in full swing. I'm going over different parts of the book every day and editing things that I see that need to be taken care of. My beta readers are reading over the book, marking things that catch their eye that need to be fixed. I'll go over this book a few more times before it's done. The release date is April 26, 2016. It's coming up soon, but I still have time to get a lot of things done. There will be a giveaway in April. I'll let you all know more of the details at a later date. I'll also be releasing an excerpt soon to peak your interest. ;)
The cover has been designed and I love it. I'm loving this book more every day and I want to keep it as long as I can before I call it "done." Abi is a dear and it is a pleasure to write about her and her friends. I've already been planning a sequel to this book. I can't bear to not hear from Abi and her friends again.
I'm so excited for you all to read this book. I love it and I hope you will too. Thank you for stopping by today. I hope you all have a great week.
-Miranda Atchley

P.S. It's not too late to join the blog tour! If you'd be interested, contact me at: mirandaatchley7@gmail.com

Little Women Read Along Discussion #2

Today we're discussing chapters 18-33 of Little Women. Today's discussion questions were written by Kami.
Discussion Questions:
1.    What would be your dream cast for the March sisters (Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy), Marmee, Laurie, and whoever else you'd like to cast.
2.    How do you feel about Meg and Mr. Brooke's relationship?
3.    How do you feel about Jo's reaction to Meg getting married?
4.    The girls are growing up and changing, do you feel differently towards them now than you did at the beginning?
5.    Two important men were introduced in these chapters. What are your impressions of Mr. March and Professor Bhaer?
6.    Do you think it was fair that Amy got to go to Europe instead of Jo?
7.    What are your thoughts on the time period and setting of the book? Do you like it? Why do you think a very important historical event like the Civil War is hardly mentioned in the story?
8.    Louisa May Alcott supposedly patterned the March sisters after herself and her own sisters. How accurate do you think she portrayed her family? Do you think a lot of the book is an idealized version of her and her sisters?
9.    Why do you think Louisa May Alcott later added Part 2 to the book?
10.    What is your favorite adaptation of Little Women and why?
My Answers:
1: I actually really like the cast from the 1994 version. I think all of them did a very good job and really wouldn't change it. I never would have pegged those actors for Little Women, but they all did a really great job. (I know many people aren't too keen on Christian Bale as Laurie because Laurie is described as half Italian, but come on, it's Christian Bale! Haha!)
2: At first I just wasn't too sure about Mr. Brooke. He seemed a bit too old for Meg, but I think after they were married I started to see him as the right kind of guy for who Meg is.
3: I can relate. I didn't have sisters growing up, but I had a cousin I was quite close to that was a few years older than me. When she started dating and eventually married, it was hard because it meant we were growing up and things couldn't be the same as when were younger.
4: Yes, I think especially Meg and Amy. Both seemed to grow up and focus on more important things the further the book went. For Jo, especially with Beth's illness, and when she's getting to know Mr. Bhaer, we see more of her soft side. Beth is still the same sweet and wise person she always was.
5: I feel like we don't see a whole lot of Mr. March, but the bits we do see he seems like a nice dad. I like Mr. Bhaer. True, he's no Laurie, but he seems like a nice guy and encourages Jo in the right ways.
6: At first I would say no, because Jo had been dreaming of Europe all her life. But later, we see that it really is for the best, for more than one reason.
7: I like the setting, but it's true that the war isn't an integral part of this story. I think it's because the book is more about the lives of the March sisters and the lessons they learn.
8: From what I've read, I think it stays pretty true to Louisa's life with her sisters. I know there are some differences, but I think she had troubles with her sisters and loved her sisters just the way the March's do. It's likely that it was idealized, but I think a lot of the basics remain true. 9: I think she added it so we would know what happened! Big things happen in part two and it really rounds out the story.
10: The 1994 version, for sure. Several years ago, before I even knew there were film adaptations of the book, I found a copy of the miniseries that aired in the 1970's at Walmart. I liked it when I first watched it. But then last Christmas I received the 1994 version as a gift and it is so much better. The look of the film is much better, the actors did a fantastic job, they're all believable as their respective parts (meaning they look similar to how they're described and they're around the same age as their characters) and it's just so much better. And now that 70s version just seems so silly! The acting was terrible. All the sisters had blue eyes and blonde hair and were much older than the March sisters. The guy playing Laurie was in his 30's and had light hair and blue eyes and wasn't dressed appropriately. The guy playing John Brooke gave me the creeps. It's just bad. Okay, rant over.

Favorite quotes from chapters 18-33:
"He that is down need fear no fall, He that is low no pride.He that is humble ever Shall have God to be his guide." -Chapter 22
"You've got me, anyhow. I'm not good for much, I know, but I'll stand by you, Jo, all the days of my life." -Laurie, Chapter 23
"What can you expect when I have four gay girls in the house and a dashing young neighbor over the way?" -Marmee, Chapter 24
"....and life and love are very precious when both are in full bloom." Chapter 24
Other Thoughts:

I'm still loving this read along. I've gotten a bit ahead and am now in chapter 42, almost finished. I don't want it to end! But this has been a really fun experience and I'm glad I found out about this read along.