Book Lover's Day

Tomorrow, August 9th, is Book Lovers Day.  It is meant to be celebrated by settling down with a good book and enjoying the simple act of reading.  It is the perfect day to share books with friends and family.  I'm going to take this opportunity to share some of my all time favorite books with you.

Let's start with kids books.  Where the Sidewalk Ends is my kind of poetry through and through.  It's simple, humorous and is easy to read.  Shel Silverstein is just brilliant.  The Secret Garden is a children's classic that everyone should read, especially girls.  I have read it probably six times and loved it every time.  Matilda is another book I have enjoyed over and over.  What a wonderful little girl she is.  Roald Dahl's dark and twisted humor always entertains.  Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH is such a fun and fantastic adventure.  I can't wait to read it with my daughter.  I'll wrap up this portion with two series I adore.  First, Percy Jackson and the Olympians is a perfect blend of action, adventure, mythology and friendship.  It is very entertaining and should not be missed.  Finally, Harry Potter.  It is a series that forever changed the book industry and has turned millions of people into readers.

The next group of books I want to discuss are in the Young Adult genre (arguably my favorite genre).  I guess I am one of those stunted adults that just can't get enough of it.  I've selected just two to talk about.  The Book Thief is a beautifully written, life changing story about the love of books and the power they have to transform lives.  It truly is a magnificent story that everyone should read.  The Truth About Forever is my guilty pleasure teen book of choice.  It is filled with wonderful characters.  It is about friendship, learning to live again after tragedy and finding love when you least expect it.  I just love that book.

On to adult books.  My favorite is The Power of One.  It is just such an awesome and inspiring story about overcoming limitations.  It exemplifies how one person truly can make a difference and perhaps even change the world.  To Kill a Mockingbird is one of those books that touches your heart and changes your life.  It captures childhood and the human experience better than most books can ever hope to.  These is my Words introduces a character like no other.  She is not soon forgotten.  Sarah will get under your skin and leave you wanting more.  Gone With the Wind is a love story for the times.  I fell in love with Rhett Butler and wanted to strangle Scarlett O'hara for not seeing how great he is until it is too late.  Another great love story, retold more than any other one (perhaps besides Romeo and Juliet) is Pride and Prejudice.  It may be cliche, but I still love it.  Mr. Darcy is wonderful.  Last but not least, Atlas Shrugged.  Ayn Rand is one of my very favorite authors.  Her fiction is not for everyone, but I wish there was more of it.  I really enjoy books that make you think and expand your outlook, and her books truly do that.

I challenge everyone to take some time tomorrow to sit down and read, not because you have to, but because you want to.  Read alone or together as a family.  Just enjoy a good book because you can.  Take it one step further and share your favorite books with your friends and family.  Sharing books and the love of reading is one of the best gifts you can give others.  At least that is what I think.  Happy Book Lover's Day and Happy reading!

My Name is Resolute

My Name is Resolute came out in February, but I saved it to read up at my cabin this summer.  The author's first book, These Is My Words, is one of my favorite books, so I was really excited about a new historical fiction from Nancy Turner.  I met her a few months ago when she was on tour for this book and I really liked her.  In my experience, meeting some authors can forever ruin my opinion of their work.  When an author turns out to be a tool, I have no interest in reading their books.  Conversely, there have been a lot of authors that weren't even on my radar until I met them.  Some authors think that fame is enough to maintain and increase fans.  For me, likability goes a long way.  There are plenty of authors I have read, and liked, simply because I met them and liked them personally.  It does take a bit of compatibility with subject matter for me to pick up a book, even if the author is a really nice and impressive human being (e.g. Nora Roberts).

I digress; after all, we are here to discuss My Name is Resolute.  In my opinion, it isn't nearly as good as These Is My Words, but I still enjoyed it.  My one major complaint was that it was simply too long.  At times I felt like I would never finish it.  Parts could have been cut out and still been as good.

The story follows Resolute Talbot from the age of eleven or so.  While living in Jamaica on her family's plantation, she and her siblings are kidnapped by pirates.  English privateers overtake the pirates.  Their brother signs on with them, while Resolute and her sister, Patience, are sold into slavery in the New World.  The sister's lives ultimately take different paths.  Resolute learns how to weave, a trade that helps carry her through the rest of her life.  After escaping, she is able to be self-sufficient in a time when women usually didn't take care of themselves.  As she gets older, marries, has kids, etc. the skills she learned as a slave become the very skills that shape her place in history.  We follow her through sickness, heartbreak, joy and danger as she makes a life for herself near Lexington, Massachusetts.  As the Revolutionary War approaches, she finds herself in the heart of the underground Patriot movement.  Constantly in danger, Resolute is surrounded by wanted men.  Her brother is an infamous pirate/privateer, a thorn in the side of the English.  Her husband is wanted for crimes from his childhood in Scotland.  Her son is working along side top Patriot players like Paul Revere and John Hancock.

The book made me want to read up more on events leading up to the Revolutionary War.  It was lots of fun to meet some of the famous historical figures from that time period and see them as youths.  It is a time period I don't know much about and am very interested in studying.  It has been a long time since I studied it in school and don't remember much of what I learned.  The character of Resolute was interesting.  I enjoyed following her life.  Her brother, August, was lots of fun as well.  Characters are what drove this book as much as the historical world it was set in.  Over all, I really enjoyed it.  If you are a fan of historical fiction and don't mind a long book, give this a try.  Happy reading!

The Kingkiller Chronicles

The Kingkiller Chronicles by Patrick Rothfuss is a series that everybody should read.  I have never heard anybody tell me they didn't like these books, even when they aren't really fantasy fans.  This has often been considered the Harry Potter for adults.  Not so much because it is like the world of Harry Potter, but because it has such mass appeal.  However, the main character does spend a lot of time at school training to be a wizard.  It is more scientific/alchemical in ways then waving a wand though, and the school definitely has more of a university like academic setting/feeling than magical.  There are other parallels, but I will let you discover those on your own.

The characters are so well written that you can find yourself and your friends on the pages.  The story sucks you right in.  You'll never want it to end.  Fortunately, each book is over 700 pages long.  Unfortunately, it is only a trilogy and book three has no publication date yet.  So far both books have come out in the Spring.  If we're lucky maybe book three will hit stores in the Spring of 2016.  Here's hoping!  Plenty of people have grumbled about how much time passes between books.  The author has replied along the lines of, "Would you rather I do it right, or do it quick?"  Of course us fans want it both ways, but after the superb quality of each book I am willing to wait for a quality third.  In the meantime,  I've listened to both on audio and loved them just as much as the written versions.  They are done very well.

These books are packed with masterful storytelling, action, adventure, suspense, danger, wit, humor and much more.  If I remember correctly, the entire trilogy takes place over the course of three days.  Each book consists of one day of storytelling.  It begins with Chronicler arriving at the Waystone Inn, looking to see if the rumors are true.  The legendary Kvothe is said to be there and he wants to write his story.  After considerable cajoling, the innkeeper, Kote, agrees to tell his story.  The majority of the stories take place in the past, with interludes in the present day inn.  We, like Chronicler, get to be the audience.  It is a great story to behold.  I dare you not to get carried away.  I can't wait to find out how the story ends.  If you haven't discovered this series yet, today is the day.  These are books that you simply cannot miss out on.  Everyone needs to read these.  Patrick Rothfuss truly has a rare gift.  Happy reading!

The Goldfinch

The Goldfinch is a book I've been wanting to read since it came out last fall.  I finally got to it last week.  Donna Tartt's first book, The Secret History, is one of my favorite books.  When this book came out I was excited.  It sounded very interesting.  When it won the Pulitzer for Fiction this year, I figured it was definitely one I shouldn't miss.  While I didn't think it was as good as her first book, I did enjoy it.  My main problem with it is all the cursing.  Way too many f words for my liking.  While I rather enjoyed the character of Boris, his constant use of foul language bothered me.  Also, it is overly long.  I've had friends recommend this to me, claiming it is amazing.  For me it was a solid 3/5 stars, maybe 3.5.  This is hardly a feel good book.  It follows Theo Decker from his early teenage years to his late twenties.  When he is 13 or so, he and his mother are victims of a terrorist attack.  He survives, she doesn't.  Crawling out of the wreckage, on the instruction of a dying old man, he takes two things with him.  One a ring, the other a painting.  That final encounter forever shapes his life.  Some for good, but mostly for bad.  Theo's life goes down hill from there.  His deadbeat dad is nowhere to be found, and his grandparents are less than willing to take him in.  Luckily, he finds a home with a rich childhood friend.  That is, until his conman father shows up looking for a payday.  For two years Theo leaves Manhattan for Las Vegas.  That is where he meets Boris.  The two get into all sorts of trouble: heavy drinking and drugs, along with shoplifting.  The boys are basically on their own, little to no parental supervision.  After an incident with Theo's father, he heads back to New York.  There he is taken in by Hobie, the business partner of the dying man from the attack.  He finds a home and a career in the antiques business with Hobie, a very talented restorer.  When Boris shows back up in his life, what little stability Theo has been maintaining comes crumbling down around him.  At the center of all his trouble, the painting he saved from the rubble.  It takes him years to deal with the trauma of his childhood, but you spend the whole book cheering him on, hoping he will make the right choice.  He continuously does not.  He is definitely a train wreck, but you really can't help pulling for him.  A victim of circumstance who is trying to survive the best way he knows how.  He is a tough and resilient young man.  The supporting cast is lots of fun.  Hobie and Pippa, Boris and Andy, along with a handful of characters that provide lifelines when he needs them most.  Like all of us, not everybody he clings to is good for him, but they all change his life in ways he can't even imagine.  It is definitely worth a read, as long as you're not looking for a light and fluffy feel good story.  You won't be able to look at paintings the same way again.  Happy reading!

Veronica Mars

The Thousand Dollar Tan Line is hardly the best mystery book out there, but if you are a fan of the television show and movie, you will enjoy it.  It picks up a month of so after the movie, so if you haven't seen that yet, wait to read this.  Just as in any based on a TV show book series, there is that missing element the actors bring to the characters.  No matter how well a character is written, it will never capture what the actor is able to bring to it on screen.  That said, I'm glad Veronica's story hasn't ended.  I don't know for sure how many books this series is planned for, but Veronica's new life is just starting.  There is a lot of potential there.  It was fun to have old characters make appearances, as well as new characters added in.  I'm curious to see what will become of the sheriff's department.  It will probably always be the Mars family taking on the actual crime, as the sheriff and his deputies pander to the rich.  This book had what the TV series had, in that Veronica is snarky and rash.  She continues to put herself in danger, running into situations without the proper backup.  It is her against the world, which continuously backfires.  I was glad to see Mac and Wallace in this book.  I always loved them.  Hopefully we will see even more of them in the future.  This book definitely gave us a little of most of our favorite characters.  I hope we will get more in other volumes.  I'd like to see more of my favorites that were barely in this book.  I liked how Veronica had to face her past.  It really gave her the opportunity to show that she has grown up a lot.  She also had to really decide if the life she chose is really the life she wants, if it is really a life she can handle.  By the end of the book I felt like I had watched a story arc play out over a couple episodes and wished it had been a new season on TV instead of in print.  As a Marshmallow, I will take what I can get.  Here's to a highly anticipated new series!  Happy reading!

Thursday Next

The Thursday Next series is truly one of the most fun series I have read.  It will appeal to fans of classic literature.  The fictional characters we have come to love over the years are actual living characters in this series.  The main character, Thursday Next, is a literary detective who polices books and makes sure the plots and characters stay safe.  If necessary, she goes inside the book to set things straight.  It is a very clever series.  Perhaps a story you love isn't as it always was.  Perhaps the original manuscript was destroyed and replaced with the version you know.  Perhaps somebody changed it and the literary detectives couldn't undo the damage.  Perhaps an entire crucial character was erased from the entire story.  This series explores some of these fantastical occurrences.  These books are multi-layered  and never boring.  They are fast-paced and full of fun.  As a lover of classic literature, I have thoroughly enjoyed this series.  I have only read the first five, and then I lost interest in book six.  Just because the series sort of petered out for me, doesn't mean the beginning isn't strong.  I would definitely recommend the first five books.  You are on your own after that.  The author came back to the series after writing a couple books in a different series (based on the Nursery Rhyme world, similar in idea to this series), and it just fell flat for me.  I didn't even finish book six.  I just couldn't get into it.  Maybe I will give it another chance sometime and maybe I'll even read books seven and eight someday.  Who knows?  As it is, I really enjoyed the characters and stories in the beginning of the series.  If you are a fan of Jane Eyre, you'll enjoy the first book.  There are plenty of other literary characters in The Eyre Affair as well, but it centers around the characters and plot of Jane Eyre.  Like I said, these books are clever and fun.  Give them a try.  Happy reading!

The Dresden Files

Maybe it was a little overkill to display all the covers for The Dresden Files, but they are all just such good books I didn't want to leave any out.  They are displayed in order, ending with Skin Game which comes out in a month.  I am starting to get very excited for that release.  Since it has been on my mind, I thought I would talk about the rest of the series.  It is technically classified as urban fantasy.  Most of the series takes place in modern day Chicago.  Harry Dresden is a wizard for hire.  You can find him in the yellow pages.  He is a frequent consultant for the Chicago P.D., working with their Special Investigations department solving crimes with a supernatural element.  Karrin Murphy is the head of the S.I. unit.  She is a petite little firecracker.  You don't want to mess with her.  Harry is tall and lanky, sarcastic and a frequent rule breaker.  He is a relative loner.  Each book deals with different types of bad guys, mostly humans messing with the supernatural world.  You've got werewolves, vampires (three different kinds), faeries (both winter and summer courts), rogue wizards and more.  Each story deals with a different case, but there is an overall story arc that continues throughout (the first handful of books is more about introducing characters and their back stories, all of which will come into play later in the series) .  I don't want to get into the characters too much because I don't want to give anything away about them.  All I can say is there are some fantastic characters.  My favorites besides Harry and Karrin are: Butters (the polka loving coroner/medical examiner), Bob (a disembodied all-knowing entity that lives in a skull in Harry's apartment), and Michael (a long-time friend of Harry's).  I also love Thomas (a white court vampire) and Molly (Michael's daughter).  There are lots of fun characters that make appearances throughout the series.  One thing I love about this series is that there is always a big fight scene and each and every time Harry gets his butt kicked.  He usually wins, but he never gets out of it unscathed.  I appreciate that despite how powerful he is, he is not impervious.  It just feels more realistic to me.  The books are fast-paced, layered, and full of trouble.  Life is not easy for Harry.  He is constantly battling for his very life and the world he so dearly loves.  I highly recommend giving this series a try.  If you are more a fan of audio books, these are excellent in that format as well.  All of them (except Ghost Story) are read by James Marsters (Spike to all you Buffy fans).  He does a wonderful job.  Whichever format you prefer, this is a series you should definitely try out.  Happy reading!

Gluten Free on a Shoestring Bakes Bread

I was first turned on to this book when I stumbled upon a post of one of her recipes on my favorite food/cooking blog (Mel's Kitchen Cafe).  From there I decided to check out Nicole Hunn's cookbooks and blog.  I am so glad I found her.  Ever since my husband was diagnose with Celiac, life has not been easy for him.  Bread is one of his favorite things.  I have tried a lot of different recipes for sandwich bread, pizza crust, etc. and none of them were very good until I tried her recipes.  Now I am not a master chef, so some of the recipes didn't turn out the first time (you are not required to be a master chef for her recipes), but I have been able to find success.  Being able to eat pizza that doesn't have a cardboard tasting crust has been amazing.  I love being able to make bread that actually tastes good.  I can't wait to try out more of her recipes.  She has a lot in this book that I haven't been brave enough for yet, but I love being able to add breads back into my husbands diet.  He is probably a lot happier than I am about this discovery.  If you have to eat gluten-free, or just choose to, I highly recommend checking these cookbooks out.  This has been my number one favorite book discovery in months, which saying something with how much I read.  The first three chapters are strictly informational.  They are dedicated to flour blends, equipment, what to expect with GF bread, and shaping the dough.  My only major complaint is that she uses specific ingredients/brands that I have only been able to find online.  The cost is about normal, but the shipping fees are exorbitant.  For example, for $32 worth of product, it costs $20 to ship.  When I already have to pay more for gluten free products, I really don't want to have to pay to have them delivered to me.  I have just gone without those those brands and used the closest ingredients I can find.  So far it has worked out fine, but I haven't made a lot of different recipes yet.  She has a whole chapter dedicated to sour dough recipes I am eager to try.  Sour dough is the number one thing my husband misses, so he is also excited for that opportunity again.  If you are looking for some good gluten free breads, or just for some education on gluten free baking, definitely give this cookbook a try.  I also recommend her first two cookbooks.  Happy reading (and cooking)!

Autism Awareness Month

I haven't read a lot of books involving autism, but one that always comes to the forefront of my mind is The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.  This book is told from the point of view of 15-year-old autistic boy, Christopher.  My favorite part of this book is seeing the world through the eyes of an autistic person.  Getting to see how his brain works, how it perceives the world around his, and how he relates to others.  It was so eyeopening for me to get that better understanding, from the inside instead of from simple observation of autistic individuals in my life.  I read this book before I was even aware there was a spectrum and before I had ever heard of Asperger's Syndrome.  I'm sure I'm not the only one out there who had limited exposure to that world before reading this book.  I've seen Rain Man and various other shows/movies depicting autistic characters, but it wasn't until I was able to glimpse inside the autistic mind that I was truly able to understand their world just a little better.  This book is a work of fiction, but the author had years of working with autistic people as a reference into their minds.  This book shows how one little change in a person's life can really throw everything off balance.  How everyone's reality is different from that of others.  This month is all about becoming more aware of autism.  The prevalence is growing and I bet there is hardly anybody out there anymore who is not affected by autism in someway.  We all know at least one person on the autism spectrum.  If you want to understand them better, this is a great book to start you on that path.  While not every autistic person is the same, I bet at least one of Christopher's traits will hit home for you.  This is a great book to try out this month.  Happy reading!

Tuesday Talk: The Power of One

The Power of One is my all-time favorite book.  I have read it multiple times and listened to it on audio.  It is fantastic.  I chose to talk about it today is celebration of Black History Month.  Now the main character is not actually black, but the book takes place in apartheid South Africa.  Also, some of the people Peekay loves the most and are the most influential in his life are black.  He lives in both worlds, which causes him lots of grief in his childhood.  This book is just fabulous.  It is a great example of how one person, no matter his size, can change the world.  he doesn't let fear and hatred get him down.  He makes friends in the most unlikely of places and dares to dream of things bigger than what appears to be in his reach.  My copy of this book has multiple passages underlined.  There are just so many wonderful, deep, perhaps even life-changing excerpts I love to revisit.  I'm glad I first came across this book when I was in college and in the underlining and margin writing state of mind.  I don't think I could bring myself to "defile" a book like that today.  Of course, if I hadn't done it, it would take forever to find my favorite passages.  Here are a few:

 "...in each of us there burns a flame of independence that must never be allowed to go out.  That as long as it exists within us we cannot be destroyed." (p.20)

"Sometimes the slightest things change the directions of our lives, the merest breath of a circumstance, a random moment that connects like a meteorite striking the earth.  Lives have swiveled and changed direction on the strength of a change remark." (p.60)

"First with the head and then with the heart."--this is the theme Peekay revisits as he attempts to become the welterweight champion of the world.

"The power of one is above all things the power to believe in yourself..." (p.423)

There are a lot more memorable lines I could quote, but I think everyone should read this book and find their own favorites!!  This book did take me a few tries to get into.  I read the first chapter or two multiple times before I ever made it further.  I'm saying this not because it is a difficult book to read, but because it took a few more chapters to hook me in than other books have.  That said, please don't give up on this book until you have given it a fair shot.  I promise you won't regret it.  It is an amazing story that everyone should read.  It may even change your life.  Happy reading!

Thursday Three: Favorite Love Stories

I am a sucker for a good love story, but I do not enjoy "Romance" books.  I prefer books with a plot, that just happen to have a side dose of romance.  Smutty bodice rippers are not my style, nor are sappy Nicholas Sparks type stories.  (I haven't actually read any of his books, but the movies completely put me off--with the exception of The Notebook, which I love).  Perhaps I am more of a sap than I realize, but none of my choices today can be considered sappy, I think.  So let us begin with a few of my favorite love stories.  I highly recommend all of them!
1.  The Time Traveler's Wife
I just love this book.  It has gotten mixed reviews.  I love the story, but not the often overly descriptive love scenes.  Henry and Claire's story takes place over a lifetime.  Henry is an unwilling time-traveler; he can't control his jumps.  As an adult, he gets to know the child, Claire, who will grow up to be his wife.  I would love to go back and meet my husband as a child.  Wouldn't that be interesting?  The story is heart wrenching as Henry can disappear at anytime.  He gets to see his family at different ages, but Claire is left alone, not knowing when or even if she will see him again.  It is a marvelous love story in my opinion.
2.  These Is My Words
I can never say enough to recommend this book.  It is such a fabulous story.  The characters are wonderful.  Told in diary/journal form, from the mouth of Sarah Agnes Prine, you get to know this sassy, spunky, spirited girl.  It is based on the author's great-grandmother, set at the end of the 1800s and spanning the American frontier.  There is an epic love story at its heart between Sarah and Captain Jack Elliot, an officer with the cavalry that infiltrates her life as a child and never goes away.  He is an awesome character.  I could go on forever about this book, but the bottom line is: if you haven't read it yet, pick it up now.  You won't regret it.
3.  Gone With The Wind
This is a book I wish wasn't so long because I would reread it in a heartbeat.  The loves story of Scarlet O'Hara and Rhett Butler is know by just about everybody.  I suppose that is to do with the movie, but the characters have become immensely famous.  I wanted to strangle Scarlett most of the time.   Along with the love story, I love the shot of history you get.  Despite how inaccurate it may be from an historical perspective, I love reading books set in other time periods.  The setting is a character in itself, in a way Contemporary novels lack.  This book is filled with intriguing characters, and you can't help but love Rhett (unless you're Scarlett).  If you long for that happy ending, I recommend reading the sequel (Scarlett by Alexandra Ripley).  It's not nearly as good.  It will take some time to get used to the difference in writing (at least it did for me), but I still really enjoyed it as well.  I just loved the original so much I wasn't ready for it to end.

The Thursday Three: October is Mystery Month--Adults

It's Mystery Month!  I'm not usually drawn to the mystery genre, but I do read a lot of books that have aspects of mystery in them.  I think that every good book should have at least a little mystery to it.  Predictability is beyond boring, at least to me.  Even though these titles are not technically classified as mysteries, all of them will keep you guessing at some point or another.

1. Gone Girl
 This book has been very popular since its publication.  I read it just to see what all the fuss was about.  The characters are truly sick and twisted.  The marriage is beyond dysfunctional.  Definitely worth a read, but be warned the language is a little rough at times.

2. The Lake of Dead Languages
This is one of my all-time favorite books.  The main character learns that secrets never stay buried forever.  The past and present are expertly woven together.  You've got mythology, pagan rituals, youthful indiscretions and death.  I highly recommend giving this one a try.

3. The Book of Secrets
 This book has some messed up characters as well.  My morbid fascination for the twisted and perverse was definitely satisfied with the dysfunction in this new book.  The Sinclair family got under my skin, and I didn't want to put it down. 

I hope at least one of these titles catches your interest.  Happy reading!