65 Books in a Year: Book #1 The Hobbit

Over Christmas Break, my friend Liz twisted my arm (OK, there wasn't really any twisting involved) and convinced me to watch The Hobbit (subtitle eludes me at the moment).

I love it...to know how much I love it you should really read this review on Goodreads. It not only talks about the book, but about how much this new movie R.O.C.K.S. and it saves me the trouble of going into much detail about the movie and it saves me having to talk about the book vs. the movie.

I only want to talk about the movie in relation to the fact that it made me read the book again because:

1] I wanted to know why there were so many people (there are people who think this, really!?) who didn't want Jackson to screw up their Hobbityness...he really doesn't screw up anything AT. ALL.

2] I wanted to see how many pages of the book were actually in the movie (80...yes, a 2 hour and 45 minute  movie is 80 pages of my version of The Hobbit)

3] I didn't want to spend the next movies experiencing strange flashback/amnesia wondering what parts were added/changed/deleted while simultaneously remembering...

4] And, I couldn't remember how many dwarves died and I definitely needed to know so I wouldn't be surprised...I hate being surprised

I don't know when I read the book the first time, before high school is all I know, and I remember thinking it was a hard read, I realize now that was due to the fact that there are 12 dwarf names, at least 6 place names, so many types of characters to keep track of like trolls, goblins, different types of elves and a couple of wizards, several flashbacks with more dwarf names and places, and several big words.

I love that the copy I own has the dwarves in barrels with cute little Bilbo on top as they rage down the river as that's one of my favorite parts.

I rated it 4-stars from my memory and, after re-reading am keeping it at four...I'm still confused about the big battle at the end...I mean why? who? but, I didn't mind all the death and the ending is beautiful and real and bittersweet. It makes me want to re-read the rest of the series. I can see how someone could become obsessed with the Tolkien universe.

Like I've always said, JK Rowling could take a lesson or two...

30 Day Book Challenge: Day 28

Last year I found this book challenge (since then I have seen many variations of it, but I like this one best!), and have been intrigued about how I would answer the questions posed. Feel free to comment with your own answer or post the challenge to your own blog.

First favorite book or series obsession

OK, so when I read these books in the early 80s...there were only, um...4. Frankly, I didn't know there was a 5th book until, um...college. I have never read it. I don't really understand how this could be part of two series, but I digress.

The Time Quartet was the first series of books I was totally obsessed about and it's first book A Wrinkle in Time was the first book I read more than once. There for awhile I read it every year.

I love, love, love, love this series and all I have to do to be propelled to a simpler time is open up the pages of any one of these books. I can remember sitting on the floor of my bedroom, radio on, contemplating the fifth dimension and thinking about what I would do if I had a brother like Charles Wallace.

My husband and I watched the movie sometime last summer. It didn't really hold as much magic as the book.

Day 01 – A book series you wish had gone on longer OR a book series you wish would just freaking end already (or both!)

Day 02 – A book or series you wish more people were reading and talking about
Day 03 – The best book you've read in the last 12 months
Day 04 – Your favorite book or series ever
Day 05 – A book or series you hate
Day 06 – Favorite book of your favorite series
Day 07 – Least favorite plot device employed by way too many books you actually enjoyed otherwise
Day 08 – A book everyone should read at least once
Day 09 – Best scene ever
Day 10 – A book you thought you wouldn't like but ended up loving
Day 11– A book that disappointed you
Day 12 – A book or series of books you’ve read more than five times
Day 13 – Favorite childhood book OR current favorite YA book (or both!)
Day 14 – Favorite character in a book
Day 15 – Your “comfort” book
Day 16 – Favorite poem or collection of poetry
Day 17 – Favorite story or collection of stories (short stories, novellas, novelettes, etc.)
Day 18 – Favorite beginning scene in a book 
Day 19 – Favorite book cover (bonus points for posting an image!)
Day 20 – Favorite kiss
Day 21 – Favorite romantic/sexual relationship (including asexual romantic relationships)
Day 22 – Favorite non-sexual relationship (including asexual romantic relationships)
Day 23 – Most annoying character ever 
Day 24 – Best Quote from a Novel 
Day 25 – Any five books from your "to be read" stack 
Day 26 – OMG WTF? OR most irritating/awful/annoying book ending
Day 27 – If a book contains ______, you will always read it (and a book or books that contain it)!
Day 28 – First favorite book or series obsession
Day 29 – Saddest character death OR best/most satisfying character death (or both!)
Day 30 – What book are you reading right now?

55 Books in a Year: Book #50 The Night Circus

I started this book last Fall...yes, last Fall. And, if my status updates are any indication this book was gosh darned slow to start. Slow as H-E-C-K!

Reading Progress

09/09	page 280		73.0%	"I suppose you get to a point where this book moves fast enough."
09/09	page 181		47.0%	"'Second verse same as the first.' I feel like I should wear more black, white and red. I have students who will love this book."
09/08	page 121		31.0%	"if I may be quite honest I started this like, um, last fall and got to page 31 and then stopped...wow, it was so boring and then I put it on a reading challenge and must have it read by the end of the month...the beauty of the language keeps me going. not really sure why it can't be told in sequential order. books that go out of time without a reason make me want to punch puppies."

This book was probably at a "2" until about half way, and, then, frankly, by the end it was a delicious and solid "5"...hence, the "4". It's one of those books where you can tell the author loves the world that has been created and this is the first book that I've ever read where the world that has been created is so magical and beautiful (like made for a movie that I'm sure is going to be created soon) that it distracts from the plot and from the characters. I couldn't tell if I wanted the two main characters to get together in the end and I wasn't sorry when any characters died...I didn't get to know them that well, I loved the ending so much I forgot about the beginning. And, gah, any character development happened in relation to that darned circus. It takes about 100 pages to go anywhere and that's a lot of darned circus talk.  Although I just didn't love all that rising action in the beginning, I do love me some circus action. And, really, who doesn't love a circus?

Yeah, that darned circus with it's beautiful maze and wishing tree and bonfire and delicious cider. Uh, uh, that circus with its contortionist and fortune teller and wide-eyed red-headed, mystical twins. Of course, there's a love triangle, of sorts and an aged old magicians bet. I wish I could have seen more of that...the bet, the mysterious characters, the love story. Read this and you'll want to grab your black and white dress or tux, throw on your red scarf and find some wonderful place to skulk about at night hoping for your dreams to come true, just don't plan on finding any characters to fall in love with on your journey, well, that is until the circus is about ready to close.

55 Books in a Year: book #44 The Last Unicorn

My first memory of The Last Unicorn is from 1982. My grandfather had taken the three of us to watch the movie. I was 5 years old. I remember that he bought us popcorn and a soda and candy each, so we didn't have to share. I remember sitting on one side of him, my sister Marissa on the other, my sister Kim beside me. Eventually Kim moved into the seat with me (there are parts of that movie that really are scary to a 4 year old).

I was mesmerized by the unicorn "the color of snow falling on a moonlit night", I fell in the love the singing and I was enchanted by the story of a lone unicorn searching for her brothers and sisters. A unicorn who sacrificed herself to save those she didn't even know she loved.

I remember reading the book not long after and I realize, now that I've read it again, I didn't get a lot of it and the parts that I remember most vividly are the parts that are included in the movie; a movie I have seen at least 100 times. This book, like other fairy tales, is perfect in the sense that it has the fantastic story of a unicorn, a prince, a castle, the sea, adventure and love. As an adult I still had all of these themes floating around in my head and heart, but as an adult I could see all that the unicorn lost and I could see all that she gained. When I was a kid the story didn't seem so bittersweet. I just liked all the unicorns. I knew she couldn't be the last.

You can read the sequel...I guess one can call it a sequel here. It's even more bittersweet and, well, sad.

55 Books in a Year: Book #35 Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell

I may love this book. No really, I may be in deep, deep love with this book.

And, look at all the reasons why:

1] The Language

From the very first paragraph I could tell that this book was a wonderful labor of love

“Some years ago there was in the city of York a society of magicians. They met upon the third Wednesday of every month and read each other long, dull papers upon the history of English magic.” 

“He understood for the first time that the world is not dumb at all, but merely waiting for someone to speak to it in a language it understands.” 

“There was very little about her face and figure that was in any way remarkable, but it was the sort of face which, when animated by conversation or laughter, is completely transformed. She had a lovely disposition, a quick mind and a fondness for the comical. She was always very ready to smile and, since a smile is the most becoming ornament that any lady can wear, she had been known upon occasion to outshine women who were acknowledged beauties in three countries.” 

and, my favorite

“Can a magician kill a man by magic?” Lord Wellington asked Strange. Strange frowned. He seemed to dislike the question. “I suppose a magician might,” he admitted, “but a gentleman never would.” 

2] The Plot

There's the first book of magic...it's been eaten by a drunk man who is later hanged for his crime. There's Mr. Norrell who is such an insecure nit-wit that he goes around buying up all the books of magic and there's his apprentice a dashing man whose only true greatness is that he is truly an amazing magician. There's a war with France, marriages, secrets and lust for power. At a great cost, there is a woman who has been brought back from the dead. Add to that a faerie who loves all things shiny and collects them to his castle. There's a prophecy that these men are bound to perform as they are responsible for bringing magic back to England. And, I love the footnotes as they talk about the world in which this book exist and enhance my pleasure.

3] The Themes

Friendship

Norrell and Strange have a binding relationship. They complete each other.

True Love

Strange's sacrifice for Arabella is truly the best part of the book.

Social Relationships

Stephen Black, Lady Pole, Arabella and the Mad King George are all marginalized characters who play big roles in the book. They are characters who could have changed the course of the novel had they not been marginalized.

The Roles of Men and Women

If only Strange had made attention to Arabella, if only Norrell would have thought of Lady Pole's feelings...if only, if only...

4] Jonathan Strange

Yes, he needs a whole section. At first, he seems like a little bit of a prissy no job loafer, but he becomes the heart of the book. He risk everything to make sure that his wife is safe. He is a gentleman who takes pride in what he can do. 

I am a Strangeite all the way and appreciate that magic is the first of his many professions that he did well, for a long period of time and honestly. I love that he says that a magician could use magic to kill a person, but a gentleman would never do so. I also like that Strange has a fondness for Norrell, even though he knows how Norrell is towards him and others. I think that it is this aspect of his personality that helps him to understand King George and his madness. Strange is truly a compassionate person who understands and strives to understand those around him...to not only better his magic and himself, but so that others can be better of, as well.

I do not like how Strange treats women, especially Arabella. When he's so progressive in his action and thoughts concerning magic (doesn't mind if women learn magic etc.), he still treats his wife like property, listens to her only when it suits him and most of the time after the fact his not listening has gotten him into trouble, and believes his wife's greatest pleasure is to be entertained. Gah, Strange, gah!

He is such a complex character.

5] The Otherworld characters

The Gentleman with the Thistledown hair (we all know that we can't know a faerie's real name) maybe #1 on my list of characters I love to hate and not because he's annoying, but because he is sincere and misguided. He really wants Stephen Black to be a king and he thinks that Lady Pole and Arabella are better off with him. He is the best faerie.

Vinculus is also pretty awesome and his BIG role in this book is so subtle it is just pure genius.

6] The Setting

Regency England...I didn't even know I loved this time period in England...I do love that Mad King George.

If I could possibly find a flaw with this book it would have to be with the fact that in reading about this book I saw that it was being compared to the writings of Dickens and Austen...it's neither really as it is something beautiful and marvelous and all its own. I hear there's supposed to be a sequel...how delicious!

55 Books in a Year: Book #7 Mary Poppins

"Just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down" and Mary Poppins by PL Travers is a delightful spoonful of sugar in movie and in book form.

When I say things like what I'm about say I feel like I spent my childhood in a dark cavern, but I'm going to say it anyway. I did not read this book as a little kid, this book was never read to me, I did not even know this book was a series until I decided to download it to read on my Nook.

This book is just as delightful and enchanting as the movie (without the singing, of course). However, it is a bit different. There's a chapter where Michael wakes up on the wrong side of the bed and is given a compass which Poppins and the children use to visit every corner of the Earth. My favorite chapter that I didn't already know the story to involves the littlest Banks children (they are twins John and Barbara), they talk to Poppins, each other and the bird that lives outside their window and refuse to acknowledge that when they turn one not only will they not be able to talk to the bird and others anymore, but they will also forget they ever could. It is an excellent example of the bittersweetness of growing up.

I can't wait to read this book to Lila Jane, we've already seen the movie.

I have found out that if I want to read about all the things in the movie that I must read all of the books. There are eight and they are titled:

from Wikipedia

Mary Poppins, published 1934

The first book introduces the Banks family, consisting of Mr. Banks and Mrs. Banks and their children Jane, Michael, and baby twins John and Barbara. When the children's nanny, Katie Nana, storms out in a huff, Mary Poppins arrives at their home, complete with her traveling carpetbag, blown in by a very strong wind. She accepts the job, and the children soon learn that their nanny, though she is stern, vain, and usually cross, has a magical touch that makes her wonderful. 

Mary Poppins Comes Back, published 1935

Nothing has been right since Mary Poppins left Number Seventeen Cherry Tree Lane. One day, when Mrs. Banks sends the children out to the park, Michael flies his kite up into the clouds. Everyone is surprised when it comes down bringing Mary Poppins as a passenger, who returns to the Banks home and takes charge of the children once again. 

Mary Poppins Opens the Door, published 1943

When Mary last left the Banks children in Cherry Tree Lane, she took a "return ticket, just in case." In the third book, she returns to the park in front of Cherry Tree Lane the way she came, falling with fireworks. Once again she takes up nanny duties in the Banks household and leads Jane, Michael, John, and Barbara on various adventures. 

Mary Poppins in the Park, published 1952

This fourth book contains six adventures of the Banks children with Mary Poppins during their outings into the park along Cherry Tree Lane. Chronologically the events in this book occurred during the second or third book (Mary Poppins Comes Back and Mary Poppins Opens the Door respectively). 

Mary Poppins From A to Z, published 1962

Twenty-six vignettes — one for each letter of the alphabet — weave unexpected tales of Mary Poppins, the Banks children, and other characters from Travers's previous novels. Each vignette is filled with fun and unusual words that start with the featured letter.

Mary Poppins in the Kitchen, published 1975

Mary Poppins comes to the rescue when the Banks' family cook has to go on an unexpected leave, teaching the young Banks children the basics of cooking in the process. The book includes recipes.

Mary Poppins in Cherry Tree Lane, published 1982

Mary Poppins takes the Banks children on yet another memorable adventure, this time on the magical Midsummer's Eve. 

Mary Poppins and the House Next Door, published 1988

The residents of Cherry Tree Lane are distressed to learn that their beloved Number Eighteen, an empty house for which each tenant has created an imaginary, wished-for tenant, is about to be occupied by Mr. Banks's childhood governess, Miss Andrew — otherwise known as the Holy Terror. Her dreaded arrival brings a pleasant surprise as well, for Luti, a boy from the South Seas, has accompanied her as both servant and student. 

50 Books in a Year: Book #29 Stardust

          My sister is a lover of Fantasy. She's read more Fantasy books that I know and has turned me on to several series I didn't know existed. The problem *whispers* is that if she knows a book is a movie, she watches it instead of reads it (I know, it's shocking). A few years ago she raved about this movie she watched called "Stardust", to this day she loves it despite the fact that Claire Danes is in it and she claims that my mother (who dislikes all things magical) likes it and has seen it several times. I have never seen the movie, but when I saw the book at the used bookstore I recognized the title and bought it, not knowing the plot.

          The plot goes a little something like this...from Goodreads:

Stardust is an utterly charming fairy tale in the tradition of The Princess Bride and The Neverending Story. Neil Gaiman, creator of the darkly elegant Sandman comics and author of The Day I Swapped My Dad for Two Goldfish, tells the story of young Tristran Thorn and his adventures in the land of Faerie. One fateful night, Tristran promises his beloved that he will retrieve a fallen star for her from beyond the Wall that stands between their rural English town (called, appropriately, Wall) and the Faerie realm. No one ever ventures beyond the Wall except to attend an enchanted flea market that is held every nine years (and during which, unbeknownst to him, Tristran was conceived). But Tristran bravely sets out to fetch the fallen star and thus win the hand of his love. His adventures in the magical land will keep you turning pages as fast as you can--he and the star escape evil old witches, deadly clutching trees, goblin press-gangs, and the scheming sons of the dead Lord of Stormhold. The story is by turns thrillingly scary and very funny. You'll love goofy, earnest Tristran and the talking animals, gnomes, magic trees, and other irresistible denizens of Faerie that he encounters in his travels. Stardust is a perfect read-aloud book, a brand-new fairy tale you'll want to share with a kid, or maybe hoard for yourself. 

          I love, love, love, love, love this book. I've already recommended it to all my friends and my sister (she just bought it...*whispers* to read). Frankly, this book has everything you could possibly want in a book lovely dialogue, romance, fights, intrigue and a unicorn, yes! This really is a book for everybody and I totally understand why they made it into a movie, as you don't really have to be a lover of Fantasy to understand it. I think that if you read this book you'll want to read more Fantasy and you may even want to read more Neil Gaiman. What I like about this book is that it's easy enough to read in a day, but still for those who want something with more depth, perfect for a summer read. I finished it on a Saturday in a house full of children. I could not put it down.
          That's what happened to me...I'm not really sure that I'm going to watch "Stardust", as I don't want to ruin my love of the book, but I'm now reading American Gods, and I read his blog and follow him on Twitter. I think Twitter was made for such things!

5 Stars


This book is recommended for people who also enjoy: The Princess Bride, The Chronicles of Narnia, The Time Quartet, The Last Unicorn, The Neverending Story (which I have only seen, but own), The Amber Chronicles, Ella Enchanted, The Lord of the Rings.

If you are new or old to the Neil Gaiman experience check out his blog. An awesome post with a lovely Craig Fergeson interview can be found here.