the.book.chat link-up, short stroies

The link-up this week for the.book.chat is about short stories.  I don't read many short stories (although I would like to write one!), but when I do read them I enjoy them.  And I recently read a phenomenal one called The Paper Menagerie by Ken Liu.  I heard about it from the Books on the Nightstand podcast (if you listen to podcasts, check this one out!). This story is available for free online through Suvudu, from when it appeared in Fantasy & Science Fiction Magazine.  Even if you don't like Fantasy/SciFi, you should read this short story, it's only about 12 pages long but it is very touching and you might want to keep some tissues nearby!  I'm always amazed at how much an author can get through in such a short story, and this one has it all.  In keeping the theme with short stories, I'll keep this post short!

Head over to this link-up and join in!

Les Mis Week 2, JVJ and Fantine

We are still cruising through Les Mis (the book) and we have completed and discussed the next two books. 

(See here for why we're reading Les Mis, and here for Week 1, The Bishop)

Volume 1 Book 2 - The Fall

The part we've been waiting for, Jean Valjean has made an appearance!  It seems to be the typical story we know from the musical he comes to a town and no one will let him work or stay at their inn because he is on parole.  The only place the will open it's door to him is the the Bishop (who we met in the first book).  You know the rest, while everyone is sleeping he steals the silver and when confronted with the law he says the Bishop gave it to him as a gift and the Bishop agrees and tells JVJ he must use the silver to become an honest man (The whole time I was singing all these parts in my head, like a crazy person!).

In between all the action in the book, you learn the history of JVJ and how he got to prison and why he spent so many years there.  A few points I found interesting were that his family (his sister and her children) didn't seem to really care for him but he went to prison because he couldn't provide for them anymore and stole some bread.   I thought maybe he would care about his family more or they would care about him, but apparently not.  The other thing I thought was interesting was how RoB and I disagreed on when he went to steal the silver if he also thought about killing the bishop.  I got the feeling that's what he was planning to do, but RoB says no, what do you think?

The very end of this book was depressing, with Gervitas and his stolen coin.  I realize that is JVJ's turning point and from then on he realizes he needs to become a good person.  But it was heartbreaking that he was stealing from a child.

Volume 1 Book 3 - In The Year 1817

Now we meet Fantine, and her baby daddy! But before we get there, there is a whole chapter about what is going in in France that year, I couldn't follow any of it and I skipped a large chunk of it.  Back to Fantine and her story. I didn't expect Fantine's lover to be a well off scholar (of sorts), and he seemed to fawn over her.  I thought he would be a worker or passerby that she had a short fling with, but this was more serious.  Until, of course, we realize he is leaving her.  The other part I thought was interesting was that he didn't even know about the baby when he left her.  Him and his buddies decided they were just going to string along these 4 ladies for a while and then tell them it wouldn't work because their families expect more of them, sigh.  This depressed me quite a bit, and I felt really bad for Fantine.

Next up we find out what happens to Fantine's child, and what has become of JVJ since he decided to become an honest man with the silver from the bishop.  If there is anyone else out there reading or has read this please chime in and let me know your thoughts!

I'm also tying this in with a link-up this week with the.book.chat over at sweet green tangerine and semi-charmed kind of life.  The topic this week is what are you currently reading, and I thought this fit it perfectly.  I do have to say that I enjoy reading something so well known and respected so when anyone asks me what I'm reading I don't have to explain what it is or explain myself for why I'm reading yet another YA book :)

Compose Yourself, Writing Link-Up

Nikki over at Travels with Pen and Paper has started a weekly creative writing link-up.  I helped her come up with a fun name for it and I'm finally getting involved and writing from the first prompt she had!  Read mine and let me know what you think (I'll happily take constructive criticism, as long as you're nice :), then head over and check out hers.  When you're ready, join in the fun! I can't wait to read everyone elses' submissions.
 
The prompt this week is (I guess it was last week at this point):

Make something conventionally beautiful seem ugly, or something ugly seen beautiful.

Here is my submission:

As I skidded out on my bicycle cursing the turd looking slug in the middle of the path, I thought to myself “Why the heck did I just avoid that?”  I could’ve easily run over the slug in the middle of the trail, avoided my now skinned up left leg, and continued with my ride.   From my place on the soft damp dirt I noticed the thing still moving, not realizing the chaos it just caused.  When I first saw it I didn’t realize quite how brightly colored it was.  It suddenly looked a radiant yellow not just a dull brown.  Slowly creating a slime trail behind it, the closer I got the more fascinated I was.  It had two perfect looking antennae on top of its head and two just below, nearby where a mouth might be.  The symmetry of these four were perfect.  The calmness the little guy showed in his slow trek across the trail was poised, without a care in the world.  Suddenly, I felt relieved that I hadn’t run over this creature.  He was magnificent, like only a banana slug could be.

Since I pretty much missed this week, here is the prompt for next Monday:

This has to do with writing from different senses. Have a sound, smell, or taste lead the way.

Book/Reading pet peeves, the.book.chat link-up

I've started following the blog sweet green tangerine and she does a great link up called the.book.chat which (obviously) pertains to books.  This week the topic is pet peeves relating to books and reading I don't have many but here are mine:

1. Too long or no chapters at all.  I like to sometimes read in really short spurts, like waiting to make coffee or comercial breaks of a sporting event, so breaking things up really allows me to read for short periods of time.

2. Someone trying not to spoil a book for me but still talking about it and spoiling it in a different way.  For example not telling me the ending but saying "That had the biggest plot twist I've ever read" then the whole time I'm reading I'm trying to guess the plot twist and it's not as exciting when I get to read it.

3. Christian Fiction, don't even get me started...

4. Weak, uninteresting female characters who rely on a man.

5. Hardcover books, I hate having to hold onto them and read these big bulky things, but I also hate waiting until they come out in paperback.

6. This is something I do that might be a pet peeve of others: if you are reading in public (transit, airplane, park, coffeshop) I will try to see what book you are reading and judge you for it (good and bad judgement :)

Check out the others in the link up!

Les Mis Week 1, The Bishop of Digne

For those of you who missed it, RoB and I have finally decided to start reading Les Miserables.  This will probably take us all year, but since we are both reading we are hoping that we can keep each other motivated throughout the book.  And I'll have to admit that I might've given up in the first book of the first volume, so it's a good thing we're in it together.  The book is split up into 5 volumes, each of those with 8-15 books, and each of those with 5-20 chapters. Here are my thoughts on Volume 1: Fantine, Book 1: A Just Man.

This first 50 pages or so of the book was all about the Bishop of Digne (although in the kindle edition it just says Bishop of D---, anyone know why?).  It is a compilation of his history and all the good things he has done over the course of his life.  There are a couple small events that are explained and some chapters just talk about how he thinks or feels.  These chapters were the ones that made it hard to keep going and I'm pretty sure I skimmed though some of them.  Luckily, Rob finished this part before me and started reading ahead to the next book and informed me that things actually happen!



The Bishop of Digne as depicted by Gustave Brion in the first edition of the novel


So, I continued on through and kept reading about why the Bishop of Digne was A Just Man.  I was not a huge fan of this book, it was slow moving and what I was worried would happen when trying to read a classic like Les Mis. The one thing I do have to say is that you see a bit more charter and almost humor in the bishop and all that he does, the musically never really portrayed him this way, but I feel like in the movie Colm Wilkinson does a great job of showing more of how he is represented in the book (For those of you that don't know, Colm Wilkinson was the original Jean Valjean in the West End and on Broadway).

On the right is Colm Wilkinson as the Bishop

The next part is all about Jean Valjean (or as we've been calling him JVJ), finally!  I hope it starts to read faster because this pace might be tough for over 1000 pages.

How does everyone else out there feel about the start of the book? Anyone else out there reading it now? Eh, probably not and I'm probably talking to no one, but I thought I'd try!

Book Review - Divergent by Veronica Roth

How did I come into possession of this book?
This book is part of the Semi Charmed Book Challenge I’m participating in. This fits the category of reading a book in one day. I knew it would have to be some sort of young adult or other page turner of sorts. I had also heard really good things about this book (again, young adult dystopia, it’s my favorite and the hot topic right now). I did have to wait about a week and a half for one of the 35 copies to be available from my local library, but once I got it I put aside a whole afternoon, evening, and next morning to read this 500 page book.

First Lines:
          “There is one mirror in my house. It is behind a sliding panel in the hallway upstairs. Our faction allows me to stand in front of it on the second day of every third month, the day my mother cuts my hair” (Roth 1)

What is it about?
In a futuristic world, in the ruins of Chicago, you are divided into 5 different factions and during your 16th year you decide which faction you want to be a part of. Most chose to stay with the faction they were raised in but when Beatrice decides to choose a different faction she surprises everyone, including herself. This starts her on a competitive initiation process and she starts to learn disturbing things about her new and old factions and the world they live in.

What did I think?
I really enjoyed this book, and it was a perfect book to read in one day because it was a page turner that kept me very interested. I love that a lot of these new young adult books have strong female characters (some adult books should take note, cough cough 50 shades cough ) and Tris is a very easy character to relate to. I do have one complaint about it though and I’ll try to keep it as un-spoilery as possible. Towards the end of the book things take a big turn and this happened suddenly in a frustrating way. I wish there had been a bit more buildup to it or maybe just have the events take more time, it was like suddenly everyone was an enemy and I really didn’t enjoy that. I guess the ending as a whole left me a bit disappointed. But, of course, it left with a cliff-hanger and everything is going to change in the next book and I will be excited to read it!

Who would I recommend it to?
If you liked the Hunger Games this would be another good young adult book to read. It’s not quite as well written as the Hunger Games (or even Delirium), the writing is more straight forward and simple, giving it a younger feeling. But the story is great, the world that Roth created is intriguing and makes me want to know what else she has in store for us in the next 2 books!

I’ve included a new section in my reviews, First Lines, in hopes to get some of you hooked enough to read it, too! Also, check out what else I’m planning to read (and what I've read so far!) for the book challenge and let me know if you have suggestions!

Reading Challenge? Sure!

I found out about the Semi Charmed Book Challenge through the blog It's the Journey (which is always a pleasant read!).  Here are the details:

Rules:

• The challenge will run from May 1, 2012, to September 1, 2012. No books that are started before May 1 or finished after September 1 will count.
• No re-reads! I want you to experience new books with this challenge.
• Each book must be at least 200 pages long, unless otherwise noted.
• A book can only be used for one category. If you want to switch the category later, that's fine, just be sure to account for that in your point total.
• The highest possible total is 200 points, and the first three people who finish the challenge will win a featured/guest post on my blog. If less than three people finish, the participants with the three highest scores will "win." Good luck!

The Challenge:

5 points: Read a book chosen for the U.S. 2012 World Book Night.
10: Read a book you were supposed to read in school, but either bailed on or Cliff-Noted. (If you were super studious and never did this, then read a book most people were assigned to read in high school but you weren’t.)
10: Read a memoir or narrative nonfiction book. (Examples: Friday Night Lights, When the Game Stands Tall, The Devil in the White City, etc.)
15: Read a book in one day. (Must be at least 150 pages long.)
15: Read a book that you've always wanted to read but haven't gotten around to yet.
20: Read a pair of books that have antonyms in the titles. (For example: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and The Boy in the Suitcase, or The Unbearable Lightness of Being and Heart of Darkness, etc..)
20: Read a book that is set in a place you've never been but want to visit.
25: Find a book written the year you were born that was later made into a movie. Read the book and watch the movie; compare. Or find a movie released the year you were born that was based on a book. Do the same thing.
25: Go into a bookstore or library. Pick any bookshelf. Read the third book from the left on the fourth shelf from the top. (If it's not at least 200 pages, pick the next book to the right.)
25: Read a book about which you’ve heard bad things. (Hey, you can’t knock it ‘til you’ve tried it, right? And I’m upping the points to make it worth your while.)
30: Read a trilogy. Total page count for all three books together must be at least 500 pages. (Remember, you can’t have read any of the books before! Suggestions: The Robert Langdon series, The Hunger Games, Twilight...)

I'm still trying to figure out what I want to read for each of these categories, here is my list (in the order it was listed above).  I will continue to update it as I figure out what to read, I'm also open to any suggestions so please help me out if you have any ideas!

One of these three: Bel Canto/The Book Theif/The Poisonwood Bible
Catcher and the Rye - J.D. Salinger
Three and Out - John U Bacon
Divergent - Veronica Roth (Now I just need to find a day I can devote to it!) DONE!
TBD (So many choices)
At The End- John Hennessy  DONE! and Starters- Lissa Price
My Life in France - Julia Child
The Neverending Story - Michael Ende (this movie came out in '84 and I'm super excited to read the book!)
Spring Fever - Mary Kay Andrews  DONE! (from the audio book section of my local library!)
50 Shades of Grey by E L James
TBD (Maybe Mistborn or a David Eddings trilogy, OR possibly a YA trilogy like Gone or the Sally Lockhart trilogy)

Oh yeah, and I'm also trying to get RoB to join in this challenge so you should head to his blog and try and help me convince him!

New Year of Reading

One of the downsides of taking a temporary assignment was that I couldn't bring all my stuff with me.  This meant leaving behind a bunch of books.  I have a book problem, I will go to a used book store (or free book exchange!), or even an awesome local book shop and walk out with an arm full of books.  I also get books passed onto me by my mom and other literary obsessed friends.  I can't read books as fast as I acquire them, which meant I had a great collection of "to-read" books back in California.  This comprised most of my book collection since I rarely hold onto book after I read them (unless they are a favorite or signed or something). I like to pass them on to someone who will like them, sell them back to a used book store to get credit to buy more books (!), or just donate them to a free books exchange/local thrift store.

Of all those books I only brought about 15-20 with me, thinking I would still be acquiring books at a fast rate and if I take a trip home I can always get some of those books I left there.  I also got a library card at the Lexington public library (which is a very nice library).  I'll keep a to-read list here with all the books I currently have and add to it the more books I acquire, along with links to the books I review.  Hopefully that will also remind me which books I've read and should review.  I think I'll make a goal of reading 50 books this year, about 4.17 books per month, and yes that will include audio books (since I drive 30 minutes to work everyday and sometimes have mindless tasks at work).



Yay, reading!



I also got a fantastic little journal as a late xmas present from my wonderful mama!  Its a cute little readers journal where I can keep track of all the books I read and I love it!



Isn't my mom great?



1% of My Day

I had a great 7th grade English teacher, Ms. Fouts, who told us that everyday we should spend at least 1% of our day reading.  On the first day of class she derived for us that 14.4 minutes is 1% of our day.  So everyday in her class we read for at least 14.4 minutes.  Since then I've always tried to keep that mentality, and I've tried to devote at least 1% of my day to reading.

Now I'm going to try and use another 1% of everyday to write, here, on my blog.  I'm also going to try to blog at about the same time everyday and avoid blogging from work (this will be really hard for me).  I think if I just come up with a topic for the day and write about that instead of trying to remember everything I've done lately that I want to share.  And only writing for 14.4 (ok I'm rounding up to 15) minutes should keep things short and sweet!

I was also inspired because my sister mentioned something similar on her blog.  She is a photographer, but also a great writer (much better than me) and recently decided she was going to write more on her blog, instead of just posting pictures.  And then there is always the bf's blog that I'm trying to keep up with...

This should be an interesting experiment!