Book Worm Wednesday: The Sources

It's been a while since I have done one of these so I thought I would do a quick one this week!  I have been so busy that I haven't really had time to read as much as I like to.  I still get to listen to audiobooks at work though, which is nice.  I always loved to read, but I really started to read a lot when I found a book I loved and then tried to find more like it.  When I discovered an author of a beloved series had an entire page of book suggestions on her website, I was in book worm heaven!   These days, almost all authors have a website or blog of some kind and most of them have lists of books similar to theirs and some of their personal favorites.  
One of my current favorite authors to get suggestions from is Sarah Rees Brennan.  She is very funny and periodically posts book recommendations on her blog.  Her most recent one is here: http://sarahtales.livejournal.com/191570.html
I have read books from her suggestions before, but none on this list yet so I can't say if they are good or not but her descriptions alone are very entertaining. Lots of other authors do similar things so if you have a favorite book or author, google them! Chances are you will find some great recommendations for new books to enjoy.

Book Worm Wednesday: My List

So writing a spiel about books I have read takes more energy than I currently have at the moment.  So instead I wanted to share a list of some books I want to read but haven't yet.  Some are out already and some will be released later this year.  Now that I have a library card, the list just keeps expanding and I can't say how much I love the library.  A part of going there makes me feel a little strange, like "How can I be allowed to read all these books for FREE?!"  I am very lucky to live in a county with such an awesome library!  Anyway, on to the list!

1. The Help - I'm not sure why I've gone so long without reading this.  It is definitely the type of book I like but I think all the hype dissuaded me.  I'm not a huge fan of "blockbuster books" but I really want to read this one now.

2. Clockwork Prince - This is the second book in a series I'm reading and doesn't come out until December.  I started reading it before I knew what steampunk was but now I'm in love.

3. The Name of the Star - This one comes out next month and it is a mystery series about a Jack the Ripper copycat.  I've read a few things by the author, Maureen Johnson, who is so very funny so I'm interested to see what this is going to be like.

4.  Twelfth Night- I'm trying to throw more classics into my reading rotation and I actually really like Shakespeare.  I read a few of his plays when I was at school in England and really liked them.  I like that the stories are so familiar and timeless.

That isn't even close to starting my list but making babies takes a lot of energy out of you.  I'm off to have a lie down and watch some HGTV! :)

Book Worm Wednesday: Kid Edition!

So I have decided this week shall be about some of my favorite children's books.  It seemed only fitting with my pregnancy announcement and I have lots of love for books for children.  I'm going to keep it to just a couple tonight because I could go on forever and this girls needs her sleep!

For the Babies:
Barnyard Dance by Sandra Boynton
I love anything by Sandra Boynton.  The illustrations are adorable and the stories are so simple and cute.  I really love how her books give parents and their little ones something to connect over.  I try to include one of them in all of my baby shower gifts.

For Someone with the Grumpies:
What Are You so Grumpy About? by Ton Lichtenheld
Everything about this book makes me laugh.  The illustrations are great and there are tons of little funny asides.  For example "Did your brother or sister TOUCH you???" with a picture of a finger touching an arm "enlarged to show full grossness."  Hilarious and guaranteed to solve the grumpies in someone of any age.

Both of these books are in my personal collection and I can't wait to share them with our baby whenever he or she arrives.  Books were such a huge part of my childhood and I can't wait to share that with our little one!

Book Worm Wednesday: Returns!

So I have been on a little hiatus from BWW lately.  Not because I don't like it, but because I have been SUPER busy lately.  It seems like every Wednesday the youth are having some crazy activity or other and by the time I get home I am pooped!  So to keep my sanity, I'm going to compromise and only do them about twice a month, more if I have more time.  So without further ado: Hello England!

There is something about summer than makes me long for England.  Maybe it is really just the clouds and moderate weather I am craving.  We always want what we don’t have, right? I have a monthly subscription to audible and lately I have been using all my credits to purchase Georgette Heyer novels.  They have been the perfect solace. J If you like audiobooks and Victorian England, I would recommend these.  The narrators are fantastic!  My favorite so far has been Cotillion.

It is the story of Kitty, the adopted niece of a man with a great fortune to which she is heiress provided she marries one of his nephews.   When the right nephew(Jack) doesn’t respond to his uncles summons to what I will call “the proposal conference,” Kitty is miffed and convinces her cousin Freddy who “is not in the petticoat line” (has no plans to marry, to us modern day folk) to pretend to be engaged to her so she can go to London and make Jack mad with jealousy.  To find out how this plan works, you will have to read Cotillion for yourself!

Cousins of all varieties abound and provide much entertainment throughout the book.  Kitty manages to get herself into quite a few scrapes on her own as well.  Luckily she has more than one charming cousin to come to the rescue! 

Georgette Heyer is a lot like Jane Austen with a lighthearted twist.  She wrote in the early and mid-1900’s so the language is not quite so overwhelming.  You are able to fully enjoy the charm of sayings such as “I dare say” “Are you feeling quite the thing?” and “The outside of enough” just to name a few of my favorites.  AND the best part about Heyer is that if you come to love her work as I have done, there are plenty of delightfully funny stories from which to choose your second read.

Book Worm Wednesday: Recommended by the Mister!

So in honor of Father's Day this BWW is about the book my mister is currently reading now, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. 

I have already read all three of the Hunger Games books and loved them so I was so excited when Cory mentioned wanting to read them.  Let me tell you, he is HOOKED!  I'm always worried when I have friends and family read books I love that they won't like them so I'm glad that didn't happen.  Cory rarely reads books and then not usually something I would like so it is nice to have a shared book interest.  We were talking about the book this morning (I may have been digging for things to write in this post, but that is beside the point:)) and he was telling me what he likes about it.  He is only about halfway through right now and said he loves how even when nothing is happening the descriptions are so well written you can easily picture the scene and it keeps him interested.   Also, even though not much is going on the suspense is intense and he just really wants to know what is happening next.  He also mentioned a few of the cool abilities the characters have that he thinks are just great (being an awesome archer, being about to jump from tree to tree without touching the ground, you know stuff boys like).  When Cory reads he really likes to imagine what he would do in the situations the characters face and this book definitely provides a lot of opportunities for that.  In case you've never heard of them, the Hunger Games are a very messed up way a post apocalyptic society keeps its citizens in line.  Each district must send two tributes, a boy and a girl between the ages of 12 and 18, to battle to the death in the annual Hunger Games.  It may sound morbid, and it is, but in a good makes-you-think kind of way.  So if you haven't read it, or even if you have, think about sharing it with a great guy in your life.

Book Worm Wednesday: A Quickie

I have been sick with a terrible cough the past few days.  I'm talking I only got 4 1/2 hours of sleep laugh night because I was hacking up a lung terrible.  So I will keep this one short and sweet because after a long night at mutual, I am definitely ready for bed.

One of my all time favorite books is The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.  It is about a Jewish girl in WWII Germany.  It is poignant, heartbreaking and all things wonderful.  The story is told from the point of view of a very unconventional narrator, Death.  That may seem a little depressing, but it truly adds so much to this story.  Oddly enough, you come to like him (or at least I did).  And you come to love the girl who stole books and made Death remember her.

I love reading books about difficult times in history, but this one is by far the most touching.  Something about those times seems so fragile.  I guess it is a sort of normalcy that people are clinging to.  That feeling that things can and will not ever go back to the way they once were.  It makes me think about how fragile that is for me and appreciate it so much more that I have the luxury of living a boring life. So read this book.  It will change your life.

Book Worm Wednesday: Historical Christian Fiction

**Sorry this is late guys.  My Wednesday got a little pear shaped...**

It took me a while to come around to reading Christian fiction.  At first I thought the stories would be overwhelmingly full of scriptures and self righteous speeches.  I myself am a Christian, but I believe in showing that through my deeds, not my words.  Well, through a couple of recommendations, I gradually started to pick up more and more Christian fiction literature.  Now, I'm hooked.  It was nothing like I thought it would be and I love that I can count on the books I buy to contain strong women with values and story lines that strengthen my faith.   One of the first I read was Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers.  Whether you read this genre or not, most people have at least heard of this one so I thought it was a safe place to begin.  I loved the historical setting and the parallel to the bible story of Gomer and Hosea.  I love reading the original story in the scriptures after reading a book like this one.  It makes me feel so much more connected to it.  HOWEVER, it is a little heavy at 464 pages and would not necessarily be my first pick for someone just starting out with historical Christian fiction.  I definitely consider it a must read but Angel can be a very frustrating girl to love.  Reading as she struggles to accept the atonement in her life makes me want to scream and cry at the same time.  So I say, read this one at your own risk.  It's a wonderful story but prepare to be frustrated; these characters are broken and this is a book about their repair.

Some suggestions for beginners (or not!) to Historical Christian Fiction:

A Bride Most Begrudging by Deeanne Gist
Anything by Deeanne Gist is a pretty safe bet.  She is funny and her stories are, while a little improbable, very engaging.
Letter Perfect by Cathy Marie Hake
An accident prone girl who can't keep her mouth shut.  What's not to love?
The Inheritance by Tamera Alexander
A good old fashioned western romance.

In a later post, I'll give some suggestions for contemporary Christian fiction although I will admit I don't have as much experience with those.
Is there any type of book YOU would like me to write about?  If so, let me know in the comments!

Book Worm Wednesday: Reimagined Fairy Tales

The Twelve Dancing Princesses

When I was a little girl, I loved fairy tales.   My favorite storybook was The Twelve Dancing Princesses.

As I have gotten older, I still love fairy tales and have been very excited to find many of my favorites in novels form.   I have read several version of the Twelve Dancing Princesses but my favorite has been Entwined by Heather Dixon.

The gorgeous cover is what first attracted me to this book but once I knew what it was about. I had to have it.  This reimagining has a depth to it that the other books I have read lacked.  It had all the elements of the traditional fairy tale but it was also a story of its own.  Azalea, the oldest princess, has just come of age and is now allowed to attend balls when her mother succumbs to an illness.  The household is then ordered into a year of mourning in which there will be no dancing.   All the girls are broken hearted at the loss of their mother and the pastime she taught them.  It is at this point that Azalea discovers the secret passageway to the dancing pavilion and the mysterious Keeper who resides there.  As they continue to dance and move toward the end of their morning, they realize Keeper is not who he seems.   Their estranged father returns home from war and is determine to find out why his daughters slippers are ruined night after night.  Enter parade of charming prince wannabes and one captain with very disheveled hair.  A magic castle, mistaken identities, romance, and  family dynamics make this a great read for all lovers of fairy tales.  

Book Worm Wednesday: Sumertime Chick Lit

I love reading silly romantic comedies, especially in the summer.  It is nice to relax and read something that is purely entertainment.  One of my favorite "chick lit" series is The Queen of Babble by Meg Cabot.

"What's an American girl with a big mouth, but an equally big heart, to do?"

Lizzie Nichols a very unlikely heroine who can't keep her mouth shut about ANYTHING which gets her into various sticky situations.  This is an extremely funny series that also has a lot of growth throughout the books.  I would even say the books get better as the series continues which is a rarity with many series, for me at least.  The first book in the series, Queen of Babble, is set in a gorgeous French Chateau with an equally gorgeous owner.  There is a little romance but the humor is what makes me want to read this series again and again.

Book Worm Wednesday: Witty Fantasy

So I’m taking a cue from some other bloggers and dedicating a day on my blog to something I’m really interested in and want to share. For me, that is books. Hence, Book Worm Wednesday! I hope y’all will enjoy reading about my favorite books as much as I enjoy writing about them.

I am a ridiculous reader. I usually read at least 2 books a week, some new and some repeat reads. For me, reading a good book in no way makes it boring for me to read again. It is like hanging out with people I love on a regular basis, a lot of times the same and yet always awesome. I get impatient to reach my favorite parts and laugh at all my favorite jokes. One series that I have read multiple times is the Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare.

It is a teen paranormal series about a normal girl who gets tangled in the world of Shadowhunters, humans with angel blood who hunt demons, when her mother is kidnapped. That may sound a little hokey but trust me, it’s very well done. The dialogue in these books is some of the wittiest and funniest I have ever read. A lot of that comes from the sarcastic and tortured male lead, Jace. Throw in some romance, butt kicking and drama and there you have it! There are 4 books out in the series currently and there will be 2 more. There is also a prequel series about Victorian Shadowhunters that is just as good I think. The second book in that trilogy comes out in December.
Cassandra Clare herself is pretty awesome as well. She has a blog and twitter that she updates regularly with sneak peeks of upcoming books, character Q&A’s and FAQs for every book. She is one of the most fan friendly authors I have seen. I think it is fabulous especially since her endings many times make you want to throw the book across the room and scream “I know she did not just do that!” As someone who started reading the series at the release of the first book, I have had many of these moments and a long wait between to know how things would be resolved. Those things definitely made the wait a little more bearable. Even with all the frustrations that come from reading an as yet incomplete series, it is definitely a worthwhile ride.

I feel like I should submit a warning that there are some homosexual characters in this series as well as other series I may recommend. It is never the focus of the story or in your face. If it was, I wouldn’t read it or recommend it. I don’t personally agree with homosexuality but it is a part of our society today and avoiding all references to it, to me, seems almost impossible and unnecessary. I feel it is all in how it is presented. I know what I believe to be right and don’t feel as though reading books containing characters who don’t share those same beliefs will alter mine. With that said, I understand that not everyone feels the same way and I can definitely respect that. Thus, the warning