tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47782616196364361242024-02-18T18:06:03.387-08:00Spiral Staircase BooksSpiral Staircase Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08674541067014882874noreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778261619636436124.post-75422474915996524542011-11-08T09:02:00.000-08:002011-11-08T09:02:15.891-08:00Sensibility and the Reality of HeavenOne of these days I'll actually blog about one book at a time again. Pft! Where's the fun in that? This way you get an extra long post, an extra pictures, and then you send out words of praise because you don't have to hear from me in a while. That's not really what you think of me, is it? I should stop planting ideas in your head.<br />
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Ahem.<br />
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I finished <i>Sense and Sensibility </i>and once that was done I decided I wanted something a little bit different before diving right back into the world of Jane Austen. So I took <i>Heaven is for Real </i> from my sister's shelf and read it in a day. It's quite liberating to read a book in a day after reading a book that took you much longer than that (my own fault, let me assure you).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEGY6bz3zD8SPw7WxhbM3Gi-vgePONJe-9XOhyphenhyphen9GrVTwAykMP9cmIN-6vZNQJ6N4Ub4wHNad8L2aRIAkTSH-sHB5xsnK1hktxldCrM0ys8vXBSPUM8JejSi7e5guDVs31JDy-MKe00vg1L/s1600/DSCF3714.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEGY6bz3zD8SPw7WxhbM3Gi-vgePONJe-9XOhyphenhyphen9GrVTwAykMP9cmIN-6vZNQJ6N4Ub4wHNad8L2aRIAkTSH-sHB5xsnK1hktxldCrM0ys8vXBSPUM8JejSi7e5guDVs31JDy-MKe00vg1L/s320/DSCF3714.JPG" width="240" /></a>I was updating my goodreads.com account when I noticed that one of my old teachers gave <i>Sense and Sensibility </i>5/5 stars. I was suddenly struck with a lack of self confidence. But I stuck with what I planned to give it when I first logged onto the site, 3/5 (meaning I liked it, it was better than okay, I just couldn't bring myself to say I REALLY liked it or loved it). Here's why. First of all, from the very beginning, the book was competing with my love for <i>Pride and Prejudice.</i> There were a few times during the book where I thought, "This just isn't as good as <i>Pride and Prejudice.</i>" Perhaps that's not entirely fair, but it's the truth. I did like it more as it went along, and having only seen Emma Thompson's movie rendition of the tale, I enjoyed a lot of the background details and insights that the book provides that aren't as clear in the movie. On that note, I found myself commending Emma Thompson for her work on the movie. She did a very good job in my opinion trying to include all the important aspects of the original work. That's not an easy thing to do. I have a feeling that given time I will come to love this book. You may recall that the first time I read <i>Pride and Prejudice</i> I hated it and now it's one of my favorite books of all time. It is a good story with some memorable characters, but I felt it a little slow at parts and while some characters are memorable, I thought some of the main characters needed a little bit more (meaning more of the love interests than say the Miss Dashwoods).<br />
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I first heard of <i>Heaven is for Real</i> while I was attending the Publishing Institute in Denver. I saw it on a shelf at the Tattered Cover (which you should go to if you're ever in the Denver area!) and my roommate mentioned how she'd wanted to read it. By the time I saw it on my sister's shelf, I'd heard a little more about it and thought I'd give it a read. It relates the story of Colton Burpo who had an emergency appendectomy back in 2003. He was lucky to survive. Over the next couple of years, he related to his parents the experiences he had during his surgery...when he went to heaven and back. It's a touching story. It made me tear up a few times. And it's a quick read. It's a story of a family who was blessed with the life of their son. It's about faith and trust in God and that He loves us more than we can imagine. Colton's experience hasn't just affected his family, but he's been able to offer comfort to others because of his experience. If that's not enough to get you interested, it also has pictures! What more could you ask for :)Spiral Staircase Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08674541067014882874noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778261619636436124.post-20103220492349013722011-10-31T12:55:00.000-07:002011-10-31T12:55:24.534-07:00Jane AustenTruth be told, I've only actually read one Jane Austen novel (GASP!). I bet you can guess which one that was. That's right, <i>Pride and Prejudice</i>. I've written some thoughts about that lovely story before, so I won't go into much detail again. Suffice it to say, my seventh grader self had a problem with it. My college self and beyond loves it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitEcyZxmehUIAkqb-AOOueSxRSsQ26NZubyTqN7HnbxuvRSv10AQmzUkdYoiIqxTQ02rFvt-PMKkuMJgmzTC1FumRMbvu75p2zdtzkqDmRsaYrd2pN5WB54Pv-SLMt9n_n9Hbs0ZwwYWqg/s1600/janepict.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitEcyZxmehUIAkqb-AOOueSxRSsQ26NZubyTqN7HnbxuvRSv10AQmzUkdYoiIqxTQ02rFvt-PMKkuMJgmzTC1FumRMbvu75p2zdtzkqDmRsaYrd2pN5WB54Pv-SLMt9n_n9Hbs0ZwwYWqg/s320/janepict.jpg" width="248" /></a>I came to know a few of the other stories thanks to movie dramatizations. About a year ago, I decided I wanted to be familiar with all of her novels even though I hadn't read them all. So I did the obvious thing. I watched more movies courtesy of my local library. I can now say I know the general plot of all six Jane Austen novels. I don't have very many books with me currently, but one I do have access to is <i>The Complete Works of Jane Austen</i>. I decided it was about time I read another one. So I started with the first one in the book, <i>Sense and Sensibility, </i>which I am still currently reading.<br />
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Although I like it and I'm enjoying some of the insights we gain from book format vs. movie format, I find myself thinking that I don't like it as well as <i>Pride and Prejudice</i>. I still have a bit to go so I'll put no final judgement on it yet, but it raises this question. What is your favorite Jane Austen novel? Or can you absolutely not stand her? If you haven't read the novels, tell me which movie is your favorite. I'd really like to know :)<br />
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Based on my experiences with the stories thus far, I would rank them as follows:<br />
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1. Pride and Prejudice<br />
2. Emma<br />
3. Sense and Sensibility<br />
4. Persuasion<br />
5. Northanger Abbey and Mansfield Park are currently tied<br />
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Leave your comments below! Which is your favorite or least favorite, and tell us why if you feel so inclined.<br />
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Oh and lest I forget, HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!<br />
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If you're looking for a great book for this joyous occasion, you should look into <i>Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich.</i> It's full of monster fun! You better sing the words on all the Phantom of the Opera pages...or else!Spiral Staircase Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08674541067014882874noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778261619636436124.post-33375862088985308032011-10-19T12:26:00.000-07:002011-10-19T12:26:04.695-07:00NaNoWriMo 2011 Edition!It's come to my attention that National Novel Writing Month is a mere 13 days away. GASP!<br />
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How many of you are doing it this year? Last year was my first time, and although I didn't finish by the end of November, I did eventually reach 50,000 words. I was so proud of myself! That novel is the longest thing I've ever written! Let's see if I can do it again! Now to come up with an idea...<br />
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You should do it too! Learn more and create a profile at <a href="http://www.nanowrimo.org/">www.nanowrimo.org</a>!Spiral Staircase Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08674541067014882874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778261619636436124.post-62172779762394210512011-10-17T12:30:00.000-07:002011-10-17T12:34:26.404-07:00Magic Candy and a Mind Reading MarigoldLast week, I finished two books, both of the young adult genre. We'll present these in the proper order, shall we? That means you're up Candy Shop War! Go on! Move it!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJhMYXW88R2fEonxm1hSiB0WxSbAPehebs4ywDGNNNtsh0exp_JJFUwA5KCt_Ze3YM_g9WSrosSzln206Rjts9PtqpZVKxbOWZXrfm4QvpXQ7AVo5WbODPhS7N4wU5QaAbsdFLDNmF63Yj/s1600/candy_shop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJhMYXW88R2fEonxm1hSiB0WxSbAPehebs4ywDGNNNtsh0exp_JJFUwA5KCt_Ze3YM_g9WSrosSzln206Rjts9PtqpZVKxbOWZXrfm4QvpXQ7AVo5WbODPhS7N4wU5QaAbsdFLDNmF63Yj/s320/candy_shop.jpg" width="320" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>The Candy Shop War</b></span><br />
By Brandon Mull<br />
Young Adult<br />
Published by Shadow Mountain<br />
363 pages<br />
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You may know Brandon Mull from his New York Times bestselling series <i>Fablehaven.</i> That's where I first heard the name. I've actually read the first book in the series, but haven't read the others yet. I'm a slacker where that's concerned.<br />
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This book wasn't quite what I expected it to be, and once I started reading, I wasn't sure I was going to like it at first. It won me over in the end. I wouldn't put it on my list of favorite books of all time, but it was still pretty good. I think it's a book that will have a lot of appeal for a younger audience (younger as in preteen or thereabouts).<br />
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The book tells the story of four kids who just want to make it through school alive and avoid the school bullies. If they have a little opportunity for adventure, that's all the better. One such opportunity presents itself in the new candy shop in town. Mrs. White, the owner of the shop, takes a liking to the kids and offers them samples of her secret candy, candy that gives them extraordinary powers. Thrilled with the ability to defy gravity, change your appearance, and use mirrors as a means of travel, they gladly continue to return to Mrs. White for new candy. But with each new assortment comes a higher price, and when the risks become lethal, suddenly this magical candy isn't worth it anymore. But backing out isn't so easy.<br />
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I was expecting this book to have a <i>Charlie and the Chocolate Factory</i> feel. Here's why. The first thing it says on the back cover under praise for <i>The Candy Shop War</i> is, "Mull...dishes up a crowd-pleaser as delicious as <i>Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.</i>" Okay, so I've never actually read that one (goodness knows why as I'm a fan of Road Dahl), but having read enough of Dahl's work, I had a certain style in mind, and Mull's book isn't like that. That's not a bad thing, it just threw me off at the beginning.<br />
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I also wasn't sure if I was going to like it because of some of the dialogue, and a little bit of how one of the characters acted in the beginning. But once it really gets into the adventure and mystery of it all, I started to like it better, and neither of those things bothered me anymore. Plus it was getting more exciting, and I was genuinely wondering how they were going to sort everything out in the end. I like how things worked out especially because things didn't go according to plan a few times, but they were still able to figure out a way to solve it. I just can't believe I couldn't figure out how they were going to get out of the situation in the end! When it happened, I was like, "Brilliant! That's the only way it could have happened! Why didn't I see that?"<br />
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Not a hard read. I can see kids reading it on their own or with a parent or even a teacher reading it in a classroom setting. I always loved when my teachers read to the class. Good times indeed.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1ANALiDifpM1_buBb1w1sLtVK_3yP2b7VDXF8wUwUh4x_g8F-Mq-vEh876V3KJ6xCk9p28dhw9r1HLu5eOAm5fjNAFFt1UqV0-sTEW0OnY0WZfwqcvxXicyBOrwvvLWbd6QtCHKhCNM2W/s1600/marigold.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1ANALiDifpM1_buBb1w1sLtVK_3yP2b7VDXF8wUwUh4x_g8F-Mq-vEh876V3KJ6xCk9p28dhw9r1HLu5eOAm5fjNAFFt1UqV0-sTEW0OnY0WZfwqcvxXicyBOrwvvLWbd6QtCHKhCNM2W/s320/marigold.jpg" width="213" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>Once Upon a Marigold</b></span><br />
By Jean Ferris<br />
Young Adult<br />
Published by Harcourt, Inc.<br />
266 pages<br />
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Part comedy,<br />
Part love story,<br />
Part everything-but-the-kitchen-sink<br />
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That's our introduction to <i>Once Upon a Marigold </i>from the front cover. I'm a bit of a fan of fairy tale like stories, whether they be retellings or very much unique in plot but still with that fairy tale feel. This book fits into that. Like <i>The Candy Shop War</i>, I wouldn't number this book among my top favorites. However, it was enjoyable and had a clever plot that makes me smile just thinking about it.<br />
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Every one who knows anything about life at all knows that love doesn't always come easy...especially when you're the foster son of a forest troll. Such is the case with Christian, a lad who ran away from home at the age of six determined never to return. That's when Ed, the troll, found him and took him home. They have a pleasant life together, but when Christian finally gets the nerve to send a p-mail (that's mail by pigeon, don't you know) to the princess across the river, that life is turn upside down and twisted in a complex series of knots. So begins Christian's correspondence with Marigold, a unique princess with the uncanny ability to read minds. He is soon head over heels, but he knows he doesn't stand a chance at winning the heart of a princess. To make matters worse, he discovers Marigold's mother is bent on having the kingdom for herself, even if that means taking drastic measures.<br />
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This book is fun, creative, and a quick read. I think my favorite character is Ed, mostly because he tries to use so many well known expressions, but he gets them wrong every time. Christian never quite knows what he means, but he pretends that he does. This book is clever, and it too will have a great appeal for young readers.Spiral Staircase Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08674541067014882874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778261619636436124.post-87298543802063037632011-10-10T16:04:00.000-07:002011-10-10T16:04:10.121-07:00Least Favorite Books EverI have a feeling I've mentioned some of the worst books I've ever read, but I can't be sure, and I don't know that I've ever told you why they land on that list. I'm going to give you insight into a couple so you don't have to read them if you don't want to. Or perhaps you will read them out of curiosity. I can't stop you, but I can warn you. This is just my opinion anyhow.<br />
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<em><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Blood and Chocolate </span></em><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibgvJ6ex98tCfNipputD0xVGzp6KCL9gkpGAmS554z2Fsbw7z_TGQV-FIDnx6-uYqzN7bb6vP8m_QQpmHP3f-j-JouxTVU8hFcV5VPLzwsBVcLUK0oMZa_E-vHQscTryCSd_9OK7OJFBFy/s1600/Blood_and_chocolate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibgvJ6ex98tCfNipputD0xVGzp6KCL9gkpGAmS554z2Fsbw7z_TGQV-FIDnx6-uYqzN7bb6vP8m_QQpmHP3f-j-JouxTVU8hFcV5VPLzwsBVcLUK0oMZa_E-vHQscTryCSd_9OK7OJFBFy/s1600/Blood_and_chocolate.jpg" /></a>This is a young adult novel about werewolves. That's putting it very simply. There is a movie based off of it as well. I think it was released in 2007. I don't have anything against using werewolves or vampires or other fantastical creatures as part of a plot to a story (you'll notice that there's another book on this list that involves both werewolves and vampires...). Here's what bothered me about this book. I didn't find it believable at all. The main character was supposed to be in love with this guy and that's the major issue of the book as she's a werewolf and he's human. But I just didn't believe it. I couldn't believe that she was in love with this guy. I couldn't bring myself to like the characters. The ending was oddly sweet, but at the same time it gave me a sort of, "What the heck?" and also "Gross?" It's a little hard to explain. But you should probably know the movie differs significantly from the book in how it ends. The movie wasn't that great either, but I may have liked it better than the book.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9n5lfprqkEn4ifRRQP2Kq_MjH-Usp7P6ZioOekQwzMqr8SBDSWex58FobZxuFmTQ9OFIiIbx5d5AKiJ4fnZRGoKgHgwfwxFB6tpAAxKyhPhWJUtdXatqgckOlTuoC_KR51dixxcEPO-4k/s1600/golden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9n5lfprqkEn4ifRRQP2Kq_MjH-Usp7P6ZioOekQwzMqr8SBDSWex58FobZxuFmTQ9OFIiIbx5d5AKiJ4fnZRGoKgHgwfwxFB6tpAAxKyhPhWJUtdXatqgckOlTuoC_KR51dixxcEPO-4k/s1600/golden.jpg" /></a><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The Golden Ass</span></i><br />
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The only part I liked about this book was the story of Cupid and Psyche. Pretty much didn't like everything else. I probably wouldn't have even picked up the book if I didn't have to read it for a class. I didn't care for the sexual content and I just felt the main character was an idiot. That's probably why he gets turned into a donkey. In the end, he's a changed man, but even though moments of redemption and starting anew struck me as boring. Just not my cup of tea I guess. It's been so long that I can't remember very many other details, so I'm afraid that'll have to do. Take a moment to Google the Cupid and Psyche story.<br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Madame Bovary</span></i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg7vUTNNwlxAepJnZsxAqCVqMncFsOO9zWvHfk-_kdnmaRTBlesOkEPMKuI0EXV4KEl9ax3fuLUtZGlN5d8MtaQRQWSfrCXTgStSesmFdYZSHNQl_eWLqKncDmIr5WsVvIEihVt1XdMcyQ/s1600/bovary.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg7vUTNNwlxAepJnZsxAqCVqMncFsOO9zWvHfk-_kdnmaRTBlesOkEPMKuI0EXV4KEl9ax3fuLUtZGlN5d8MtaQRQWSfrCXTgStSesmFdYZSHNQl_eWLqKncDmIr5WsVvIEihVt1XdMcyQ/s320/bovary.jpg" width="199" /></a>I think the common thread in these first three examples is that I just hate the characters or can't relate to them. Madame Bovary is no exception. I hated her. I may view the book a little differently if I were to read it again, but for now, it remains on my list of worst books I've ever read. My complaint may contain a bit of a spoiler so be warned. What I remember about this book is that Madame Bovary is unhappy with her marriage. I think she finds her husband boring or something. It really has been awhile since I've read it. Anyhow, she goes on to have a number of affairs (that number be three if I remember correctly) to try and find what she feels is missing. Well, things don't turn out so hot, and she ends up committing suicide via rat poison. She doesn't die right away either. You get to read about how lovely it is to die in that fashion. Lovely being meant to be taken as sarcasm. It ends with her poor depressed husband, having no idea of what has been going on or what would drive her to kill herself. Quite depressing really. And I just couldn't stand her. Once again, I felt she was an idiot. Maybe I have no heart. I don't think so. My eyes tear up when I watch <i>Newsies, </i>so I know I'm capable of some emotion.<br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Breaking Dawn</span></i><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZiRXHeSwQdlVtHx-3fwdNMKBOy4oqaxlWs24PzWtDzbZFNZs7hVHlsqbuhJ2lsW97RJFraUc8v63SgYOXhBVFbVld7PmAk7zcI1JJFYV8PvEUuM7ddh51f_mZ7ama7d7E1XOTypjM0-Wg/s1600/Breaking_dawn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZiRXHeSwQdlVtHx-3fwdNMKBOy4oqaxlWs24PzWtDzbZFNZs7hVHlsqbuhJ2lsW97RJFraUc8v63SgYOXhBVFbVld7PmAk7zcI1JJFYV8PvEUuM7ddh51f_mZ7ama7d7E1XOTypjM0-Wg/s320/Breaking_dawn.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>No offense to all those people getting pumped up for part one of the final installment of the <i>Twilight Saga, </i>but <i>Breaking Dawn</i> fits onto this list as well. I read the entire series and was actually enjoying them until I read the last. I found it anticlimactic. There needed to be some element of sacrifice involved I think. I supposed you could say that Bella sacrificed her family and her non-vampire life, but that just didn't feel like a sacrifice or perhaps just not a big enough one. I didn't like some plot choices, and the ending just fell flat. There was this build up all for nothing, and things just magically work out okay. It was too easy. I could get into more specifics of things, but if you do choose to read it, I don't want to be the one to spoil it for you. I would be curious to know of your reaction to it.<br />
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So there you have it. Those are some of my least favorite books ever. And if you like them, more power to you. If you want to share with me why you liked them, feel free to share. Just don't yell at me. I fear the yelling. Besides, I'm pretty sure most if not all of these books have sold really well. Stephenie Meyer is set for life! That's more than I can say for myself.<br />
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I asked a few other people what some of the worst books they've ever read are. Here's some that were mentioned:<br />
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<em>Villette </em><br />
<em>Sarah's Key</em><br />
<em>The Scarlet Letter</em><br />
Anything Stephen King<br />
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Your turn. What are some of the worst books you've ever read and what makes them the worst?Spiral Staircase Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08674541067014882874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778261619636436124.post-81232751465691088862011-09-03T15:35:00.000-07:002011-09-03T15:35:57.665-07:00The Hunger Games Trilogy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIlPg0MXWkhwPy4wTb4MaoSu60tBwICR_ggX5mTwrGBs0VHL9aH32P1VrSvcYpT7NedA7mdhhlpHd4FEtsVkhT2QGOq6DYTY8-oB-MMIFR82Ev8Uh6DDa_jzM_O4wgRudVVHba3cuPAecQ/s1600/hunger+games.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIlPg0MXWkhwPy4wTb4MaoSu60tBwICR_ggX5mTwrGBs0VHL9aH32P1VrSvcYpT7NedA7mdhhlpHd4FEtsVkhT2QGOq6DYTY8-oB-MMIFR82Ev8Uh6DDa_jzM_O4wgRudVVHba3cuPAecQ/s320/hunger+games.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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I finished <em>Mockingjay </em>the other day<em>, </em>and now I'm ready to evaluate the series as a whole. I really enjoyed it. Here's a couple reasons why:<br />
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1. Strong female protagonist who kicks butt!<br />
2. Engaging writing style. I wasn't sure how I was going to like the first person present tense going on, but Collins pulled it off really well. I don't think all authors are capable of that.<br />
3. Katniss ended up with the guy I thought she should endup with.<br />
4. It didn't have an unbelievable happily ever after ending. It was happy in the sense that it wasn't one of those stories where the bad guy wins or you're left feeling like you will never be happy again, but the good that comes in the end came with a price.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiooJtU9V7r0bcTH3nCwna31SboSSqZ3-nPOt1vNZqwOL2wVaMIGfHJvlr-5IMQWqT7ijHyr78Q0j_O7c6viixl6nWDA3eMAINvTGvc0DMmFhXk3KIM3uASmr6b0U2u4d-HiH7EL5ru6Yrh/s1600/Catching_fire_c-330.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiooJtU9V7r0bcTH3nCwna31SboSSqZ3-nPOt1vNZqwOL2wVaMIGfHJvlr-5IMQWqT7ijHyr78Q0j_O7c6viixl6nWDA3eMAINvTGvc0DMmFhXk3KIM3uASmr6b0U2u4d-HiH7EL5ru6Yrh/s320/Catching_fire_c-330.jpg" width="212" /></a>I can't really think of much I'd have to say against the series. After some thought, the only things that really come to mind are insignificant details. Such as, perhaps Katniss asks too many rhetorical questions to herself. See? Not a big deal. Of course, now you're going to read the series with my example in mind and become annoyed because you notice every single question she asks. Forget I mentioned it.<br />
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One issue I've seen raised is the love triangle. Do all teenage girls have problems deciding how they feel about two boys who clearly are attracted to the girl? I never had that problem... Jealous...<br />
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But in all seriousness, the love triangle didn't really bother me in this book because there was so much action going on, so many lives at stake, that the love triangle almost sits in the background and then jumps up and down every once in a while to remind you that it's still there. And it gets resolved in the end, in case you couldn't figure that out from my list.<br />
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The funny thing is, I didn't choose which guy she should end up with because I totally loved one guy over the other. When reading <em>Twilight</em>, I was totally team Jacob because Edward really annoyed me starting in book two. Sorry, Edward. You're just not my type. In <em>The Hunger Games </em>it was more like reasoning which one I'd most likely fall for were I in that situation and what reason I wouldn't choose the other guy. I'd spell that out for you, but I don't want to ruin the surprise.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXaBRpT0yFCRcEVzDJhUhZuNXOwYGTkg-EQrvOihv9SkZAqAY-3mLlOevMMyP4-mrOMlFc7ws7oPNYgX_LXbR1tLvIoUEXGMKKx6hpQ2NMNTSaCV6ABLI-70cJZz0nuTazX-j1k56IQQgt/s1600/mockingjay2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXaBRpT0yFCRcEVzDJhUhZuNXOwYGTkg-EQrvOihv9SkZAqAY-3mLlOevMMyP4-mrOMlFc7ws7oPNYgX_LXbR1tLvIoUEXGMKKx6hpQ2NMNTSaCV6ABLI-70cJZz0nuTazX-j1k56IQQgt/s320/mockingjay2.jpg" width="211" /></a></div><br />
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One last thing I forgot to mention that I liked about the series, I could never guess what was coming next. Not long term anyway. When I was reading the first one, I had a very small idea of how it would end, but then I always found myself asking, "But how can this go into another book?" Turns out I only had a vague idea of how it would end, and the next two books kept up the pace.<br />
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I almost wanted a little more out of the ending. Just two more sentences or so. However, we the readers are also given enough.<br />
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The series is a quick read and well worth the time. <br />
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Spiral Staircase Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08674541067014882874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778261619636436124.post-65029861061845849152011-08-29T15:25:00.001-07:002011-09-02T09:14:38.414-07:00This is Going to be Good<iframe width="450" height="345" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Pvyn86hObLw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Spiral Staircase Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08674541067014882874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778261619636436124.post-50830000638099609502011-08-21T10:24:00.000-07:002011-08-21T10:24:59.565-07:00My Children Shall be Named Albus Severus, Renesme, and...Vincent?I was just thinking to myself the other day (a dangerous pastime, I know), reflecting on a conversation I had with a friend of mine where he said that Albus Severus has to be one of the worst names to give a child ever. He hasn't read past the first book in the <em>Twilight Saga</em>, so I sat him down, gave him some hot cocoa and toast, gently put my hand on his shoulder and broke the news to him:<br />
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Edward and Bella name their child Renesme.<br />
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In all actually, this conversation took place over facebook... But who doesn't love the idea of hot cocoa and toast? If you're raising your hand, please put it down before someone hurts you. Thank you.<br />
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Last night, my parents were telling my brother and me how they came up with our names, which is probably why I was thinking about the Albus/Renesme conversation in the first place. I know names like Isabella and Jacob are quite popular at the moment, but I found myself wondering if I would name my child after a character in a book and if so, which names would I consider and which would I absolutely avoid.<br />
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No offense, but Albus Severus and Renesme are both names that would probably end up on the top of the "do not use these" list. Although I did hear about someone who named their dog Severus. Totally okay with that. But if I look at some of my favorite books (or even some I just think are good), I come up with names like these:<br />
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Fitzwilliam<br />
Milo<br />
Bilbo<br />
Harry<br />
Taran<br />
<br />
Aurora<br />
Katniss<br />
Winifred<br />
Maggie<br />
Elizabeth<br />
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And now I'm drawing a blank. I'm not saying any of those are bad names. They're very fitting for each of the characters they belong to. I just don't know that I want to use any of them for my future children. There's actually a couple there I would or have considered for possible future baby names, but not because of their place in books. <br />
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I'm not ruling out the possibility of naming a child after a character, but I haven't thought of one that I really like yet. Of course, I'm sure names I choose are in some book somewhere, but that's not the same as telling my future son, Tom Edward Lastname, that I specifically chose his name after the Dark Lord and a sparkly vampire.<br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Hmm, perhaps I should name future son Vincent after the Final Fantasy VII character. True he's not the main character, but Vincent sounds cooler than Cloud. He kind of looks creepy though...</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFyO-H61Gnl9xUKVKQz_0a3DFgDcQO6glZLrNa4_aJpYktwxC_J3ImJAlffVTSH8FC1tYGA9a9uVPGTIHqKaUCln_9A6ip26_Vu3s4rKQWQKCU8kTCbwQeaDuab2_jjH7UJVI7Hwfh1hu9/s1600/vincent.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFyO-H61Gnl9xUKVKQz_0a3DFgDcQO6glZLrNa4_aJpYktwxC_J3ImJAlffVTSH8FC1tYGA9a9uVPGTIHqKaUCln_9A6ip26_Vu3s4rKQWQKCU8kTCbwQeaDuab2_jjH7UJVI7Hwfh1hu9/s1600/vincent.jpg" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I've just opened the door to so many name possibilities.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>What do you think? Would you name your child after one of your favorite characters? Which names are in the running and which or totally out of the question?Spiral Staircase Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08674541067014882874noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778261619636436124.post-5103932333575076732011-08-18T20:22:00.000-07:002011-08-18T20:22:13.848-07:00Move Aside, Coriander!So according to my lovely sidebar, the book I'm currently reading is <em>I, Coriander</em>. All that changed when about two seconds ago, give or take, a familiar vehicle pulled up to my house. It was the UPS man with gifts!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikZVpS8TjyKnyhnRhDfk2BZyWGri10Y-Bgm9mW9k4QtqFwhmlDxH0KE14d88p5LiEWdceX2v56ev4Ga9ByOPcrdMsQLlRPf2DJ9w-NQ5LRWg5ICdFeGg073MRSYYlILVgBciFB64eIhyA5/s1600/DSCF3054.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikZVpS8TjyKnyhnRhDfk2BZyWGri10Y-Bgm9mW9k4QtqFwhmlDxH0KE14d88p5LiEWdceX2v56ev4Ga9ByOPcrdMsQLlRPf2DJ9w-NQ5LRWg5ICdFeGg073MRSYYlILVgBciFB64eIhyA5/s320/DSCF3054.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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Thank you, UPS man! Never fear, Coriander. Your time will come. But for now, you must step aside! I gots to finish what I began! (Note: I'm entirely aware that that is not proper English.)Spiral Staircase Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08674541067014882874noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778261619636436124.post-11418444664749306072011-08-17T09:57:00.000-07:002011-08-17T09:57:35.877-07:00Emily Ritter, Welcome to the Book Blogging WorldInterestingly enough, considering I just finished <em>The Hunger Games</em>, a friend of mine from the Denver Publishing Institute just finished the series and started a blog to celebrate. Like me, she's very much into YA fiction, and she's looking for suggestions on what to read next. She's only got one post so far and it's about the wonderful <em>Hunger Games</em>. I admit, I think her post is better than mine. Ha ha. check it out and hear about the book from her perspective. She's really fun, and I have no doubts that her blog is going to be well worth reading. Just click the link and be on your way!<br />
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<a href="http://yay-books.blogspot.com/">http://yay-books.blogspot.com/</a>Spiral Staircase Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08674541067014882874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778261619636436124.post-52687225356347429802011-08-15T20:47:00.000-07:002011-08-15T20:47:29.877-07:00Edgar Sawtelle and The Hunger GamesYou know what can be a problem? When you read the first book in a series, really like it, and then you don't have the next book of the series in your possession. Drat. But before we get to that, let me introduce you to Edgar Sawtelle.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBnVRWLWGApXxiKkLfd1TGjhqiuMaf8dGUzoYgXc9liz2y2WoA7XgzgQsIKbdFyLs1gMnCSijm7KWKKBHt2aWffZM76MO-Gp_HMaehskeX-jYVbvyyMHNZ3z945qbggeAiRaSgxxdb58Ve/s1600/the-story-of-edgar-sawtelle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBnVRWLWGApXxiKkLfd1TGjhqiuMaf8dGUzoYgXc9liz2y2WoA7XgzgQsIKbdFyLs1gMnCSijm7KWKKBHt2aWffZM76MO-Gp_HMaehskeX-jYVbvyyMHNZ3z945qbggeAiRaSgxxdb58Ve/s320/the-story-of-edgar-sawtelle.jpg" width="215" /></a>Before attending a book signing with a bunch of my peers, I'd heard the name Edgar Sawtelle, even seen the book on the shelf a few times, but I knew absolutely nothing about the book. Still, I stood in line and shared a wonderful conversation with the author (that's code for once again I had no idea what to say to a famous person, so I simpled grinned, uttered a thank you, and walked away with that silly grin still plastered to my face). From what I picked up while standing in line and listening to what David Wroblewski had to say, I gathered this was going to be a tragic tale. I cannot deny that it was tragic, but I'm nearly 100% satisfied with the way things turned out. The tragedy was beautiful in a way. I suppose you'll only understand what I mean once you've read it yourself as I don't want to give anything away.<br />
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<em>The Story of Edgar Sawtelle </em>is the story of...well...a boy named Edgar. Edgar lives on a farm in Wisconsin with his parents. They run a successful business of breeding dogs, training them, and placing them with families. When tragedy strikes their family, Edgar is forced to make a run for it. While traveling through the woods, Edgar must fight for his own survival as well as the survival of the three dogs that are with him.<br />
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As I began reading, knowing that I needed to brace myself for tragedy, I made a sad sort of moan and said, "This is going to be <em>Where the Red Fern Grows </em>all over again, isn't it?" (In case you're wondering, that's not a bad thing. I happen to be a big fan of <em>Where the Red Fern Grows.</em> It just meant I knew there was a possibility of rivers of tears staining my face as boy and dog become best of friends, of course something will happen to the dog, and perhaps there'll be a little ray of sunshine at the end to make the sadness seem a little less heartbreaking.) Well, I wasn't entirely right in my assumption. This book is a lot different.<br />
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I really enjoyed this book. I don't think I'd give it 5 out of 5 stars, but it was still good. I loved the feel of it--being out in the country, simpler way of life, that sort of thing. Plus having a boy with a strong connection with an animal always seems to be a strong connecting point. Something else I really loved about the story is the fact that Edgar is mute. Not only did it work really nicely with the story and add some interest, it pulled me in especially because of the opportunity I had to learn some ASL and spend some time in the deaf community. So I really enjoyed the setting and the characters. <br />
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If you're a fan of only happily ever after endings, this may not be the book for you. But if you don't mind a little tragedy mixed in with adventure and a few dogs for good measure, you should give the book a chance.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwRNGARSCgV7Ni9c1s8tfNMEpDxgManwPy3vzrKiFWD6-wEPRdntRSGtggbZcgDChuz2V5cLfzmaenNU0GydSprCurAtQUBTyRfbS4tmT1dJS-ghXcSreIMx2RU-EMTponV92mwRnYfRxT/s1600/hunger+games.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwRNGARSCgV7Ni9c1s8tfNMEpDxgManwPy3vzrKiFWD6-wEPRdntRSGtggbZcgDChuz2V5cLfzmaenNU0GydSprCurAtQUBTyRfbS4tmT1dJS-ghXcSreIMx2RU-EMTponV92mwRnYfRxT/s320/hunger+games.jpg" width="320" /></a>As for wishing I had the next book in a series, I finally decided I wanted to read <em>The Hunger Games</em>. I'm the kind of person who buys books faster than I can read them, so it's been sitting on my shelf for a while now. I knew the concept of this one, and for the most part, I'd heard positive feedback. I finished it today, and now I won't know how the series ends until I get my hands on the other two books of the series. Sigh. In case you couldn't tell, I was pleased with this book. I can't really call this a happy book either. It's full of violence and death, but it was a really good story. For those of you who don't know what it's about, it's a dystopian novel where every year two contestants are chosen from twelve districts to compete in the Hunger Games. The Games are one giant fight to the death, which is televised to all of Panem. 24 contestants. 1 winner. 1 survivor. Intense, no?<br />
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What book is next on the list? I don't know yet as I sat down to write this the moment I finished reading. Happy reading! More updates to follow!<br />
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Also, for those of you who don'e know, <em>The Hunger Games </em>is being turned into a movie. It comes out next year. Will you all join me in watching it on the silver screen :)Spiral Staircase Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08674541067014882874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778261619636436124.post-16297597446835980212011-07-26T19:51:00.000-07:002011-07-26T19:51:00.103-07:00Edgar SawtelleI apologize that this project has been on hold for awhile. But such is life, no?<br />
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I can't even remember what I've read between now and my last post. So let's just start fresh!<br />
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I couple of weeks ago, I had the opportunity to attend a book signing of <em>The Story of Edgar Sawtelle</em> at the Tattered Cover Bookstore in Denver (the one in Lodo to be precise). David Wroblewski told us a bit about his experience during the writing and publishing process. He seems like a very nice man, and it was a pleasure to hear him speak.<br />
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I haven't had tons of time for reading since that time as I've been in school, but I have been reading it in small increments! So <em>The Story of Edgar Sawtelle </em>is my current read, and I am enjoying it thus far. I have a feeling that it's one of those books that's going to make me cry... I just hope no one's around to see that. I'll keep you posted. Until then, happy reading!Spiral Staircase Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08674541067014882874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778261619636436124.post-57615797649248734242011-04-04T11:12:00.000-07:002011-04-04T11:12:44.392-07:00Everyone Loves a Little Beauty Sleep<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">April's recommendation of the month goes unquestionably to Cameron Dokey's <em>Beauty Sleep, </em>a retelling of the well known story of Sleeping Beauty. I believe it is a part of a group of books published by Simon & Schuster known as the <em>Once Upon a Time </em>series. Essentially they are all retellings of classic fairy tales although they are not all written by the same authors. I read one once before. I can't remember the title or even the story it was based off of for the life of me. All I remember is thinking although it wasn't bad, it wasn't my favorite either. For me, it just landed on that "okay" mark. My expectations for <em>Beauty Sleep </em>were that it too would land on that "okay" mark despite the fact that it is writeen by a different author. I was in for a pleasant surprise.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidKEnYwXFB7y853ksGv20kxkYSLRv4OzsU_mEXCMP3xCUpYgj3jHW8KZGfOcNy8bAHuy40gMQgsyAfajbMXBoelx3kVxT9QVrEgt85sUJ1cnG4HWbyrw9g1cRI1z1gKwVEWj3rwNX9keXj/s1600/beauty+sleep.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidKEnYwXFB7y853ksGv20kxkYSLRv4OzsU_mEXCMP3xCUpYgj3jHW8KZGfOcNy8bAHuy40gMQgsyAfajbMXBoelx3kVxT9QVrEgt85sUJ1cnG4HWbyrw9g1cRI1z1gKwVEWj3rwNX9keXj/s320/beauty+sleep.jpg" width="188" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I fell in love with this book almost instantly. It may have something to do with the fact that it begins like so:</div><br />
<div align="center"><strong><em><u><span style="font-size: large;">Preamble</span></u></em></strong></div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">(A FANCY WAY OF SAYING INTRODUCTION)</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="left">I was amused from the get go, and already I was curious. One of my favorite things about this story is Aurore's voice. The story is told by her, which I love. It worked well as she tells you the main plot and every once in a while gives her own insights in a way that isn't distracting but helps the story form and move along. It's funny, thoughtful, loving--it's interesting how such a well known story can be retold in such a way that it so fantastically becomes it's own story.</div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="left">I'm one of those people who gets way too connected to characters. You know that person who tries to hide the fact that their eyes are watering during a mvie? Yeah, that would be me. But it's not just with movies. I believe I've admitted previously how emotionally involved I can get with characters in books (see that post I wrote about <em>Harry Potter and the Goblet of </em>Fire). Not every story does it. I'm not that much of a cry baby :) But every once in awhile there seems to come a book that for it's entire duration or perhaps just for certain moments touches me on an even deeper level. I tried to explain it to my mother who so graciously listens to me when I go on such rants. I think she got it. The question is, can I explain it adequately twice?</div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="left" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><em>Beauty Sleep</em> is one of those books that connected with the very core of my being. I don't how else to explain it, and no doubt it will not have the same effect for everyone. It was the way she spoke about certain characters that got to me, how without physically being there and without a blatant declaration of love, I could feel it. And I'm not just talking about romantic love either. Without I doubt, I knew her father loved her. True, they are only fictional characters, but when you create a shadow of a love that deep in my heart as I read the symbol actions of these characters, I suppose you'd called that talent, a gift even. That is the greatest thing this book did for me.</div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="left">Even if it doesn't hit your core like it did mine, it's still a great read. It's a great look at a story we all know so well. Once again, her voice is delightful. The characters are believable and heartfelt. The plot itself is interesting. The ending was different than I expected. I am happy with it simply by the fact that it fulfilled the desires I had for the romantic side of the story. It wasn't a bad ending by all means. I'm just preparing you in case you like to form your own ending before you even reach the actual end like I seem to do.</div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="left">In other bookshelf challenge news, I've just finished reading <em>The Schwa was Here</em> by Neal Shusterman. It's the story of Calvin Schwa, a boy with the unique ability to blend in to the point of near invisibility. The story is told by Anthony "Antsy" Bonano, a friend of The Schwa.</div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="left" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkju1rY6Y3TirQhVnjJBLdiurHS7kGkEsVXQphS9k7Js5GEx2E5PZc_QEHgoHDsqE3dAhH27bpm2w_qN5L0XksY52e6bMEZQyvWvaOt49tgxdcCOVEonDwTKOzihEZ7hyphenhyphenU6XbnQHvenuvM/s1600/the-schwa-was-here-big.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkju1rY6Y3TirQhVnjJBLdiurHS7kGkEsVXQphS9k7Js5GEx2E5PZc_QEHgoHDsqE3dAhH27bpm2w_qN5L0XksY52e6bMEZQyvWvaOt49tgxdcCOVEonDwTKOzihEZ7hyphenhyphenU6XbnQHvenuvM/s320/the-schwa-was-here-big.jpg" width="209" /></a>Take a look at the back cover:</div><div align="left" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div align="left" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">They say his clothes blend into the background, no matter where he stands. They say if you stare at him long enough, you can see what's written on the wall behind him. They say a lot of things about the Schwa, but one thing's for sure: No one ever noticed him. Except me. My name is Antsy Bonano--and I can tell you what's true and what's not, 'cause I was there. So if you all just shut up and listen, I'll tell you everything there is to know about the Schwa, from how he got his name to what really happened with hi mom. I'll spill everything. Unless, of course, "the Scwa Effect" wipes him out of my brain before I'm done...</div><div align="left" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div align="left" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">There you have it. It was a good book, but not necessarily one that hit home for me. However, I think it will be the right fit for another reader. It has unique characters, an interesting concept, and it seems tons of nerdy references which I'm a fan of. I can guarntee that Darth Vader is mentioned at least once. So although it landed more on the "okay" line for me, if it sounds interesting to you, I'd still recommend picking it up. Maybe it just wasn't the type of adventure I was in the mood for. Maybe it just wasn't my soul book. It still made me smile and chuckle even though it won't rank among my favorite books.</div><div align="left" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div align="left" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">In conclusion, the next book on the list for my bookshelf challenge is <em>Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl</em>. I think it's about time I read it. Happy reading :)</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div>Spiral Staircase Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08674541067014882874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778261619636436124.post-16877138600939043022011-03-26T12:36:00.000-07:002011-03-26T12:36:52.753-07:00Updates, Queens, and EmberHey guys. I've had to take a bit of a break from this blog. I think for the time being it's going to turn into a book review sort of blog. I'll update you when I get a chance. Keep reading and writing and enjoying life! Oh, by the way, <em>The Sugar Queen</em> and <em>The City Of Ember</em> were both enjoyable books. <br />
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<strong>The Sugar Queen</strong><br />
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A quick word of caution. This book does contain some language and sexual content. I felt I should add that little disclaimer for those of you who are bothered by that. It started to bother me, but I am more sensitive than some people. It was a cute story. It felt real despite it's little fantastical elements. I think on the whole that it will appeal to many women. I enjoyed witnessing the development in these characters, specifically that of Josey. She's one of those characters who you're drawn to because you'll find a little bit of yourself in her. As she learns and grows and finally becomes more of the person she wants to be instead of punishing herself, I think it gives us hope that we can overcome our trials. We don't have to hold ourselves back. We can have faith in ourselves. We all make mistakes, but we can move past those and become better.<br />
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<strong>City of Ember</strong><br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3HmOBVjNMq9M8lIINUOFSFezuhZgaotcrXBf5OrM3KBmof9HL79fWp7tu-uY4eNl3tmYj-fOtYkukIGL5xmxSM1M1StJ6pm0tjjxBoIGGbrr9ayTXlIQGob_1gtdDebbCcKDmmyL_bEgX/s1600/city+of+ember.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3HmOBVjNMq9M8lIINUOFSFezuhZgaotcrXBf5OrM3KBmof9HL79fWp7tu-uY4eNl3tmYj-fOtYkukIGL5xmxSM1M1StJ6pm0tjjxBoIGGbrr9ayTXlIQGob_1gtdDebbCcKDmmyL_bEgX/s320/city+of+ember.jpg" width="217" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I didn't realize this was the first in a series of books. However, I was pleased with this one and will pick up the rest of the series at some point. It stands well on it's own. Some might disagree with me judged on how it ends, but I'm one of those people where if you give me enough you don't have to give me the entire picture. I can figure it out on my own. I can handle an ending like M. Night Shyamalan's <em>The Village.</em> The short story "The Lady or the Tiger" on the other hand drives me a little nuts. I feel like <em>The City of Ember </em>has an ending like <em>The Village.</em> We don't have to see the guy get better to know that he does. Of course, you could write a sequel where he dies... That changes everything. Anyway, I enjoyed it. It wasn't a difficult read. The two main characters are strong and believable. Plus, I just like the whole dystopian novel thing. I like seeing the world of Ember through these two children's eyes. Ember and the way of life there is so easily understood because of how convincing it is portrayed. I understood how it worked. I could imagine myself there. Well done.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>I'm still doing my bookshelf challenge! I'll keep you updated as I go along. I've been kind of slow because I've been putting some other things first. Hopefully now I'll be able to invest more time into it. Have a great weekend!Spiral Staircase Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08674541067014882874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778261619636436124.post-89839287910926054972011-02-06T22:04:00.000-08:002011-02-06T22:04:26.734-08:00Little Women and Sugar QueensI survived <em>Little Women</em>. Can I tell you how proud of myself I am for actually making it through the whole thing this time, especially after that little fiasco I had halfway through? I actually enjoyed the book, and so I feel it's appropriate that it goes for this month's recommendation, don't you? Although I don't like reading these sorts of books all the time, every once in a while I like to sit down and read these real sort of domestic stories. I like the characters, and it was really interesting to connect their lives with my own. Who knew that women my age thought some of the same things then as they do now? Sure, environment and technology and orther things are different, but I find it interesting that some things stay the same. I guess we're still all human no matter what time we live in.<br />
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For those of you who don't know about the plot, <em>Little Women </em>follows the lives of the March family, particularlly that of the four daughters, Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy. The book begins during the time of the Civil War. Their father has gone to fight, and the girls must learn to live happily with what little things they can afford. It's full of all sorts of life lessons as we watch the girls overcome their individual struggles. They each have such different personalities. I think that's part of what makes it fun. Also, the neighbor boy, Laurie, becomes a good friend of theirs. He's probably my favorite male character of the entire story.<br />
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Having seen the movie first before reading the book, I was curious how a certain relationship would work out. I don't want to spoil anything for those of you not familiar with the story. To try and put this simply, I was not satisfied with certain relationships in the movie, but as I read the book, the circumstances seemed more clear, and I was more readily able to forgive the characters for not behaving the way I wanted them to. Surely, I'm not the only one who's come face to face with that issue :)<br />
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My biggest problem with the book was its length. There were certain moments that just seemed to drag on and on! But keep pushing through it! There are good lessons and life experiences shared that I think you'll enjoy. I just would have liked it even better if it was 200 pages shorter :)<br />
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So read this book when you're willing to be patient. Like I said, it's good. It's just a bit long. I think I should recommend the movie also. It's been a while since I've seen it, and I know they made some changes to the story, but nothing major. If I recall correctly, it's a pretty good representation of the book. I can't believe I'm condoning this, but if you can't stomach the book, you should at least check out the movie. Or perhaps see the movie first then make your way through the book.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi7gMHHOSexiu5TmXJxBul6Y3RF7k5S6iLwV710pyf9eL5lK3R_XgKP78Gan9MgsDkIi7i1SGm_fwFcFa6vcQNgJesBQxDJ9ZNZgznZ0YG6cHY6rEytmbXQnEwp5lnlMIHqdP_rP0wcc-u/s1600/sugar+queen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi7gMHHOSexiu5TmXJxBul6Y3RF7k5S6iLwV710pyf9eL5lK3R_XgKP78Gan9MgsDkIi7i1SGm_fwFcFa6vcQNgJesBQxDJ9ZNZgznZ0YG6cHY6rEytmbXQnEwp5lnlMIHqdP_rP0wcc-u/s320/sugar+queen.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>Technically the next book on the list should be <em>Little Men</em>, but I think I'm going to switch it up a little just because I want a little change of pace. So that one will be coming, but for now we're skipping to the next one: <em>The Sugar Queen </em>by Sarah Addison Allen. I haven't heard much about it, but here's what the back says:<br />
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Josey Cirrini is sure of three things: winter is her favorite season, she's a sorry excuse for a Southern belle, and sweets are best eaten in the privacy of her closet. For while Josey has settled into an uneventful life in her mother's house, her one consolation is the stockpile of sugary treats and paperback romances she escapes to each night.... Until she finds her closet harboring Della Lee Baker, a local waitress who is one part nemesis--and two parts fairy godmother. With Della Lee's tough love, Josey's narrow existence quickly expands. She even bonds with Chloe Finley, a young woman who is hounded by books that inexplicably appear when she needs them--and who has a close connection to Josey's long-time crush. Soon Josey is living in a world where the color red has startling powers, and passion can make eggs fry in their cartons. And that's just for starters.<br />
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Brimming with warmth, wit, and a sprinkling of magic, here is a spellbinding tale of freindship, love--and the enchanting possibilities of every new day.<br />
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Sounds exciting, right? Okay. Enough chatter. Time to get some reading done!Spiral Staircase Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08674541067014882874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778261619636436124.post-37116471569837401642011-01-24T23:58:00.000-08:002011-01-24T23:58:36.214-08:00So Ends Part One? What?I've been trying to be good and actually make time for reading so that I can be successful in my challenge to myself. If I don't make myself read now, there's a good possibility that I will forget my challenge and pick up whatever book seems sweetest at the moment. I'm determined to stick with my challenge. So I've been reading <em>Little Women,</em> and I was quite surprised when I made it past the halfway mark and still hadn't reached the place where I stopped reading so many years ago. I wondered why I'd been so lazy as to not finish the book when I was so near the end. Well, when there were only about fifty pages left I knew something was up. I'm familiar enough with the story to know that much more had to happen before it came to it's close, and there was no way that everything that was meant to happen could happen in fifty pages.<br />
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I kept reading and just now made it to the end of those fifty pages. It was then that I made a curious discovery. The end of my copy reads thus: "So grouped, the curtain falls upon Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy. Whether it ever rises again depends upon the reception given to the first act of the domestic drama called LITTLE WOMEN." Can you imagine my distress when I realized the story is broken up into two parts and I held in my hands only the first? My reaction was something to the affect of, "What the heck? Why would you only publish part one in a book when there are two parts? Curse you!" I'm still very fond of the copy as I like old copies of books and mine is a printing from the 1960's, and I realize some of you might not think that old at all, but I'm afraid it's before my time. Please forgive me.<br />
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Fortunately, I happen to have another copy of <em>Little Women, </em>and it has both parts! So tomorrow I resume my reading. Meg has just become engaged, meaning the next chapter may very well be the one that lost my interest the first time I tried to read it. You will not beat me this time! I think I'm enjoying the book better this time around. I'm enjoying the little bits of wisdom. I also love Laurie, and I have a little rant about him, but I think that should be saved until after I've finished the book since my judgements are based solely on movie representation. It won't be long now until I'm on to book two!Spiral Staircase Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08674541067014882874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778261619636436124.post-52144963666540107692011-01-22T11:32:00.000-08:002011-01-22T11:37:24.167-08:00Danielle's Bookshelf ChallengeI have a lot of books. I guess you could say that's one of my guilty pleasures. It's so hard to resist picking up a new book or adopting some from a thrift store. So I've gathered quite I few over the years. I'm sure it's not us much as some people, but it's enough where each shelf is stuffed with two layers of books instead of one, and I'm starting to stack books on top of the two rows as well. The thing is I haven't read a good chunk of them. I picked them up because they sounded good and I fully intended on reading them. I just haven't yet.<br />
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Here's my challenge: to read every book on my shelf that I haven't read (excluding nonfiction and some collections of short stories). I thought I should start in order as I do have most of them arranged by author. Any guesses as to what book number one is? I'll give you a hint. The author's last name starts with an A and ends with an lcott. That's right. Louisa May Alcott is the writer and the book is <em>Little Women. </em>I'll admit, I almost skipped over this one. I'm horrible right? I'm familiar with the story. I even read half of it once when I was younger. I read up until the point when Meg got married, and then I was so bored I couldn't continue.<br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsRPWCUf-dqxz0MR9B36Qn_dKkEphUxQ0JuR5Xyona6CcEnP_a0eQJfSN9dWp66KS48X4rR-xY6w0MFeZhlqL1JZ-7gumgnqWhNhIod1j8rkTYEAKtx2PU-DNFv-eMvDGICvcrWC61GNUf/s1600/little%252520women.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsRPWCUf-dqxz0MR9B36Qn_dKkEphUxQ0JuR5Xyona6CcEnP_a0eQJfSN9dWp66KS48X4rR-xY6w0MFeZhlqL1JZ-7gumgnqWhNhIod1j8rkTYEAKtx2PU-DNFv-eMvDGICvcrWC61GNUf/s320/little%252520women.jpg" width="210" /></a>Well, I'm pretty sure I've told you all about my belief that sometimes books deserve a second chance. I obviously thought this one warrented a second chance seeing as I did buy it at some point after I'd read that portion of it. I really do like the story. I'm thinking this time, now that I'm older and a little more used to this type of literature, that I'll enjoy it more. I'll finally be able to say I've read it through instead of just knowing the story from seeing the movie. Huzzah!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">You'll get to hear about all my adventures too. It wouldn't be fair of me to leave you out of this. I'll keep you posted on the books I read and what I think of them once I'm finished. Feel free to read along with me and let me know what you think as well. I do love discussing a good book...or even a really bad one :)</div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Until next time!</div>Spiral Staircase Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08674541067014882874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778261619636436124.post-60064387155404204832011-01-15T16:48:00.000-08:002011-01-15T16:58:50.631-08:00Oh, Storyline. You Make My Hours of Gameplay Worthwhile!When the movie <em>The Prince of Persia </em>came to theaters, I remember talking with some people about it at work. One of my coworkers commented how the storyline of the film differed from that of the video game it is based off of. Another coworker then said something to the effect of, "Video games don't have storylines." <br />
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Bless her heart.<br />
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I was thinking about this recently as I finished the aforementioned <em>Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days. </em>(Side note: I love this series and you should to. Play it or die! Or don't and live I guess...) I would have to disagree with my coworker's comment. Even many of the simplest video games have some sort of plot. Want some examples and pictures? Good because that's what you're about to get.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdGQ2jXOuTZN3mRDQMaM7NXs3E5xhKFbDWN4ZQEAkQfQI5hN_e0INa9HKA5mgcMRuA8j5qx8TpPcJuu4C3sQd07UUf8hK31QWaGnYbyZlPDQwIsw8rojPhvC1V3nT_epenJH6UChG4wgYs/s1600/bubble_bobble-ip1.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdGQ2jXOuTZN3mRDQMaM7NXs3E5xhKFbDWN4ZQEAkQfQI5hN_e0INa9HKA5mgcMRuA8j5qx8TpPcJuu4C3sQd07UUf8hK31QWaGnYbyZlPDQwIsw8rojPhvC1V3nT_epenJH6UChG4wgYs/s320/bubble_bobble-ip1.gif" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Anyoone remember this beauty? I would remember it years later for it's theme that so easily got stuck in my head... Oh great. Now it's going to be there for awhile. Anyway, the gameplay pretty much consisted of you moving your little dinosaur around, blowing bubbles at enemies, and then popping them once the enemies got trapped inside. You only have to make it through 100 levels to make it to the end of the game! But why? Why would you spend quarter after quarter to make it to level 100 besides the obvious addictive quality of the game? What is your little dinosaur's motive for running around blowing bubbles from his mouth? Well, let me tell you in a very simple fashion. Your dinosaur is actually a guy who as been magicked into dinosaur form! And you have to get to level 100 to save your captured girlfriend and hopefully return yourself to normal! Although, given the choice, I might choose to remain a bubble blowing dinosaur, but that's just me.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9SBcyOmA53rDP62l2PMTyAW6r_uWB9Ldw3yMK_qLUOcbSttZO7PG6Qu0sM1T02Ku69C8nhSX_fYf7PCR_7EIzfLOsN0M8l-3Q2fW0pyMsSzqSxS_PdF52MYqb6uHM3-nGy_JDa5Cq_wj4/s1600/burger-island.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9SBcyOmA53rDP62l2PMTyAW6r_uWB9Ldw3yMK_qLUOcbSttZO7PG6Qu0sM1T02Ku69C8nhSX_fYf7PCR_7EIzfLOsN0M8l-3Q2fW0pyMsSzqSxS_PdF52MYqb6uHM3-nGy_JDa5Cq_wj4/s1600/burger-island.jpg" /></a></div><br />
My sister and I discovered <em>Burger Island</em> for the Wii a couple years ago. We were hooked. We played that thing night and day. Everyone knows that a fast food environment is much more fun when you're experiencing it from the comforts of your own home! This game isn't that hard to figure out--a customer makes an order and you fulfill it. Simple enough right? Well, it can get pretty tricky, but it's also addictive. At least, it seems to be addictive to the lady folk. Guys don't seem to understand the appeal. That's the case in my experience anyway. There was one part my sister always skipped over when we played: the bit in between levels where we were told (hold your breath) the story! It's something to the effect of you've crashed landed on the island, you take over the local burger joint, and you get help from the tiki gods to get new recipes. <br />
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Then there are games that get a little more complicated with their twists and turns and sidequests. And I bet you can guess one of the first ones that popped into my mind. Besides much loved titles like <em>Legend of Zelda, Final Fantasy, </em>and <em>Secret of Mana, </em>I thought of none other than <em>Kingdom Hearts</em>!<br />
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The following little clip is from <em>Kingdom Hearts II </em>but it's flashbacks from the first game.<br />
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The storyline can be a bit complex, but to put simply, the story follows Sora, a teenage boy who wakes up in Traverse Town after his world has been attacked. With the help Donald and Goofy, they travel from world to world in search of Sora's friends, Riku and Kairi, and King Mickey. At the same time, they must defeat the dark creatures known as heartless before they can take over other worlds and steal hearts.<br />
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I first became interested in the idea of storyline and plot in video games after playing the first game of the series. I blame it on studying English in college. All those books and poems and articles you read trying to dig out all you can get and then use it yourself in your own papers! It made me see stories differently. I evaluate movies, books, and even video games differently now. And the reason <em>Kingdom Hearts </em>has stuck with me is for some of the same reasons some of my favorite books remain my favorite. I love the characters, the messages I take from their struggles, the fact that I can relate to them. I love their story, their struggles, their triumphs. I love being a part of it.<br />
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It made me think of how much we as people love the concept of "story." We gossip. We tell people about our day. We watch movies and read books. We watch the news. We listen to music which has a story all it's own. Our whole lives are filled with story. A part of us thrives off that I think.<br />
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So in case you were left with any doubt, video games like books, movies, and even music have a story. This is not me giving you permission to spend your entire life playing <em>World of Warcraft </em>or any other titles I've mentioned. But perhaps a little video game time in your life isn't such a bad thing.Spiral Staircase Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08674541067014882874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778261619636436124.post-72992944251059864732011-01-04T21:18:00.000-08:002011-01-04T21:19:32.366-08:00An Excuse for my NeglectIt's a new year and it's been over a month since I've updated! I apologize. One of the most recent things to consume a good portion of my time:<br />
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That's right. I've set aside my love for books temporarily for my love of <em>Kingdom Hearts.</em> But in my defense, one of the reasons I love the <em>Kingdom Hearts </em>series is the story. That's one thing that it has in common with books! They both have a plot :)<br />
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Well, I hope you enjoy the new year as I continue to endeaver to save the world! More updates soon!Spiral Staircase Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08674541067014882874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778261619636436124.post-13743623795083094822010-12-02T14:55:00.000-08:002010-12-02T14:57:45.994-08:00Happy December!<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Hello, everyone! Can you believe it's already December? Crazy! I hope you are all jumping into the holiday spirit! How'd you guys do on NaNoWriMo? I have a confession. I didn't win this year, but that's okay! I had some other things that needed to come first so my novel got put on hold for about a week, and by then, I just couldn't catch up. Am I still going to finish the novel? Of course! I don't regret taking part in NaNoWriMo. Even though I didn't complete it, I learned some things. But that is a story for another post.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgthyphenhyphenSQz4_WR-1RH6Hu3FuwtnkZ8Hpx27V5UnCWTfAwov60CXdo8OXcfofgL8Lv-vuOpK297lTwIj9kEYnJvgXtvQYM2afe7dmLsCPFiu2EjkGCFP6k3ncis3aX2Vzkaa0BxAb8A4iK76Xd/s1600/mr+scrooge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="137" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgthyphenhyphenSQz4_WR-1RH6Hu3FuwtnkZ8Hpx27V5UnCWTfAwov60CXdo8OXcfofgL8Lv-vuOpK297lTwIj9kEYnJvgXtvQYM2afe7dmLsCPFiu2EjkGCFP6k3ncis3aX2Vzkaa0BxAb8A4iK76Xd/s320/mr+scrooge.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I wanted to be really cool and recommend a book with a Christmas setting this month, but I, uh, didn't read one... Every year on Christmas Eve, my family watches "A Muppet Christmas Carol." I absolutely love it! Michael Caine as Mr. Scrooge was a brilliant choice. You should all watch it yourselves this holiday season if you haven't seen it already! For awhile, I've been wanting to read the book, but I just haven't got around to it. So my goal for this month is to read it. Perhaps that will be next month's recommendation! </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Instead of reading new books, lately I've been rereading some that have been sitting on my shelf untouched for quite some time. The lastest of these was Gail Carson Levine's "Ella Enchanted." (I told myself I needed to recommend more than young adult fiction too. Don't worry. I'll get some other recommendations for you.) I decided to reread the book because I remembered liking it, but I could only think of how the story was told in the movie (which was okay, but lacking in some aspects... but definitely not my favorite movie). So while I was traveling back from Colorado, I read the entire thing.</div><br />
I enjoy the book much better than the movie's adaptation. There are quite a bit of differences. Don't get me wrong. I'm not comparing the two mediums to say the movie sucked because it wasn't the exact picture of the book (again, that's a subject for another post). What I'm saying is if you're decided whether to take the time to read the book or save some time by watching the movie, you should definitely go the book route.<br />
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<strong>Here's a Peek:</strong><br />
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That fool of a fairy Lucinda did not intend to lay a curse on me. She meant to bestow a gift. When I cried inconsolably through my first hour of life, my tears were her inspiration. Shaking her head sympathetically at Mother, the fairy touched my nose. "My gift is obedience. Ella will always be obedient..."<br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPpGHwCdC0HRzAPSE0uViIWh-9Z7F1bA-3tLNUCtU4h8inxqTdYBjYMCtSH3ZKHLMwHxmzi71oKLPfs6D8GaGfb1Wm2aIC0p3sHK1GJ3X_nDv7jtGSgIwDvgMZx77AavhqvqYgz_UKMLrI/s1600/ella+enchanted.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPpGHwCdC0HRzAPSE0uViIWh-9Z7F1bA-3tLNUCtU4h8inxqTdYBjYMCtSH3ZKHLMwHxmzi71oKLPfs6D8GaGfb1Wm2aIC0p3sHK1GJ3X_nDv7jtGSgIwDvgMZx77AavhqvqYgz_UKMLrI/s1600/ella+enchanted.jpg" /></a>Ella of Frell must always do as she's told, for that is the "gift" that was given to her at birth. Strict obedience doesn't seem like that bad of a thing... not until you really think about it. If someone told Ella to jump, sing, dance, clean, or hold still, she must do it. She tries to get around the spell, but things still continue to get worse and worse. When her mother dies, Ella's father remarries, and Ella gets two new step-sisters, one of which discovers her need to always be obedient. At the same time, she becomes friends with Prince Char. With horror, Ella realizes that danger she is to the prince. If someone were to order her to kill him... Ella sets out with determination to find Lucinda and demand that she remove her "gift." But what if Lucinda won't take it back?</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Gail Carson Levine has crafted wonderful characters just like she does in her other books. It's character is unique and you'll love each of them (even if you love to hate some of them!). It's a great story of an ordinary girl with a not so ordinary gift. Ella feels real as do her problems, making her relatable even though none of us have been cursed with the gift of obedience.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Overall, it's a delightful story. I always love to read these sort of "fairy tales revisited" stories. What's great about this story is that even though you can see the connection with the traditional "Cinderella" story, it is so completely unique that it stands on it's own. It's a completely different story, one that I feel deserves it's Newbery Honor.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">As a special welcome to the Christmas season, we are going to have a free giveaway! That's right. You can get your own copy of "Ella Enchanted" right here! Here's what you have to do. Just follow this blog by hitting the follow button in the left hand margin. Then leave a comment to this post. Those who are already followers but wish to enter just need to write a comment to this post. The comment should just be something simple like, "Hi! I want to win the free book giveaway!" I will then pick a name randomly using a random name picker from classtools.net. That person will be the winner! I'll announce the winner at that time. The deadline to follow and leave a comment is December 31st! Good luck!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong><span style="font-size: medium;">Want to write next month's recommendation?</span></strong></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></strong>Here's how it works. Send an e-mail to <a href="mailto:spiral.staircase.books@gmail.com"><span style="color: #a55e37;">spiral.staircase.books@gmail.com</span></a> with your recommendation (put it in the body of the e-mail, not as an attachment). Make sure the subject of the e-mail is something to the effect of "Book Recommendation" so I don't mistake it for junk mail. Your review should be at least a couple paragraphs long and should include a short description of the book and why you think others should read it. Then include a short biography of yourself and a picture to go along with it. If you wish to remain annonymous, that's fine as well. I need all entries by December 28th. Depending upon how many entries are received, your recommendation might not show up right away. If I decide to use yours, you will receive an e-mail telling you so. Thank you for your contributions! </div>Spiral Staircase Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08674541067014882874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778261619636436124.post-18298535636606328202010-11-18T10:01:00.000-08:002010-11-18T10:01:43.967-08:00Your Writing EnvironmentHello everyone! I'm spending a few days in Colorado with a good friend of mine, so if you don't hear from me in a bit, that's why. Also, I've been devoting a lot of time to NaNoWriMo (which I'm now behind in again since I'm having too much fun). <br />
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Speaking of NaNoWriMo, for all of you writers out there (whether it be creative, technical, analytical, or just a paper assigned for class), have you ever paid attention to your ideal writing environment? It's different for every writer. If you find out what works best for you, it can make the writing process more enjoyable and more easily...flowable? That's right. I'm making up words.<br />
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The environment in which you write can encompass a few different things: place, music, food, time of day, etc. As far as place is considered, I generally hide away in my room, sit on my lovely padded swively chair, and my computer and I get to work. I've heard of a lot of people liking to write in cafes or coffee shops. Seems like a good place to go, but if you have trouble focusing in that sort of atmosphere, it's probably not the best choice for you.<br />
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Music is another thing that varies. The first thing that came to my mind was how Muse was on Stephanie Meyer's playlist when she was writing <em>Twilight</em>. When I write, I try to stay away from music with lyrics just because it can be very hard for me to control the urge to sing along. So for me, I choose to listen to movie soundtracks--and I don't mean Disney movie soundtracks either. Once again, far too distracting for me. Instead I listen to things like the <em>Stardust </em>soundtrack or the <em>Robing Hood: Prince of Thieves </em>soundtrack. I'll also listen to things like Enya, William Joseph, and occasionally, if I can cope with the distraction, I will listen to things like Goo Goo Dolls or whatever else I'm in the mood for. But in general, I stick with the soundtracks. <br />
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I like listening to music while I write because it seems to help me focus, especially if I've got my earbuds in. It helps me go into my own world that I'm creating and ignore the distractions around me. Some people might not like to write with music on at all, and that's fine. Just find what works best for you.<br />
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I don't pay as much attention to food or time of day. I like to have a water bottle handy, but that's about it, and I'll write pretty much any time of day. The real challenge is just getting myself to do it and not getting distracted by the internet...<br />
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Good luck discovering what works best for you. And happy writing!Spiral Staircase Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08674541067014882874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778261619636436124.post-43569500757267789842010-11-07T11:46:00.001-08:002010-11-07T11:46:45.682-08:00Just Your Average Little Update Video<object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/rD-Si0rYwBE?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/rD-Si0rYwBE?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Spiral Staircase Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08674541067014882874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778261619636436124.post-38438140565383031722010-11-01T11:56:00.000-07:002010-11-01T11:57:30.817-07:00The Hangman's Row Enquiry: November Book RecommendationAlas, Halloween is now officially over. Today marks the beginning of November, which means a couple of things. First, we have now entered NaNoWriMo! You better all be scribbling away! Second, the deadline for our Shakespeare Short Story Contest is drawing near. I hope you will all take some time to submit something. Third, it's time for a new book recommendation! This month's recommendation was submitted by the lovely Beth Adams. Take a look at what she's got to say.<br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">The Hangman's Row Enquiry: A Must Read for Any Mystery Lover</span></strong><br />
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<em>The Hangman's Row Enquiry </em>by Ann Purser is a spin off of the <em>Lois Meade Mysteries</em>, one of her more well known series, and it is the first book in the <em>Ivy Beasley Mystery Series</em>.<br />
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Ivy Beasley, a character threaded throughout the <em>Lois Meade Mysteries,</em> is a cantankerous spinster. She wants to be seen as a proper lady, to be in control of her world, and to be able to do things, but now she's been put into an exclusive assisted living home at the insistence of her cousin, Deirdre. <br />
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Perhaps the back of the book introduces the story best:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhb5Fwk_7H337XPrkl16pznlWPu6xD0eADssaRMqeTWDsE81L1RfxGrFsYzKqH_6KCzQ3b_amPZoPcT1b6AjT5JDJoy_d1_cnGbPybVyhV_yGYp72kCX9Ms8xOnOuth1CsovGXpaQ1Y7il/s1600/hangman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhb5Fwk_7H337XPrkl16pznlWPu6xD0eADssaRMqeTWDsE81L1RfxGrFsYzKqH_6KCzQ3b_amPZoPcT1b6AjT5JDJoy_d1_cnGbPybVyhV_yGYp72kCX9Ms8xOnOuth1CsovGXpaQ1Y7il/s1600/hangman.jpg" /></a></div><strong>Ivy Beasley may have been moved to assisted living, but she has more interest in assisting her new partners in an amateur-sleuth business. She teams up with Gus, a mysterious newcomer who can't resist a little excitement even as he strives to keep his past secret, and her own cousin, a widow with time on her hands and money in her purse. Together they're determined to solve a local murder...</strong><br />
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<strong>In one of the houses on Hangman's Row, Gus's elderly neighbor has been found with a bread knife sticking out of her chest. Local gossip has it that there was no love lost between the victim and her daughter, but Ivy and her fellow sleuths soon discover no shortage of suspects--or secrets--in the small English village of Barrington...</strong><br />
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All of Ann Purser's books are well developed and contain engaging mysteries. In this particular book, it is a delight to be able to watch these new characters develop friendships and reveal their personalities to the reader as they join together in a common goal to find the real killer. This book is labeled a British Cozy, which makes me think of a good book to read in a cozy little corner on a rainy day whilst sipping my hot cocoa with little marshmallows in it...and maybe a side of toast!<br />
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I love this particular Ann Purser story, especially at this time of year, as it allows me to take a much needed mental vacation in between the hectic moments in preparation for the holidays.. <br />
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Although this book's plot is centered around solving a murder, there are moments of great humor and camaraderie between the characters. There's cleverness throughout the pages. You're still left wondering about certain characters, such as Gus who never has a full explanation as to why he showed up in the first place (something that will hopefully be answered in later books). But those little mysteries just make me want to jump into the next book of the series and join the characters once again in an engaging, fun, and thrilling mystery.<br />
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I love mysteries! I so enjoy the little puzzles you get to piece together along with the characters as you make your way through the story and to the end. What makes a truly enjoyable read, no matter what the genre, is that you end up with friends by the end of the book. Such is the case of <em>The Hangman's Row Enquiry</em>.<br />
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I hope you enjoy the book as much as I did!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW83wyZozXJq5ExpdyA67eLg8XxE-yVpyQV2jGMKEs9V473yO1ZTdNYPZPfT5XHVGmdHQes-uRv9lqWoTPwUUf7s3mZSs6WNIoyw6ZlTFOhYO0sydswdawnILAMVNwrIvrzvW585hxiezj/s1600/mom.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW83wyZozXJq5ExpdyA67eLg8XxE-yVpyQV2jGMKEs9V473yO1ZTdNYPZPfT5XHVGmdHQes-uRv9lqWoTPwUUf7s3mZSs6WNIoyw6ZlTFOhYO0sydswdawnILAMVNwrIvrzvW585hxiezj/s320/mom.bmp" width="212" /></a></div><strong>Beth Adams </strong>is the mother of four fabulous children. She's been involved in her church programs, PTA, school board, band and choir, and whatever else her children decided to try out. Her father was in the navy, serving in both the Korean and Vietnam Wars, while her mother was a teacher. She enjoys her life as a stay at home mom. She currently resides on the rainy side of Washington state, where we need to read a lot of books so we can escape the stormy whether and our longing for a bit of sun! Some of her favorite activities include: spending time with family, going on walks, going to the movies, and visiting with friends. She also enjoys a clean house...although she doubts she'll ever have one!<br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Want to write next month's recommendation?</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: large;"></span></strong>You can be featured just like Beth! Here's how it works. Send an e-mail to <a href="mailto:spiral.staircase.books@gmail.com"><span style="color: #a55e37;">spiral.staircase.books@gmail.com</span></a> with your recommendation (put it in the body of the e-mail, not as an attachment). Make sure the subject of the e-mail is something to the effect of "Book Recommendation" so I don't mistake it for junk mail. Your review should be at least a couple paragraphs long and should include a short description of the book and why you think others should read it. Then include a short biography of yourself and a picture to go along with it. If you wish to remain annonymous, that's fine as well. I need all entries by November 25th. Depending upon how many entries are received, your recommendation might not show up right away. If I decide to use yours, you will receive an e-mail telling you so. Thank you for your contributions!Spiral Staircase Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08674541067014882874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778261619636436124.post-28981198664127906622010-10-28T11:57:00.000-07:002010-10-28T11:57:01.473-07:00Finding Connections With CharactersYou know one thing I love about reading? I love how you can make connections with characters. Not just the sort of connection where you're like "Oh hey! I've experienced that too!" but the kind of connection where when you decide to re-read a book for the hundreth time you feel like you're revisiting old friends and catching up.<br />
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Am I insane, or do other people feel the same way? Both is also an exceptable answer to that question.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf1azaytbSnOuENnz8qL3E8KQEzJNXiYONKtGromwxUDsn98Pfd3PVJxmi9iYcM76mfXBKbFB5gLsylRCkDjI9otD8vwFIkAl3VyIW26JTf9GA9lKBgesYqqhYZAcVSN518bDQZzXo-dEL/s1600/cover-gobletoffire_ashwin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf1azaytbSnOuENnz8qL3E8KQEzJNXiYONKtGromwxUDsn98Pfd3PVJxmi9iYcM76mfXBKbFB5gLsylRCkDjI9otD8vwFIkAl3VyIW26JTf9GA9lKBgesYqqhYZAcVSN518bDQZzXo-dEL/s320/cover-gobletoffire_ashwin.jpg" width="217" /></a></div>I am currently re-reading the whole Harry Potter series in celebration of the release of part one of the seventh film coming out next month. Yesterday, I finished the fourth one. (I'm assuming all of you have read it yourselves or seen the movie, but if not, skip the next few lines so I don't spoil anything for you.) I was reading along, trying to remember the answer to the sphinx's question during the third task, and then I reached the end of that chapter where Cedric and Harry decide to share the victory and both take hold of the cup turned portkey. You know what happened then? I should probably be ashamed to admit this but my eyes totally started watering and wouldn't stop! I was hoping I wouldn't break out into full blown out crying (I'm proud to say I managed to contain myself), and this was all happening because I knew Cedric was about to die.<br />
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After I finished the book, I tried to think about the last time <em>Harry Potter </em>made me teary. I'm sure there must have been some moment in the sixth or seventh books, but the one time I actually remember was when I first read the fifth book. I actually had to put the book down. I couldn't believe it! I'm sure you all know what moment I'm talking about.<br />
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Anyway, it just made me appreciate that I can even make these connections with fictional characters. I don't go to the extreme and pretend they're really or compare my boyfriend to Edward Cullen or things like that. It just makes reading so much more fun, enjoyable, and worth while when you can make that connection. I still love <em>Harry Potter</em> even after all these years. And did I mention how excited I am for the movie next month?<br />
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Until next time. Happy reading! I hope you can all find characters to love!Spiral Staircase Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08674541067014882874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778261619636436124.post-15207265876250177622010-10-22T10:58:00.000-07:002010-10-22T10:58:49.530-07:00Books That Inspired You To Read<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The past couple of days, I've been trying thinking about some of the first books I ever read (or in some cases, were read to me). That train of thought turned into another thought: what books or experiences with books inspired me to start reading? </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">These thoughts came back to mind yesterday when I was talking to my chiropractor and he told me how he never enjoyed reading. He had to do so much reading for school that it just wasn't an activity he wanted to do in his spare time. It wasn't until his wife gave him a copy of <em>The Firm</em> by John Grisham that he truly had the desire to read.</div><br />
It got me thinking. My mother, on the occasion, noted that certain books fit certain people, and each person individually has to find the right book for them. (I, being the nerd that I am and being very Harry Potter oriented as of late, immediately thought back to that moment in <em>The Sorcerer's Stone </em>where Harry goes to buy his wand. "The wand chooses the wizard." Okay, enough of this side note....for now.) <br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I certainly belief there's truth to that. Every child has a different reading style, and it doesn't always take the same steps for each child to start reading (let alone enjoy the process). I was also reminded of a YA fiction class I took a while back where we discussed how sometimes children are given certain material too early, and therefore their thirst for reading could be in danger of being quenched permanently! I realize that's a bit dramatic, but in some cases I'm sure it's true. You may recall in an earlier post how I mentioned my experience with J.R.R. Tolkien's <em>The Hobbit.</em> Here's a brief summary: my middle school language arts teacher urged me to read the book. I did. Absolutely hated it. Thought it was long, boring, no point, dry humor, that sort of thing. Read it again. Liked it a little better. Read it again. Realized it was brilliant. Today it is one of my favorite books ever!</div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkHg2rLqP-yKPoMh6LR5PmKgqUXXmxoYmP43kZhTfUIHkedE70nXkr6EIKQPG3NdQBqxTgRXP3RdnQ3QPJyp_JdawTv3jocvDNXb3Sz3I02VBV9dL6yJVR1uJgWX4hvJDPwFJfiNgDsXHe/s1600/pride-and-prejudice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkHg2rLqP-yKPoMh6LR5PmKgqUXXmxoYmP43kZhTfUIHkedE70nXkr6EIKQPG3NdQBqxTgRXP3RdnQ3QPJyp_JdawTv3jocvDNXb3Sz3I02VBV9dL6yJVR1uJgWX4hvJDPwFJfiNgDsXHe/s320/pride-and-prejudice.jpg" width="194" /></a>I had a similar experience with Jane Austen's <em>Pride and Prejudice</em>. That same LA teacher that encouraged me to read <em>The Hobbit</em> told me I should read Austen's classic novel. Her language was very difficult for me to understand. I remember going pages and pages without a clear idea of what was happening. I also remember thinking, "Oh that's rather convenient! There's that Mr. Darcy...AGAIN! I mean really... This sort of thing would never happen." (Said the girl who read strictly fantasy if she could get her hands on it.) I read it again about a year ago, and I absolutely loved it. The humor. The tension. The strong female protagonist. Brilliant. Once again, it has become one of my favorite books.</div><br />
From these experiences, I learned that sometimes I need to give books second chances. There are exceptions. For example (no offense to anyone who loves this book) I didn't care for <em>Blood and Chocolate</em>. For those of you who don't know the story, it's sort of a teen werewolf romance novel. They even made a movie off it in case you're too lazy to read the book. I would actually recommend both so you can see the differences, but that's branching off into another topic that I'll save for later. For me, I just didn't feel a connection with the characters, and I'm still not sure I'm happy with the way it ended. It was kind of sweet, but also kind of weird. But you don't have to take my word for it. The point is, that book just wasn't one for me (it wasn't the perfect wand!), but it can most definitely be the right book for someone else.<br />
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So, I want to know what first got all of you into reading. Here's a little of what's been going through my mind the last few days as I've considered my first experiences with the written word.<br />
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My dad isn't much of a reader. He'd much rather watch the movie and call it good. (I always get a kick out of the fact that as we are watching movies based on books, he'll sometimes turn to me and ask, "Was it like that in the book?" or "Did the book give more information?" or something along those lines.) Mom, on the other hand, loves to read. Her genre of choice is mystery, a genre I appreciate simply because a good portion of the TV shows I watch are crime based, but I've never really gotten into reading that genre. So, if the love of reading were genetic, that love would come from my mom.<br />
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My first memory of reading a book outside of school involved Dr. Suess' <em>The Cat In The Hat</em>. I distinctly remember sitting on my grandfather's knee and struggling to remember what all those letters on the page sounded like. I would read, and he would help as I needed it. I still have yet to add any Dr. Suess books to my shelf, but believe me, it will happen someday.<br />
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I remember other children's books from school: <em>Pink and Say, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, My Father's Dragon</em> and the like. Good found memories. But these weren't books that came to my head right away.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguBug5F6493ZPYbiWnPI3c7pJwl1zjjriCh6bSff1PNuSQR3bhwb5XD2Z8-oTS_8ATXh8HkmTAwHgJ6U6PsyJHMfgEKq_Gcdrg4YCmZ0Uo__1edDorcB4OhUZ12AjN8_AqD6Y0er4hJIcy/s1600/where.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguBug5F6493ZPYbiWnPI3c7pJwl1zjjriCh6bSff1PNuSQR3bhwb5XD2Z8-oTS_8ATXh8HkmTAwHgJ6U6PsyJHMfgEKq_Gcdrg4YCmZ0Uo__1edDorcB4OhUZ12AjN8_AqD6Y0er4hJIcy/s320/where.bmp" width="190" /></a></div>Two books that did come to mind right after <em>The Cat in the Hat</em> were <em>Where the Red Fern Grows </em>by Wilson Rawls and <em>A Wrinkle In Time </em>by Madeliene L'Engle. I can never remember if my first encounter with <em>Where the Red Fern Grows </em>was in second or third grade as I had the same teacher both years. Part of me really wants to attribute my love for reading to her simply because of all the stories I was introduced to and still love because of her. (Thank you!) She read <em>Where the Red Fern Grows </em>to us and it was probably one of the first books I re-read once I found the incentive to go out and find my own books. It was also probably one of the first books I ordered from one of those book orders after she read it to us. For some reason, that memory is very fond to me. If you haven't had the chance to read that book, you should.<br />
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When I was in fifth grade, I was of the opinion that although my teacher was a very nice man, he wasn't cut out to teach fifth graders. Ouch. I apologize. But I was only ten and eleven at the time. What did I know really? Well, I knew how to get away with reading a book under my desk instead of actually listening to the teacher. That's how I spent a portion of my fifth grade education. I was becoming so in love with books that I couldn't stop to take time to listen to my teacher! I had to finish the story. <em>A Wrinkle in Time </em>is one of the books I remember doing this with. I believe it was recommended to me by the same friend who got me hooked on Harry Potter in middle school. (Speaking of middle school, I feel it's only right to also thank the teacher who made me read <em>The Hobbit </em>and <em>Pride and Prejudice</em> and encourage me to take Honors English in high school no less! Thank you!)<br />
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I really think what it comes down to is a love of story itself. Even young children love a good story. Before I was even gobbling up books as fast as I could get my hands on them, my grandpa used to tell me and my siblings his very own Winnie the Pooh stories before we went to bed. Sometimes he would start telling the story in Spanish. We would all whine, "Grandpa!" He'd laugh and then continue the story in English. Grandpa has always been quite the kidder.<br />
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So I suppose there are multiple things that eventually pushed me into my love for reading: great teachers, family, friends, love of story itself, the whole shabang! It's because of all of those people that I have an overstuffed bookshelf quite contently sitting in the corner of my room. Thanks you guys. The books and myself really appreciate it! <br />
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Now tell me what it was that first got you into reading? You can leave it in a comment, or, if your story is long as mine turned out to be, you can send me an e-mail. Maybe I'll even feature some of your stories in coming posts, eh? How's that sound? In either case, I loved to hear from you.<br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Happy Friday!</div>Spiral Staircase Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08674541067014882874noreply@blogger.com1