Remembering Alan Rickman

This was just a huge shock today to learn of Alan Rickman's passing.  He really made the character of Snape come alive for me.  I am currently listening to the first Harry Potter book again, and even though we don't know Snape very well at this point technically, I feel like I have a much better understanding of him as a person because of the portrayal that Rickman had in the movies.  He is one of those characters that I think is better on screen--the body language really helps us to understand the character.  And honestly it was his voice too.  They could not have casted someone who would have done as great a job.

Today seeing all of the things online, I didn't realize that he was in a Sense and Sensibility movie, so I might have to see if I can track that down.  I was going to wait until I finished listening to the books all the way through again, but I might just break down and do a Harry Potter marathon while I grade this weekend so that I can honor the memory of a great actor!

My favorite quote that I ever saw attributed to him....to bad he won't ever get to be 80 in that rocking chair...

Bout of Books Wrap Up

Ugh! This weekend had very little reading---yesterday was justt the Book of Mormon.

While I was on Bout of Books, I read:
Year of Yes--finished! Probably started at half. See review here
Book of Mormon--got like 20 chapters read which is awesome!
Harry Potter 1--almost a whole disc

Looking forward to May!



Hopefully--I figure out something to write about tomorrow!

Bout of Books Day 7

Yesterday I read less then earlier in the week. ..and as I am lying in bed I know today was even less. I really do much better with the hour of driving and listening to audio  books.  If it wasn't for that I don't think I would be reading.  I started wildwood dancing which seems like it will be good. ...should have read some today but couldn't bring myself to.  Interesting thing when the depression hits I don't want to read even though it would be an escape. Glad to have finished this week of reading. Though after tomorrow's recap I have no idea what I am  going to write about...I almost forgot to write tonight. And this week is parent teacher conferences. ..so hopefully I keep up with the writing.

Bout of Books Day 6

Update--started listening to Harry Potter 1...it was actually kind of cool because I learned that my hour long drive everyday is just about a disc which means I could listen to the book in about a week. I also did my Book of Mormon reading which is good.  I feel like I have been keeping steady.  Today I did a lot of reading of music for choir rehearsal and grading papers and writing e-mails. So I think I will get off my blog and go give Wildflower Dancing a try.  Happy reading everyone.

Exactly!

 

Book Review: Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes/Bout of Books Day 5

Bout of Books Day 5 requires a day 4 update---I finished a book!  Here is my first book review of the year.

Title: Year of Yes

Author: Shonda Rhimes

Genre: Memoir/Self-Help

Rating: 5 out of 5

Why Did I Read? Honestly, it was a bit of an impulse. I love Grey's Anatomy, Scandal, Private Practice, and How to Get Away With Murder---all four TV shows she has done. As a result---I buy book because I'm curious what she has to say.

Summary: Shonda was the type of person who was shy, introspective, and addicted to her work.  She never said "yes" to anything that challenged her--which was almost everything.  She decides to start saying yes to everything.  What results is a complete change and renewal of the person that she wants/is/needs to be.  She goes through her year explaining her experiences, what she felt, did, and what she learned.

What Did I Love:

 How inspiring it was! I felt rejuvenated every time I listened to this book.  I did do the audio which Shonda reads herself--I loved that she did because she reads so beautifully. I could feel her passion, and honestly I felt like we were just having our little class every time I turned it on.  This is also a book that I want to read again and again.  I want to buy it in print now so I can mark it up and annotate it.  I very rarely say that! This is a book that I'm really wondering if I listen to when I have depression come up or I am feeling like I can't do life anymore.  This is one of those books that I feel like you could learn something new from each time you read or be reminded again of something that you knew you knew but needed someone to tell you again.  

What Did I Hate:  Honestly nothing....I love this book!

Thank you audible for this great quote wall paper
--now to figure out how to download it to my phone

Bout of Books Day 4

Update from day 3---I read Book of Mormon and Year of Yes--I will finish this (and I did today so I will update on that tomorrow), super excited.

Bout of Books Day 3

Update from Day 2-- I read the Book of Mormon and Year of Yes. I wanted to start another book--a print one...but I went to bed super early so no such luck. Today I think I will go to bed earlier too....I hate leaving schoolwork not completely done yet, but I did get something done. That's at least something!

Yay Bout of Books!

Bout of Books Day 2

As I posted on Day 1's progress...I am starting to see my prediction of two books being read this week coming true.

I read/listened the Book of Mormon--starting Mosiah, which is one of my favorite sections as we listen to King Benjamin's speech.

I read/listened some of Year of Yes and I love it. I love listening to memoirs read by the authors because the words really come alive--it is like they are telling me about their life.  I don't know if I could read a memoir after I have done two as audio books.  And this one is more of an advice book too and I'm learning so much and feeling edified--it's awesome.

I did read a little bit of Courage and Defiance while my students read--that's one of my favorite things if they will let me. So I got to start it and get a good 15 pages in.


Today's challenge looks really fun--it's a game of Would You Rather...from Writing My Own Fairy Tale

Would you rather:
Lend books to someone who dog-ears pages or to someone who reads with cheesy Cheetos fingers?

Would you rather:
Be able to meet one character of your choice or meet one author of your choice?

Would you rather:
Never be allowed in a book store again or never be allowed in a library again?

Would you rather:
Have to choose one of your favorite characters to die in their book or have to pick one of your favorite couples to break up in their book?

Would you rather:
Be required to read Twilight once a year for the rest of your life or The Scarlet Letter once a year for the rest of your life?

1. Dog-ears....cheesy fingers are nasty and licked
2. Gosh this one is hard...I think author because they are actually living and the characters are in my head and might not live up to expectations.
3. Book store--if I can't buy that's okay it will save my money--library just keeps me from books
4. Probably die because at least they would probably die happy and that would mean the end of the story instead of the end of the happiness of the character and depressing books
5. Twilight--Scarlet Letter is awful

Thank you Amazon for the pic

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Bout of Books Day #1

Yay it is day one of Bout of Books!! If you're not sure, here is the sum-up

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, August 17th and runs through Sunday, August 23rd in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 14 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team

Goals:
1. Read!! It is the first week of school so that is a huge goal. I am writing this at such a late hour because I came home around 8:15 pm after a back to school night.  Then I had to go to the grocery store and put all the food away....I haven't really read yet today but I will do a little bit before bed to wind down.
2. Finish The Princess Bride--book club is on Friday.
3. Finish my audio book--Jame and Austen by Stephanie Fowers...it is a little light romance.  It has been nice for the drives back and forth from school.

Wish me luck!

Book Review: The Brothers

Title: Prologue: The Brothers

Author: Chris Stewart

Genre: Religious Fiction/Drama

Rating: 5 out of 5

Why Did I Read? My book club suggested it.

Summary: It is before the Earth has been formed and the spirit children of Heavenly Father have just been presented the Plan of Salvation. This plan allowed for us to come to Earth and be able to grow and progress.  We meet four spirits: Samuel, Luke, Ammon, and Elizabeth.  They are getting prepared for their time on Earth, but are also being tempted to join the side of Lucifer.  Will they give up their chance for salvation or take the risk of going to Earth?

What Did I Love:

• I really love the story line--the fictional characters become very believable and the liberties that the author takes with sacred figures becoming characters in the book is done very tastefully. 
• I loved the insights that I learned about myself and why I am tempted the way that I am.  If you aren't LDS but just Christian, you will still benefit from the insights and the Spirit that is in this book.
• The narrator for the audio book does a great job!

What Did I Hate:

• Honestly nothing--I immediately wanted the next five books in the series. Currently listening to #2.  This is the Great and Terrible Series

50 Question Survey Part 1

From The Classics Club 50 Question Survey that I stumbled on awhile back--I am going to do this in two parts. 

1. Share a link to your club list.
2. When did you join The Classics Club? How many titles have you read for the club?  I joined the club in 2013.  I have finished five books....unfortunately I'm behind my idea of reading 10 a year.
3. What are you currently reading? I'm currently listening to Queen of Babble Gets Hitched by Meg Cabot and reading Seeing Redd by Frank Beddor
4. What did you just finish reading and what did you think of it? I just finished listening to The Brothers by Chris Stewart-- I loved it and it is the first in the series so I'm excited to get the next books.
5. What are you reading next? Why? I want to read the second book in The Great and Terrible Series--the series I mentioned earlier.  The first book is really like chapter 1 of a six part series.
6. Best book you’ve read so far with the club, and why? My favorite Classics Club book so far would have to be 1984.  I loved teaching it to my six seniors!
7. Book you most anticipate (or, anticipated) on your club list? I am excited to re-read Little Women again. 
8. Book on your club list you’ve been avoiding, if any? Why? I am avoiding Pickwick Papers because I started it and it was very boring.
9. First classic you ever read? Um....not sure-I have read Classics since I was very young
10. Toughest classic you ever read?  The Fountainhead
11. Classic that inspired you? or scared you? made you cry? made you angry?  My favorite classic will always be The Blue Castle 
12. Longest classic you’ve read? Longest classic left on your club list? One I've read? Maybe Catch-22...actually probably The Fountainhead....left on my list? Probably Les Miserables
13. Oldest classic you’ve read? Oldest classic left on your club list? Not sure of the oldest....
14. Favorite biography about a classic author you’ve read — or, the biography on a classic author you most want to read, if any? I have read many sections of biographies on Jane Austen and Louisa May Alcott and I have enjoyed both 
15. Which classic do you think EVERYONE should read? Why? I think everyone should read 1984.
16. Favorite edition of a classic you own, if any? I love Oxford Classic editions of my book
17. Favorite movie adaption of a classic? Love the newest Pride and Prejudice
18. Classic which hasn’t been adapted yet (that you know of) which you very much wish would be adapted to film. I would love to see a new version of Anne of Green Gables
19. Least favorite classic? Why?  Not a big fan of Steinbeck books
20. Name five authors you haven’t read yet whom you cannot wait to read. Emily Bronte, H.G. Wells, John Milton, A.A. Milne, and Tennessee Williams
21. Which title by one of the five you’ve listed above most excites you and why? Wuthering Heights 
22. Have you read a classic you disliked on first read that you tried again and respected, appreciated, or even ended up loving?  Catch-22
23. Which classic character can’t you get out of your head?  I love Mr. Darcy :)
24. Which classic character most reminds you of yourself? I have always related to Anne Shirley
25. Which classic character do you most wish you could be like? Valancy Stirling from The Blue Castle

Book Review: The Wish List

Title: The Wish List

Author: Eoin Colfer

Genre: Drama

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Why Did I Read? My book club suggested it.

Summary: Meg Finn has gotten herself in some trouble...really big trouble because it got her killed! On her way to either heaven or hell she gets stuck in limbo.  She has an equal amount of good and evil in her "aura". She goes back to Earth to try to help with the amount of good and helps out the man that she was robbing when she died.  He has three things that he wants to do before he dies, and she helps him get it done.  

What Did I Love:

• I liked the plot line--it seemed very well planned out and I liked how the characters developed. 
• Speaking of characters--Meg is a strong female character that seems to learn a lot and tries to improve.  

What Did I Hate:

• The audio book is unique.  It is read by a British narrator, and he probably does it right--with the Irish accents too.  However, it made it hard for me to multitask and listen at the same time.  

Bout of Books Wrap-Up

A successful Bout of Books to me is when I have read everyday--even if it is just a little bit.  Then if I finish a book that is a bigger plus! I successfully did both despite being in school!  Today was a super long day so sorry this is all you're going to get, but I successfully read about 75% of a book in a week. Not bad!

Bout of Books Day 6

I just barely finished my audio book!  The book is pretty good..probably 3.5 out of 5 stars by the time I get to doing a review--probably next week sometime when Bout of Books is over.  I'm just proud that I got it done.  That's actually why this post is so late--too late for Bout of Books--is because I just barely finished.  So to make sure that this post ends up on today, that's probably all I'm going to say. I'm going to probably pick a new audio book to start listening to and go keep cleaning.  I have gotten a lot of the kitchen done with the need to declutter!

Bout of Books Day 5

I have about 45 minutes or so left of my audio book, The Wish List.  Too bad I'm falling asleep while I am writing because I would probably try to finish it tonight. Oh well--probably tomorrow. Today's challenge is your book in pictures.  So let's see what we can find:

http://www.catholic.com/blog/michelle-arnold/the-debate-at-the-pearly-gates

http://chevsy.deviantart.com/art/devil-born-from-flame-105039846

http://uncyclopedia.wikia.com/wiki/File:Insane_old_man.jpg

Bout of Books Day 4

I am continuing to keep working on reading The Wish List by Eoin Colfer.  I should finish this week if I just keep going at it. I thought it would be a good book to do today's synopsis challenge on from Lulo FanGirl. I need to write a summary in 3-5 sentences.  Here goes:

Meg is a teenager girl that has gotten into the wrong crowd that do a lot of criminal activity.  This activity causes an older man to be injured and her death. For Meg's life, it is not clear if she should go to heaven or hell, and she gets a chance to correct it by helping the injured older man fix the things that he has regretted over his lifetime--his wish list.

Tired tonight...so it is going to be short today.

Bout of Books Day 1

So as the first day of Bout of Books, this is typically when I plan what I'm going to read and set goals.  This time around Bout of Books felt that they didn't want to set goals.  So I'm not going to set goals specifically as a to-read list for this week.

1. Wish List by Eoin Colfer (Audio book)
2. Seeing Redd by Frank Beddor
3. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by 
4. Book of Mormon
5. New audio book (Because I hope to finish Wish List during the week)

There are two challenges for today that I thought I would pop on to because they are both pretty low-key and quick to do.

The Book That is talking about New Year's Resolutions with books.  One of the things that I have been thinking about is a challenge that I found out about on Prequel and Sequel Challenge Novel HeartBeat and read some series that I've been wanting to read again/finish etc.

1. Anne of Green Gables series--reread as an adult--I've done #1-3 as an adult a few times but not past that
2. Harry Potter series--I've never actually read #5-7 a second time after publishing--I've started #1-4 a few times to go through the whole series and I just have lost steam each time
3. The Face on the Milk Carton--there was a new conclusion book that I found that I want to read--and I want to go back and reread the first books again
4. Finish Fablehaven 
5. Re-read and read Dan Brown Robert Langdon series
6. Finish Looking Glass series

Caught RedHanded is a Book Scavenger Hunt....the link has the specifics of what to find. This is what I found: 

My finds--explained below

Book with the color yellow: Silver Linings Playbook

Find an author's name with the letter "S": Sarah Dessen--Just Listen

Find a book with a female protagonist: The Face on the Milk Carton

Find the longest book you own: Norton American Literature Anthology

Find a book with a map in it or on it: Lord of the Rings Trilogy

Find a book with a face on it: Anne Frank the Diary of a Young Girl 

Find something on your shelf that isn't a book: My bookshelves have a lot of things on top--typically shoe boxes that store mementos/scrapbook items

Excited for the upcoming week of reading!!!

The Crazy Week that Has Been Bout of Books

Bout of Books

So....I mentioned that I was going to do Bout of Books.  But to really participate....I would needed to have posted goals, posted progress from day to day, and do lots of reading.  However, if you remember I told you that school started this week.  And holy crap busy!!!! I came home late every night and was so tired that there were a couple of days where I didn't even open my home computer never mind a book.

So today I thought that I would mention that it isn't that I forgot about the challenge--it is just that life got in the way. I have been able to listen to my audio book a lot more because of the increased commute and I have gotten a lot farther.  I am currently listening to The Confession by John Grisham.  On Monday, I was on disc 4.  Today I am on disc 10 out of 12.  I really want to finish it in the next few days so that I can get a new book in the car not that it isn't good--but that I have lots to read.  And I really want to know how it ends! So I will let you know in the review.

Bout of Books!

It is time again for Bout of Books! I am excited for the new week to try to get some reading done.  As I mentioned in my last post--I have a lot of books that need to be gotten through!

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, August 18th and runs through Sunday, August 24th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure, and the only reading competition is between you and your usual number of books read in a week. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 11 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team

 The first day of school is that Wednesday so I hope that my reading ends up being more than just the audio book in the car on the way back and forth. I will post goals later in the week, I hope to have a better idea of what next week brings before I set those.

Right Now I Am....

So as promised...life update time.  As I was thinking about how I wanted to do this I thought of how one of my favorite bloggers Trish does it (Check her out at Love, Laughter, and a Touch of Insanity).  I messed with the order a little so that the two things people really need/want to hear about are at the top, but the headings are all her.

Feeling: Better. This is the most often question that I'm getting from people right now which is why I put it first. I had surgery last week of July to hopefully deal with the pain I have been dealing with since April last year. We haven't had a diagnosis really until now--possibly endometriosis.  I have taken a while to heal but I am pushing through thanks to pain killers.  The nice thing about still healing is that the pills work better and I am in less pain longer.

Yep coming home with boxes was not in the plan
This is only half of them too

Loving: The time off...so in part of my life update I must update everyone that I no longer work at Cedar Ridge Academy. I will be starting at Vernal Middle School teaching 7th grade English in just a few days--first day of school is about a week away. I really needed the time off....though not as early as CRA wanted me to be. They decided to lay me off a month ahead of time. Prompted me to have to pack up my room late at night and not having closure with the students. Just liked to remind me why I was leaving--I was done not being treated like a professional or a person.

Listening To: Almost done with City of Bones--two discs left.  Will probably put it in when I get done with this. Also listening to The Confession by John Grisham and enjoying it.  It has been awhile since I've read a Grisham novel.

Reading: I have a lot of books juggling right now.  The Classics Club spin book was #17---so for me Fahrenheit 451. I also want to get in on Austen in August--so I'm going to read Lady Susan because it is also on my TBR Pile List....though I really need to start it!  Still reading Fablehaven #5--current really wanting to get through it so I can move on.  Just been busy with other things and not in too much of a reading mood.  And I need to start Gone Girl for book club.

Watching: Lots since I have been in bed or on the couch for about a week and a half. I got through two seasons of How I Met Your Mother.  I have loved seeing how well they really set us up for the series finale....and the connections to Friends.  Maybe one of these days I will devote a blog post to it....since I did when the series finale came up.

Eating: Anything that sounds good....I was cooking more in July because I was home and then I lost my appetite and I bet a couple of pounds after surgery.  Appetite back to normal so that's good.  Hopefully going to do some freezer meals in the next few days for the school year.

Making: I am knitting a great purple blanket....can't wait to show it to you. I finished a yellow one earlier this summer that will be featured in a new blog post to come.

My awesome planner :)

Planning: Mentally constantly writing to-do lists and then writing them down--I have my planner that I bought at the beginning of the year and I am using it more now than I did at my job--more time to write again.  I am re-evaluating what I want...plans for the blog, plans for writing more, planning ideas for school...I think my brain is more active now that I'm not at school but easier to shut it off when I go to sleep.

Hope that fills everyone in...as always I am a pretty much open book so ask away :)