Thankful Week Day 3: Books

Today I am thankful for books.  Yes not exactly one you hear a lot....which is what I'm trying to think of for this week.  (Just while I'm thinking about it I am thankful for my family, my husband, the food and clothes that we are able to buy etc...but I'm trying to think outside the box a bit so don't be shocked if you don't see those coming up this week).

So now the real question is why.....because they can take me on adventures.  I have never traveled outside the United States, and I haven't visited many states as I would have liked--so books take me places I haven't been before.

Books also take me back in time.  Sometimes I wish that I lived in a Jane Austen book--but then I think about the computer, heat, women's rights that I have now and I am glad that I get to read them and be there with all of things that I enjoy here.

Books also let me experience the lives of others.  There are things that people get to do in books that I would never get to do in real life or even really attempt to do in real life--like steal things or fight in wars.  But now I can see what it is like and not have to do it.

And my final reason--they take me out of my own life.  Books are a great escape from life.  You can become a different person for a little while and stop being you.  It can be a dangerous thing--so use wisely :) And it can be addicting too--sometimes you can't put that life down and focus on your own.  But I love it just the same.

Some of the top 10 books of 2013 as said by Washington Post 

Top Ten Tuesdays: Unusual Character Names

Today's top ten Tuesday is all about names that we read in books that are just plain strange.  Here is my list:

1. Katniss--Hunger Games....just weird
2. Renesmee--Twilight/Breaking Dawn....double weird
3. Alanna--Alanna the First Adventure....not super weird but unusual
4. Hermione from Harry Potter....no one knew how to say it until the 4th book :P I always wondered if she did that because everyone was saying it wrong.

Hmm....that was what stuck out right away....its been a long day or I would probably think more.

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Top Ten Tuesday: Secondary Characters

Today's Top Ten Tuesday is all about secondary characters.  To me a secondary character is like a supporting actor...he/she helps the main character be their best and/or move the plot forward. So with that criteria, here are my top ten secondary characters:

1. Calpurnia from To Kill a Mockingbird--She really keeps the family together!

2. Diane Barry from Anne of Green Gables--I love her and she helps Anne be the best character!!

3. Melanie from The Host--Because she is just really a body....and kind of a mind....I thought it is a good secondary character to Wanderer.

4. Maximilian Kohler from Angels and Demons--Because of Max the story moves forward.  He is very important to moving the plot forward.

5. James and Lily Potter from the Harry Potter series--They are not alive for really any of the books, but they support Harry throughout all of the books and are forefront in his mind.

6. Mrs. Everdeen from The Hunger Games series-- She is not in the books very much, but I love the influence that she seems to have on Katniss.

7. Cinna from The Hunger Games series--I could not just pick one character from this series.  I loved Cinna, and I think he was a great motivation for Katniss.

8. Hannah from Little Women--She is the March's cook and really seems to do well for the girls and effectively becomes their second mom.

9. Mrs. Bennett from Pride and Prejudice- As Elizabeth's mom, she is a great influence on her and her personality.

10. Lydia from Pride and Prejudice- As Elizabeth's sister who runs away, she is really what brings Elizabeth and Darcy together!