Thursday’s Things: Books, Netflix, and Cats

Cats and Netflix
“Cats and Netflix”-The Doubleclicks on YouTube

This month’s “Thursday’s Things” is mostly about this special time of year when the weather gives us the perfect excuse to stay indoors.  There is plenty here to read and watch for the rest of the year.

  • 13 Fantasies Inspired by Mythology from the British Isles
  • Books for a Rainy Day – Though Winter isn’t quite here yet, the weather Melinda write’s about arrived in Texas a couple days ago and led me to break out the fuzzy socks and my Doctor Who blankie, and turned my cat, Dresden, back into a cuddler.  Then the temp went back up into the low 90s because…Texas.  Anyhow, I love the shift in the weather because it means my reading also changes.  I’ve read a couple of the books on this list, and several others are on my TBR or wish list.
  • 15 Movies Starring Bookstores – I’ve seen all of the movies on this list at least once, and while I’d love to pretend that all I do during this time of year is snuggle with my cat and read books, I also snuggle with my cat and watch movies.
  • Outlander Word Search Puzzle – I still haven’t seen any but the first episode of the TV series, and I have yet to finish the books.  I don’t have cable, and I refuse to pay about $50 for the whole season.  I’m waiting until the price drops considerably or a reasonably priced box set of both volumes comes out.  However, this is the time of year when I read the books.  I’ll be starting A Breath of Snow and Ashes soon.
  • Sherlock Holmes by the Numbers – Speaking of book-related TV, I’m waiting for the new season of Sherlock to air (2017?!  Are you freakin’ kidding me?!), so I can then wait to watch it for free on PBS Masterpiece.
  • Zadie Smith Talks Parenting: Are Two Kids Too Many?
  • Book Lovers On Instagram Vs. Reality – This is why I have yet to create an Instagram account.  It takes too much energy to make my reading life look less like reality.
  • The Literary Cat – Have too much time on your hands?  Looking for some cat-spiration for all those Caturday Instagram pics you won’t ever take?  Look no further.
  • 6 Books Adapted into Movies Starring Sylvester Stallone
  • The 7 Types of People You See in EVERY Bookstore

Annoucement: Recent Changes!

Mar 1985

This has been in the works for a couple months, but I finally went and bought a new domain, FortifiedByBooks.com.  While my old domain (TheReadingWench.com) is still active, and will still get you to the blog for awhile, please update your bookmarks.

I’m also in the process of changing the design of my blog, and updating my various social media accounts, but my logo (as seen above) is staying the same.  I will also be providing the same kind of content you’ve come to expect from me.  This is still primarily a Fantasy genre blog since my reading tastes have yet to change.

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Why am I making these changes?  There is a Romance author who has been mistakenly tagging me as the reviewer of some of her books.  That has led to a flood of other Romance authors sending me review requests without checking to see that I am not, in fact, a Romance reviewer, I’m not the blogger they all seem to be confusing me with, and they’re not even reading my review policy.  While I have no problem with her, her blog, or the Romance genre, in general, I’m tired of being associated with all of that, and I’m sick of the spam.  To me, it’s not about who owns the domain.  It’s about my blog’s image and my image as a book reviewer.

#FitReaders Check-In #45

Geeky Bloggers Book Blog
  • This check-in is for November 2nd – 8th.
  • I know I would have met my step and miles goals if it weren’t for being stuck at the car mechanics most of the day on Friday 🙁  I’m still having car trouble, and it’s been such a frustrating experience, even with the “forced” opportunity to read.
  • If you’d like to add me as a friend on FitBit, you can find me HERE.
  • Yoga Workouts: 0/5
  • Steps: 47,599/63,000
  • Miles: 19.55/21
  • Flights of stairs: 139/70
  • Active Minutes: 230/210
  • Total Money Donated: $33.47/$50.00

Monday’s Minutes #45

“Monday’s Minutes” is a weekly post in which I track my bookish life.  All book covers are linked to Goodreads unless otherwise noted.

  • Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling – for the HP re-read.
  • The Witching Hour by Anne Rice
  • The Soak by Patrick E. McLean

Order of the Phoenix Witching Soak

Finished:

  • Thirteen Days in September by Lawrence Wright

Thirteen

Challenges:

S&S Bingo2update13

Total pages read: 304

Total # of books for the year: 79.  I didn’t get nearly as much reading done this week for two reasons. One, I’ve been listening to music instead of audiobooks, and two, I’ve been sleeping, watching movies, and coloring more than I’ve been cracking spines.  I think I hit a bit of a reading slump, but that’s quickly being remedied by The Soak, written by the same author who wrote The Merchant Adventurer.  Patrick E. McLean is one of the few who I will buy their books immediately.  I was lucky enough to have enough credits saved up to get the ebook as soon as it was released 🙂

What are you reading this week?

#ShelfLove – Thankfulness

showyourshelves_zps8f6e8b06-png320x480

This month, those of us participating in the #ShelfLove No Book Buying Challenge are discussing whether or not we’re thankful for taking on the challenge and whether or not our book buying and reading habits have changed.

Am I thankful for the #ShelfLove challenge?  Oh yeah, and I have reasons:

  • I came up with several ways to get books for free, and I started listening to serial and short story podcasts.
  • I’ve fallen in love with audiobooks thanks to discovering the free audiobook website, podiobooks.com.
  • I became much more discerning about the books I purchased with the gift cards I received for Christmas and my Birthday.  The same goes for the books I chose when the Boyfriend made an agreement with me to help me survive the Spring semester.
  • I finally got my Goodreads shelves updated, created a spreadsheet of all my unread books, and made TBR jars.
  • I cleared out enough books from my collection to earn enough money to buy the one book I had been looking forward to for most of the year.
  • I’m finally ok with not buying books.  I’ve also come to prefer book-related gifts instead of bookstore gift cards.  Why?  I own more books than can fit on my shelves.  Despite all the books I took to the used bookstore, my shelves are no less stuffed than they were at the beginning of the year.  In fact, I have even more books thanks to the Boyfriend, gift cards, and winning giveaways.

The Classics Club: The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Jekyll

  • Author: Robert Louis Stevenson

This is my second read by Robert Louis Stevenson.  The first was Treasure Island, which I also enjoyed.  However, this one is more Gothic Horror than Adventure, so I don’t feel it’s fair to compare the two.

As with Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, this is a story about the horrible things that can happen when scientists attempt to mess with nature, but instead of playing around with life and death, Dr. Jekyll seeks to “better” himself by separating the good from the bad in human nature.  The story is closer to Existentialism than Frankenstein, and it makes me wonder if Stevenson had been reading Kierkegaard or Nietzche.  Regardless of where he got the idea for his story, he’s asking the question, “What is human nature?”  My opinion is that his answer is that human beings are born into sin, and it is relatively easier for us to be evil than it is to be good.  I don’t know if I agree, but I don’t agree with much of Victorian moralizing.  However, I do see the question as interesting and relevant, especially as we gain more knowledge of the brain and its chemistry and how that affects behavior and thought.

No matter your beliefs, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a short Classic worth reading.

#FitReaders Check-In #44

Geeky Bloggers Book Blog
  • This check-in is for October 26th – November 1st.
  • I’m not sure what happened, but somehow I did even worse than last week for every goal, except my total active minutes.  I was only six minutes short of my goal!
  • If you’d like to add me as a friend on FitBit, you can find me HERE.
  • Yoga Workouts: 0/5
  • Steps: 38,880/63,000
  • Miles: 15.97/21
  • Flights of stairs: 118/70
  • Active Minutes: 204/210
  • Total Money Donated: $32.18/$50.00

Monday’s Minutes #44

“Monday’s Minutes” is a weekly post in which I track my bookish life.  All book covers are linked to Goodreads unless otherwise noted.

  • Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling – for the HP re-read.
  • The Witching Hour by Anne Rice
  • Thirteen Days in September by Lawrence Wright – for my History of US Foreign Policy class.

Order of the Phoenix Witching Thirteen

Finished:

  • The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury
  • Coraline by Neil Gaiman
  • Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling

I’ll try to get a review posted at some point for Coraline.

Halloween Coraline Goblet

Challenges:

S&S Bingo2update13

Total pages read: 958

Total # of books for the year: 78.  I wrote a guest post for Michelle @ Because Reading about vampires and Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice.  Why does Halloween have to be over?! I got swamped in research and writing a paper, so I didn’t get around to reviewing some of the books I wanted to before the end of October.  Sometimes I wish the spookiness could continue for another month.  Now that it’s November, I’ll be reading books that are still dark though less designed to frighten.  In addition to finishing The Witching Hour, I’ll hopefully have time to get to A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz, Hyde by Daniel Levine, and Gretel and the Case of the Missing Frog Prints by P.J. Brackston.  All of them are library books, and I’d like to finish them before they’re due.

What are you reading this week?

The Ultimate Harry Potter Tag and Link Up

Harry Potter books giphy

Since I was recently tagged by Alice @ The Geeky Burrow, in place of a discussion post specific to Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, this month is about all things Harry Potter.  Do you have a Harry Potter related post?  Be sure to join the linky below!  Every month I’ll feature at least one.

GENERAL QUESTIONS

Favorite book?

3

My favorite book of the series is the one that started it all, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.  Not only does Harry find out he’s a wizard, but he’s got the wonderful opportunity to go to Hogwarts, and that means getting away from the Dursleys for most of the year.  I also love when Harry meets Hagrid for the first time, the scene when he learns to fly and then uses his newfound skill to stop Draco, and when he and Ron go to save Hermione from the troll.

 

 

Your least favorite book?

Chamber

That’s an excellent question.  I don’t know the answer.  While I remember most of the first book, even before I started my re-reading adventure, I have difficulty remembering what happened when and what was changed in the movies.  It’s been over a decade since I first read the series, and I’ve only just finished re-reading Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.  So, for right now, out of the four I’ve re-read, my least favorite is Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.  However, that’s only because I question how realistic Harry’s character is in this book, having come from an abusive and neglectful family.

Favorite movie?

HP movie 1

The first movie, “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone”.  I love it for the same reasons that I love the first book, but it’s also my favorite because it was my introduction to Harry Potter.  When it came out, I had no idea it was based on a famous book series (I was in my 20s at the time).  I didn’t know anything about it at all, but I saw a lot of kids running around wearing robes and carrying wands and I (a lover of all things Fantasy) was curious.  I saw the trailer and HAD to see the movie.  When I found out about the books, I immediately bought the first one, and I’ve been hooked on all things Harry Potter ever since.

 

Least favorite movie?

Deathly Hallows 1 Deathly Hallows 2

“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows” Part 1 and 2, but only because it was a LONG time before I got the chance to see them and by then I had forgotten most of what had happened in the book.  I’ll be doing a marathon at some point after I finish the books, so this answer will probably change.

Favorite quote?

“When in doubt, go to the library.” – Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

HP library

I did a post all about my favorite Harry Potter quotes.

Favorite Weasley?

Fred and George

Fred and George.  Yes, I know, that’s two Weasleys, and I’m sure twins hate it when they’re lumped together like they’re the same person, but there’s no way either of them would have been the people they were without the other.

Favorite female character?

Hermione.  Duh.

Hermione

Favorite villain?

Bellatrix Lestrange.  I love her name, her craziness, and her complete lack of morality.  I’ve always loved villains that fit the Chaotic Evil alignment, though.

Bellatrix

Favorite male character?

Hagrid.  Who wouldn’t love to raise a baby dragon?!

Hagrid

Favorite professor?

Professor McGonagall.  She is not a woman to be trifled with, but she is always fair, and she can transfigure into a cat.

McGonagall

WOULD YOU RATHER?

A. Wash Snape’s hair or B. Spend a day listening to Lockhart rant about himself.

B.  There’s no way I’m getting anywhere near that hair.  With Lockhart, I can let my mind wander and think about other stuff while he’s rambling on about all his “achievements.”

Duel A. An elated Bellatrix, or B. An angry Molly

A.  I’d fight crazy over a pissed off redhead any day.

Travel to Hogwarts via A. Hogwarts Express or B. Flying car

A.  I’ve never been on a long-distance train, and I’d much rather sit and enjoy some magical treats and a book on my way to school than make that long drive/flight.

A. Kiss Voldemort or B. Give Umbridge a bubble bath

A. I’m going to assume I can just give him a quick peck on the cheek, and there’s no way to unsee a naked Umbridge. *shiver-cringe*

A. Ride a Hippogriff or B. Ride a Firebolt

B. Animals can sometimes be predictable.  I’d much rather be in control of a flying broom and be to blame for my own injuries than at the mercy of a Hippogriff while in the air.

BOOK TO MOVIE ADAPTATION QUESTIONS

Is there a character who you felt differently about in the movies VS books?

No, not from any of the books and movies that I actually remember.  Perhaps that will change as I re-read and rewatch the movies.

Is there a movie you preferred instead of the book?

No.  Though the movies are fantastic and exceptionally well done in comparison to most book to movie adaptations, the books are still better.

Richard Harris or Michael Gambon as Dumbledore?

Richard Harris.  R.I.P.

Your top thing (person or event) which wasn’t included in the movie that annoyed you most?

I have no idea because I don’t remember.

If you could remake any of the Potter movies, which would it be?

Again, I have no idea.  I need to rewatch them.

HOGWARTS QUESTIONS

Which house was your first gut feeling you’d be a part of?

You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve and chivalry
Set Gryffindors apart

Which house were you sorted into on Pottermore (or another sorting quiz)?

Gryffindor 🙂

Which class would be your favorite?

Transfiguration.

Which spell do you think would be most useful to learn?

“Accio,” so when I’m doing research or looking for a particular book, I can just summon the title I want.

Which character at Hogwarts do you think would be your instant best friend?

Hermione, of course.

MISCELLANEOUS QUESTIONS

If you could own one of the three Hallows, which would it be?

The Cloak of Invisibility.

Is there any aspect of the books you’d want to change? This can be a character, an event, anything.

I want to say no, but I really wish Sirius hadn’t been killed.  That’s a scene I’ll never forget.  I had to stop reading and cry out the feels.

Favorite Marauder?

Remus Lupin, a.k.a. “Moony.”

remus

If you could bring one character back to life, which would it be?

Sirius.  See above question about what I would change.

Hallows or Horcruxes?

Hallows.

I hereby tag:

This month’s featured post is from Brenda @ The Daily Mayo.  She did a comparison of the book and movie versions of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.

Do you have a Harry Potter related post?  Add it to the linky!

 

 

DNF Review: The Magic Shop

Magic Shop

  • Author: Justin Swapp
  • Genre: Middle-Grade Fantasy

I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

I tried to get through this book.  It started out alright, but it wasn’t long until I was forcing myself through a chapter, then putting it down to read something else until I picked it back up the next day and tried again.  I suffered through three chapters like that, attempting to put myself in a frame of mind the average Middle-Grade reader might have.  I thought my adult mindset was the problem.  I talked it over with the Boyfriend and came to the conclusion that it’s not me and my adult brain.  It’s the story.

More to the point, it’s the main character, Marcus.  There are likeable characters I can’t stand (Captain America), and there are unlikeable characters I love (Lestat).  Then there are characters like Marcus.  He’s a spoiled brat.  He’s rude not only to his teacher but also to his grandparents, who are more than forgiving of his bad behavior.  He doesn’t break rules for the sake of morality or because he thinks it’s the only way to solve a problem.  He just breaks them, refuses to listen to other’s advice and his conscience telling him he shouldn’t do whatever it is he’s doing, and then gets angry when he gets into trouble or has to face the consequences.  I don’t expect all Middle-Grade characters to be copies of Harry Potter, and I’ve even questioned whether or not H.P.’s character is realistic.  While I think Marcus is a realistic character, he’s exactly the type of kid I hated while I was growing up.  On top of that, his bad behavior and poor decisions are what drive the plot.  Every horrible thing that occurs up to the point that I quit reading was a result of Marcus’ actions.  That’s just plain poor writing, and it doesn’t make for an enjoyable story.  My most constant feeling was one of frustration.

I would love to say that I think the story would have eventually gotten better, but I read a quarter of the book (according to my Kindle), which is over 500 pages long.  A story that hasn’t improved after 125+ pages (when I usually only give a book 50 pages to grab me) leaves me with no doubt that my decision to stop reading was a good one.  It also makes me question all the four-star ratings The Magic Shop received on Amazon and Goodreads and the comparison to Harry Potter and Percy Jackson in the synopsis.  While I’m not going to assume that Middle-Grade readers won’t enjoy this book or be able to relate to Marcus, I didn’t and couldn’t.