“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 Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling – for the HP re-read.
The Witching Hour by Anne Rice
The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury
Coraline by Neil Gaiman
Finished: The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan, which I reviewed on Saturday. I also finished Bird Box by Josh Malerman. I’ll try to get the review for it posted before the end of the month.
Total # of books for the year: 75. Halloween approaches! The Boyfriend and I have been watching “Penny Dreadful” and we have plans to finish the 2nd season before Halloween so we can spend the night watching “Hocus Pocus” and other favorites while drinking red wine and eating garlic cheese bombs, popcorn, candy corn, and chocolate frosted pumpkin muffins. I’ve already got my books picked out for November, but I will be reading them purely for enjoyment whenever I have time outside of schoolwork and job hunting. Even though I’ve been posting something nearly every day, I already feel like a weight has been lifted. We’ll see how long that lasts as I move into next month and face down three exams.
Dresden likes to keep one of his toy mice on top of the boxes for safe keeping.
I have too many books to keep in the apartment I share with the Boyfriend. Because both of us have large personal libraries, but only so many walls to place bookshelves against, most of my books are in boxes in storage. Only two of my book boxes are in the apartment instead of my storage unit. They hold my Harry Potter books as well as all my books from Anne Rice’s “Vampire Chronicles” and the “Lives of the Mayfair Witches.” Since I’m re-reading all those, I decided to keep them at home rather than having to go to my storage unit every time I finish one of the books. There are several other books in the boxes as well, but I simply don’t have space on my shelves.
My overcrowded bookcase.
With a few exceptions, all the books on my shelves are books I’ve never read. Also, I have them organized by height and from hardcover to mass market paperback. The disadvantage to organizing them that way is that, whenever I get a new book, I have to rearrange the shelves. You might think I would also have the problem of finding specific titles, but there is a large part of my brain dedicated to the books I have and where they are at any given time.
Even though we have four floor-to-ceiling bookcases, I only have the use of one of them. That might seem unfair, but they’re his bookcases, and he made room for me when I moved in with him. However, my books were creeping into other parts of the apartment, such as the table and floor next to my desk, which was in the living room until a couple of weeks ago. Now that Summer is over, and Texas finally got the memo, I’ve moved my “office” into the dining room (the air conditioning never quite makes it there). We aren’t planning on renewing our lease, so I decided to take over the room until we move into a place with three bedrooms. I also have a shelf that contains all my French books, and I’ve loaned him several of my books so I can keep them on one of his shelves instead of mine. Clever, huh? 😉
One of the Boyfriend’s bookcases post-organization. Can you tell he likes ducks?
After our trial period of living under the same roof assured us that we could share living space without committing double homicide, I convinced him to let me organize his books. The closest he got to being organized was having all of his Jim Butcher books on one shelf. He culled books to go to the used bookstore while I began grouping the ones he decided to keep into genres, more or less. I also kept any series together and in order, and then I organized by height whenever possible. Since we’re both writers with decent sized collections of reference books, we decided to combine them on one shelf with a bookend in between. We’re just not at the point in our relationship where we feel comfortable completely integrating our libraries. Right now, it’s enough to know that we have similar tastes and many of the same books in our separate collections.
I bought The Joy Luck Club years ago at a used bookstore, but it took joining the Classics Club for me to finally get around to reading it. Doing a read-along certainly didn’t hurt either.
I think this book is perfect for read-alongs, book clubs, and college courses because it should be read a little chunk at a time and discussed in detail. There are so many emotions and ideas to process throughout the stories of the four mothers and daughters that I think trying to read the book quickly wouldn’t allow the time and space needed to dig in deep. I also think anyone reading this book should be prepared to want to learn more about China’s history and culture. What little I already knew was not enough, and The Joy Luck Club prodded me to go in search of that knowledge.
What makes this book one of the top pieces of literary fiction is even when you think Chinese culture is so very different that no one but the Chinese could possibly understand, the struggles that occur between mothers and daughters is relatable no matter where you come from in the world. Am I an expert on Chinese familial relationships? Not a chance. Did I see my mother and myself in those pages? All the time. Amy Tan somehow combines uncomfortable unfamiliarity with the feeling of looking in a mirror. She even has the characters experience this same interchange of emotions as they find themselves realizing how different and yet how similar they are to each other. She also turns myth into reality and vice versa. Somehow she manages all this within the structure of a mahjong game. At the end of every chapter, I would pause for a moment to let what I had read sink in and allow myself to feel astounded. For once, I can safely say that this is a book everyone should read.
I’ve meant to read Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein for years, and I’ve had the Barnes and Noble’s Classics ebook edition for nearly as long as I’ve owned my Nook. The story is also included in a horror classics anthology I own, titled Penny Dreadfuls: Sensational Tales of Terror. Since the Boyfriend and I are currently sharing my Nook, I shifted back and forth between the two editions.
My reason for finally getting around to reading Frankenstein was my recent introduction to the show “Penny Dreadful.” It’s full of characters and references from Gothic and Victorian Horror stories. While it’s not necessary to enjoy the show, I wanted to be able to recognize and get a better understanding of all those seemingly minor but very important details as well as know where the original stories differ from how they’re portrayed in the show. Since, the first season includes Dr. Frankenstein and his monster as part of the storyline, I thought it was about time to read one of the most well-known classic Gothic tales. I’m glad I did.
As with much of Gothic Horror, Frankenstein is more about what it means to be human in a world where Science seems to be constantly redefining humanity. While Shelley doesn’t go quite as far into the realm of Existentialism as Robert Louis Stevenson does in his story, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (written more than half a century later) the beginnings of the philosophy can be seen in her work. It’s also obvious that Shelley was heavily influenced by the Romantics, my other favorite literary period, and concerned with the route that Science and Industry were taking in the name of “Progress.” We’re still dealing with these questions and concerns today, almost 200 years later. Just how relevant Frankenstein still is can be seen in the long list of adaptations and re-tellings of the story that exist, and I highly recommend reading it.
The above ISBN is for the hardcover edition, but I listened to the audiobook edition I checked out from the library.
One of the many things that creep me out is dolls. So, when I read the synopsis of Doll Bones (click on the book cover to go to it on Goodreads), I thought this would be the perfect semi-scary story for me to read during my favorite spooky month. While there were some creepy moments, the story was lacking something necessary for any horror story to scare me. It lacked sense.
As an example, without any spoilers, there is a scene in which something horrible happens and the children think the doll, haunted by the spirit of a little girl, did it. However, why would the doll be the culprit when the doll/spirit wants the kids to help her? I kept waiting for a more plausible explanation. Wouldn’t it make more sense if it had been someone or something trying to stop the kids from helping the doll? I thought I was going to get that explanation when the kids come in contact with a woman later on in the story. One of the kids, Zach, thinks there seems to be something a bit off about this woman, somehow. However, nothing else happens with her and the story moves on to the next part. That didn’t make any sense either. Why bring it up, through Zach’s thoughts, and then not do anything with it? I was confused enough to double check to make sure I wasn’t listening to an abridged version of the book. I won’t go into detail about what I thought was going to happen or who the woman was because that would include spoilers, but suffice it to say I was a little disappointed.
My other reason for choosing Doll Bones is because I’ve only ever heard great things about the author, Holly Black. As I said, the book does have its creepy moments, so it wasn’t a total dud, but I would have enjoyed it a lot more if those moments made sense in relation to the overall plot. Perhaps the average Middle-grade reader wouldn’t notice the plot holes and would instead just enjoy a creepy “Goosebumps”-style story. When it comes to getting kids to read more, this book is still worth a shot, especially if you can find a copy at the library.
I did about 2K fewer steps this week than last, but I know that’s due to my participation in Dewey’s 24 Hour Readathon.
I’ve added a new goal. I want to have raised at least $50 for Doctors Without Borders through Plus3 by the end of the year. I’ve already raised over half that amount, so I think it’s doable.
If you’d like to add me as a friend on FitBit, you can find me HERE.
“Monday’s Minutes” is a weekly post in which I track my bookish life. All book covers are linked to Goodreads unless otherwise noted.
The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan – for the read-along.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling – for the HP re-read.
The Witching Hour by Anne Rice
Bird Box by Josh Malerman
Finished: Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell, Sandman, Vol. 1 by Neil Gaiman, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson, The Night of the Living Dummy by R.L. Stine, and The Wendigo by Algernon Blackwood.
Total # of books for the year: 73. I had a semi-meltdown after an exam last week. The Boyfriend and Dewey’s Readathon allowed me to recover, but I’ve finally admitted to myself that I’m trying to do too much. After this month until at least mid-December, I’ll be stepping back a bit from the blog. What that means is I won’t be writing any more monthly “features” except Thursday’s Things, and the only reviews I’ll be writing will be for the ARCs I’ve already agreed to read/review. Everything else will stay mostly the same, but just that will be a bit of a breather and give me the chance to focus more on other things.
Snacks Consumed: more pretzel sticks and cheese dip, cheese and crackers, and grapes.
Amount I’m donating to Pencils of Promise: Even though I didn’t get anywhere near 1,000 pages or 10 books, I’ve donated $10.
Which hour was most daunting for you? 3 am when I finally allowed myself to go to sleep.
Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year? I don’t have any specific titles from this time around, but I do know that shorter reads, graphic novels, and audiobooks help keep me going.
Do you have any suggestions on how to improve the Readathon next year? Nope, this readathon was even better than the last.
What do you think worked well in this year’s Read-a-thon? I was a cheerleader this time, and I loved how easy it was to accomplish my cheerleading duties. Also, everything seemed to go much more smoothly than in April, though I’m not sure why or what exactly made it that way.
How many books did you read? 3, but I also read part of The Witching Hour by Anne Rice, The Wendigo by Algernon Blackwood, and (though it wasn’t on my list) Bird Box by Josh Malerman.
What were the names of the books you read?Sandman, Vol. 1 by Neil Gaiman, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson, andGoosebumps: Night of the Living Dummy by R.L. Stine
Which book did you enjoy most?The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Which did you enjoy least?Goosebumps: Night of the Living Dummy
If you were a Cheerleader, do you have any advice for next year’s Cheerleaders? Cheer early and several times throughout the event, just in case you fall asleep.
How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time? I will definitely be participating again, and I will probably be a cheerleader again as well.
Snacks Consumed: pretzel sticks and jalepeño cheese dip, pumpkin seeds, and cheese pizza snacks.
I finished another book, but I didn’t read nearly as many pages as I did during the 1st 8 hours. As far as donations go, though, I’m up to $4. I did some more cheerleading, in addition to the mini-challenges and general socializing, and now I’m listening to one of my “Goosebumps” audiobooks while getting some stuff done around the apartment and taking a break to move around a bit. Once I’m done, I plan on reading The Wendigo.
Until my final update and wrap up, at 7 am, I’ll continue reading the remaining books on my list:
The Witching Hour by Anne Rice
The Wendigo by Algernon Blackwood
The October Country by Ray Bradbury
Hyde by Daniel Levine
The Bell Witch by John F.D. Taff
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
“Goosebumps” audiobooks
Whether you’re participating in the read-a-thon or not, what book(s) are you currently reading?
1. What are you reading right now?The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson. 2. How many books have you read so far? 1, but I also read a few pages of The Witching Hour by Anne Rice. 3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon? I’m still really looking forward to The Bell Witch by John F.D. Taff. 4. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those? Dresden, my extremely needy, demanding, and trouble-making cat, frequently tried to collapse my reading Fort. How did I deal with that? As calmly as a cat parent can and took the Fort down. He must have considered his job done because he sauntered off to his cat “castle” and went to sleep. 5. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far? How much reading, cheering, and general socializing I’ve managed to do considering Dresden’s antics and attempts at walking across the sheet that was the top of my Fort.
