A Month of Favorites: Winter Survival

Published on by Rachelle
Throughout December, Estella’s Revenge, Girlxoxo, and Traveling with T will be sharing their fave bookish (and sometimes not-so-bookish) experiences from the year and they’ve invited their readers to join in on the fun! The schedule and details are posted at Estella’s Revenge.
Today is about the 5 Must Have items to survive Winter:
  1. Fuzzy Socks – They’re so soft and comfy and they keep my feet warm.  Often, they’re infused with aloe.  I find mine in the foot care section of the drugstore/HEB/Target/wherever there is a foot care section.  They last longer if I let them air dry after washing, but sometimes I just want to put them on right after they’ve come out of the dryer.
  2. Large Men’s Cardigan – The Boyfriend calls this my Hobbit Cardigan.  I put it on at the first sign of Winter temps and I don’t take it off again until it becomes uncomfortably warm.  Mine is originally from the Gap, but I found it on Ebay.  I will cry when the day comes that I can no longer wear it.
  3. Warm pajamas – My favorite pair of pajamas is a pair I found a couple years ago by Nick and Nora sleepwear.  Zooey Deschanel’s character, Jess, in the show “New Girl” started a trend of fun and comfy pajama sets that were, of course, way over priced.  Nick and Nora Sleepwear are just as fun and comfy and have the added benefit of not breaking the bank.
  4. Harney & Sons Holiday tea – I hope they never stop making this tea!  I’ve only been able to find their teas at Target, but if the day comes that I have to order online, I will do so with only a brief and mild complaint.  If anyone has ideas for what to do with the metal tins, please leave a comment.
  5. My Favorite Winter Reads – I could never survive the Winter without my favorite books.

A Month of Favorites: Five Fave Winter Reads

Published on by Rachelle
Throughout December, Estella’s Revenge, Girlxoxo, and Traveling with T will be sharing their fave bookish (and sometimes not-so-bookish) experiences from the year and they’ve invited their readers to join in on the fun! The schedule and details are posted at Estella’s Revenge.
Today is about my 5 favorite books from last Winter.  The links are to goodreads:
  1. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien – Though I read this in December of 2013, it still falls into last Winter, so I’m counting it.  It’s my top favorite book on my list of all-time favorite books, and I try to find time to read it every Winter.
  2. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens – This is another one that I read every Winter.
  3. A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin – I’m not the type to jump on bandwagons, no matter how much the internet is talking about something, so one day long after season 3 of the show was already over, I sat down to give the 1st episode of the 1st season a chance because I didn’t have anything else to watch.  24 hours later….I started reading the book.  Well, I slept first, but then I started reading the book.  I’m really hoping to read the 2nd book before the end of this Winter.
  4. Idiot America: How Stupidity Became a Virtue in the Land of the Free by Charles P. Pierce – “Take the saddle off the dinosaur!” is my line for anytime I see something ridiculously stupid.
  5. Before the Chop by Henry Rollins – I usually read one of Henry Rollins’ many books during the part of Winter when I’m at my most grumpy and cynical.  It’s not so much because he’s grumpy and cynical (though he often is in his books prior to this one), but because he writes from an insightful human perspective instead of one slanted towards a political agenda, and he’s extremely well-read.

A Month of Favorites: Top Ten Books

Published on by Rachelle
Throughout December, Estella’s Revenge, Girlxoxo, and Traveling with T will be sharing their fave bookish (and sometimes not-so-bookish) experiences from the year and they’ve invited their readers to join in on the fun! The schedule and details are posted at Estella’s Revenge.
Today is about the 10 books that blew my mind this year.  I put them in order from most to least amazing, and the links are to my reviews or goodreads:
  1. The Paper Magician by Charlie N. Holmberg
  2. Chimera by Phil Gomm
  3. The Stranger by Max Frei
  4. The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
  5. Of Bone and Thunder by Chris Evans
  6. Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier
  7. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
  8. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
  9. Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
  10. Moranthology by Caitlin Moran

Bout of Books 12!

Published on by Rachelle
Bout of Books

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, January 5th and runs through Sunday, January 11th 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 12 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. – From the Bout of Books team

Time Devoted to Reading

I will be reading every day of the week whenever I’m not running errands or spending time with The Boyfriend.  I’m fortunate to not be working or in school, so I should be able to get a lot more reading done than I did during the last Bout of Books.

My Goals

  • finish off whatever books I’m currently reading.
  • Read at least one new book off of my TBR shelf.
  • I typically read about 2 books a week, so the important thing for me is to read more than that.  I want to be able to finish at least 3 books, but I’m really hoping I’ll be able to finish 4.

Books to Read

I’ll be sticking to ebooks, since I’m participating in COYER, but I’m not sure what books yet.  Chances are the books I read will be whatever eARCs I still have left to read by February.

Updates

I will be updating with one post each day with the number of books I’ve read that day, the titles of the books read, and the total number of books read.  If I wasn’t able to finish a book that day, I’ll put the number of pages read instead.  I will also post whatever challenges, if any, I’ve participated in.

What I’m Reading Monday #16

Published on by Rachelle

Currently Reading: The Broken Sword by Poul Anderson, a review book, Villette by Charlotte Brontë, what I’m reading for The Classics Club, and Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott, for the read-along.

Broken Villette1.52.qxd Ivanhoe

Finished: Cold Hillside by Nancy Baker, which I reviewed on Friday, and The Hobbit and Philosophy.

Cold Hobbit Philosophy

DNF: Elora of Stone by Jaime Lee Mann, which I wrote a DNF review for on Saturday.

Elora

Total pages read for the week: 399

Total number of books for the year: 59.  This week was much better than the last couple of weeks as far as how many pages I managed to read.  However, I ended up sleeping for most of Thursday instead of reading, and I had a whole list of things to get done on Friday before I went to a Christmas party that evening.  I then spent most of Saturday with my Best Friend.  So overall, I didn’t spend as much time reading as I thought I would.  I regret nothing though.  I really needed the sleep after Finals, I had a great time at the party, and my Best Friend is far more important to me than my page count for the week.  There’s also the added bonuses of having this whole week to spend reading, because I completed my to-do list, and I can stay up reading as long as I want and get up when I want because I don’t have any classes.  I’m going to treat the time as my personal readathon and see how many books I can finish and get reviewed before I head out to spend Christmas with the boyfriend’s family.  I would love to finish off all of my current reads before the end of the year.

What are you reading this week?

Ivanhoe Read-Along: Week 3 Recap

Published on by Rachelle

Ivanhoe

Today ends week three of the Ivanhoe read-along, and we’re now at the halfway point.  We’ve read chapters 17 – 25, but if you’re a little behind, that’s OK!  I’ll mark any spoilers so you can come back after you’re caught up, and the previous weeks’ recaps are here and here.  Below is the chapter breakdown:

  • Mon. 24th Nov. – Sun. 30th Nov.: Chapters 1 – 7
  • Mon. 1st Dec. – Sun. 7th Dec.: Chapters 8 – 16
  • Mon. 8th Dec. – Sun. 14th Dec.: Chapters 17 – 25
  • Mon. 15th Dec. – Sun. 21st Dec.: Chapters 26 – 31
  • Mon. 22nd Dec. – Sun. 28th Dec.: Chapters 32 – 38
  • Mon. 29th Dec. – Sun. 4th Jan.: Chapters 39 – 44

It turns out that most of the popular conception of Robin Hood actually comes from Ivanhoe.  Sir Walter Scott supposedly took the name “Locksley” from an anonymous manuscript written in 1600 that used the name as an epithet for Robin Hood. The name has been used to refer to Robin Hood ever since.  Also, Robin’s familiar feat of splitting his competitor’s arrow in an archery contest comes directly from Ivanhoe.  However, Scott shunned the late 16th century depiction of Robin Hood as a dispossessed nobleman. This didn’t prevent Scott’s contribution to the legend though, since many of the films about Robin Hood, including the parody “Robin Hood: Men in Tights”, give him traits that come from Ivanhoe.

[SPOILERS]  This week’s chapters have us jumping around a bit from one place to another in order to keep up with all of the characters.  The story progression has slowed a little, but I think it will be picking back up again over the next week’s chapters.  Maurice de Bracy and his men take Cedric, Lady Rowena, Isaac of York and his daughter, along with several others, hostage.  They’re all locked up in various rooms of Front-de-Boeuf’s castle, but not before Wamba and Gurth escape and then run into Locksley, who gathers up his men, including the friar of Copmanhurst, to rescue the captives. The Black Knight joins Locksley and his men, and they all besiege the castle.  Scene by scene we find out what is happening with the captives: Lady Rowena refuses de Bracy’s marriage proposal and he threatens to kill Ivanhoe and Cedric, Rebecca threatens suicide rather than give herself to the Templar, and Isaac refuses to pay for his freedom when he finds out what the Templar plans to do to Rebecca.  Each interaction is interrupted by the sound of a horn.  We find out that it’s a messenger notifying Front-de-Boeuf, de Bracy and the Templar that Locksley and his men are there demanding the captives be let go.  They send the messenger back to tell Locksley and company to send a confessor for the captives who will be executed.[SPOILERS]

I now have two characters that I love to hate.  I already didn’t like de Bracy from last week’s chapters, but now I also despise the Templar.  The only thing I’m finding a bit confusing is that it seems the one character who’s name is the title of the book doesn’t seem to be a central character.  I’m curious to find out when he’s going to come back into the picture.  When I planned the chapter breakdown I had no idea that this week would end on a bit of a cliffhanger!  I really wanted to continue reading, even more so than the previous two weeks.

How are you enjoying the book so far?  What are your thoughts on the story, characters, setting, etc?  Please mark any spoilers.

Review: Elora of Stone

Published on by Rachelle

Elora

I received this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really wanted to love this book.  Not only have I had a spate of not so good books lately, but this book came about from the author telling her children bedtime stories.  Because of that, I thought for sure this would be a new favorite.  What Fantasy fanatic doesn’t love a good fairytale type book that originated from a child’s beloved bedtime story?!  Unfortunately, as much as I tried, I just didn’t enjoy this book at all.  In fact, I only got about halfway through before I stopped trying to come up with excuses for it and gave up.

The problem is almost immediate.  This is meant to be a middle grade book.  However, the writing is so simplistic that it makes Disney movies seem profoundly complex.  It feels like it should be for a child just beginning to read, but there are some elements of the story that I would feel uncomfortable with a child that young reading about.  A younger child would take the events of the book, or at least most of them, at face value, but there is such a lack of explanation that I think a middle grade reader would be bored or annoyed with it.

At first, I was going to recommend this as the type of book that could be read to any younger child.  However, I think that parents should read the book first and then decide on whether or not it’s appropriate.

Review: Cold Hillside

Published on by Rachelle

Cold

  • Author: Nancy Baker
  • Publisher: ChiZine Publications
  • ISBN: 9781771483100

I received this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Euskalans are a matriarchal society that must pay tribute to the Fey every year at a faire.  Teresine was a Deshiniva slave girl in Jayasita when she escapes by stowing away on the boat of the Euskalan’s ruler’s daughter, Sarit.  She becomes extremely close to the ruling family.  Teresine’s, and her family’s, story unfolds from there.

I can’t really say anything else about the story without giving too much away.  What I can say is that this isn’t an action story or even a quest narrative.  It’s simply the story of Teresine’s life and how her interactions with the Fey cause unforeseen consequences for her family.  The only thing that even makes this a Fantasy story is the inclusion of the Fey, though it is a different world with many vaguely Asian elements.  If anything, I found the combination interesting.  However, the story itself was a bit predictable, the main issue was too easily resolved in a very uncontroversial way despite the issue’s extreme controversy in reality, and the pacing was slow.  Also, I got the impression that the matriarchal society was “superior”.  Even though the Euskalans did seem to have a better life, especially compared to the life that Teresine lived while she was in Jayasita, the only power that the men seem to have is that they are able to choose their partners.  They don’t have any power within the government, and though the women’s choice of whether or not to have a family is an admirable aspect, I don’t agree that any form of society where the genders aren’t completely equal is superior.  The Euskalan society is just a reversal of gender roles with the added benefit of a lack of double standards in regards to sex and relationships.  It was believable, but not Feminist.

Because of this book’s emphasis on the women’s story, a female-centric part of a much larger world, and a plot that reads like a Lifetime movie, along with the fact that men don’t have much of a voice, I can only recommend it to those who prefer that type of story and/or brand of “Feminism”.

Thursday’s Quotables #10

Published on by Rachelle

exhausted

I had three Finals back to back yesterday.  I’m exhausted mentally.  I had several items on my to-do list for today, but nothing so important that it can’t wait until tomorrow.  I’m staying in my pajamas, and I plan on spending most of the day with Dresden the cat, my Doctor Who blanket, several cups of tea, and a book or two.  So, today’s quotes are all about books:

I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library. – Jorge Luis Borges

Or, a fully stocked bookstore with a cafe that serves all my favorite snacks and teas…

Build yourself a book-nest to forget the world without. – Abraham Cowley

On the other hand, staying at home with my own library and kitchen is better…

Pre-slumber reading should be a kind of small private devotion during which we beat a quiet retreat from the practical. – “Pillow Books” by Clifton Fadiman

Because then I can also take a nap whenever I feel like it…

“You”, he said, addressing the desk and its multiple burdens, “can wait for a day.  So can you,” he said to the wall, and defiantly plucked a mystery novel from the shelf.  He glanced around belligerently, as though daring any of the furnishings to object, but there was no sound but the whirring of the electric fire.  He switched it off and, book under his arm, left the study, flicking off the light.” – Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon

Bye for now!  I’ll be back tomorrow.  Until then, I hope you’re able to take at least an hour or two to escape reality with a good book 🙂

 

Tuesday’s Tunes and Things #3: Winter

Published on by Rachelle

It’s getting closer to Christmas, but I’m not quite in the mood for Christmas music yet.  So, I’ve included my “Winter” playlist in this Tuesday’s Tunes and Things instead.  Also, since many of you might still be looking for that perfect gift or stocking stuffer (or you want to treat yourself to a little something), I’ve included a second bookish holiday gift guide (otherwise known as my wishlist part 2).

Winter Playlist