Levels (I’m going to try for Gold):
I’ve been watching all my favorite holiday movies, and reading a couple of my favorite holiday books, while eating popcorn, drinking hot chocolate with marshmallows, and wearing my Hobbit Cardigan, favorite pajamas, and fuzzy socks. The playlist below is the much shorter version of the Christmas music I love to have on in the background until I get sick of it and take it off my mp3 player until next year.
Currently Reading: The Broken Sword by Poul Anderson and We Are the Birds of the Coming Storm by Lola Lafon, both review books, and Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott, for the read-along.
Finished: Villette by Charlotte Brontë which I reviewed on Saturday, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon, and Soldier of Blood and Fortune by Emma J.R. Hawk, the 2nd book in what was supposed to be a serial. I was told by the publisher back when I agreed to review Justice in a Dead Land that each new part would be published every Monday (this is also stated on the book description on Amazon). It’s been two months since Soldier of Blood and Fortune was published, so I’m a bit irritated at having wasted my money.
Total pages read for the week: 962
Total number of books for the year: 61 (I don’t count Soldier of Blood and Fortune as a book). It feels so good to finish the books that I’ve struggled to finish for months! I’m not quite caught up on my review books yet, so I may end up having to push one or two of them back to January, but I’m hoping to catch up after this week so that it only affects those books.
What are you reading this week?
Today ends week four of the Ivanhoe read-along. We’ve read chapters 26 – 31, 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 and here. Below is the chapter breakdown:
An interesting little fact about Sir Walter Scott: He married Charlotte Genevieve Charpentier on Christmas Eve, 1797, after only 3 weeks of courtship.
[SPOILERS] Not much happens in this week’s chapters, but at the same time, it feels like everything happens. Locksley, his men, and the Black Knight storm the castle after Wamba switches places with Cedric. Front-de-Boeuf is gravely injured by the Black Knight, and then dies in a fire that Ulrica, the daughter of Torquilstone, sets in a final act of revenge for her family being killed. Ulrica dies as one of the castle turrets collapses, De Bracy surrenders and is taken prisoner, and the Templar runs off with Rebecca. Athelstane attempts to save her, believing that she’s the lady Rowena, but he’s killed(?) by the Templar. [SPOILERS]
Is it horrible that I like Ulrica? I really like Ulrica. I think I know who the Black Knight is, but I won’t say anything until I know for sure. I’ve had my suspicions for quite a while now, so hopefully we’ll find out in the next few chapters. I also think that, unless something goes ridiculously wrong with the story, I will be adding this book to my Through the Magic Door list. With the exception of the Romantic era writing style, many of the story’s other elements remind me of The Princess Bride by William Goldman. Action! Adventure! True Love! Oh, and the following line that made me giggle:
“I am ready,” answered Athelstane, “to stand the worst of their malice, and shall walk to my death with as much composure as ever I did to my dinner.”
I just can’t read that line with a straight face, despite Athelstane saying it in all seriousness.
How are you enjoying the book so far? What are your thoughts on the story, characters, setting, etc? Please mark any spoilers.
Villette by Charlotte Brontë wasn’t the easiest book to read, and I didn’t enjoy it nearly as much as Jane Eyre. I liked it, but I frequently read several chapters while wondering where the story was going. The first 3 chapters didn’t seem to be leading anywhere, especially since this is supposed to be the narrator’s story. There was also a chapter towards the end in which she rambles on seemingly aimlessly about religion. Many of the other characters annoyed me at one point or another throughout the book, and I think that’s why it took so long for me to read it. I frequently put it aside to read other books after only a chapter because one of the characters, usually M. Paul or Ginevra Fanshawe, made me wish Lucy would let them have a piece of her mind. I was able to relate to Lucy though, especially when she first arrives in London, and I was sincerely hoping that her story would end happily. I wasn’t disappointed, but if anyone had asked me at anytime till well past the halfway point what I thought would bring about that happy ending, I wouldn’t have guessed correctly.
Book Outlet is a wonderful online bookstore that I recently found out about! I don’t know how they do it, but the books I bought look brand new. I thought they sold used books, which explained the low prices. On the one hand, I’m disappointed that I signed up for the No Book Buying Challenge before I knew just how awesome Book Outlet is, but, on the other, I’m very glad because without that challenge, I would probably end up even more broke than I am already.
I found one of the books at Hastings while I was out with my Best Friend. I got the other 3 from Book Outlet, thanks to a $10 credit I received for Black Friday. I found as many books as I could get for $10. I ended up going just over that amount, and after adding shipping, I only spent $4.96.
Total Cost: $9.95
This is the last Quotables of the year! If you love Fantasy, you probably love Harry Potter. It’s not a guarantee (I’m looking at you, Boyfriend.), but chances are you do. I feel like the books are Winter books, so I decided to dedicate this Quotables to the Boy Who Lived and his friends.
“It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.” – Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
“I solemnly swear that I am up to no good.” – Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
These two quotes, when put together (if you know the context, of course), show that following the rules isn’t always the right thing to do. That’s one of the many things I love about the Harry Potter books; the events and what Harry and friends do in response shows that it’s more important to think for yourself and do what your heart knows is right, rather than following along with what everyone else is doing.
“When in doubt, go to the library.” – Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
In an age when it’s so easy to find all the wrong information on the internet, this is becoming more and more true.
“One can never have enough socks,” said Dumbledore. “Another Christmas has come and gone and I didn’t get a single pair. People will insist on giving me books.” – Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
This quote is the truth, especially when it comes to fuzzy socks. I don’t mind getting books, though.
There are way too many quotes to put them all here, so I’m sure I’ll return to them in a later post. What are some of your favorite Harry Potter quotes? Whether from the book or the movie, tell me in a comment 🙂
