Classic Months- April and May 2018

Classic Months April and May 2018

For the next two months, I will be reading at least the following eight classics. The order I have listed below will be the order that I plan on reading them in. They will not be the only books that I read during the two months, but I will definitely be reading these ones. Last year, I also did Classic months and I enjoyed it. It's great to dedicate some time to the classics and I love reading them. 

April: 

🐇 The Twenty-One Balloons by William Pène du Bois- This was recommended to me by one of my students almost two years ago. I never got the opportunity to read it at the time because of all the work with student teaching and at my university but I knew that I wanted to eventually. The student told me at the time that it was one of his favorite books ever. I recently picked this up at a book sale and wanted to make it the first book that I read this month.


🐇 Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson- I will be watching a movie version of this for my Perspective review. This will be my second Robert Louis Stevenson story. My first was The Strange Case of Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde. I did not really like that story that much but I'm hoping that I like this more. I'm excited to pick this up, especially in regards to comparing it to the movie that I plan on watching with it.


🐇 Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome- This is supposed to be a very funny novel and I hope that it is. I have been looking forward to reading this ever since I found it at a book sale two or three years ago.


🐇 Persuasion by Jane Austen- I enjoyed Pride and Prejudice in February and planned on picking up another one of Jane's books sometime soon. So I figured why not pick up one this coming month. This was her last finished novel and I had a professor tell me how much he loved it. I can't wait to pick it up.


Other books that I may also read:
🐇 Three Men on the Bummel by Jerome K. Jerome- A continuation of Three Men in a Boat. Depending on my feelings for the first book, I may or may not pick this one up. I'm hoping that they are both good.


🐇 The Mystery Of Briony Lodge by David Bagchi- A cross between the characters of Three Men in a Boat and Sherlock Holmes. It looks like it is going to be really funny. This one is not a classic but I figured that if I like Three Men in a Boat enough I should probably pick this one up too.

May:
🌸 The Winter's Tale by William Shakespeare- I have never read this play and have heard that it is a good one. I don't know much about it going in which I believe is going to be an interesting way of reading it. There has never been a time that I have read one of his plays knowing nothing about it. At least that I can think about. This I think will be my twelfth read play of Shakespeare's. I hope to read at least three more this year.


🌸 This Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald- I have only ever read The Great Gatsby and a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Gatsby is one of my favorite books of all time and I have been wanting to read another one of his books. This is the first book that he ever wrote. He wrote it when he was twenty-three years old and it's semi-autobiographical. I can't wait to devel into another one of his books and I'm hoping that it is a good one. This is probably the book that I have hyped up the most from any of the books that I plan on reading these two months.


🌸 Orlando by Virginia Woolf- Virginia Woolf is another author that I have been wanting to read more of for years. I enjoyed Mrs. Dalloway the two times I have read it for class. Also, I have read a couple of her short stories and parts of Room of One's Own. Virginia Woolf is one of the most interesting writers that I have ever read and I want to eventually read the rest of her works. Especially this book and her letters.


🌸 The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame- I believe that I watched the Disney short made of this story when I was a child but I don't really remember too much of it. This is another book that I have been meaning to read for years but have not had the chance yet. I will be watching a movie version of this called Mr. Toad's Wild Ride (Wind in the Willows in the UK) for my Perspective review. I don't know if it's another story loosely based on the book or if it is directly based off of this book. This was made by some of the Monty Python troupe (who I love so much) and has many of them in it, so I'm looking forward to seeing their take on the story.


I will also be reading:
🌸 The Willows in Winter by William Horwood- A sequel to the original The Wind in the Willows by another author. I don't know how this is going to be but I do plan on reading it. We will see.

Favorite Teachers/Mentors/ Top 5 Wednesday

Favorite Teachers/Mentors/ Top 5 Wednesday

March 28th, 2018

This week's topic was on our favorite teachers/ mentors. Below, I have listed my favorites from books and movies. I cheated and made one of the answers three different people but I could not pick between the three. All of these favorites are in no particular order. 

Top 5 Wednesday is a group created by Lainey of Ginger Reads Lainey on Booktube. It is now hosted by Sam of Thoughts on Tomes on Booktube. Here is a link to the group on Goodreads if you are interested in joining.

5. Ford Prefect from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

- Ford is an unconventional teacher for Arthur. He helps Arthur learn about hitchhiking through experience and then will explain what is going on along the way. I have always enjoyed Ford as a character, he's one of my favorites out of the books. Him and his interactions, especially with Arthur are some of the best scenes in the book.

4. Obi-Wan/ Yoda/ Luke Skywalker from the Star Wars Series (this contains some minor spoilers for the series including from Episode 8: The Last Jedi)
- I wanted to put each of these Jedi masters into a category together because they are all favorites of mine. Each has a specific way of teaching their Padawan's/ pupils that fit their personalities perfectly.

- When he is younger and older, Obi-Wan tries to impart the wisdom of the Force and tries to help his apprentices to mature and grow in knowledge and wisdom. We see Obi-Wan teach at two different times in his life and both of his teaching methods are based on what he has experienced. This is also true with Luke and Yoda.

- Yoda's teaching methods, especially in The Empire Strikes Back are some of my favorite scenes in any of the movies. Yoda is not at all what Luke is expecting from a Jedi master but over time he learns a great deal from him. A lot of how he teaches Luke is through aphorisms and philosophy. Luke similar to his future mentee is expecting something else entirely from his mentor. Luke does not only learn how to use his Jedi powers as a way of defense but also as a way of meditation. Yoda challenges Luke and also tries to show him what he has to work on through strengths and weaknesses.

-Luke is an interesting teacher/ mentor for Rey. We have seen a change in Luke from the end of Return of the Jedi to The Last Jedi, from the farm boy turned Jedi. His optimism is gone and this is a change that many including Rey were not expecting to see. He has dealt with a lot in the thirty or so years and has become disillusioned because of a mistake he made with Ben Solo. Rey goes to Luke expecting something completely different than what she actually got. This sort of mirrors Yoda's first appearance in Empire. Luke has become a legend in our world but also in his own galaxy. His lessons for Rey deal with not only himself but also of the mistakes of the Jedi of the past. The problem of hubris with the Jedi is one of these lessons.

3. Gandalf from the Lord of the Rings Series
- There is an archetype that is well known called "the wise old man". Gandalf has always been one of the characters that I first think of when I hear this phrase (the other is number one on this list). He is first introduced in the books as an old man riding in a cloak with a long white beard. Characteristics of the archetype themselves but also not all of it. Gandalf is a wise man who teaches Frodo and also many others in the Fellowship. I remember really loving his character as a child and I still do to this day. He's a teacher/ mentor that I would have enjoyed to have myself.

2. Morrie Swartz from Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom
-The only real person on this list. I first read Tuesdays with Morrie in high school and loved it. Morrie was Mitch's college professor but also his teacher in his adulthood. The lessons that Mitch learns in the book are life lessons that each of us could use. Morrie was a man who imparted valuable information onto his students. This wonderful man's last months left a lasting impact on Mitch but also on so many other's. I still remember this memoir to this day and think about it often.

1. Merlin from the King Arthur tales
- I was first introduced to Merlin with the Disney movie The Sword in the Stone
(I later read the wonderful book). Merlin has had so many iterations over the years and I have enjoyed the ones that I have come across. The one from the Disney movie has always stuck in my head though.

Reviews Week 12

Reviews Week 12

March 19th- 25th, 2018

Book 36: Heartstopper by Alice Oseman 

Read March 20th, 2018

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I really enjoy webcomics and was glad that I found this one the other day. Nick and Charlie are so adorable and I just kept wanting to read more and more. Right now I have read all updates up until today (March 26th, 2018) and cannot wait until the next one on April 1st. This was adorable and Charlie may have stolen my heart with everything.

What I believe is the best part of these comics is the beautiful illustrations. Alice is a very talented illustrator and that is what made me want to read these. I can't wait to read much more of her work and see what happens next with Nick and Charlie. 

Book 37: Nick and Charlie by Alice Oseman

Read March 20th, 2018

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A great little love story that I just adore. I decided to read this right after finishing Heartstopper because I loved Nick and Charlie. This did not disappoint me in the slightest. It was great seeing the future of their relationship in this story and I really enjoyed them together. Sure first love doesn't always last and maybe I'm a "hopeless romantic" at heart but I rooted for them the whole time. They are adorable and I adored them in this just as much as in the comics.  

This follows Nick and Charlie in their last days together in school before Nick graduates. Everyone refers to them as 'Nick and Charlie' as if that will save them from the inevitability of how hard a long distance relationship will be. Nick is excited about college and Charlie is afraid of the separation and what will happen to them after Nick leaves. Both have to question if their relationship can take it. 

I know that I will be continuing on with Alice's other books after reading this because I really love her writing style. Also, her characters feel real and genuine. This is a great young adult story that I hope others will find. It's cute and also has some great messages that I enjoyed reading. 

Book 38: Prince of Flames (The Dragori)

by Ben Alderson

Read March 22nd, 2018

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This world is very intriguing and I cannot wait to get into the other books eventually. It's a prequel to Ben's series and was just a quick tale of the prince and what has happened to him. I enjoyed this read and the world that Ben has created. I can't wait to see where it goes from here. 

Favorite Science Fiction & Fantasy in Other Media/ Top 5 Wednesday

Favorite Science Fiction & Fantasy in Other Media

Top 5 Wednesday

March 21st, 2018

For the topic this week, we were meant to pick our favorite science fiction and fantasy from media other than books. These are some of my top favorites from movies and a radio show. 

Top 5 Wednesday is a group created by Lainey of Ginger Reads Lainey on Booktube. It is now hosted by Sam of Thoughts on Tomes on Booktube. Here is a link to the group on Goodreads if you are interested in joining.

 

5. Monty Python and the Holy Grail: "Tis but a scratch"
I have loved King Arthur stories since I was a child and this one has been my favorite since around 2009. Monty Python has made some of the best movies of all time and this is one of them. They are some of the best at surrealist humor. This is about King Arthur and his Knights of the Roundtable who go on an adventure to find the Holy Grail for God and the ridiculousness that ensues. It's a parody of historical events and also fantasy stories. Below, I have placed some of my favorite scenes from the movie. I recommend it to anyone who hasn't seen it.

4. Hook:

This has always been one of my favorite "Peter Pan" movies. Peter Pan has grown up to be a workaholic man who does not spend much time with his family. When Captain Hook steals his children, Peter has to go back to Neverland and use his youthful spirit to save them. Robin Williams does a perfect job playing both sides of Peter in this movie and is incredible in it. Dustin Hoffman was also a great pick for Captain Hook. He's one of my favorite Hooks. This movie holds just as much of the wonder and magic as the original story of Peter Pan and is a lot of fun. It has been a favorite of mine for years and just thinking about it brings back happy memories.

3. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy radio show:
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is one of my top five favorite books (where it is on the list depends on the day). This radio show was actually what started the stories of Arthur Dent and the rest of the gang. It has changed a good amount in many of its formats but the overall story has stayed the same. Douglas Adams had this way of writing that I adore. The dry wit and surrealist humor is a favorite of mine. He's one of the best with British humor.

2. The Lord of the Rings series movies:
This is what I call the quintessential fantasy movies and trilogy. Every single aspect of these movies brings back so many memories for me and I have thought highly of them ever since I first saw them. As a child, I loved these movies but I did not even realize even then how incredible they really were. I have yet to read the books but I plan on rectifying that in the near future. This and my next favorite are two of my top favorite series of movies. Frodo and Sam are two of my favorite characters of all time and their adventure along with everyone else's is one of my favorite stories ever.

Also, when I was younger I could do an almost spot-on impression of Gollum. "My precious." He is great.

1. The Star Wars movies:
These movies along with the Disney movies are the earliest forms of entertainment that I remember consuming. This series is what holds the most memories though for me. My brother and I would always watch them together and we still make sure to go with each other to see the new ones. I remember watching them when I was little and being completely sucked into each of the stories. I fell in love with the characters, who really feel like family to me after all of these years.

My brother now is part of the 501st Legion, an international organization that dresses up as Star Wars villains for charities and events mainly for children (They make their own outfits. He's a  Stormtrooper). I have enjoyed going to these events with him and seeing the joy that Star Wars brings to those kids. It makes me think of my own love of it all and I'd love to join eventually (I would be a Royal Guard or a Praetorian Guard because I love those outfits). There is nothing like standing next to Darth Vader and his Stormtroopers. I still get chills standing beside those characters myself even though I know that they are just volunteers. I can only imagine what the kids think.

Star Wars has been a major part of my life for almost twenty years and I don't see that going away ever. I'm glad that it has continued on for the new generation and I can't wait to see where it goes from here.

No movie viewing experience will ever feel as great as seeing a Star Wars movie for the first time. Especially with that opening crawl.

Reviews Week 11

Reviews Week 11
March 12th-18th, 2018

Book 34: Eric by Terry Pratchett

Read March 12-13
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Parodies elements of Faust, The Illiad, The Odyssey, and Dante's Inferno.
Synopsis 
Eric, a fourteen-year-old demonology hacker, has tried to summon a demon to make three wishes. Instead of getting a demon, he somehow gets Rincewind (the worst wizard ever, well at least one of them). Eric is very bad at his job but Rincewind might just be worse. For his three wishes, he wants to live forever, become the master of the kingdoms in the world, and meet the most beautiful woman who has ever lived (or at least one of the top 100 or so).

By some unforeseeable reason, Rincewind is somehow able to make these wishes happen. At least a version of them. Eric does not know what he has gotten himself into. The adventure that he, Rincewind, and the Luggage go on will make him wish that he was never born.

Thoughts
The ninth novel in the Discworld series and the fourth in the Unseen University/Rincewind subseries. Rincewind is one of the characters I always enjoy seeing in the series. His books have never been my favorites but this one was the best so far of his subseries. He is hilarious to read about especially with all of the other characters of the Discworld. This is another book in the series that can be read by itself but I still do recommend reading the other books. There are so many in-jokes in this book that make more sense after reading the other books. You don't have to read them to read this book though. I have reviews for many of the other books in the series if you would like to check them out. Here is a link to them: Terry Pratchett's Discworld.

My favorite part of this book is the parodies throughout. I love how Terry plays off of these stories and is able to create his own unique take on them. His dry wit and jokes always amuse me and this was one of the best.

I am going to say that I'm not a big fan of the illustrations in this version of the book. They were okay but not the best for the series. Paul Kidby is a much better illustrator. One of my major complaints is that Rincewind is made to look too much older than he should be. This does not go against my reading experience or how much I enjoyed the book. It is still another favorite from the series.

Favorite Scenes

1. The Discworld's version of the Battle of Troy: This was probably my favorite part of this book and one of the best scenes in the series so far. I loved Terry's takes on these scenes and how this played into one of Eric's three wishes. 

2. Eric and Rincewind's voyage into Hell: I'm not going to go to much into details here but this was another part of the book that I loved. Terry's character that is supposed to be a version of Odysseus is the best minor character in this book. His scene in Hell/Hades/ The Underworld is hilarious. 

Book 35: Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close 

by Jonathan Safran Foer 

Read March 16-17
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After Oskar's father dies in the World Trade Center on 9/11, Oskar finds an envelope with a key. He sets out on a mission to figure out the mystery of this key. It will lead him on a journey throughout the five boroughs of New York, to meet many different people and also to find some peace. There feeling of uncertainty that follows, when he believes that his mother is not grieving for his father in the correct ways. He is also trying to come to terms with how he should feel himself. He might have lost his father but this new mystery makes him feel close to him still. What lock will the key fit into and does it even matter?

Told in a stream of consciousness narrative, we follow Oskar and also his grandparents. Oskar's perspective was written in an interesting way that I was engrossed in the entire time. He would be thinking about one thing and would tell you about it and then go to something else entirely. Sometimes you might even wonder why something he has said was important. It all is.
We also get the story of Oskar's grandparent's whose love story was a stunning experience.

Jonathan Safran Foer has a writing style like no other that I have ever read. I thought that all of the perspectives felt authentic and added a lot to this heartbreaking story. I connected to each of the characters but to Oskar the most. He broke my heart, especially with that powerful ending. I would have been around the same age as Oskar when 9/11 happened and I cannot even begin to imagine what he goes through in this book. The grief that he, his mother, and grandmother have to go through was something that was reflected well in this narrative. This is a story that has touched my heart more than most and I know that I will always remember it. I have never cried as much with a book like I did near the ending of this.

I will be doing my book to movie adaptation review on this compared to its movie. This was a movie that I really loved when I watched it years ago. I can't wait to see how they compare to each other. 

St. Patrick's Day Book Tag

☘️ St. Patrick's Day Book Tag ☘️

March 17th, 2018

Happy St. Patrick's Day to all of the other Irish out there or to anyone celebrating. I'm hoping for some luck of the Irish this weekend.

This tag was created by BookaflixTaylor on her Youtube channel: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISNX3Fpt3cc

St. Patrick’s Day- Your Favorite Green Book
☘️ The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell by Chris Colfer- This series will always be a favorite.


Corned Beef & Cabbage- A Book That Made You Hungry
☘️ Heartless by Marissa Meyer- Cath is a baker in a good amount of this book and every time she talked about her baked goods, I wanted to eat them. 


Four Leaf Clover- A Book or Item that was a Rare, Good Luck Find
☘️ Stardust by Neil Gaiman- This edition of Stardust came out in 2007 when the movie came out. Originally, the book was illustrated just like this when it came out in 1997.  Then it was published as a regular novel years later. I feel lucky to be able to have this edition. It's stunning.


Irish Whiskey- A Book So Bad, You Need a Drink to Get Over It
☘️ Gargantua and Pantagruel by François Rabelais- It would actually be kind of ironic if I needed to drink to get over this book but anyway. I read this book during my second semester in college sometime in early 2013 for my European Literature class. I despise this book with all of my being and I read a good amount of it for class, we didn't actually read the entire thing though. It's over 1000 pages long and I probably would have gone insane if I had to read the entire thing. This book is the worst thing I have ever read. It's been five years and I still remember some of the "humor." The obscene humor is gross and I hated every moment of it.  


Irish Dancing- A book So Good, it Made You Want to Dance in Excitement
☘️ My most recent one is Eric by Terry Pratchett. It was so darn great! Can't wait to write my review for it.


Ireland- A Book that Made You Want to Travel to Another Country
☘️ Greece because of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series by Ann Brashares- I remember becoming obsessed with Santorini when I read these books back in middle school and high school. These were a favorite of mine for a long time. 


The Pub- A Meeting Place in a Book You Would Love to Go to
☘️ The Room of Requirement in Hogwarts from the Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling

☘️ The Fairy kingdom in The Land of Stories by Chris Colfer

☘️ The Heart of Gold from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams because I would love to travel with Arthur, Ford, Zaphod, and Trillian.

Future Classics Book Tag

Future Classics Book Tag

Tag Tuesday- March 13th, 2018

I have loved reading classics since I was in middle school. They are actually one of the reasons that I went into teaching English, to begin with. I enjoy reading classics and also literary fiction books that I believe could be classics someday. 

Original by Eric Karl Anderson

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMLUIAIHkfs

1) Pick an established classic that you think will still be relevant in the future. 
Obviously, anything Shakespeare because the themes still resonate with us after so many centuries. I know that they will in the future also.


2) Pick a recent book which you feel has gone under the radar, but which you’re confident will be a future classic.
School of Velocity by Eric Beck Rubin-One of my most recent reads that I believe deserves to be considered a classic one day. It holds a lot of great messages and I feel like it will stand the tests of time like many of the other classics out there. A wonderful book that I enjoyed a lot. I have just done a review on it if you would like to check that out. 2018 Reviews Week 9


3) Pick a title that won one of your favorite book prizes recently which you think will still be lauded in 50 years time.
Tell the Wolves I'm Home by Carol Rifka Brunt- It got the Alex Award in 2013 by the YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Association) This is an incredible book that I think should be praised for 50+ years.

4) Pick a recent book you haven’t read yet, but which you think might become a classic based on reputation alone (reviews, responses on GoodReads, booktube recommendations, etc).
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas- This is one of the most popular books in recent times and I do believe that it will be considered a classic one day.

5) Pick a favorite book that you want to save for your grandchildren (or your friends’ grandchildren) to read in 50 years time.
There are so many books that I would save for my future grandchildren to read. the Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling,  The Land of Stories series by Chris Colfer, anything by Leigh Bardugo or Laini Taylor, The Discworld series by Terry Pratchett or anything by him, and so many more. That's just to name a few.