General

Classic Remarks: February 3, 2017

Lee1 Comment

Classic Remarks is a meme hosted on Pages Unbound that poses questions each Friday about classic literature and asks participants to engage in ongoing discussions surrounding not only themes in the novels but also questions about canon formation, the “timelessness” of literature, and modes of interpretation.

This Weeks Prompt:
Tell us about your favorite poem or poet.

I know it’s probably a cliche, but I like Shakespeare. I don’t read a lot of famous poets, I stick to local poetry publications usually, but I really enjoy Shakespeare’s Sonnets.

There’s something so magical about the lyrical flow of Shakespeare’s work. It’s forgiving in a way that other poetry is not. With most poems, if you don’t read them correctly (if your timing is off) it’s going to sound completely horrible, or like something written by a third grader. But with Shakespeare, you can read it any way you like and it’s going to sound beautiful anyway.

Not to mention you get the fun of picking it apart!

My favorite is Sonnet 130:

My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun;
Coral is far more red than her lips’ red;
If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun;
If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head.
I have seen roses damask’d, red and white,
But no such roses see I in her cheeks;
And in some perfumes is there more delight
Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks.
I love to hear her speak, yet well I know
That music hath a far more pleasing sound;
I grant I never saw a goddess go;
My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground:
And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare
As any she belied with false compare.

What are your favorite poems/poets?

Top 5 Wednesday: February 1, 2017

LeeLeave a comment

Current Favorites that Aren’t Books

Sometimes it’s nice to take a break from books and talk about some other things you’ve been obsessed with. These all don’t have to be in the same category. Mix it up! What TV shows have you been enjoying, makeup you’ve been wearing, food you’ve been eating, etc.??
To participate in Top 5 Wednesday, just head over to their Goodreads Group and join the fun!

  1. I DON’T
  2. THINK I
  3. HAVE ANY
  4. OTHER INTERESTS
  5. !?!?!????!?!!!!!???

What are your current non-book faves?

What Are You Reading Wednesday: February 1, 2017

Lee5 Comments

What Are You Reading Wednesdays #WAYRW is a weekly feature on It’s A Reading Thing. Everyone is welcome to participate.

Grab the book you are currently reading and answer three questions:

  1. What’s the name of your current read?
  2. Go to page 34 in your book or 34% in your eBook and share a couple of sentences.
  3. Would you like to live in the world that exists within your book? Why or why not?

  1. Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink
  2. There is no ladylike way to tell him to push all he wants, that his mouth and body on mine are the only things keeping me from losing my hold on a reality I never questioned until these past days.
  3. I mean, at this point it seems nice enough even with the weird mystery, so sure… But only if I can be one of the girls with powers!

WWW Wednesday: January 25, 2017

LeeLeave a comment

Welcome to WWW Wednesday! This meme was formerly hosted by MizB at Should be Reading and revived on Taking on a World of Words. Just answer the three W’s!

The Three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

Currently Reading:  The Singer of All Songs by Kate Constable (Chanters of Tremaris, book 1)
I’ve read this series once before, but I realized the other day I was having trouble remembering some details. And the details I did remember made me want to reread it so I could remember them all!
Plus I always love the idea of magic through language (in this case song). And of course it’s elemental magic for the most part, which is always fun.
Calwyn almost seems boring in the beginning, but I’m not sure how exciting you can make a convent girl who does nothing but chores or singing at a wall to keep it frozen solid all day long really seem…. She get’s more interesting after she meets Darrow.

Recently Finished:  Library of Souls by Ransom Riggs (Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children, book 3)
I am never getting over my affection for Jacob’s stupid Hollow! I literally cried over that thing for heaven’s sake… And the ending really got me. Like I knew there had to be some way to make the ending happy, but at a certain point (I won’t say specifically in case some haven’t read it) I was feeling just as desperate and hopeless as Jacob and almost in tears.
I did have some trouble around the half-way point with this one because everything just seemed to be going wrong over and over and nothing going right, but I got past it and I’m so glad I kept reading.
Did I mention the Hollow? 😦 I miss him….

Reading Next:  Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink (Prophecy of the Sisters, book 1)
I’ll probably be reading this next, unless some miracle happens and the copy of The Waterless Sea that the public library ordered comes in and I can continue with the Chanters of Tremaris series.
Also if I have any luck at all, I’ll manage to read some more on The Tale of Oriel since I just stopped part way through a while back and never got back to it! It’s not that it’s bad, it’s just that I hit a reading slump while I was reading this one and now I’m having trouble making myself get back to it in case the slump comes back!

Top 5 Wednesday: January 25, 2017

LeeLeave a comment

Favorite Underrated Books

Give some love to those books that aren’t as widely talked about. Those hidden gems. Those books that maybe used to be popular but people have forgotten about and they still deserve some love.
To participate in Top 5 Wednesday, just head over to their Goodreads Group and join the fun!

I wound up with a list of book series instead of individual books, but whatever!

  1. The Books of Bayern // Shannon Hale
  2. The Tillerman Cycle // Cynthia Voigt
  3. The Underland Chronicles // Suzanne Collins
  4. Princess Academy Series // Shannon Hale
  5. The Chanters of Tremaris Series // Kate Constable

What underrated books do you love? Comment or make your own Top 5 Wednesday post!

What Are You Reading Wednesdays: January 25, 2017

LeeLeave a comment

What Are You Reading Wednesdays #WAYRW is a weekly feature on It’s A Reading Thing. Everyone is welcome to participate.

Grab the book you are currently reading and answer three questions:

  1. What’s the name of your current read?
  2. Go to page 34 in your book or 34% in your eBook and share a couple of sentences.
  3. Would you like to live in the world that exists within your book? Why or why not?

  1. The Singer of All Songs
  2. Calwyn felt suddenly very solemn and serious. Usually during lessons and lectures she felt only a fierce desire to be elsewhere or an irresistible urge to fidget, but now she sat as still as a statue, sensing that what Marna was about to tell her was more important, and certainly more interesting, than herb lore or weaving patterns.
  3. I think I might, but only if I could be just a regular little background character doing my own thing, just enjoying my magic, while they went on the dangerous adventures.