Top Ten Things I Love about Doctor Who

Last autumn I started watching Doctor Who after months of being told to by my "friends" and "family". ;) Finally I relented and it now has become my favorite TV show. :) If you are lucky enough to be my friend on Facebook you will see that I talk as much about Dr. Who on there as I do about Jane Austen and J.R.R. Tolkien here one my blog. However, today my blog breaks that trend and gives you the top ten things I love about Dr. Who.  Disclaimer right off the bat, this is the only sci-fi show I've ever watched and I'm actually not very familiar with Sci-fi in general (Star Wars, Ender's Game) so this is from a non-sci-fi geek who is just enjoying a great show. :)

1. Number one! The Doctor! Duh! It's kind of important if the main character is amazing! My favorite portrayal of the Doctor currently is that done by Matt Smith but I enjoy all of them. I enjoy the Doctor because he is compassionate, caring, fun and quite dorky. :)
2. Then of course his great companions! My favorites are probably Amy and Rory followed by Clara and then Donna but I like Martha too. They're so caring but quirky in their own way but all with their own issues. It's great to see how they grow as characters throughout the story. 
3. The T.A.R.D.I.S. The space ship with an attitude! 
4. The Weeping Angles- That actually is more of a love-hate relationship. They're my favorite villains but oh my goodness they're scary! My Dad got us a weeping angel mask and I tell you what when you have a little sibling sneak up behind you wearing that and you unknowingly turn around and see that it is terrifying! 
5. The historical characters the Doctor meets- The historical character episodes aren't my absolute favorites but I do enjoy them... especially the Agatha Christie one as she is one of my favorite authors and the references throughout that episode are hilarious! 
6. River Song! Not really a companion but she belongs on this list somewhere so here she goes. River is one of my favorite characters in Doctor Who. She's an interesting compliment to the Doctor that I would have never conceived but really works. Some of my favorite lines from Doctor Who are from her including, "Spoilers" and "Hello Sweetie". I may or may not say "Hello Sweetie" when I answer my phone (only when I know the person obviously). 
7. The Silence- Great villains and I really get a kick out of all of those memes with them. Maybe those memes are actually what I really love about the Silence. P.S. For those Whovians reading this, I totally made tally marks on my arms for April 23rd! 
8. The Sonic Screwdriver- It can work on anything but wood! 
9. I also love the sanctity held for life in the show. That's refreshing to see. 
10. And finally I love Doctor Who because of the great witty writing that makes me laugh every episode. :)

I didn't know how on earth I can give you a good synopsis of the show so if you're absolutely confused right now, just watch the show! ;) Thanks for reading! :)

Linking up with Mama Kat.

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It's Monday! Life, School and the Pursuit of Reading

Last week I didn't get an "It's Monday" posted an I'm sorry. I really hadn't done much reading and I still haven't this week but this week I'm not quite as crazy busy as I was last week. Not quite. I actually only got one blog post done last week, which was my link up for Top Ten Tuesday's which was about my Top ten favorite secondary characters in Austen. That was a really fun topic and you can check it out here. :)
Nothing much has changed in my reading world. I'm still listening to the audiobook of Elizabeth Gaskell's North and South and reading Mary Westcott's (Agatha Christie's pseudonym in her younger years) book Giant's Bread. 
School? Every semester of nursing school we have a 25 question pharmacology test over a million and one drugs (that might be an exaggeration) that haunts us all semester and we inevitably put off studying for until the last minute. Last week I had that test and it actually went quite well thankfully. :) I now have one test and then the final left and then I'll be free!!!! :)
Life? I've been making some beautiful crochet projects recently to raise money for my mission trip to Costa Rica. Here are some pictures of my creations. :) It's been fun making them in my very limited free time. :)

So that's my life right now. How's yours? 

Linking up with Book Journey. 

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Top Ten (secondary) Characters Who I Enjoy in Austen Novels

I can't get around it! I either have to be writing about Austen or Tolkien. ;) This week Broke and Bookish's Top Ten Tuesdays theme is "Top Ten Characters Who..."
So everyone knows the main characters from Jane Austen's novels but it's the side characters that in some ways really make the stories. Some of them are unique in that they are excessively annoying (Mrs. Norriss) or stupid but therefore humorous (Mr. Collins) or there are those that are genuinely great people (Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner). So here are my top secondary characters from Austen novels. :)

1. Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner (Pride and Prejudice)... Some of my favorite characters in all of Austen's novels and my favorite secondary characters in terms of people I'd want to be like. 

2. Mr. and Mrs. Bennett (Pride and Prejudice) .. I have always loved Mr. Bennett. He isn't a great father at all but he is such a hilariously sardonic character that I can't help but like. :) Mrs. Bennettt is just wow! I would hate for her to be my mother and I think Jane and Elizabeth turned out amazingly despite her and I am always impressed with the amount of respect they still treat her with is a good judge of their character. 

3. Mr. Collins (Pride and Prejudice)... Probably my favorite annoying secondary character because he isn't annoying enough that he makes me mad (that would be Mrs. Norriss). What he says, how he acts, everything about him just cracks me up. One of Austen's best secondary characters for sure. 

4. Lady Catherine de Bourgh (Pride and Prejudice)... Proud, domineering and rude but in the process sometimes humorous for it. I love the portrayal of her in the 1995 Pride and Prejudice.

5. Miss Bingley (Pride and Prejudice)... She thinks she's so clever and that by always agreeing and complimenting Mr. Darcy she's endearing herself to him. Little does she understand. Her attempts make me laugh and one of my favorite parts from Pride and Prejudice is this exchange between Mr. Darcy and Miss Bingley.

``I remember, when we first knew her in Hertfordshire how amazed we all were to find that she was a reputed beauty; and I particularly recollect your saying one night, after they had been dining at Neverfield, "She a beauty! -- I should as soon call her mother a wit." But afterwards she seemed to improve on you, and I believe you thought her rather pretty at one time.''

``Yes,'' replied Darcy, who could contain himself no longer, ``but that was only when I first knew her, for it is many months since I have considered her as one of the handsomest women of my acquaintance.''

6. Mr. Woodhouse (Emma)... The first hyperchondriac. ;) Frustrating and lovable all in one. :)
7. Mrs. Elton (Emma)... Another amazing side character that is excessively annoying and just to the point that she makes me mad. In Peter Leithart's book Miniatures and Morals he says that Mrs. Elton is the foil for Emma. In a lot of ways Mrs. Elton and Emma are very similar in how they try to control people's lives and if it wasn't for Mrs. Elton being as bad as she is you wouldn't like Emma nearly as much.
8. Miss Bates (Emma)... A very complicated character that you really have to learn along with Emma to love. I think all of us have a Miss Bates in our lives in one form or another that we have to learn to respect and love anyways.
9. Mrs. Allen and Mr. Allen (Northanger Abbey)... Mrs. Allen especially makes me laugh. She cares for little more than fashion and because Mr. Tilney happens to know about muslin he is immediately in her good books and quite the gentlemen.
10. Mrs. Norriss (Mansfield Park)... Probably my least favorite character in all of Austen. That, though, is why she is such a great secondary character. Her hypocrisy, her cruelty, everything about her just frustrates me to no end and I'm so glad when she gets sent off at the end by Lord Bertram. :)

So those are my favorite secondary characters of Austen. Half of them came from Pride and Prejudice but is because it is the best partially because it has such great secondary characters. :)

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Top Ten Bookish Things (That aren't books) That I'd Like to Own

So many possibilities for this one. :) I'm warning you, there's extreme geekness in this post. ;)


1) Bookshelves. Tons and tons of bookshelves. I'll need them for all the books I'll inevitably have (once I'm graduated from college and have money... ya' know). I'd like to get some of those really unique ones and maybe some built in ones like the one pictured.

Picture found here. 

2) Jane Austen bookmarks! Geek moment. Take a look at these I found on Etsy! I love them as they're take from original front pages of Austen's books. :)

Find it on Etsy

3) With the same thought, I really want some Doctor Who bookmarks. Geekiness to the extreme!

Find these on Amazon!

4) And this scarf from Etsy?!?!?! I need it... I'm convinced I do. I told my parents it can be my graduation present. A scarf with a map of the Lord of the Rings! Can't get much geekier then that!

Find it on Etsy. 

5) I love this tote bag off of Etsy too. It would be such a fun book bag!

Find it on Etsy! 

6) Of course I would love my own little book nook in my house someday.

Picture found here.

I ran out of time being busy with school so all you get is ten... believe me though, given some more time and I would have exploded the internet with more geeky stuff. ;)


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Stressing Monday

I fumbled along with a bit of reading and some audiobook listening this week in the midst of the crazy school week. I started Giants Bread by Mary Westcott (Agatha Christie's pseudonym in her early years) and then I am continuing to listen to North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell. So not much going on this week and as tests and projects begin to pile up I doubt that I'll get to much reading or listening done this week. Hopefully though I can fit some in without cutting into my study time. :)
Linking up with Sheila at Book Journey.

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Liebster Award

I'm so excited to announce that I got nominated for my SECOND blogger award! :) Morgan from XOXOMO nominated me for the Liebster award! 

For those of you not familiar with the Liebster Award it's a way to encourage readership and followers for new bloggers. I enthusiastically accept the nomination and in doing so must follow the rules. The rules are as follows:

1. That the AMAZING blogger that nominated you. 
2. Answer the 11 questions the nominator provided.
3. Nominate 11 other bloggers who have less than 200 followers.
4. Post 11 different question for your nominees to answer.
5. Contact your nominee to let them know that you've nominated them. 

Thank you so much for nominating me Morgan and here are my answers to your questions! 

1. Why did you start blogging? Haha... I'm not really sure. The urge just took me honestly. I've always wanted to be a writer and this was a way to do that. Obviously my blog has evolved a lot since I first started and gotten better (I think... I hope?) and I'm glad of that. 
2. If you could go on your dream vacation and money was no object where would you go? England, Scotland and Ireland. :)
3. If you could only wear one color for the rest of your life what would it be? Turquoise or blue. I'm torn between them. :)
4. What was the most meaningful book you ever read? The Bible is my automatic answer but besides that maybe A.W. Tozer's The Pursuit of God or R.C. Sproul's Chosen by God. 
5. What was the most boring book you ever read? When I was too young to be reading it, I read St. Augustine's Confessions and that definitely was the most boring book I have ever read but I was determined to read it and read it I did. Don't remember a thing though. 
6. What is your favorite time of year? Spring definitely! I don't like cold AT ALL and heat isn't my favorite either but I can handle it better. However spring is the perfect balance. 
7. What was the last movie you watched, was it a good one? The last movie I watched was a very old black and white film (not a silent film though) called The Ghost Train. You may recall I posted a review of it a loooooong time ago. It's just a fun, silly movie. :)
8. Are your nails painted right now? If so, what color? Actually, abnormally right now I have my toenails painted kind of a metallic lavender color. I really like the look. :)
9. Country or city girl? Country girl! 
10. What is one thing you wish you were better at? Singing... I just can't sing and I have always wished I could. I guess one can't everything right? Amazing looks, amazing brains AND an amazing voice??? ;)
11. If you had to teach a subject at school, what subjects do you think you would be most equipped to teach? Yikes! It would depend on what grade level. I think I would be qualified to teach literature at most any level but that's kind of an easy school subject. However, I do know a lot about that. I could probably do Composition, History and Spanish at certain levels too. I'm planning on being a homeschooling mom so I'll have to teach it all someday. :)

The blogs that I want to nominate today are:

1. Jayne's Blog
2. Let's Read
3. Jillian's Books
4. Innocent Smiley's Reviews
5. NutFreeNerd
6. Lost Generation Reader
7. Chased by My Imagination
8. Unscripted
9. Caffeinated Life
10. Victorious Heroine
11. The Introverted Reader

I'll have you know that actually coming with the number of bloggers I was supposed to is a vast improventt from my first blogger award where I only came up with four. It shows how much my blog has grown and all of the other great bloggers I have gotten to "meet"! I'm loving it! These are all great blogs and I recommend you go check them out! Some of them I've been following for awhile and others of them I've only just recently started following but I enjoy all of them. :)

The questions I want my nominees to answer are as follows:

1. Who's your favorite author?
2. What is your favorite book?
3. Why did you starting blogging?
4. What is your favorite TV show?
5. What is your favorite movie?
6. What is your current school status?
7. Peanut butter or nutella?
8. If you could go on your dream vacation and money was no object where would you go?
9. If you could read a book for the first time again what would it be and why? 
10. What is your favorite book to movie adaptation?
11. Do you like tea?

Those are all very deep and important questions that must be answered! ;) 

Thanks again Morgan for nominating me and and thank you readers for following me on my crazy blogging adventures. :)

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Top Ten Most Unique Books I've Ever Read

Today I'm linking up with The Broke and Bookish to bring you the top ten most unique books I've ever read. So here they are in no particular order and hoping I didn't forget something obvious. :)

1. The Book Thief by Martin Zusak...  Any book that has death narrating it is unique... just saying. 
2. Life Expectancy by Dean Koontz... A very different kind of book that looks at life through different lenses. A fun read. :) 
3. The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien.... No list is complete without including some Tolkien. :) In all honesty though, I don't think anyone could disagree that Tolkien's works inspired much of modern fantasy and remains unique in their creativity and majesty. 
4. Leave it to Psmith by P.G. Wodehouse... All of Wodehouse's books are unique but this one was even more so. :) Remains one of my favorite books to this day. :) 
5. The Screwtape Leters by C.S. Lewis... Unique to the extreme. I would really like to re-read this book actually because whenever I see excerpts from it I think "This is so good! I don't remember this!" I would highly recommend this book as an eyeopening novel that makes you look at your actions and your thoughts in a different light. 
6. The Picture of Dorian Grey by Oscar Wilde... I've mentioned this book a lot on my blog since reading it. I found it very thought provoking and definitely unique in the way it is written and what it discusses... especially for the time in which it was written. 
7. Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling... I'm not a crazy fan like some of those bloggers out there ;) but I do enjoy the Harry Potter books a lot and I consider them quite unique and incredibly imaginative. 
8. The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer... One of my favorite non-fiction novels. The way Tozer presents the theology in this I found to be unique, fresh and interesting. 
9. 1984, Animal Farm, Farenheight 451... I'm paring those three together. I read them all about the same time and they're sort of similar in their ideas. At the age when I read them with my limited experiences of the world I found them to be startlingly unique. Now that I'm older, more mature and know more about the world then I want to, I find that these ideas are sadly starting to come true. 
10. One Corpse Too Many by Ellis Peters... This is a fun mystery novel that I have always enjoyed for its unique setting in medieval times. I've always been a bit of a history lover as well as a mystery novel lover so when you combine thoughts you make me happy. :) It's so interesting to read a mystery novel where you don't have all of the modern conveniences that yyou normally think of. Government is very different, there's no fingerprinting and you can't get everywhere as quickly. 

I actually thought this list would be hard to make but once I started looking at my Goodreads list of books I'd read the list just flowed and soon I had too many so I had to cut back! 

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It's Monday and I'm Reading.... not very much

After a couple good weeks of reading this last week wasn't so good but I can definitely say that I had priorities. Some of those played out on my blog in that I didn't do one of my link ups because I was super busy. School is only going to get busier as this month progresses as I "look forward" to projects, tests, assessments and eventually finals. So this month and into the beginning of May my blog might take a back burner but I'll be back full swing once my summer break kicks in!

So what am I reading?

Last week I was able to continue listening to the audiobook of Elizabeth Gaskell's North and South. I'm making some slow but steady progress in it and I am still continuing to enjoy it.

I finished reading J.R.R. Tolkien's children's novel Roverandom, which was a fun read.

That was it though for this week. Nothing fancy. With school pressing down on me I doubt it will be anything fancy for the next several weeks. Hopefully I won't be too pressed for time that I won't be able to continue posting the "It's Monday" posts though. :)

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Five Friday Favorites: Favorite Books of 2014 So Far

I've read some great books so far this year so it was very hard to chose my five favorites but here they are (in no particular order)! :)

1. Ender's Game and Ender's Shadow by Orson Scott Card... I loved the science fiction, the twist and turns that were always popping up in both books and the great characters.
2. Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz... I know I've mentioned this book in previous posts but I really enjoyed this quirky book about a man who sees dead people and uses that to solve crimes. 
3. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde.... A very fascinating book that gives lots of food for thought about sin, art and beauty. 
4. The Warden by Anthony Trollope... Much like a Jane Austen novel, this book talks about money and marriage as well as the church. A fun book but with deep themes woven into it. 
5. The Children of Húrin by J.R.R. Tolkien... What list is complete without Tolkien? This is a great addition to the Middle Earth saga, expanding on the story of Túrin Turimbar and his sister and their tragic lives. 

I'd highly recommend all of those books as fun and edifying books. :) Links will take you to my reviews of them.

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Top Ten "Gateway" Books/Authors in my Reading Journey

Quick note before I get this blog post rolling... I'm having a link up for monthly resolutions so be sure to check out this post and link up! It's just a fun but helpful way to make some goals for the month.

So... "gateway books/authors... difficult to think about. I never wasn't in any genre (except sci-fi I guess) I never fell out of reading and I really can't remember starting reading. However, I will attempt this.

1. Dune by Frank Herbert... I guess you can say it got me into the sci-fi genre as it was the first sic-fi book I read. 
2. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen... It got me into reading Jane Austen's novels and really into the more adult classic novels. I read it when I was ten I think. I and already seen the 1995 film version multiple times as well as other film versions of Austen's novels so I wasn't unfamiliar with her works. 
3. Much Ado about Nothing by William Shakespeare... This was my first Shakespeare that I read that wasn't a children's or abridged version. Through it I began to ease myself into the world of Shakespeare. 
4. Hickory, Dickory Death by Agatha Christie... My first Agatha Christie book and the book that introduced me to mystery novels. I love her books and I've read almost all of them now. 
5. Redwall series by Brian Jaques... I remember reading a lot of those as a kid and I think they really got me going more into reading. They were also some of the earlier fantasy I read. 
6. All books by G.A. Henty... I think I read The Cat of Bupastes first but I don't remember. They're really great historical fiction with Christian tones. Those are what first really got me interested in history. There was a time when I wanted to be a history professor because of those books. :)
7. Jeeves and Wooster books by P.G. Wodehouse... Again I don't remember what the first one of those books I read was. They were the first books I read with British humor and I absolutely loved it! I can't recommend those quirky stories highly enough! 
8. Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling... These were the first "modern" books I read. Before that I'd read pretty much exclusively classics. Those books will always have a special place in my reading world. They aren't perfect books, and I do have problems with them, but they're still good books. 
9. Bridge to Terebethia by by Katherine Paterson... As I mentioned in some previous post, this was the first book where a main character died. I'd never heard of such a thing! It is a good book though not despite of that but partially because of that. 
10. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens... First Dickens I ever read and let me tell you reading one of those I feel like I should have earned a medal. While his books are very good.... they are also very loooooong. I didn't even much care for Great Expectations, Mrs. Havishman just freaked me out. However, this was my "gateway" into longer novels. Quite the shock to the system I will admit. However, once you can get through one you can tackle the rest. :) 

Linking up with Broke and Bookish.

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