The Book Tag

I've seen this tag awn a few different blogs and naturally had to steal it!

1. What book has been on your shelf the longest? I'm not even sure. Probably my Chronicles of Narnia collection.

2. What is your current read, your last read, and the book you’ll read next? Currently I'm reading Home by Marilynne Robinson. I just finished Gilead by Marilynne Robinson. Next I'm not sure. There's another book I need to read for premarital counseling and then once I'm done with Home I'll read the next book in the series Lila.

3. What book did everyone like, but you hated? Gulliver's Travels. HATE IT. And Wutheirng Heights. I guess not everyone likes it but a lot must because it's a classic.

4. What book do you keep telling yourself you’ll read, but you probably won’t? At this point I'm really worried I'll never get to War and Peace. I really want to though... but I might not.

5. What book are you saving for retirement? Maybe it should be War and Peace? ;)

6. Last page: read it first, or wait ’til the end? Wait until the end of course! I honestly have a hard time comprehending people that read ahead.

7. Acknowledgement: waste of paper and ink, or interesting aside? Interesting but let's get to the good stuff!

8. Which book character would you switch places with? Anne Shirley AFTER she came to Green Gables.

9. Do you have a book that reminds you of something specific in your life? (Place, time, person?) I tend to associate every book I read when I was working at the pig farm with the pig farm. More so than anything I've ever read in another location. This especially goes for Little Dorrit as not only did I read it there but I watched it there. Our Mutual Friend as well I definitely link strongly to the pig farm.

10. Name a book that you acquired in an interesting way. I can't think of any of my books that I've acquired in an interesting way. I've got them from many random sources: gifts, book sales, giveaways.... stole from my parents. ;)

11. Have you ever given a book away for a special reason to a special person? I've given away a lot of books before... not for a special reason though that I can think of.

12. Which book has been with you most places? Probably my Bible.... I guess. That's what I consistently take with me when I travel. Besides that the books I'm traveling with vary.

13. Any “required reading” you hated in high school that wasn’t so bad two years later? I enjoyed Ivanhoe a lot more when I re-read it a couple years ago than when I read it back in high school.

14. Used or brand new? If I can get it brand new for a decent price then great! Otherwise I'd rather pay less for a slightly used book.

15. Have you ever read a Dan Brown book? No.

16. Have you ever seen a movie you liked more than the book? Sacrilegious! However, I do kind of like the movie of The Book Thief a little more than the book.

17. Have you ever read a book that’s made you hungry, cookbooks included? All of Brian Jacques's books made me hungry. How could they not.?Every feast was described with such tantalizing details.

18. Who is the person whose book advice you’ll always take? My dad's.

19. Is there a book out of your comfort zone (e.g., outside your usual reading genre) that you ended up loving? Cinder and the rest in the Lunar Chronicles. I rarely read YA novels and sci-fi fairy tales aren't something I read normally either. ;)


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A-Z Book Tag

I saw this tag over at A Spoonful of Happy Endings and had to do it!

Author you've read the most books from Agatha Christie.... she wrote a lot of books and I've read them all. 
Best sequel ever Hmmm.... Love The Two Towers, love the Harry Potter sequels and love the Anne of Green Gables sequels. 
Currently reading A lot but I'll just highlight one... Catching Foxes by John Henderson
Drink of choice while reading Water, hot chocolate or tea. E-reader or physical book Physical book though I do like my kindle and ebooks are growing on me.

Fictional character you probably would have actually dated in high school Henry Tilney hands down. He makes me laugh but isn't afraid to challenge me. 
Glad you gave this book a chance Cinder by Marissa Meyer. Heard lots of hype about it but never read the series until just last year.
Hidden gem book Coronation of Glory: The Story of Lady Jane Grey by Deborah Meroff. If you like historical fiction you'll love this beautiful and historically accurate look at the life of Lady Jane Grey. Important moment in your reading life I don't even know where to begin. I don't even really remember first learning to read very well. I have hazy recollections. I was pretty young. Obviously though that was very important. Every time I've read Lord of the Rings has been important as well as Pride and Prejudice. Those two books are my favorite and every time I read them I get more out of them. I'll never get tired of them and they'll never stop being important to me.  Just finished Gilead by Marilynne Robinson Kind of books you won't read I'll try most anything at least once except erotica obviously. I don't really read horror but that's just because I haven't yet bothered to pick one up. It's not off the table yet.  Longest book you've read Having to check Goodreads for the answer to this... and the answer is The Complete Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. That is a compilation but I really did read it all in one big hefty book. So besides a compilation book the answer would be Les Miserables by Victor Hugo. 
Major book hangover because of... Weird term... I'm not sure how to answer that. Number of bookcases you own I own one regular bookshelf. I have my spinning bookshelf. I also just recently got a bookshelf for free second hand but I went ahead and moved it into Brian's house since it didn't make sense to move it into my house and then move it into his house in just a month or so. 
One book you have read multiple times Pride and Prejudice, Lord of the Rings, Coronation of Glory, This Present Darkness and Piercing the Darkness, Harry Potter series Preferred place to read In my bed, on the couch... anywhere comfy.  Quote that inspires you/gives you all the feels from a book you've read "You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you."  Reading regret I regret reading some books... Gulliver's Travels, Leaves of Grass, The Sound and the Fury, Beloved, The Austen Project's Northanger Abbey Series you started and need to finish (all books are out in series) The Wingfeather Saga... I still need to read the last book The Warden and the Wolf King Three of your all-time favourite books Pride and Prejudice, The Lord of the Rings and Leave it to Psmith if I have to chose. Unapologetic fangirl for... I'm an unapologetic fangirl for whatever books love. Especially Pride and Prejudice and Lord of the Rings though. Very excited for this release more than all the others The next book in N.D. Wilson's Outlaws of Time series.  Worst bookish habit Reading multiple books at a time.  X marks the spot: start at the top left of your shelf and pick the 27th book Most all of my books are off my shelf right now because I boxed them up and sent them to Brian's.  :(
Your latest book purchase Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly
ZZZ-snatcher book (last book that kept you up WAY late) I stayed up pretty late to finish up Gilead last week. 
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It's Monday! Depression and Anxiety

This past week I finished a book that I've been reading for quite a long time but has never shown up in my It's Monday posts and it took me awhile to even put it on Goodreads. Why? Cause I was a little ashamed... though I shouldn't have been. The book is Depression: Looking up From the Stubborn Darkness and as is obvious from the title it deals with depression though it also deals with anxiety. I started reading it two years ago with my mentor... it's taken us a long time (she's a much slower reader than I am) but I've finally finished it! Back when I started it I was in the midst of nursing school. With my grandma's stroke and then my grandpa's failing health I had begun to deal some with anxiety and depression but nursing school dramatically increased them both... especially my anxiety. Anxiety and Depression were not something really talked about growing up and unwittingly I became under the impression they were something we didn't talk about. That's not my parents fault at all and I do have a very open relationship with them both. Thanks to my mentor as well as my parents my anxiety and depression never got too bad. This book was a huge encouraging influence on me as well and was incredibly helpful. It didn't read like one of those self help books... it was practical and biblical wisdom with real stories from real people who had dealt with these issues. I cannot recommend it enough whether you are struggling with anxiety and depression or are a friend or family member of someone dealing with anxiety or depression.
Now I'm not saying that I'm "cured" or that I ever will be. But I'm in a much better place than I used to be. Yes I get anxious sometimes though I really don't get depressed too much anymore. I'm equipped now to deal with those issues when they come. Will I always respond perfectly? No! But by God's grace I'll respond well at least most of the time.
Final thoughts before I get to my normal It's Monday business... If you are dealing with anxiety and depression know that you are not alone and do not be afraid to get help. :)

Finished this Week

• Depression: Looking up From the Stubborn Darkness by Edward T. Welch
• Gilead by Marilynn Robinson 

Currently Reading

• Catching Foxes by John Henderson
• In Freedom's Cause by G.A. Henty (audiobook) (re-read)
• Total Truth by Nancy Pearcey

Coming Soon

• Home by Marilynn Robinson 

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Top Ten Most Unique Books

This week's Top Ten Tuesday theme over at Broke and Bookish is the Top Ten Most Unique Books You've Read. This topic was used back in April of 2014 so I'm not going to include any of the books from that list but if you want to check it out just go HERE.
But now for an all new list of unique books!

1. Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams 
2. The Gurnsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Anne Shaffer and Annie Barrows
3. A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket
4. The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde
5. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
6. The Martian by Andy Weir 
7. Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
8. The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker
9. The Space Trilogy by C.S. Lewis
10. Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell

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It's Monday! Spring is here!

Kansas weather is all over the place. It decides to be spring in January for a few days and then back to winter and then spring and then winter and then spring and just back and forth and back and forth. Once January hits I feel like the weather is especially unpredictable! I think I can semi-safely say now though that we are maybe, hopefully enjoying a spring that is not going to turn back in to winter tomorrow... maybe.
The red bud tree in our yard is in bloom and the lilac bush as well. Not to mention the dandelions! ;) The weather has been pretty gorgeous and I'm loving it! I feel like it's the best weather though on the days I work. :(

Currently Reading

• Gilead by Marilynne Robinson 
• In Freedom's Cause by G.A. Henty (audiobook) (re-read)
• Catching Foxes by John Henderson
• Total Truth by Nancy Pearcey

Finished this past week

• Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy (re-read) (audiobook)

Coming Soon

• Home by Marilynne Robinson

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Book Reviews- The Lunar Chronicles

I know this review is a long time coming considering I read these last year but finally here's my review of The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer. The Lunar Chronicles are composed of four books; Cinder, Scarlet, Cress and Winter. They are sci-fi retellings of classic fairytales including Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel and Snow White and the Seven Dwarves respectively.

I wasn't sure about these book when I first heard about them but when I finally got over my skepticism and decided to pick them up I was hooked! Sci-Fi retellings of fairytales sounds really out there and like a recipe for crappy books but Marissa Meyers really made it work! They were fun, clever and engaging. I really enjoyed all of the books for the most part, which is a lot to ask of a series sometimes. I was amazed at how well Marissa Meyers wove the stories together integrating the original stories with the future seamlessly.
I wasn't as big of a fan of the book Scarlet but that was because I just wasn't as a big fan of the character or her love interest. Overall, the parts I normally didn't like in the books were when they got too romantic. Give me some action and cut the kissing! ;)
My favorite character was obviously Captain Carswell Thorne. Can we just say Flynn Ryder? And who doesn't love Flynn Ryder? Can we just say Han Solo? And who doesn't love Han Solo? So yeah.... enough said. Girls can't help but love the rogue with a hidden heart of gold. I really like Cress too... so yeah... serendipitous that... SPOILERS!!!! ;)
If you like sci-fi, a little romance (or a lot at times), fairy tales and some humor then these are the books for you!
P.S. Marissa Meyer also wrote some in-between books that I've not read yet so I cannot comment on those yet though they do look intriguing!

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It's Monday! Two Months Out!

Brian and I are now officially a little less than two months out from our wedding! Let the panicking commence! Thankfully most everything is already planned. Doesn't stop me panicking though. ;) My ring finally came! Brian designed it for me. It is so beautiful and unique and I absolutely love it. It was worth the wait! I only got to wear it for about a week though before we had to take it in to get resized though. :(

Currently Reading

• Gilead by Marilynne Robinson 
• Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy (re-read) (audiobook)
• Catching Foxes by John Henderson 
• Total Truth by Nancy Pearcey 

Finished Recently

• Persuasion by Jane Austen (Re-read) (audiobook)
• The Gurnsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

Coming Soon

• Home by Marilynne Robinson 

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