Last Ten Books that Came into my Possession

I love getting books from here and there so this will be a fun list to make! :)
Recently I got some more Dickens used off of Amazon as a little present to myself for becoming a nurse. I have almost all of his books now.

1. Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens
2. Hard Time by Charles Dickens
3. Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens
4. Dombey and Son by Charles Dickens
5. Martin Chuzzlewit by Charles Dickens
6. Friday the Rabbi Slep Late by Harry Kemelman
7. Master and Commander by Patrick O'Brian 
8. Waverley by Sir Walter Scott
9. The Anne of Green Gables series by L.M. Montgomery
10. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier 

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Emma- Week 1 (Chapters 1-5)

The first week of the 200th Anniversary Emma Read-along is over! Hopefully we all made it through five chapters. Personally I was ready to sail through more and get ahead... but I resisted. I'm way too fast of a reader. :(

Here's a few questions to ponder and you can put your answers in the comments below or feel free to post on your blog about it too. I will be stealing some of my questions from Peter Leithart's book Miniatures and Morals: The Christian Novels of Jane Austen, which is my favorite book to read on Austen's novels and I would highly recommend it.

1. What's your first impression of the characters? Emma? Mr. Knightley? Harriet? Etc. 
2. In the fifth chapter Mr. Knightley and Mrs. Weston (aka poor Miss Taylor) have a conversation about Emma and her friendship with Harriet? Do you agree with Mr. Knightley or Mrs. Weston? Does this conversation change your opinion about Emma in any way? 
3. What do you think are Emma's motivations for her friendship with Harriet? 
4. How do the conditions of Highbury contribute to Emma's character? 

Feel free to add any other thoughts you might have to the discussion! Also, not everyone has read this before so try to keep spoilers to a minimum. :)

This next week we are reading chapters 6-10. Don't worry if you fall behind. :)

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Book Review- Big Red

For the Hard Core re-reading challenge, author A-Z challenge and What an Animal challenge I read Jim Kjelgaard's book Big Red.

Synopsis from Goodreads: From the moment Danny sees the beautiful Irish setter, he knows Red is the dog for him.  Fast and smart, strong and noble, Red is the only dog Danny wants by his side.  Soon, neither boy nor dog can stand to be apart.  Together Danny and Red face many dangers in the harsh Wintapi wilderness that they call home.  But the greatest test of their courage and friendship will come from an enemy more cunning than any they've known before--a bear who is the undisputed king of the wilderness, a savage killer called Old Majesty.

This is a classic boy and dog story. It made me want an Irish settler really badly!
I also thought it was a good father and son story. Also there was the father figure of Mr. Haggin, Red's owner, who looked after Red and Danny. Both men look after Danny but in a lot of way he looks after himself. He's mature, kind and determined. Characteristic a lot of men nowadays could learn from.
Overall a great boy and dog story with some exemplary characters and of course a good bear hunt. :)
Recommended!

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3rd Liebster Award!

Hamlette from The Edge of the Precipice and Hamlette's Soliloquy tagged me for my 3rd Liebster Award! Thank's Hamlette!
For this award I have to answer the 11 questions Hamlette posed to me and then give 11 random facts about me. :)

1. Do you have a favorite mug or teacup? I have a beautiful teacup my friend (and now sister-in-law!) eBeth, a T.A.R.D.I.S. mug she also gave me and then a larger mug that I bought myself. I love using all of those depending on the occasion or my mood. :)
2. Are you an adventurous eater? Yes! I like trying strange things! :)
3. What fandoms are you into? Doctor Who! Pride and Prejudice! Period dramas! Stargate: Atlantis! Firefly! Merlin! And so many more! 
4. What famous book/author do you not really care about? Gulliver's Travels! See why HERE in my review. 
5. What obscure author/book are you nuts about? I'm a classics reader as you all know so I read a lot of obscure stuff. Probably The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins.... in fact everything I've read by Wilkie Collins has been great so far. :) I truly think he is an underrated author. 
6. What's the oldest movie you've ever watched? I actually watched the first movie ever made just about a month ago. Okay, technically I don't think it's the first movie ever made but I think it's the only one currently surviving? If you've watched Hugo it's the one referenced in it. The title is A Trip to the Moon. It's actually in color because the maker of the film and his wife went through and painted ever slide! The version I watched had music added to the background which wasn't bad necessarily but it was kind of weird music. 
7. What did you have for breakfast today? My mom's homemade bread! 
8. When did you first see your favorite movie? My favorite movie as you all know is the 1995 version of Pride and Prejudice. I don't remember when I first saw it as I basically grew up watching it. It came out only a year after I was born so conceivably I could have started watching it when I was just a year old! 
9. Do you prefer fantasy or sci-fi? How dare you make me chose! I love them both! I'm a huge fan of Tolkien's work when it comes to fantasy but I love other fantasy writers like C.S. Lewis, Lloyd Alexander, L.B. Graham and so many more. When it comes to sci-fi I enjoy Doctor Who, Stargate: Atlantis and Firefly and there's many more sci-fi shows I want to get into. 
10. What did you expect your blog to be like when you first started it? Mostly about tea actually.... obviously that's changed.
11. Has it changed? If so how? Well that's a serendipitous question. ;) I've branched out into movies, books, TV shows, cultural issues and really just about anything and everything. 

And now for some random facts!

1. I love sleeping with a fan on in my room. I'd rather have more blankets and the fan on then no fan and just a sheet. 
2. When I first read Pride and Prejudice I thought it was just okay. I was pretty young though.... nine years old. Now of course it's my favorite! 
3. When I first read The Lord of the Rings when I was 6 or 7 (I had to read it before watching the movies) I don't even remember what I thought about it. When I re-read it later (probably around 12) I thought it was too long and boring. Then when I re-read it for the the third time a few years ago I couldn't get enough of it and I've loved re-reading it ever since. It's funny how some books are like that. 
4. Recently with taking out stitches on a few of my patients at work I've realized the benefit of the couple years with the Entomology (study of insects) project during my 4-H years (I quit the entomology project due to my severe poison ivy allergy). Pinning the insects was a very detailed process taking a lot of precision. Those same skills have come in handy with snipping tiny stitches. 
5. Though, as mentioned above, I've left the Entomology project far behind, I'm still very specific about the fact that it's lady BEETLES not ladyBUGS. Because they're from the order Coleoptra which is the scientific order for BEETLES... NOT bugs! Lady BEETLES is the correct term. I've argued with three year olds over this point. A little overkill? Yeah, probably... but I'm not giving an inch! And neither was the three year old... 
6. I have a new fashion love right now which is the floor length dresses. They're super comfy and hide my fat legs. ;) I keep buying them! I think I have a problem. ;)
7. I recently won a bunch of very cool bookmarks from various blog giveaway but can you believe but I haven't used them once but instead have been using an old movie ticket stub! I have issues! 
8. My two favorite soda pops are Dr. Pepper and Root Beer.... though I rarely drink pop. 
9. To go along with my previous fact, I can't tell the difference between regular and diet pop. A quirk I'm thankful for. 
10. I have a deep seated hatred for Halloween.... it stems mostly from the last two years having issues with traffic and roads being blocked off for trick-or-treaters. Also a little kid in Wal Mart telling his mom he wanted to dress up as the devil for Halloween. Now the traditional Reformation Day I love! 
11. I'm hosting a read-along of Jane Austen's novel Emma right now! If you haven't joined up be sure to HERE.

Thank you so much Hamlette for tagging me! If you haven't checked out Hamlette's blog sbefore be sure to! I love reading them! 

So here are my questions for my nominees! I liked Hamlette's questions so I'm stealing some of them. :) 

1. What's the oldest movie you've ever watched? 
2. What's the oldest book you've ever read (excluding the Bible)?
3. Do you say lady beetle or ladybug? ;)
4. Have you ever re-read a book and changed your opinion on it from the first time you read it? 
5. What are you most excited for this summer? Or something that already happened this summer that you were excited for. 
6. What's your favorite soda pop flavor(s)? 
7. What's the meaning of your name? Do you feel like it goes along with your personality? Why or why not? 
8. Have you ever had an obscure talent come in handy at a time you didn't expect? 
9. What fandoms are you a part of? 
10. Do you sleep with a fan on at night? 
11. What are your feelings Halloween? 

And I'm tagging... Whosoever wants to feel tagged! If you're reading this consider yourself tagged and duly awarded! :) Even if you've already been tagged by someone else and you are just dying to answer my questions (because they're so AWESOME!) then go ahead. I was going to tag people but then I realized Hamlette tagged most of the people I wanted to! 

Have a fun day and God bless! :)

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Book Review- How Green was My Valley

For the monthly key word challenge, the mount TBR pile challenge, and the TBR pile challenge and the Classics Club I read Richard Lewellyn's novel How Green was My Valley.

Synopsis from Goodreads: Growing up in a mining community in rural South Wales, Huw Morgan is taught many harsh lessons. Looking back, where difficult days are faced with courage and the valleys swell with the sound of Welsh voices, it becomes clear that there is nowhere so green as the landscape of his own memory.

How Green was My Valley was truly a beautifully written book. I'm a fast reader so normally beautiful writing kind of goes past me but I found myself stopping several times to admire the beauty of Lewellyn's writing.
The way the story was written, with the book starting with Huw, now a grown man, looking back on his life growing up, was very interesting and different. I would have to agree with other reviews that I've read and say that I liked Huw better as a child. I was surprised to see sexual undertones in the writing. When I talked to my mom about the film version of it which she really likes, I found that those were entirely left out of it. I haven't seen the film version but I understand from my mother that they don't have the miners striking either... an aspect I consider important to the storyline. I'm not sure how I feel about the sexual undertones in the book. Some of them I find okay but others I find unnecessary. Truth is, a kid could probably read it and not get them.
The synopsis on the back of the copy I read referred to Huw's father as a tyrannical but kind father. I thought that was really weird because I liked his dad and he never struck me as tyrannical in any way.
My favorite character was Bronwen, Huw's sister-in-law. She was sweet, kind and devoted. I loved that Huw could always go to her with his concerns and she answered him in love.
All my ramblings to say I enjoyed the book and I found it beautifully reminiscent and thought provoking. It's a hard book for me to review, kind of like Gone With the Wind, but I did like it. :)

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It's Monday! Trying to get back to normal

This past week has helped but I'm still struggling to get back a normal life after weddings and starting work. I've been trying to catch up book reviews and catch up on actual reading... both of which I'm not feeling motivated to do right now. :(
I got to watch Jurassic World with a friend this past weekend which was fun. Not as good as the first or second but still enjoyable. :)
Before I get to my reading, just a quick reminder that my 200th Anniversary Emma read-along is starting TODAY!!!! I'd love to have anyone and everyone join in on the fun! See more details HERE.

Finished this week

• How Green was My Valley by Richard Lewellyn

Currently Reading

• Swallowdale by Arthur Ransom (re-read)
• Little Men by Louisa May Alcott (re-read)
• The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander (re-read)

Coming Soon

• Pygmalion by Bernard Shaw
• Emma by Jane Austen
• The Black Cauldron by Lloyd Alexander (re-read)
• The Castle of Llyr by Lloyd Alexander (re-read)
• Taran Wanderer by Lloyd Alexander (re-read)
• The High King by Lloyd Alexander (re-read)

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Book Review- Barnaby Rudge

I'm getting down to the end of Dickens' novels! Just a couple more left to go! I almost own all of them now too!
For the Read England challenge, Author A-Z challenge, Mount TBR challenge, Victorian Bingo challenge and the Classics Club I read Charles Dickens' novel Barnaby Rudge.

This is one of Dickens' less read and less known novels but I thought it was still an excellent book and through it I learned about a subject of history I knew nothing about. That's why I love historical novels. :)

Synopsis from Goodreads: Set against the backdrop of the Gordon Riots of 1780, Barnaby Rudge is a story of mystery and suspense which begins with an unsolved double murder and goes on to involve conspiracy, blackmail, abduction and retribution. Through the course of the novel fathers and sons become opposed, apprentices plot against their masters and Protestants clash with Catholics on the streets. And, as London erupts into riot, Barnaby Rudge himself struggles to escape the curse of his own past. With its dramatic descriptions of public violence and private horror, its strange secrets and ghostly doublings, Barnaby Rudge is a powerful, disturbing blend of historical realism and Gothic melodrama.

Easily the most despicable character in the book was Sir John closely followed by Hugh. They manipulated people and simpered through life. Thanks to Hugh, poor Barnaby almost died! Oops... SPOILERS!!!! I had to let it out though. ;)
I liked Joe a lot but his Dad was such an idiot he drove me crazy! I felt like Joe tried hard to respect his father and still be a dutiful son but in the end I completely sympathize with him leaving. I like that Dolly and him didn't marry until they were older and Dolly had really wised up and become more mature.
Overall a great book! If you haven't read it I know these ramblings didn't make sense but that just goes to show you should read it! ;)

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Great Book Giveaway Bonanza Winners!

The luck winners have been chosen!
The winners for the great book giveaway bonanza are Sarah, Sadie and Cryslyn. They have all been notified and will be receiving their book soon in the mail!
Thank you everyone for joining in! It was a lot of fun!

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Emma 200th Anniversary Read-Along

A few weeks ago I mentioned I would be hosting an Emma read-along but life got in the way with two family weddings so I'm now finally getting around to setting it up!
I was already thinking about re-reading Jane Austen's novel Emma this year but then I found out that this year is the 200th anniversary of it's being published I knew a read-along was in order!
Now I've never hosted a read-along before so be patient with me... please? :)

The schedule I'm going to try for is five chapters a week for a total of fifty-five chapters and eleven weeks of reading.  At the end of every week I'll post about the five chapters we read that week and hopefully have some deep questions for y'all to ponder and comment on. At the end, I think a giveaway would be in order. :) So be sure to share this delightful news with your friends and family and be sure yourself to join in for this fun read-along! :)

NEXT MONDAY (July 6th) we are starting!
If you want to do a guest post comment and let me know and we can get in touch. I would love to see some film reviews and character reviews. I know everyone has their favorite film version of Emma so I think it will be interesting to compare.

So if you're interested in joining up with this fun read-along be sure to comment! If you aren't sure yet that's fine. I know everyone has a busy schedule during the summer. I don't expect you to comment on every post related to the read-along I post nor do I expect you to perfectly adhere to the schedule. The idea is that readers from all around the world come together to read a book and participate in discussing it.
So grab your copy of Emma and next week let's start reading!

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Birthday Month Reading Challenge- July

The heat is coming and congratulations we are now over half way through the year and through the Birthday Month Reading Challenge!
Here's the list of authors with a July Birthday and you can check out he more complete list HERE.

• J.K. Rowling
• Ernest Hemingway
• Nathaniel Hawthorne
• E.B. White
• Stephen R. Lawhead
• Owen Wister
• Ruth Krauss
• Joseph Kesselring
• Bernard Shaw
• Emily Bronte
• Bill Watterson
• Beatrix Potter
• Laura Numeroff

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