My Week in Review: The Joys of ReReading

The Joys of ReReading

Currently, I'm rereading Shelby Bach's The Ever Afters in preparation for the recently released epic third volume, Of Sorcery and Snow. To date, this is the only series I've reread every year in honor of the newest book, and every year my thought process is pretty much the same.

Year One:

"Ohmygosh, this book is amazing! I just want to relive it for awhile. Wait, it's three am?"
 

Year Two:  

 
"They're just as good as the first read. I didn't even skim. I usually skim rereads to get to the good parts. This is all good parts! I will never pick up this book and NOT be happy! This series is incredible. Why isn't everyone reading this? Wait, it's five am already?!"

Year Three: 

"EVERYONE NEEDS TO READ THIS. I will start by making everyone I know read it and soon this series will rule the literary world! ...No, no, it can't be two am. I'm not finished yet."

You can check out my video reviews for Of Giants and Ice and Of Witches and Wind, but what you really want to know is that they each have five stars from me and a big 'To Read' sticker.

Seriously, why aren't you reading this yet?

The Writing Corner

Just a quick writing update, but I am officially halfway through revising my novel. Yeehaw! The pages may bleed volumes of red ink, but I know it's a worthy sacrifice. My pace is slower than I would like of late, so I'm going to kick it up next week. *crosses fingers*

My Week in Review: Korra Trailer and Ninja Librarians

The Trailer

That's right, not just any old trailer, but THE trailer. The biggest thing to happen in my own little universe was probably the reveal of this 2-minute, freakishly epic sneak peek at book 3 of The Legend of Korra.

Please join me for a few moments of complete and utter awe.




All words but one fail me. ZUKO!!!

I have to admit, I had my own issues with book 2, but this upcoming season looks AMAZING. Maybe even better than the first.

The Writing Corner

This week I feel triumphant. I've been editing/revising a chapter a day and, with a little push, it looks like I could reach my goal of finishing this edit by the end of the month. *crosses fingers*
Assuming, of course, that I can pull myself away from the Korra trailer and the urges of fanfiction it stirs within me.

To Read or Not to Read?

• Bone, vol 1: Out from Boneville by Jeff Smith. I have a friend who's been trying to get me to read more comics and graphic novels, and so far this is the first I've managed to pick up. (Sorry it took so long, Felipe.) I really did enjoy this, and I'll be getting the next volume soon. My experience with comics lies on one side with Calvin and Hobbes and Japanese manga on the other. Bone feels like the perfect in-between. Just as creative as manga, with drawings more akin to Calvin, throw in a big plot, some great characters, and a mysterious villain, and I'm hooked. This gets four stars, and I'd definitely say this is a To Read.

• The Ninja Librarians: The Accidental Keyhand by Jen Swann Downey. This middle-grade adventure book was top of the line. It pulled together a few of my favorite things and worked them magnificently as a whole. Did I say a few? I meant all. We're talking librarians (ninja, as well as other varieties), swords, people obsessed with swords, undercover spies, history, time travel, magic powers, deep characters, Star Wars references, kids who save the fate of the world, and the first book mentioned is The Princess Bride. Like, seriously, why haven't you read this yet? Five big bright stars, a commendation for the brilliant Jen Downey, and a Must Read.

Th-th-that's all for this week, folks!

Week in Review: Why I Am Now Willing to Re-Read 'The Fault in Our Stars'

Why I'm Now Willing to Re-Read 'The Fault in Our Stars'

In my mini-review of The Fault in Our Stars, I said I had no desire to read this book again. I cannot argue that it isn’t a good book –it is– but I found their philosophical debates over the oblivion of death, how humanity will eventually decay into nothing and cease to exist, downright depressing. This isn’t a view that I agree with, but it nevertheless gave me a feeling of despair, because I realize that people do actually accept this as their fate.

However, James Duckett, a friend of mine, recently did a few gush posts about the book and its movie release. Instead of focusing on the depressing philosophical points, he took away a completely different view. Life and love in spite of death. We all die, eventually, and we have to consciously make the decision of whether or not it’s worth the inevitable heartache to love someone who may pass before us. We have to decide whether we will love and endure death, or whether we shy away from the pain it could (and probably will) cause.

This part of the story didn’t pass me by completely. I was conscious of it, but it wasn’t what I had focused on through most of the book. This, to me, is a much deeper, more moving aspect of the storyline. I can see it now, in hindsight, but I feel the need to watch it unfold through another reading.

So thanks, James, because someday I will re-read The Fault in Our Stars.

The Writing Corner

I'm pleased to announce that this was a successful writing week. Other than a second read-through and a few changes concerning character and consistency, I'll be done fixing up this subplot.

Next week: Adding details to the main plot.

To Read or Not to Read?

I finished two books this week:

• The School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani. This is a fun fairy tale read. My favorite thing about this book was how the story carried into both Good and Evil, and I grew attached to both sides of characters. Though the Evil characters are, well, evil, they were fun and human as well. The story also shows that friendships can be more important than romance, and I liked that angle. This book gets four stars, though I'll have to see where the series leads before I can confidently recommend it to someone.

• The Misadventures of Edgar and Allan Poe: The Tell-Tale Start by Gordan McAlpine. This short and sweet kids' novel is brilliant. A most appropriate book to finish on Friday the 13th. Full of literary references (mainly Poe, but some others), high adventure, ghosts, and clever shenanigans, I can't praise this story enough. This one gets five stars, and it's definitely a To Read.

Last but not least, my booktube video this week was my TBR Shame, in which I count up all the books I own but have never read and feel a good douse of guilt.

My Week in Review: Ink Stain Contemplations

Ink-stained fingers. For most of the summer, I predict that my fingertips will carry this mark of Summer Reading. I don't mind. Even if it clashes with my outfit.

Growing up, Summer Reading was my favorite time of year. Nothing could really beat this. You're encouraged (aka 'bribed') into reading with some really awesome prizes. This reading program is one of the main reasons that I love reading as much as I do.

I remember one year my sister and I decided to be the first ones to read 24 hours. We read every waking moment. Literally. My dad was out of town, so we found a series to read with my mom. She and I took off turns reading out loud while we did other necessary things (like cook and run a business). For eating, there were always audiobooks.

You should have seen the face of the librarian when we marched in the next day to collect our 24-hour prize. She didn't believe us at first. Not because we didn't look trustworthy, but because she was certain 24 hours hadn't actually passed since our sign up.

This is only one fond memory of hundreds related to Summer Reading. I met most of my friends during the activities of this program. (Our children's librarian had an awesome way of 'matchmaking' friends, and she did an excellent job.) I still have a lot of the crafts I made. But most importantly, I've retained an intense love of reading.

These ink-stains remind me of all of this. But as I stamp the kids' reading logs everyday and hand out their prizes, I love being the librarian telling them to have fun and keep reading.

The Writing Corner

My dad, who is also a writer, read something interesting this week. For first drafts, apparently it's better to cover your screen with a sheet or blanket. This leaves you solely to write, instead of looking over what you've written. Backtracking will often mess with the flow of writing. I know I can get distracted but jumping back three sentences and trying to word it Just Right. (Definitely a final draft kind of edit.)

I might have to try this.

Writing this week:

•  Halfway through rewriting one chapter.

It doesn't sound like much, but it involves a lot of red ink.

The Reading Nook

I have no finished books to report, though I'm enjoying both my current reads, The School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani and Star Wars: Scoundrels by Timothy Zahn. I'm also slowly working through the Ever After High prequels by Shannon Hale. My niece is currently reading this book and her mom keeps bugging me to read it.

You can check out mini-reviews for all the books I read in May -including The Fault in Our Stars, The Book Thief, and The Crystal Bridge- in the video below.

 

My Week in Review: The Scavenge-Word Hunt

The Scavenge-Word Hunt

Several years ago –during a NaNoWriMo dare to use the ‘word of the day’ every, um, day– I came across one of the most wonderful words I have ever heard.

Defenestrate. To throw something out a window.

What is so wonderful about this? Honestly, I think I love the fact that there is a word with such a specific meaning. I love that there is actually a single word that relays the action of throwing something out of a window. How cool is that?

I have been on the lookout for this word ever since. Like an adventurer seeking ancient treasure, I have kept an eye and ear out during movies, TV, and books, waiting to hear just one genuine use of this literary gem. I try to use this word myself whenever I can, but as one might imagine, those opportunities to slide ‘defenestrate’ into casual conversation don’t often present themselves. (Can't you see someone throwing this into an argument? "I'm so angry, I could defenestrate you!") I have yet to see anyone actually employ it.

At least, until this week.

Super special bonus points are awarded to Numb3rs (season 2, episode 5) for granting me the first success this four year scavenger hunt has yet produced. Granted, it wasn’t mentioned off-hand, but it tickled me pink to hear it all the same. It gives me hope that this word will rise from obscurity. All the time I’ve spent waiting and watching, after all the heartache and despair, and it has all paid off. 

I knew it would happen someday. I just knew it.

Vocab Fab:

Speaking of rarely used and little known words:

• Promulgate: Promote or make widely known

I pulled this from Kevin J. Anderson's The Dragon Business (which is so far hilarious). Anderson makes a point, every time he uses this word, of saying how rarely it is used and that the characters have never actually heard it in a sentence before now. Maybe this is the trick to using 'defenestrate' on a more regular basis...

Writing Corner:

Revise, rewrite, realize something doesn’t work, repeat.

Reading Nook:

I finished two books this week:

The Crystal Bridge by Charlie Pulsipher, which gets five stars. This is sci-fi and, while I like to think that I read sci-fi, whenever I try to pick one up I have the hardest time getting into it. Not so much with this one. The hardcore sciencey (that is totally a word) elements of this story is what really drew me in, which is frankly astounding, considering how much I hated science in school. Really, really hated it. I never could wrap my brain around a lot of it. I’m hoping that –in addition to providing a great sci-fi adventure romp with distinct fantasy elements right down to mentions of Tolkien and elves– The Crystal Bridge may have sparked a new interest.

Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell, which gets four stars. I recently watched the BBC miniseries by the same name and absolutely loved it, which meant I had to read the book it was based on. Or in this case, books. If you’ve seen the miniseries, let me warn you that each of its three main storylines is pulled from three different Gaskell novels. (Cranford centers around Miss Matty and Mary Smith.) This is a very sweet book about the small English town of Cranford and the people who live there, and the audiobook's narrator gave a wonderful performance. It’s definitely a different kind of story for me because it’s more about the everyday lives of people in a period community than a particular storyline or event. Whenever I read Gaskell’s work, I always feel that I get a genuine slice of the time, unspoiled by artistic license. But maybe that’s just me.

What are YOU reading this week?

My Week in Review: May the Fourth Be With You

May the Fourth and Other Things

For Star Wars day (May 4), how could I not write on our kitchen chalkboard 'May the Fourth Be With You'? It was quite beyond my capacity to resist. Little did I know then what I would be starting.

Next, from my sister, came the logical 'Beware Revenge of the Fifth.' And then 'Return of the Sixth'.

Everyone has jumped onto the bandwagon now, and I think this might last us through May. I'm really hoping so, anyway.

May the Seventh is Just like Heaventh

Ain't it great that it's May 8?

Ain't it fine, this May 9?

We could probably use another infusion of creativity, but I love rushing over every morning to see what new message awaits. Because I'm like that.

Speaking of Star Wars...

 

Vocab Fab

Mien (MEEN) Being expressive of personality or attitude: demeanor

I grabbed this from the Merriam-Webster Online word of the day. This feels like one of those words that isn't used unless you're trying to use it. So I dare you. Use mien in a sentence next week. Do it! Do it!

The Writing Corner

It's coming, coming, coming. In fact, I need to finish this blog so I can get some writing done before work. Yahoo.

My biggest issue this week was distraction. I kept thinking about another project that I've put aside, my unfinished NaNo novel from last year, titled Old Haunts. It's one of my all-time favorite projects (to date) but it needs a lot of work. A LOT of work. On that note, can anyone recommend some good paranormal mysteries?

This other project needs to wait and simmer until I finish Rodney and the Gonjii but *sob* it doesn't want to! 

Ahhhh, writer problems...

Reading Nook

I did not finish any books this week. Rewatching the Lord of the Rings has cut into my reading time. I'm still enjoying The Crystal Bridge by Charlie Pulsipher (SCI-FI! I'm loving the sci-fi!) and Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell.

What are YOU reading this weekend?