Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Was "Forced" To Read

Today I'm participating in Top Ten Tuesday hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

Top Ten Books I Was "Forced" to Read

"Forced" by the (school) District

1. Beowulf by Unknown.  I am sad to say but I did not like this book one bit.  For me it was grotesque and a bit violent from what I remember.  The semester after I had to read this, one of my classmates's parents complained about this book and after that there was an option between this book and 1984 by George Orwell.  I am still upset (ok not really, but I was at the time) that I had to read Beowulf and did not get the option to read another book.  

2. Animal Farm by George Orwell.  Again this book was not one of my favorites.  I do not think I was really mature enough or worldly enough at the age I read this to truly enjoy it.  I have thought about rereading it to see if my opinion changes, but the first experience was not pleasant and I am not sure I can get over that.   

3.  The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin.  We read this book in eighth grade and I absolutely loved it.  I felt like I was in a game of clue and had to figure out who did it.  This one brings back such happy memories for me that I wish I could go back and thank whomever decided this was required reading.

4. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens.  This novel I actually read while I was on vacation in Florida during my freshman year of high school.  I sat by the pool, soaking up the sun and Dickens, imagining this is what college would be like (ha...I was sorely mistaken).  While I did enjoy this novel, there was a bit of a communication error where I though my teacher said we were reading the entire book during the 2 weeks I was gone and instead the class barely read two chapters.  Needless to say I was quite bored in lit class the rest of the semester.  

"Forced" to read in College Lit

5. Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison.  I read this novel for my African American lit class, which happened to be full of the baseball team because they heard it was an easy A (which I have to admit it was).  However, while I did read this novel I'm pretty sure I was only 1 of 3 people who did out of a class of 30.  I quite resented the rest of the class for just restating what the 3 of us talked about during discussion or saying they either couldn't think of anything or that they didn't have anything to say (hello...what a cop out!).  Anyway because of that experience I have a bad connotation with the book.  Horrible I know, but that's life. 

6. Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston.  Another book for African American lit, but this one I loved.  It brought me to a place that I had never been and opened my eyes in a way I will forever be grateful for.  It was a beautiful novel and it makes me sad that I didn't get a meaningful discussion in my class for this novel.  

"Forced" to Read for Book clubs 

7. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte.  My bestie and I were in the same book club when this book was "assigned" and while she hated it and did not finish it, I fell in love.  Seriously, I know many people do not like this book, but I could not (and still cannot) get enough of it.  The crazy, messed up love that Catherine and Heathcliff had breaks my heart and gives me hope at the same time.  Were they certifiably insane?  Maybe, but the love they had for each other was all-consuming, fierce, and unlike anything I've seen before.          

8. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.  This may come as a surprise to many of you, but I did not read this beloved YA favorite until I had to for my young adult book club.  The first time I read it I did not enjoy it.  I appreciated all the underlying themes, but I could not get passed the part about the government forcing children to kill children for sport.  

9. The Life You Longed For by Maribeth Fischer.  This novel was amazing.  I cannot describe to you how wonderful I thought this book was.  Then on top of it she came to our book club discussion.  Essentially this book is about the choices we make and how we have to live with the consequences.  Here is a little blurb from Goodreads: 

 "Grace's son Jack is a miracle. At three years old, he's fighting a mysterious, deadly disease that his doctors predicted would kill him as a baby. To the world, Grace's fierce dedication is the sole reason for her son's survival. But someone suspects that perhaps Jack's disease is not what it seems. When an allegation of Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy is leveled against Grace, she begins to live in constant suspicion of everyone -- from the doctors and nurses surrounding her son in the hospital to her own husband. Who could possibly think that she has been purposely making her son ill to gain attention for herself?"

I am so happy that I was introduced to this novel because I don't think I would have read it otherwise.  

10. Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta.  This novel started my love affair with Melina Marchetta and I couldn't be happier.  This is one of those untouchable books for me and one that holds a special place in my heart.  It reached me in a way not many books do and introduced me to the notion of characters being beautifully flawed.  

What about you?  Were you forced to read any of these novels?  If so, what did you think of them?

Audio Review: Ten Tiny Breaths by K.A. Tucker

Title: Ten Tiny Breaths
Author: K.A. Tucker
Narrator: Elizabeth Louise
Published by: Simon and Schuster Audio
Length: 8 hr and 58 min
Source: Review copy from Simon and Schuster Audio*
Format: Audio
Rating: 4 stars

Summary from Goodreads: Four years ago Kacey Cleary’s life imploded when her car was hit by a drunk driver, killing her parents, boyfriend, and best friend. Still haunted by memories of being trapped inside, holding her boyfriend’s lifeless hand and listening to her mother take her last breath, Kacey wants to leave her past behind. Armed with two bus tickets, Kacey and her fifteen-year-old sister, Livie, escape Grand Rapids, Michigan, to start over in Miami. They’re struggling to make ends meet at first, but Kacey’s not worried. She can handle anything—anything but her mysterious neighbor in apartment 1D.

Trent Emerson has smoldering blue eyes, deep dimples, and perfectly skates that irresistible line between nice guy and bad boy. Hardened by her tragic past, Kacey is determined to keep everyone at a distance, but their mutual attraction is undeniable and Trent is determined to find a way into Kacey’s guarded heart—even if it means revealing an explosive secret that could shatter both of their worlds.

Ten Tiny Breaths was an emotional, heartbreaking story that was quite complex yet beautiful.  This story has it all. 

I am not really sure where to start with this novel.  There were so many layers to Ten Tiny Breaths and I can't believe how well K.A. Tucker weaved them together.  The first thing I want to discuss is the title.  Ten Tiny Breaths happens to be a coping mechanism that Kacey's mom taught her and let me tell you it definitely came in handy in this novel for Kacey during difficult times (and for me listening to them).  I loved how this was incorporated throughout the story and really connected Kacey to her past.  

Kacey herself was an emotional mess.  However, no matter what happened in her life she protected her sister.  Everything she did was for Livie and to keep her safe and happy.  I loved the relationship between these sisters and how they helped each other heal.  K.A. Tucker wrote the relationships between the women/girls in this story so well.  It is often difficult to write female relationships that are real and appropriate for different age groups and yet K.A. Tucker nailed it.    

Besides the female relationships, the interactions between Trent and Kacey left me frustrated and sometime breathless.  The tension between these two was ridiculous .  And I do not mean like it was silly ridiculous I meant it as  I do not know how other people could be in the same room as them and not feel suffocated or that they were witnessing something that was about to get inappropriate for an audience.  On another note, I am happy though that their relationship started slow (much to the disappointment of some readers and that tension that was swirling around) and progressed in a natural way .  Call me old fashion, but I did love how Trent came to the rescue all the time.  It was sweet.

I do not think you can discuss this novel without talking about the secrets and twists.  They are everywhere and take you by surprise.  At times I had to reread (re-listen) to parts just because I could not believe that just happened.  However I must admit that there were instances I felt like I had heard this story before.  It is not that I did not enjoy it, but it had many similar elements to other books out there.  

Elizabeth Louise was a great narrator.  Her edge to her voice fit Kacey perfectly and made me imagine the tough, protective, and broken character she was.  The audio help me with some of the pacing issues and also from stopping myself from skimming parts because I wanted to get to the "good stuff."  Sometimes I get too caught up in a story line and want to skip all the minutiae and only read the stuff relevant to the situation at hand.  

If you are looking for something that is beautiful but in a broken way, Ten Tiny Breaths is for you.

*I did receive a copy of this audio book for review, but all opinions are my own.

Review Post: Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Title:  Fangirl
Author:  Rainbow Rowell
Published by: St. Martin's Griffin 
Pages: 434
Format:  Hardcover
Source: Purchased
Rating:  4.5 stars

Summary from Goodreads:  In Rainbow Rowell's Fangirl, Cath is a Simon Snow fan. Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan, but for Cath, being a fan is her life—and she’s really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it’s what got them through their mother leaving.

Cath’s sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can’t let go. She doesn’t want to. Now that they’re going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn’t want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She’s got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend, a fiction-writing professor who thinks fan fiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words . . . And she can’t stop worrying about her dad, who’s loving and fragile and has never really been alone.

For Cath, the question is: Can she do this? Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?

We as book lovers get attached to characters, worlds, plots, authors, and essentially every other aspect of a book.  These people and places become a comfort to us and a part of our lives just like their non-fiction entities.  Who didn't hope for their very own letter to Hogwarts, to be able to shoot an arrow like our favorite fearless heroine, or dare I say it...want a sparkling boyfriend of our own at one time or another?  We get completely immersed in the story and it becomes part of who we are. 

The same is true for Cath.  She is not only a Simon Snow fan, but she is THE fan.  You know the one who has fans of their own.  Not only does she live for the books, movies, world, and characters but she is also one of the most famous fanfiction writers out there with a massive following of her own.  She's a bit obsessed to say the least and it is taking over her life.  

I really loved Cath as a character.  She was a bit naive and sheltered but she also didn't bend to peoples will or change who she is.  However, Cath was just one of the outstanding characters in this novel.  Wren was eccentric and a bit wild.  She knew what she wanted from life and went after it.  Levi was completely and utterly adorable.  Where was he when I went to college?  And my favorite character had to be Reagan.  I loved her and her surly attitude.  I thought she was a riot.    

College is a tough transition and I think that Rainbow Rowell did an amazing job at capturing two of the different ends of the spectrum with Cath and her sister.  Both of these girls were going through some traumatic experiences and tough times, then on top of that they move away to college.  They handled things very differently, though truth be told also very typically.  Looking back on my undergrad days I can definitely see myself in both of these girls and their actions (is that a good thing?)

Fangirl was a different take on YA/New Adult and I think I quite liked it. For me at least, it seems a bit more relate-able than other NA books, yet it still had most of the elements + it was hilarious.  There were so many times I laughed out loud when reading this novel.  (side note:  This novel seems to bridge both YA and NA, though in an interview Rainbow Rowell states she feels it is more YA.)

Fangirl is definitely worth the hype.  I think I'm going to stock up on a couple of these books, as they will make great graduation gifts.      

That awkward post...

I was reading a beauty/hair/style blog post from Kate of The Small Things blog the other day and she mentioned that everyone has that awkward first post and/or the awkward coming back post.  Well, here is mine...

I was one of those people who would always take a couple of days off blogging for vacation or something, but I never thought about taking a longer break.  In all honesty I didn't understand the need for a long break.  When I started my blog I was a Ph.D student and even though I was busy I still found time to read and blog.  At times when things got crazy or the days long, I would listen to audio books instead because that was something I could do while analyzing data.  Starting last winter everything changed though...I was finishing up my projects and it came time to write my dissertation.  Well I soon found out that listening to audio books was no longer possible (since I'm not talented enough to listen to one thing and type another), and working 80-100 hour weeks left me too tired to read.  The little free time I had I wanted to spend with my family.  Hence the decision to stop blogging for a while.

Then came summer.  I had finished my dissertation, passed my defense, and thought I would get finally get back to blogging, but I got offered a new position across the country and while I was reading and listening to more audio books, I still didn't have the time (or to be completely truthful, the desire) to blog.

Now that I'm settle in my new town and new position came the debate of whether to return or to just hang up my blogging hat.  It is not like I have a big blog or anything, but it took me awhile to remembered why I started blogging.  It was for me personally to record my thoughts and opinions about books and to talk to others who shared this passion.  That is what I started this blog for and that is what made my decision to return.  I don't think I'm going to post everyday (more like 3-4 times a week) as I want to try and find a balance that works for me.  Hopefully things will work out, but my goal is to remember the joy of blogging and why I started.

Here ends the awkward blog post....

Books to Movies Giveaway Hop

Hey all!  I know I have been gone for a while, but I have finished my dissertations and I'm back.  What a better way to return than with a giveaway.  I'm participating in the Books to Movies Giveaway Hop hosted by Bookhounds and I am a Reader, Not a Writer.

So what am I giving away....any book and movie combination (as long as I can find them through Amazon, Book Depository, etc.).  It is your choice which book and dvd you would like.  For some ideas here is a really organized and helpful list, but if your combination is not on the list no worries.  

Giveaway rules:
You need to be at least 13 years old to enter
The giveaway is only open to International readers
The winner will have 3 days to respond before a new winner is chosen
I am not responsible for any lost or damaged items.








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 Who else is participating in this HOP?

Diva (Flappers, #3) by Jillian Larkin hits the shelves!

If there was one era that I could go back to it would be the 1920s.   I've always thought I would make a great flapper!  Well now I can experience it all like I was actually there through Jillian Larkin's Flapper series.

This is one series you don't want to miss and lucky for you the third book in the series, Diva, was just released!   Go check it out, then stop back and tell me if you would have loved living it this era as much as I would have.

Guest Post and GIVEAWAY!: Ten Odd Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Serena Chase, author of THE RYN and THE REMEDY

Ten Odd Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Serena Chase, author of THE RYN and THE REMEDY

10. I use turn signals religiously. One of my pet peeves is when I am a passenger and “someone” wants to change lanes, but doesn’t signal—especially if said “someone” proceeds to become irritated at the other drivers because they didn’t read his mind, deduce his lane-changing desire, and let him in.

9. I am one of the few people alive who can, even with the best of intentions, manage to kill a mature Aloe Vera plant. And I’ve proven it more than once. (Sorry, Grandpa.)

8. In second grade, I actually had to have someone teach me how to draw a stick person. My artistic abilities do not extend to “art.”

7. I sometimes refer to small yapper dogs as “Aww, look at the sweet little kitty” when walking my (bigger) dog, Albus.

6. I am so accident prone that I once sliced my finger open . . . with a spoon. (And they said it couldn’t be done!)

5. On long family road trips, I almost always volunteer to drive because:
A. We get there faster
B. I tend to get motion sickness when I’m a passenger, and
C. (see number 10, above)

4. I am ridiculously horrible at anything “math.” I blame my parents. Clearly, all those “I’m going to count to three and you’d better (fill in the blank)” when I was being naughty must have instilled within me an inherent fear of numbers.

3. I know all the words to “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy,” but I can only sing the alto part.

2. I was once thrown through a wall by a treadmill. I now refer to that infernal fitness device as “Satan’s Beltsander” due to the scars I now have on my legs from my inability to escape in a timely manner.

1. My favorite suffix to use in casual conversation is “-tacular” Example: In the summer, I like to paint my toenails a dark Smurftacular blue.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Serena Chase is the author of the Eyes of E’veria series. The Ryn (March 2013) and The Remedy (April 2013), are an expanded re-imagining of the classic Grimm fairy tale, Snow White & Rose Red and are available for Kindle and Kindle apps. You can connect with Serena by “liking” her on Facebook, following her on Twitter, and catch up with her book reviews, author interviews, and the occasional feature article at USA Today’s Happy Ever After or the Edgy Inspirational Romance blog. Her website is www.serenachase.com

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