Coming Up for Air by Patti Callahan Henry

“That’s the thing of the Holy Spirit - you can try and explain it all away, but then there are somethings that have no explanation, that are mystical and perfect, things that no list in the world will make clear.....Life...exactly the same. Somethings are beyond our understanding.”

Coming Up for Air
by Patti Callahan Henry
copyright:  2011
publisher:St. Martin’s Press
format: ARC paperback
pages: 255
source: publisher

Goodreads Description: Ellie Calvin is caught in a dying marriage, and she knows this. With her beloved daughter away at college and a growing gap between her and her husband – between her reality and the woman she wants to be – she doesn’t quite seem to fit into her own life.
But everything changes after her controlling mother, Lillian, passes away.

First Sentence:
There are both wonderful and awful moments in a woman’s life.

My Thoughts:  Coming Up for Air greatly satisfied. Ellie’s journey of emotions - truths and wishes - were beautifully written. Her life is a mess, and I was captivated. This is not a fluff read - plot may be simplistic but the real issues are not; there is depth.  Many times throughout the story, the prose gave me moments of pause - to soak in the richness of thought, and to ponder the words.  The pace of the story enabled Ellie’s journey to flow naturally; believability is felt with the  path she takes, and choices she makes. Her interactions with those in her life are real felt, and meaningful.  The unraveling of her mother’s past was fascinating and enlightening - I was incredibly intrigued.  More than anything, the words “spoken” throughout this story are powerful, deep-rooted, real and passionate.

Bottom Line:  I was greatly satisfied with this story: a nice mix between finding oneself, relationship navigation, and a touch of history. What keeps coming to mind is the beauty of the prose; the richness, and depth that gave me several moments of reflection. A moving story.

The cover: I think it is somewhat blah. I get the suburban suffocating feeling, but it does not spark interest for the story.  The title suits the story well, but is somewhat lost with the author’s name.

Side Note: I LOVE it when I come away from a book with a very neat idea. An idea that I can implement into my own life.  Within this story, a character keeps a journal.  This journal is written in only once a year - every New Year’s Eve.  It is a summary of the year (concise summary), and then goals/wishes for the following year are written.  The goals/wishes from the previous year are checked to see if they came true or were met.  A neat concept, and one that I can see myself doing starting this coming New Year’s Eve.

~~  I read, Coming Up for Air, last June/July.  My impressions were written down on note cards which is my favorite method for drafting my thoughts. The note cards are stuffed into the book until I am ready to finalize my thoughts.  When I finished reading this book, an idea for a re-read surfaced. The prose was such that I feel I could loose myself into the story yet again.  I still feel this way several months removed from my first reading.

~~  I do not read too many contemporary fiction novels, and when I do, I want to be utterly and thoroughly swept into the story.  Yes, that is true for all books that I read, but even more so with contemporary fiction. Reason being, the stories are “real world”, “real time” and I do not always care too much to read about “real time” life events.  Not only that, I critique far too much; questioning the realism/believability of the story.  For me, it is hard for a contemporary book to swept me into the story, because far too often, I am left sighing with dis-interest.  Or, I was not drawn in as it was too mushy, weird, or off the beaten path. Simply put, the story was not realistic; it was cheesy.  Due to my harsh leanings, it takes a good contemporary story - prose and plot - to satisfy.

Note worthy Quotes:
“we make our choices and then we live with them.  Everyone does.”  p.6

“My need for Hutch had once been rooted deeply into my bones so that I’d felt the desire not as a part of me, but as me completely.”  p.12

“with every wish fulfilled there is something lost.”  p. 24

“Love is not wanting and needing; it is knowing you would give your life for the other in a way that is absolute.  It is knowing that there is not a day that will ever go by - for the rest of your life - when that person will not be on your mind or in your heart.”  p. 160

“...that’s a choice everyone has.  They can wish for what they want in their life or they can face the truth, but sometimes you can’t have both.” p.206

Giveaway:  In light of my desire to make room on my bookshelves; I am offering this book to anyone who would like to read it.  Impromptu giveaway -  leave a comment stating that you would like to receive this book.  If more than one person requests the book, I will randomly draw numbers.  I will leave this giveaway open until December 8th.  If no one requests the book, then on my shelves it will stay – for now.

Sunday Post–Thanksgiving and more….

~ This post was written Saturday night & took until Monday to post~

Quote of the Week:  “It is always possible to be thankful for what is given rather than resentful over what is withheld–one attitude or the other becomes a way of life.”  - Elisabeth Elliott  (see post under Links)

Outside my window..… dark - not cold, slightly warm, dare I say - 51 degrees and rainy. (today, Monday, it is 37 degrees, and feels like 32 degrees…crazy)

I am listening to..... a hockey game. I am so involved in the game that I can tell you who is playing....not.

I am reading..… The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien – I am going to concentrate on finishing this book.

Current Audiobook..… The Path of Daggers by Robert Jordan – I am starting to wonder why I am reading this series. Thanks to Suey, I will stick with it, otherwise, I would be greatly tempted to stop.

Books I've Finished….. None

Books Started.... Darker Still by Leanna Renee Hieber,  Mr. Midshipman Hornblower by C. S. Forester

Books I Want to Start…..  The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley

I Am Thinking..…  that I am getting sick. My throat is starting to bother, and  my head hurts. I bet I am going to come down with some illness that has been festering inside of GD.  She has only hacked all over me for the past three nights.  While writing this post, GD woke and puked all over our bed. Oh such joy of parenting.

Favorite Things of the week…. my iPad...still. This handy device is incredible. So many things to do on it, and so many things to learn. I am a geek.

What I learned this week... how to properly transfer music and photos from my iPad to my itunes on the computer. Benji gave me the rundown.

The Challenge…. organize my electronic life. I have a list and order of what to do. Benji helped to order the list.

Thanksgiving..... was my parents’ 49th anniversary and a very nice day it was.  A long day, but very nice.  We cooked several dishes, and the house was cleaned before we left for my brother’s home.  It is so very nice to return  to a clean house.  Darin is always a great host; a mess we create with our large family of 22. The food was fabulous and conversation lively.  Elizabeth challenged Uncle Doane to a checkers game; this is not new. Doane, I do believe, was the champion this time around.  Charlie Brown Thanksgiving show was played while crafts and other activities entertained.  The children were all good which includes IJ.  He had a good day - that is huge.  Calm and peace was in the air - very sweet.

The menu:  Kosher Turkey for those carnivores, mashed sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, Herbed Green Beans with Cranberries, Corn Pudding, Salad, Cranberry-Apple Relish, Cranberry-Orange Sauce, Stuffing (carnivore and vegetarian), Tofurkey (see below), Fruit Salad, Real Pumpkin Spice Soy Latte (see below), Pumpkin pies, Cranberry bread.  Yummy food.

Recipes of the week ….. Tofurky.
It sounds weird, but I am here to tell you....this is a very yummy main dish. A great way to enjoy the holiday with those who are eating turkey.  I really liked it. Leftovers have been good too.

Ingredients: Tofurky Roast, 1 can cranberry sauce, 1 package dry vegetarian onion soup mix, 16 ounces vegetable broth and 1 tablespoon garlic powder (optional).
Directions:  Mix together - cranberry sauce, dried soup mix, and broth.  Place mixture into crockpot. Then place tofurky in the center. Cook on High for about 2 hours. Baste every so often. Slice and enjoy.

Real Pumpkin Spice Soy Latte
The recipe is for one drink. I, of course, made many more than one...about 12. In the process of pouring the latte for everyone, I managed to burn my thumb. It was one of those stupid moments. I knew my thumb was being burned as the hot latte was flowing upon it. Yet, I could not stop pouring. My mind told me, if I moved the cup then the latte would go all over my brother’s floor, yet my thumb was hurting. Stupid moment, the flow of latte ended once the cup was full.  The latte turned out great, and everyone enjoyed this treat. The bit of thumb scalding was worth it. Click on the link and scroll down to the bottom of the page for the recipe.

Family Matters....  My brother, Doane, has been here visiting the family. Very nice to have him join in on our Thanksgiving celebrations.  It have been a long while since that has occurred. This coming Wednesday, he will make his trek back home to Israel.

End of October had me hustling to mail an application packet off before a November 1st deadline. The packet?  CASANA  - IPADS FOR APRAXIA pilot project.  CASANA is piloting a program to see what the benefits of an iPad/applications, if any, are for children with Apraxia.  Forty chosen recipients will receive an ipad, warranty coverage for 2 years, protective case, and speech/language applications.  In return, the recipient will utilize the ipad and applications with his/her speech therapist.  A pre-survey and post-survey will be filled out by the SLP and parent.  Webinar, and consultations are available as well.  We filled out this paperwork in hopes that IJ would be one of the lucky recipients.  CASANA received about 200 applicants, and on Friday, we were informed that IJ was chosen! I was beyond thrilled and shocked.  We received this great news via an official CASANA letter. I am still in shock. Our letter of agreement will be mailed in on Monday.  Once our pre-survey is completed, CASANA will send IJ his iPad.  Technically, CASANA will be lending IJ the iPad, but once our post-survey is completed then the ipad’s ownership will be transferred to IJ.  This is simply amazing because we believe an iPad has great potential for IJ - not only for his apraxia needs, but also for his academic needs. Time will tell, and will updates will be posted.  As for IJ, he is quite happy about the news. He has asked numerous times for us to read the letter to him.  GD was a bit envious until she was told that it would be for IJ’s schooling needs.

Things I Hope to Accomplish...  the completion of this week’s challenge - see above.  AND, well...not getting full blast sick.

The Blog Report.... not much to report. 

Links....   Tim Challies posted about The Beauty in Words. I am fascinated by language - the use of words; idioms, vocabulary, expression well written. I am fascinated by Bible translations - what makes one better than the other? I want a well translated version that keeps the meaning and depth of the original language.This post explores these areas that fascinate.  You too may find this post interesting.

A Lesson from a Grumpy Old Lady - a lesson indeed on gratitude, and so very true-  posted by Girls Gone Wise. Quote of the Week was found in this post.

Photo Credits…. Benjamin and me

Sunday Post on Monday - Happy 70th, and more…

~ This post was written Monday morning~

Outside my window..… cloudy, 40 degrees F and feels like 35 degrees.  My weather channel app tells me that it should be and 54 degrees with a low of 47 on Thanksgiving.  Shall see.

I am listening to.....  the calm of the morning.

I am reading..… Darker Still by Leanna Renee Hieber -  very much enjoying,   The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien – behind on my reading,  Mr. Midshipman Hornblower by C. S. Forester – a pause has been taken and plan to get back to it this week.

Current Audiobook..… The Path of Daggers by Robert Jordan – not liking this one to much, tell you why later, but know this….it is same annoying stuff of earlier books.

Books I've Finished…..  None

Books I Want to Start….. The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley

I Am Thinking..…  the time change has messed with me. It gets dark by 5pm and my motivation plummets.

I Am Thinking ... I need to drink more water. Basically, I am drinking none. I am drink coffee non-stop. Reason? See above time change issue.

Favorite Things of the week…. iPad apps, more specifically, Paperless Lite. A to-do list app that I think will suit me very well. If so, then I will purchase the full version.

What I learned this week... the difference between the B&N Nook Touch, Kindle Touch, and the reading apps for iPad.  A blog post is being crafted in my mind about these e-readers.

The Challenge…. last week, I told you about my personal challenge of not turning our furnace on until at least after Thanksgiving. I am here to tell you that I cracked. Yes, I did. We had a couple of very cold days…low 30s as highs. We had to turn it on. But, we are not setting it higher than 60 degrees, and that is working out just fine.

Recipe of the week ….. Meaty Cabbage rolls.
I love this recipe. I can eat it non-stop. Of course, I tweak it for our vegetarian needs - smart grounds and vegetable broth. Also, I cook it all in a large skillet instead of making the actual roles and baking.  The ingredients mix well together - chopped cabbage cooks down nicely in the broth. At times I add the rice to the mix and other times we have choices - mashed potatoes, noodles, or rice all do well with a spoonful or two of the dish on top. It may not look the prettiest but it  is oh so very yummy.

Family Matters....  IJ’s music class – the entire 2nd grade – held a music program for his school this past Thursday. I attended as well as grandma and cousin, SM.  I find great joy in seeing IJ participate – standing with the typical 2nd grade kids, and singing.  It brings tears to my eyes to witness something so simple in life that parents of typical kids take for granted – the ability to stay with a group, participate, sing, and do hand motions as directed.  This is a huge thing for IJ – not so huge for other children. It is joyous to me – these simple things. IJ did great, for two and half songs.  He was exuberant during the first song, so-so with the second song, and flat out bored and only stood there for the third song.  During that third song, I saw a look wash over his face. I knew, that instant, he was done. No more would he do. Off the stage he came, and with adamant shaking of his head…he would not go back.  He sat with me for the rest of the program. He insisted that he must go home with me. He did not – aggression did come out – he was fine in the end – I picked him up early from school – I was fine.  Still, the first two songs were good – I will take what I can, and celebrate those moments of success.

My dad turned 70 years old, November 20th.  We celebrated his birthday. I was able to leave work four hours early – vacation time – in order for my family to join my sister and her family, along with my two older brothers as we gathered at my parents home for dinner and cake.  My siblings and I  are going in on a gift. The coordination of which gift to give was something else, but we have it settled and on Thanksgiving will present our dad his gift.  As for me, I feel very blessed to call this man my dad. He has walked this earth for 70 years, and has been my dad for 42 of those years. I have far more good memories than bad. I have memories of him actively participating in my life, and then with the lives of my children.  I truly am blessed to call Duane my dad.

Things I Hope to Accomplish...   Creating the Thanksgiving menu, and then cooking the meal.  This year, my parents’ anniversary is on Thanksgiving. My sister and I decided to cook the meal so that our Mom does not have to be in the kitchen all day.  Mom is still cooking the turkey – her request. My sister and I will take care of everything else. The menu must be settled upon…today. Our challenge – cooking for carnivores, vegetarians, and kosher. Wish us luck. Wish our family luck since they will be eating our creations.

The Blog Report.... posted my thoughts about A Wizard of Earthsea    -   By and By .... Here They Come  were my Songs of the Week 

Links.... ‘Tis the season to be signing up for book challenges. I am thinking of only doing ONE challenge if any at all for 2012. I have yet to decide. The following are ones that interest me….

2012 TBR Pile Reading Challenge – hosted by Evie at Bookish
The 2012 TBR Challenge – hosted by Adam at Roof Beam Reader
Classics Challenge – hosted by November’s Autumn

~~ There is a few differences between the two TBR Challenges.

This looks good – Pixar’s next film, Brave.

Photo Credits….. taken by me, and my daughter – ED.

Songs of the Week: By and By ... Here They Come

I have not heard of this group, Royal Bliss, until this week when Robert brought them to my attention.  I like them well.  I learned that they played locally – Great Lakes Naval Base – during the July 4th celebration 2011 event.  It would have been good to see them live…and cheap… a free event, but we missed it by one day.

By and By – Royal Bliss

This song has been played several times during this past week. I like it, but it is rather melancholy.  Still, good.

Royal Bliss seems to be on the hard rock side of the music block. I use to listen to hard rock a lot, but now only when it fits a mood.

What have you been listening to?

 

A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. LeGuin

“It is very hard for evil to take hold of the unconsenting soul.”

A Wizard of Earthsea
The Earthsea Cycle, book one
by Ursula K. Le Guin
copyright: 1968
publisher: Bantam Dell
format: mass market paperback
pages: 197
source: own

Back Cover: Ged was the greatest sorcerer in all Earthsea,  but once he was called Sparrowhawk, a reckless  youth, hungry for power and knowledge, who tampered  with long-held secrets and loosed a terrible shadow  upon the world. This is the tale of his testing,  how he mastered the mighty words of power, tamed an  ancient dragon, and crossed death's threshold to  restore the balance.

First Sentence:
The island of Gont, a single mountain that lifts its peak a mile above the storm-racked Northeast Sea, is a land famous for wizards.

My Thoughts:  A very good tale that I found to be very intriguing; adventurous and entertaining.   It did take me a tiny bit to get into the book, and there were moments my mind wander ever so slightly. So, while I was not fully overwhelmed, I was, interestingly enough, engrossed.  I found myself enter the world of Earthsea and that of Ged.  The fantasy element of magic was well developed and added to the intrigue.  I appreciated the development of this story; the rules, life and training of a wizard. While I did not always fully understand the intricacies of Earthsea and the magic - I did understand enough to appreciate this tale.  It all worked very well, and made sense throughout.

The writing is superb as it slowly drew me into a descriptive world.  This world was realized with information and cultural understanding as the prose seamlessly crafted the world, customs, people, and issue at hand.  Le Guin is certainly gifted with the economical use of words, and sentences.

The characters, while all not well developed, added flavor to the story, and to Ged’s life.  Each character had purpose to the overall sense and understanding. Ged is a fantastic character, one for which I am glad I spent time.  The reader watches him grow from a very rash boy to a young-man who pauses with thought and purpose; he becomes more and more intriguing.   Ged is riddled with darkness, yet, maintains a core of resilience which appealed to me greatly.  I feel that I have just skinned the surface of his life; much more depth is waiting to be explored.  There are more stories within Ged to be told.

I look forward to reading more of Ged’s life journey; adventures, growth and love (I hope).  I look forward to immersing myself once again into the world of Earthsea.

Bottom Line:  Do not let the small size of this book, 197 pages, fool you.  This book packs a powerful punch; short in length, but not short in depth or description.  While a quick read, it is not lack-luster nor  light. A very good tale, indeed.

The Cover:  I love this cover. It not only grabs my attention, it fits the story.

Sunday Post – cold weather is in the air

~ This post was mostly written late Saturday night ~

Outside my window..… Pitch black sky with season feeling of cold weather change.

I am listening to..... GD sing the “ABC” song while taking a bath with the backdrop of wind gusting, leaves rustling (both which sound like approaching winter)

I am reading..…  The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien,  Mr. Midshipman Hornblower by C. S. Forester

Current Audiobook..… The Path of Daggers by Robert Jordan

Books I've Finished….. Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut

Books I Want to Start….. The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley

Quote of the Week….

Source: modernhepburn.tumblr.com via ibeeeg on Pinterest

I Am Thinking..…  about my “How long can we go without turning our heat on?” challenge.  The goal – to not turn it on until December 1st or at least until after Thanksgiving…will this goal be met? It is a fun challenge for me, weirdly.  The last few days have been a challenge with the 30ish degree weather. But, bundle up – cook on the stove  and oven – do loads of laundry….all is well.   My personal belief is if we have several more days of 30ish degree weather during the remainder of November then the heat will probably be on before goal date.  Shall see though, we do own sweaters and socks…you know.
I do this type of challenge for our A/C in the summer.

Favorite Things of the week…. my iPad. Yes, I have new iPad.  Our computers were starting to die, and many of us are wanting to be on them.  We decided that an iPad, and new desktop were order. A Mac Mini was brought into the home too. I have not played around on the mac mini as my iPad has been keeping me busy. 
Any iPad app suggestions?

What I learned this week... not much, really. My mind has been a bit all over the place. But, I will say, I am having a great time keeping a small  3x5  vocabulary notebook. I write down words that I come across in my readings - words that I am unfamiliar with and want to look up and know.

Recipe of the week ….. Tofu Sloppy Joe.  Do not let the name deter you from trying this recipe. It is so very yummy, and everyone in my home loves it which  includes the carnivores.

Tofu Sloppy Joe
(Recipe courtesy of my sister – Darcy)

Ingredients:

~ 2 lbs extra firm tofu
~ 1 cup onions, diced
~ 1 cup green peppers, chopped
~ olive oil
~ 1/4 cup ketchup
~ 16 oz tomato sauce
~ 1 can diced tomatoes
~ 1 teaspoon or tablespoon chili powder (I do not really measure )
~ 1 teaspoon green tobasco sauce (I use whatever hot sauce I have on hand)
~ Wheat Kaiser rolls (we use whatever is on hand, but I like mine over rice)

Directions:

1.  If necessary – drain and press excess liquid from tofu.
(I use extra firm tofu by Wildwood – there is no excess liquid)
- mash and sauté in pan
- set aside

2. Sauté onions and green peppers a few minutes or to desire texture

3. Add mushroom and sauté extra 2-3 minutes (we do not use mushrooms)
4. Add tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and seasoning (chili powder and tabsco)  Also add 1/4 cup of ketchup.  Simmer about 5 minutes.

5. Add tofu.  Simmer.

6. Toast them buns

7. Bon Appetit!

Family Matters.... it snowed on Thursday and was pretty cold. Nothing big in way of snow, but there were huge flakes falling in the sky early in the morning. IJ woke to this beauty and immediately insisted that he must play in the snow. I told him, “IJ, the snow is not sticking on the ground. There is nothing to play in.”  He did not care, and to top it off, he insisted that he MUST wear all his winter gear…so he donned his snow pants, snow boots, winter coat, hat and gloves.  He played almost all day outside in this gear…in the wet, muddiness of our yard.  The next day, IJ insisted that it is winter, and that he must ice skate. Out came his skates and on they went…out the door  to our “skate” rink, IJ went…ummm…. to the mud rink is more like it.  Besides wanting to play in the snow, IJ is still much into fires – the lighting of them. Candles are not safe here in this home. We thought we got rid of them all; seems one strayed into hiding to only be brought out by “sparky” to light not only the wick but paper thrown in too. The fire was so hot that the glass broke. No more candles exist in this home….or so we hope.

Things I Hope to Accomplish... the decluttering of the home. I am going to take one area of the house, each week, and declutter something every day in that said area.  This week, I am going to declutter my electronic life. Yes, that area is in desperate need of organizing and dumping.  Benjamin will be home from school on Thanksgiving, so I would like to have our external hard drive in order for him to set up the mini mac for regular back-ups. I have a list of how to organize our folders, and sub-folders. Beyond the document electronic life, I am going to organize the photos a bit better. Fortunately, for the last couple of years, I have been using Lightroom which creates folders neatly.  I need to neaten up the years prior.  Starting in January, I am going to backup our photos onto an SD card – per month – by month.  This was Benji’s idea, a good one I do believe.

The Blog Report.... I am hosting a giveaway,  posted my thoughts about Linger,   Something in the Water was my Song of the Week,  posted my thoughts for the first week of The Return of the King read along.

Links.... 

Logan at Rememorandom posted – a few weeks ago-  Dream Lover, a review.  Within his post, there is a link to a neat short movie called, Dream Lover. Make sure to view the movie after reading Logan’s thoughts.

BookBrowse looks like a fun site to browse.  I discovered this site via a fellow book blogger, but I do not remember who…could it have been Suey???

5 Minutes for Books.com  posted about an intriguing graphic novel, The Last Dragon.  I want to read this one.

Pancakes & French Fries has month series on decluttering, 31 Days of William Morris

Nesting Place series – 31 Days of Lovely Limitations

 365 Less Things has weekly posts for a Mini Mission Monday. (browse the “mini missions” tag for more missions)

Photo Credits….. first two, and last taken by Benjamin. All other photos taken by me.

 

LOTR: Return of the King Read along–week one

For the past three months, I have been reading The Lord of the Rings trilogy. I have been kept motivated because well…the books are good, but honestly, mostly my motivation has been thanks to the Lord of the Rings read along hosted by Little Red Reviewer, and Geeky Daddy.  Granted, I have not been a stellar participant but I have kept with the reading.

For The Return of the King, I am hoping to participate weekly via posts discussing my thoughts to questions asked for that week’s reading.  Crossing my fingers that I maintain this weekly goal.

Please note – this is my first time reading The Lord of the Rings trilogy. My answers to the questions are based entirely on my first thoughts without much deep thinking. I tend to not read to terribly deep into stories and especially when it is the first time I have read said book.

This week’s questions focused on Chapters 1- 6

1.With the company that went with Aragorn through the Paths of Death. Would you have volunteered knowing it may be curse and ghosts haunting the paths?

Nope, I admit, I would not have volunteered. Although, with that said, if I felt an extreme amount of loyalty towards Aragorn, then yes, I would have suppressed my wimpy feelings.

2.What were your thoughts of Merry and Pippin in the preparation to the Battle of Gondor. It seemed that each ruler just thought that each hobbit could not be a contribution to the battle.

Let me say, I do not care much for Pippin, but I do find myself liking Merry.  I was impressed with Merry – naïve bravery which wound up being a very good thing for others.

3. Did you think that the preparations to the Battle sparked your interest and  all or did you find that the flow was bogged down a bit?

I will admit, I am having a tough time feeling the Tolkien love. I do not think his writing style is fully agreeing with me, so yes, there are patches in this story that have bogged me down a bit.  Fortunately though, there are many other patches, and aspects that flash sparks of intrigue.   The preparations to the Battle was one area that did bog me down – ever so slightly.

4. I thought that it was great that both Eowyn and Merry made it to the Battlefield. Yet against orders of the King and made a huge contributions. What did you think both of them doing this and would you have done this if it was you?

Like I already mentioned, I like Merry…a lot, I should say.  And, I should tell you now, I like Eowyn a whole too.  I like them both for what they represent – the underappreciated.  Merry for being small, and Eowyn for being female.  Beyond what they represent – I like the characters for who they are…plain, simple, and determined.  So, with all of that said,  I was thrilled to see their contributions during the Battle. I was thrilled. Their roles is one of the reasons why I liked this part of the book as much as I did. I will also say, I cannot wait to read more with Eowyn.

5. What do you think of Denethor's rash decision to send Faramir to hold Western Osgiliath against the hosts of the Enemy that outnumbered their own greatly?

I do not care much for Denethor. I think that he is thoughtless when it comes to Faramir. I do not appreciate how he has ordered his boys in preference and has made no secret of that order.  Granted, Denethor could be reacting to his grief, but I think not…at least not entirely. Faramir, to me, seems to be the more honorable of the two brothers, or at least he is willing to not let greed over take nor follow into folly except when he went on the mission that truly was one for his death.  I like Faramir, greatly. I hope that I continue liking him.

 

~ Overall, I am having a tough time getting into this book. There certainly have been moments of gripping intensity for which I can only imagine how it will play on the screen. I am certain those moments will translate into nail biting, ear plugging, eyes squeezing shut for me. There are moments of character love, and moments of great appreciation for the world created. Yet, I am not finding myself absorbed into the world where I cannot wait to read the next moment...to where I cannot put the book down. I do have hope though, I am thinking this book is just starting to pick up in gripping, absorbing, page-turner intensity to where I will plow through to the end because I just cannot stop reading. That is the hope, anyway.

Song of the Week: Something in the Water

Caspette of The Narrative Causality recommended at song, Something in the Water. I went searching for said song, and came across one by Brooke Fraser. That is how I came across this week’s Song of the Week.  I  am not certain if this is the song Mandy was referring to, but this one greatly agrees with me.

Fun, and catchy song - my mood lifts upon each listening.  I do, indeed, like Something in the Water very, very well.  Besides the catchiness of the song, I really like Brooke Fraser, and have for several years now.

Thanks Mandy for leading me towards this song.

Have you, recently, discovered a new-to-you song, or artist that was recommended?

What have you been listening to this week?

 

Linger by Maggie Stiefvater

“You’re  beautiful…thing about Grace was that words like that meant more to me than to her.  They were throwaway phrases to her, things that made her smile for a second but were just … gone after that. too corny to be real. To Grace, these were the things that mattered: my hands on her cheeks, my lips on her mouth. The fleeting touches that meant I loved her.”  p.98

Linger
The Wolves of Mercy Falls – bk 2
by Maggie Stiefvater
copyright: 2010
publisher: Scholastic Press
format: hardcover
pages: 360
source: own

Goodreads Description: In Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver, Grace and Sam found each other.  Now, inLinger, they must fight to be together. For Grace, this means defying her parents and keeping a very dangerous secret about her own well-being. For Sam, this means grappling with his werewolf past . . . and figuring out a way to survive into the future. Add into the mix a new wolf named Cole, whose own past has the potential to destroy the whole pack.  And Isabelle, who already lost her brother to the wolves . . . and is nonetheless drawn to Cole.
At turns harrowing and euphoric, Linger is a spellbinding love story that explores both sides of love -- the light and the dark, the warm and the cold -- in a way you will never forget.

First Sentence: 
This is the story of a boy who used to be a wolf and a girl  who was becoming one.

EJ’s Thoughts (age 12):  I really liked Linger. I thought the new wolves were very interesting, but I did not like Cole. I thought he was annoying, and bothered Sam.  I liked how Isabel had her own chapters plus she was not very mean in this book as she was in Shiver. The ending was sad and really made me want to read the next book, Forever.  Overall, this book was one that would not let me put it down.  I think my friends would like The Wolves of Mercy Falls.

My Thoughts: I liked this book. I liked it well. It did not knock my socks off, but still, the story was good.  I remember loving Shiver, the first book in this series. And what I loved about it was the uniqueness of the story - not your typical werewolf story.  This still holds true for Linger.  I still like Grace and Sam, but am leaning more towards Sam. Grace annoyed me at times, mostly because she holds on to a secret ¹ ...a fear...rather than sharing it with Sam. Bad move Grace.  Sam is impressive with his maturity considering the fact that he is a kid too, and a kid who is on his own and has never thought about adulthood as a human. Yep, he impresses.  
The parents - blah. ²   I had issues with them in Shiver and those issues continue. It got a bit better because at least they have a bit more presence but still...they are not going to win any parent of the year awards. Sort of sad, really.  I loved the additional presence of Cole and growing presence of Isabel. They added dimension to the story. 

Linger, it is simple and straight forth with a pace that flows. The point of view shifts with every chapter which I like very much.  Quick chapters that compliment the previous and following ones. They were like snapshots of a character’s place in the story; their thoughts, feelings, worries, and plans. These frequent POV shifts created the reading pace; kept me moving along, kept my attention – maintained interest. The storyline was good although it was not very strong – lacked depth at times. I was struck by how the teenage sexual tension was related and served up – written very well. The ending packed a punch, and thankfully it did so because up until the last fourth of the book, I was not entirely connected to the plot. The ending certainly left me eager to move on to the final book, Forever.

What I LOVED best about the book is Maggie Stiefvater’s writing. This is no surprise. Every book of hers that I read - the writing impresses greatly.    The lack of storyline depth was made up by not only the frequent POV shifts, but also with the writing ability of the author – she achieves lyrical and poetic written beauty throughout. ³ This capability of hers is what captivated and kept me in the story.

 

Bottom Line: If you read Shiver and liked it well then you must read Linger. It is not the best Stiefvater book but it is good.

The Cover:  I love the covers. It adds mystique and intrigue. The covers most certainly draw my attention and curiosity.  The Bonus of the book it the font color. I LOVE that the font color matches the cover; Shiver is blue, Linger is green and Forever is red. Very cool aspect and greatly adds to my reading experience.

 Our Thoughts on Shiver

Footnotes - Spoilers:

1. Here is the deal. Grace thinks that her body is trying to shift into wolf form. She has the physical signs. Yet, she is keeping this great concern - fear - to herself when she should be telling Sam who is the one person that could really help her.  Annoying.

2. The parents were pretty much absentee in Shiver. Amazing how much the teenagers were able to do without any parental input. I was glad to see their presence a bit more in Linger, BUT my gosh...give me a break...Grace’s parents go from basically absentee to putting their foot down without discussing anything with her AND then leaving her to go to a convention which does NOT require both parents to attend , and that was also AFTER discovering Sam stays with Grace every night AND Grace was incredibly sick a few short days prior. Weird and priority problems. Isabel’s parents are far, far worse. ugh.  I appreciate books, greatly, who can achieve the growing angst of teenagers along with a balance of parental presence, guidance and support. This would be my biggest issue with this series. Nit picky to some, but a big deal to me - obviously.

3. With every Maggie Stiefvater book that I have read, I have always come away thinking that her writing is lyrical, poetic - beautiful. With every book, I have said this.  I was thinking, while reading this book, Stiefvater’s musical and artistic background must influence her writing - her musical and artistic capabilities flow through her pen.

From My Shelves Giveaway: The Iron Fey Series– The Iron King, The Iron Daughter, The Iron Queen

Instead of collecting dust and taking up space, the idea is to share with others those books that are sitting on my bookshelves that are extra copies, ones that I probably will not re-read, and nor will my children.

 

This month, I am giving away my copies of  the first three books in The Iron Fey series by Julie Kagawa.   There will be one winner.

The Iron King
My Review

Back Cover: Meghan Chase has a secret destiny; one she could never have imagined.
Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school or at home.
When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change.
But she could never have guessed the truth - that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face; and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart

The Iron Daughter
My Review

Back Cover:Half Summer faery princess, half human, Meghan has never fit in anywhere. Deserted by the Winter prince she thought loved her, she is prisoner to the Winter faery queen. As war looms between Summer and Winter, Meghan knows that the real danger comes from the Iron fey—ironbound faeries that only she and her absent prince have seen. But no one believes her.  Worse, Meghan's own fey powers have been cut off. She's stuck in Faery with only her wits for help. Trusting anyone would be foolish. Trusting a seeming traitor could be deadly. But even as she grows a backbone of iron, Meghan can't help but hear the whispers of longing in her all-too-human heart.   

The Iron Queen
My Review

Back Cover: I thought it was over. That my time with the fey, the impossible choices I had to make, the sacrifices of those I loved, was behind me. But a storm is approaching, an army of Iron fey that will drag me back, kicking and screaming. Drag me away from the banished prince who's sworn to stand by my side. Drag me into the core of conflict so powerful, I'm not sure anyone can survive it.

Guidelines:
* Open to US/Canada mailing addresses
* Contest ends on Dec 1, 2011 at 11:59 CST
* Winner will be announced on this blog.

To Enter, Please fill Out the form:

 

Suey at It’s All About Books is hosting a giveaway for The Iron Knight.  Go to her blog to enter for your chance to win book four of this series.

Sunday Post on Monday - bookish thoughts and other tid-bits

Outside my window..… Colors are vibrant, the air is crisp with the scent of autumn. I love the feeling this season provides; anticipation of change, brisk steps, and beauty in all senses.

I am listening to.....silence, and the random plane flyover…sweet. I love silence.

I am reading..… The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien, Mr. Midshipman Hornblower by C. S. Forester

Current Audiobook..… The Path of Daggers by Robert Jordan

Books I've Finished….. Love Begins in Winter by Simon Van Booy

Books I Want to Start….. Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut

I Am Thinking..… my reading tastes have changed; ever so slightly. I do not have patience or desire for YA books much these days.  Not to diss the YA realm, but for me, they are falling short in depth of story. I cannot put my finger on it exactly, but I will say that I have grown bored and antsy with teenage love angst - lack of parental support and nurturing - same story different book reality. There was a time that these simple, quick and fun reads satisfied; no longer.  Granted, I am not the demographics these books are published, but even so, I find that I am desiring more for not only myself but mostly for my daughters. I am desiring books that provide substance of writing, story, and character - depth. I think that I may be in the minority here as I am see glowing raves about some YA books that I feel are greatly failing in depth.  I should point out, I do realize that not all YA books lack qualities that I desire. I have read two books in the past month that have been most excellent and they can be YA categorized. Still, I think excellent YA is lacking depth in quantity.  Quandary - locating more excellent YA books, and not just formulary type raves.

What I learned this week... a way to keep track of how much I am spending during a grocery trip - use hash marks for each dollar spent. For example, an item cost over a dollar but under two, I place two hash marks on my grocery list - a running tally of sets of five is kept with ease.  This method gives me freedom to not keep in my head the bill total as I shop along, and gives me no worries about if I am calculating correctly. This method is simple math 101 calculations - counting in sets of five.  It is working out fabulously and is helping me to greatly reduce impulse buying while increasing my decision making power for which item to choose.  Thanks Jody for this tip.

Recipe of the week …..This is a yearly treat - a yearly tradition....Pumpkin Soup.  So very yummy, and such a Fall delight.

Family Matters....not too much on the front with the children. Last week was Halloween, of course, and we had a nice time trick-or-treating with my sister and her family as we always do every year. After the treating, we had dinner at my parent - Pumpkin Soup and salad.  It was a nice time.

Things I Hope to Accomplish... decluttering the house - focus areas of the week are the clothes and kitchen. I also hope to have all the children’s Christmas wish lists in hand and for my gift buying planning to commence...my goal is to spend little while giving big...you know, big in the sense that the item is truly wanted by the receiver not that it necessarily costs big.

 

The Blog Report....slowly, but surely, I am getting back into the groove of posting, reading blogs, and commenting. Last week, I posted about an excellent book, The Book Thief, and this coming week, I hope to have two book reviews up; both I liked, but neither did I overwhelmingly love.

Links.... 

Suey at  It’s All About Books posted about Questions on Book Marketing Strategy

Alison’s Book Marks brought to my attention the book The Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Macker.  Yes, it is YA but folks, mind you, my above thoughts did not say I was giving up YA.

L at Omphaloskepsis posted Calling All Artists.  Take a look at a fabulous idea that I KNOW will have fabulous end results.

 

Photo Credits….. first and last post photos – Benjamin taken on November 1st and 6th. The rest of the photos – taken by me on October 31st.

 

Quote of the Week....

“Age is a plow that unearths the true nature of things.  But only after the moment has passed and we are powerless to change anything, are we granted wisdom.  As though we are living backward.” 
Love Begins in Winter, p.174

Song of the Week: Someone Like You

I have not listened to much music this week; started an audiobook.  I was very tempted to highlight another Coldplay song, but decided to save it for later. It is a great song.

For this week, I chose a song that fits a book that I am reading.  This now makes two weeks in a row when a song came to me that matched up with a book that I am reading.  That does not ever happen to me much less twice. 

Someone Like You by Adele

I do not own any of Adele’s music and why, I ask myself. The answer, not sure. I am puzzled because I do like her voice – her music.  When I came across Someone Like You, the book Love Begins in Winter by Simon Van Booy popped into my head.  The song does not fit the book perfectly, but the mood of the song fits the rhythm of the story.

What have you been listening to this week?