Radiant Reviews - Thursday Meme

5-Squared: The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy

You may read this book review of mine if you haven't yet since I decided to participate in this Thursday Meme at

Radiant Reviews at Chrissie's Corner

Perhaps you'd like to share one of your book reviews that you've worked so hard on as well. Or head on over to read others. Beware: you'll probably find more books to add to your TBR(To Be Read) list! Have fun & leave a comment to let the writer of the reviews you read know you've stopped by because, as always, comments are what makes blogging so fun!

Thanks!

Top Ten Tuesday(1): Favorite Books

I discovered this on Lu's Book Blog and I realized that I love to follow The Broke and the Bookish on twitter so I thought I'd participate in her meme: Top Ten Tuesday. Today's top ten is

What are your top ten all-time favorite books?

1) The Light in the Forest by Conrad Richter - This is the first classic literature that stands out in my mind. My mom suggested I read it when I was young and complaining of boredom which that adds to the meaning that comes behind reading it for me. Isolated, human fragility, and perceptive are just some of the words that describe it and give you a sense of this book. Simplistic yet well done.

2) The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton - I was completely captivated and really enjoyed the main character, Lily. There are many quotes that I love in this book.

3) The Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien - I like all of these books but I really do love a beginning of a story and this is one of those rare perfect beginnings.

4)Uglies by Scott Westerfeld - another one that I love the series as well but this is another awesome beginning to entertaining characters and a dystopia novel that will have you questioning everything you know in the world he created and the one you're in now.

5)Charlotte's Web by E.B. White - This really was one of the very first books that I ever loved. I still have my very worn and tattered old copy of this book. I love to talk about this book because I think there is so much to it.

6)The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath - This book is one of the saddest books but I loved the imagery and amazing language within its pages. Plath is poetic and I like her style!

7)Harry Potter & the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling - Honestly, I love the whole series but I'm choosing this one since it is the one I've re-read a few more times than the others. I just love Dobie!

8)The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Emmuska Orczy - I love the legend of this book! It is silly to some but has depth and layers of meaning to me.

9)The Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens - This is a "must-read" each Christmas or at least most of them and if I don't get to read it I make sure to see a film adaptation of this book.

10)The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson - This book is fresh in my mind and I just can't forget about it so I'll add it here. It's one of those that changes in your mind after you read it and already, I feel I'm due for a re-read.

Is 10 all I get? I know that there are many more books that I love than this but this is my list for today.

***

Ok, I can't help it so I cheat since three more entered my mind before I published that I have to list, even if just for myself:

11) A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle

12) The Diary of Anne Frank

13)When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

Thanks for reading through all of this!

Just for fun: Right now, see if you can quickly think of a favorite book and leave it in the comments. List the very first one that comes to your mind. GO!

Teaser Tuesday (10): Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

Introduced to me by: Blue Duck Book Reviews
Hosted by: MizB of Should be reading

*Anyone can play ~ Find your current read, share a quote from a random page plus do tell what you're reading.
*Remember, you are always welcome to share your teaser in the comments as well.
*For more details be sure to look up how on the links above.


My teaser:

For a brief moment, time stood still. Not really still. It sort of danced and shimmered in place, the lights flickering and dimming before reappearing. If that moment had been a real thing, it would've been a butterfly, flapping and fluttering toward the sun.

~pg. 236 in Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

My thoughts:

In this book , the imagery is amazing! I have felt moments like these, perhaps even many times but wouldn't attempt to describe them - only feel them and let them pass. This is an incredible description that I will ponder as it will forever be fused into my memory now.

Poetry from my Purse

True to form for a writer, I always have to carry good old-fashioned paper and pen around with me so my purse is actually a Franklin Covey planner. I've thought about getting a new purse recently but I can't part with this one. I've had this similar style now for about 10 yrs. & I like that I have something to write or doodle with. I used to carry a calendar too but haven't been this year since I didn't order a refill or find my usual F.C. cheapo ones from Target. I've found that I like having lots of paper instead. So, as I was changing the paper and cleaning out all of those old receipts this time around, here is a poem that I wrote in my purse. Perhaps, this will be a regular feature for every time I clean out my purse.
What about you? What do you find hiding in your purse, on a napkin, a receipt or an old notebook lying around? Feel free to share it if you'd like or let me know what you think when you have a minute. Thanks!

***

Of the Every Day


Rough water
lighthouse
sharp rocks
slashing waves
continuously cut
break apart
only until the elements
beat it down
so much until it
ever surrenders
to the sustaining light

Instead of rough water
reflecting light
being compelled to surrender
giving then receiving
as a lighthouse
I prefer to stand
to bask in the light
to stay off the beaten path
like a beacon
swimming in calm seas
finding the beauty
in the common
the misplaced
surrendering to the honest spirit
of the every day.

***

by J.A.C.

A "Soundtrack of My Childhood"

I remember that my Mom loved to listen to Starry, Starry Night by Julio Iglesias.

My dad loved Manheim Steamroller a lot - especially at Christmas.

I've grown to love Classical, mainly because of my Grandpa Hatch letting me listen to it with him, and Vivaldi is one of my favorites. Listening to classical music is one of the best ways I can feel relaxed.

My Grandma Hatch loved to sing all the time. She knew a song for every letter in the alphabet. The ones that stick out to me are A-Tisket, A-Tasket, Animal Crackers in my Soup, and Yankee Doodle Dandy.

My Grandpa Ted also loved to sing and I remember Danny Boy among others.

My Grandma Rae would sing Que, Sera, Sera to me.

Children's songs and Hymns from church are such a solace to me where in the end, there was "Never a Better Hero" by Kenneth Cope.

In my teen years, it was all about the '80's music, baby. Heart, Debbie Gibson and Michael Jackson + so many others that it's hard to name them all...a little ragtime by Scott Bradlee might jog your memory.

In college, whether I liked the variety or not, the '90's didn't let you forget with even more music from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Britney and Nirvana to name a few. I didn't feel I could identify with '90's music so I didn't listen to it all the time.

Next Matchbox Twenty made their amazing debut in my life.

Of course, now that music history has been sung from my point of view and we return to present day, I can't help thinking I'm forgetting some great music (like from movies) but that will have to be another post. Overall, I still love a good beat today and my favorites are fairly obvious since I have links to them from this blog. Cook(my A.I.), Mayer(best guitar ever) and Rt(best songwriter) - what more need I say?

I hope all the links from YouTube.com work and you can enjoy listening if you want to.

How about you? What music do you remember most from your childhood?

Teaser Tuesdays (9)

I thought I would revive my blog and enliven myself a little bit by participating in this meme again. Most of all, I love reading and sharing quotes from books! I look forward to reading what you share too.


Introduced to me by: Bookworm Barista
Hosted by: MizB of Should be reading

*Anyone can play ~ Find your current read, share a quote from a random page plus do tell what you're reading.
*Remember, you are always welcome to share your teaser in the comments as well.
*For more details be sure to look up how on the links above.


My teaser:

Evil Forest then thrust the pointed end of his rattling staff into the earth. And it began to shake and rattle, like something agitating with a metallic life.

pg. 89, Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

My thoughts:

This is a classic read. It's taken me a while to read this book because my interest has wavered at times. I think it is a learning curve and it has a lot to offer a reader overall. Since it is summer I think that is a harder time for me with grasping the cultural details as I'm interrupted a lot more as I read. It is coming together in a very unexpected way as I finish it.

An O.M.B Award!

Wow, I'm so flattered and amazed! Thanks so much! I received this Oh My Blog..! award for my book reviews over at 5-squared. Actually, two people passed it to me and Congrats to them as well:

Heather at Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Books
PapeRDoll at Book Memoirs

So, go on over and check out their amazing book review skills on their blogs. Plus, you'll most likely find something to read. :)

In the meantime, I'll do one of the following according to the rules for the Oh My Blog..! Award:

1. Get Really Excited that you got the coolest award EVER! (ditto)

2. Choose one of the following options of accepting the OMB Award :

*Get really drunk and blog for fifteen minutes straight , or for as long as you can focus.
*Write about your most embarrassing moment.
*Write a "Soundtrack Of Your Childhood" post
*Make your next blog a "vlog" (video blog). Basically your talking to the camera about whatever.
*Take a picture of yourself first thing in the morning, before you do anything else (hair, makeup, etc,) and post it

3. Pass the award on to at least three, but preferably more, awesome bloggers. Don't forget to tell them.

I don't drink. I have a lot of embarrasing moments. I don't really know how to vlog. I pretty much look about the same in the a.m. as I normally do or maybe I'm hopeful. ;)

So, I'm going to write a "Soundtrack of My Childhood" post. It's going to be fun to take a walk down memory lane through music. My childhood was filled with music and I really enjoy listening to all types of music. I hope you'll enjoy it when it comes up!

I'll pass it along to these impressive bloggers:
Lu at Lu's Book Blog
To Grow On
Jencey at Writer's Corner

And my 5-squared friends to express my gratitude to them for writing book reviews too:
Lula O at Strictly Letters
Carrie at Carrie's Me World
Queen 'Bina at Not a True Blog

Thanks and you're all wonderful!

Starting again with Poetry

I've been processing in my mind back and forth about this blog. I've been really struggling with blogging very much of anything lately. I've thought about deleting it entirely but I don't think I can do that even. I've put effort into this blog whether or not I'm writing on here. I love to write and I looked on blogging as a fun way to keep a log of what I love. That's what this blog is all about. Ideas & reflection. Eventually, I'm sure I'll get back to writing and blogging more. I actually have a notebook full of ideas that I'd like to write into blogs but I obviously haven't as of yet. I've even considered just starting a whole new blog over but I'm not sure if that's the answer yet either until I'm ready to be more consistent and serious as that's what I feel I should be about blogging. So, for now I shared this poem recently again with a poetry group and as I'm awaiting their thoughts I thought I'd start somewhere again on this blog and share it with you.

Here is a poem I wrote mainly to provide awareness for mental illness. It is very real and deep for those who experience it and for others around them experiencing it along with them and struggling to understand, whether or not to help but most of all trying to love them unconditionally. Even I feel a need to be more aware and understanding of this real issue so that's why I wrote this in March of 2008. This is a raw draft. Anyway, I'm curious as to what you might think of my poetry anyway. Here goes:

Mental Twist
By Julie A. Carter

There is a pain
a twist inside
I don’t understand
buried deep within
I can feel it now
almost as if it were
hidden in the shadows
amongst tiny crevices
yet its twisted and creeps up
through my heart
spiraling, tingling
a hurtful sensation
physically sick

“Anxiety, they tell me
Calm your nerves.”
I can’t - -
I don’t understand why
I thought my life was going great
I thought I was easy going,
Even optimistic
What do you mean, I’m not?

“Medication, that’s what you need
Then it will go away
You’ll function again.”
I try, but it’s strange
and new - -
Actually, I can’t think
I feel
numb
Perhaps before I could
feel
but I’m forgetting about
before
All I know is
I just hurt - -

There is a pain
a twist inside
I don’t understand


*image taken from this blog.