tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86098135944746974272024-03-13T10:49:41.785-07:00The Brain FilesAmandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05563812145014399803noreply@blogger.comBlogger55125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8609813594474697427.post-72706231379090400662017-07-19T19:20:00.003-07:002017-07-19T19:20:29.468-07:00Palimpsest, and Other Funny English WordsHappy Summer!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjODHJI_bKoUFicktn7OP0uwU8P0uswBF8tmX9fglIqA7qcpP5YGsO4vOns0DxP-BEuGQ8qFG4wf24DAWJv1mdhdgh8uqBhB00Nkvo7_3RxpbkDW3R6uJHKzluEdgvUxGGnAT59MzRpQjY/s1600/summer+clipart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="615" data-original-width="820" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjODHJI_bKoUFicktn7OP0uwU8P0uswBF8tmX9fglIqA7qcpP5YGsO4vOns0DxP-BEuGQ8qFG4wf24DAWJv1mdhdgh8uqBhB00Nkvo7_3RxpbkDW3R6uJHKzluEdgvUxGGnAT59MzRpQjY/s320/summer+clipart.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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You know, besides that fact that it's 95 degrees outside and the power is currently out.<br />
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This summer has been more busy than relaxing, and while I'm happy about that, I'm also aching for a rest. Which just isn't coming. I don't mind being holed up in the cool basement, but my family hates it, so we go out a lot. But I keep an open mind, and it works out because last night we took a ride up in the canyons and it was raining. <i>Raining</i>! I was so happy I thought I was going to cry.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palimpsest">Wikipedia</a></td></tr>
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Have you ever heard the ridiculous word <i>palimpsest</i>? If you've studied English, perhaps, but it's weird. It sounds weird. It's not a word you'd insert into everyday conversation. But it's also a word that I <i>love</i>. If you look it up on Google, you'll get the following definition:<br />
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<i>A manuscript or piece of writing material on which the original writing has been effaced to make room for later writing but of which traces remain</i>.<br />
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The analogy of this type of writing surfaced during feminist studies, which simply meant that women used their own analogies to describe their thoughts, emotions, and circumstances because during the nineteenth century they couldn't come out with a basic truth and have it be acknowledged. In other words, they wrote fluff while the men wrote academics.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpMpYAx_Hi6k7qQ8BQQGdX_-8sTKaEPPcMQw7u3gOLMMq6sQAp1Y3bEqwJuyPb6C5MWEkSKkmEATS-xwmYpNSCkEZHGosHaOkerZlklVAufVt8l8TeWVSawQDcizQFQ-WeY7tpMn9TGa8/s1600/rogue.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpMpYAx_Hi6k7qQ8BQQGdX_-8sTKaEPPcMQw7u3gOLMMq6sQAp1Y3bEqwJuyPb6C5MWEkSKkmEATS-xwmYpNSCkEZHGosHaOkerZlklVAufVt8l8TeWVSawQDcizQFQ-WeY7tpMn9TGa8/s320/rogue.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Goodreads</td></tr>
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While I don't necessarily want to focus on feminism today, I do want to talk about the idea that palimpsest exists in most fiction I've read. For example, I recently finished <i>Rogue </i>by Julie Kagawa, a YA book where a dragon can shift into human form and is on the run from two organizations that want her dead (this is the second book in the series). The battle between dragons and humans? Not new. It's an analogy for other wars. That between countries, between blacks and whites, between Natives and non-Natives. It doesn't take a genius to connect this fictional story to an obvious truth; the need for humans to get along with each other and try to see from another's perspective. Kagawa, one of my favorite authors, has always had a way of doing this in her books. There is a constant struggle between two "classes" of humans (Fey and human, vampire and human, or dragon and human), and it is the protagonist's job to bring some kind of peace and cooperation between the two. (You can read my review of <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2030481824?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1"><i>Rogue </i>here on Goodreads</a>)<br />
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Another word that makes no sense (which also starts with a <i>p</i>, coincidence?) is <i>pathos</i>. I'd heard this word before, but only because my husband wrote it down above a sketch for a sculpture he wanted to do. "What is <i>pathos</i>?" I asked him.<br />
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"Pathos is pity," he said. "Or maybe empathy." He wasn't saying the definition had changed, just the way he was thinking about it. So I googled that too:<br />
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<i>A quality that evokes pity or sadness</i>.<br />
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Interestingly enough, pathos plays an important part in palimpsest. Emotion is key to all artwork. If a book doesn't reach out and grab your heart, it hasn't done its job. If a painting or sculpture doesn't relate to you, or if a piece of music doesn't make you tear up, then there is something missing in that piece <i>for you</i>. I'm not saying everyone should like the same music. But if a piece of work is created and it touches <i>no one</i>, then what is the meaning of its existence? Writers use pathos to bring us into the story.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq4Rs96iahEpFOzm5nwlathIvzwEZ-1Dky1xjrZkfSAT8lc-N4_ws8wr6g2vmuYBliYdllWbhRAmBYMqvRd_oVVxsozt-5Zwt1PddAnA7_vxusf-qqB35MxCV867uFOOlIIaWpoZhmDeQ/s1600/Homebody.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="293" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq4Rs96iahEpFOzm5nwlathIvzwEZ-1Dky1xjrZkfSAT8lc-N4_ws8wr6g2vmuYBliYdllWbhRAmBYMqvRd_oVVxsozt-5Zwt1PddAnA7_vxusf-qqB35MxCV867uFOOlIIaWpoZhmDeQ/s320/Homebody.jpg" width="197" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Goodreads</td></tr>
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For example, in <i>Homebody </i>by Orson Scott Card, the protagonist Don Lark has already suffered the loss of his baby daughter. How can you not feel for him? Even though he's not a real person, you know it's a real possibility for someone to be in his position. So you feel for him. Experience <i>pathos</i>. Without it, the story would have been boring and pointless. (You can read my review of <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2011122195?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1"><i>Homebody</i> here on Goodreads</a>)<br />
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The other word you often see associated with <i>pathos</i> is <i>ethos</i>. Okay, I know I'm getting boring, but <i>ethos </i>is a great word that I think should be injected into our vocabulary. Don't you love google? They say ethos is:<br />
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<i>The characteristic spirit of culture, era, or community as manifested in its beliefs and aspirations. </i><br />
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English students use this word a lot. They talk about the ethos of an essay or the ethos a piece of writing is trying to convey. Again, this is simply involving an emotion - or a spirit, to be more correct - into the writing that will make it interesting to readers, or to get them emotionally involved.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Den of Geek</td></tr>
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Hmm...should we be done with trivial words for the day? Sounds good. What I wanted to do with these words is talk about the importance of putting real human feeling and emotion into writing. That can go for the movies and TV, for why your favorite TV show is your favorite TV show. I like to watch <i>The Flash</i> on the WB, and much of that has to do with how well they incorporated emotion into their first season. I know it's cheesy, but it holds my attention. I also went to see <i>Spiderman: Homecoming</i> last week, and was drawn in for the same reason. My new favorite Spiderman movie, and the reasons why are that the writing, the directing, and all the other work behind it weave together for an emotional ride that had me on the edge of my seat. I won't tell you where I almost cried, because that would be a spoiler, but trust me, it's good.<br />
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This is the kind of thing that makes me want to be a better person, that makes me want to show my love for my husband and kids every day so they know I love them no matter what. Understanding others is how peace comes, how I can put away my anger about something I didn't understand before. Being observant, and bringing those experiences I see to light is what changes people. And, hopefully, that writing, that artwork, is motivation enough for us to become better people, and to change the world, one small act at a time.<br />
<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05563812145014399803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8609813594474697427.post-87595099017793237082017-06-15T16:26:00.001-07:002017-06-15T16:26:06.929-07:00Arguments For and Against Young Adult, and Why We Should Still Be Reading Kids BooksI love rain. Isn't it beautiful? It definitely cooled off the 90-something temps we had last week. It's probably not a good sign that I'm already hating hot weather. In early June. <div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid_Hr9A9Iq4WeRQK_CYJp0rJ_C3UHqgkVuIpK00r1RfHnguKwBsht7neyykv6ZQOPNqxIGuJF_ftY6gHehkIQl_ltRBgywJJgbkTUK_lyfNo-YbRPw-R4SswMNLgTjfCkNK_K6SICxB00/s1600/Talon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="460" data-original-width="318" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid_Hr9A9Iq4WeRQK_CYJp0rJ_C3UHqgkVuIpK00r1RfHnguKwBsht7neyykv6ZQOPNqxIGuJF_ftY6gHehkIQl_ltRBgywJJgbkTUK_lyfNo-YbRPw-R4SswMNLgTjfCkNK_K6SICxB00/s200/Talon.jpg" width="138" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From Goodreads</td></tr>
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But I do love summer. I love reading in the summer. Or listening to audio books. My latest completion is <i>Talon </i>by Julie Kagawa. As far as YA books go, she is one of my favorite authors. Her books have strong characters and feel true to life (you know, besides the girl being able to turn into a dragon). You can read my full review of <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/969221126">Talon on Goodreads</a>. </div>
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A few months ago my class was assigned to read <a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/books/2014/06/against_ya_adults_should_be_embarrassed_to_read_children_s_books.html">an article that blasted adults for reading YA</a>. While reading it, I was all for everything Ruth Graham said, from calling <i>Twilight</i> trashy to encouraging adults to read grown-up books. After a rousing class discussion, however, I'm not entirely on board with her. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWMN9x6wSkX3E8ocjWQbkUFz-qWcsWftpCFYPMRTDE2R8zaU-dYKSblQgHs0jQ8Il6mkzuEjdjXaxEjcEKCzxQJMDz2Vt-rt6DDXhSkrXD0iqXhutzEfq27VrrPbIW7QjMaDy4RwGZVDo/s1600/Helen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="472" data-original-width="318" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWMN9x6wSkX3E8ocjWQbkUFz-qWcsWftpCFYPMRTDE2R8zaU-dYKSblQgHs0jQ8Il6mkzuEjdjXaxEjcEKCzxQJMDz2Vt-rt6DDXhSkrXD0iqXhutzEfq27VrrPbIW7QjMaDy4RwGZVDo/s200/Helen.jpg" width="134" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From Goodreads</td></tr>
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I don't think anyone should neatly tuck YA away in one category. Granted, after feeling like I did need to grow up a little in my reading, I don't necessarily want to put away childish books either. As Graham herself says, "It's just that today, I am a different reader" (1). Because I am a different reader today, going back and reading books like <i>The Lion, Witch, and the Wardrobe</i> and <i>Wait 'Till Helen Comes</i> are a completely different experience now than they were when I was a kid. Better. I love The Chronicles of Narnia more now than I did when I was a kid. I see my own life in those books, my own experiences come to life in the form of fantasy. As an adult, I've also picked up <i>The Screwtape Letters</i>, a deeply philosophical novel presenting a series of letters from Screwtape, a servant of the devil, to his apprentice, Wormwood. Having this book is an additional insight into C.S. Lewis' writing style as well as his reasoning. He also wrote a fantastic essay; "Learning in War-Time." </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGuNFhCiwZ-v7_6UeW4rdu56b9CS_XdXEOrLgqPWOtHqRN_SzC3GMEnKOTOOjIJjb8eDgk4r06V-otC-P9GQKkBvCa-UAE-aXmFlyqMM73P3yh3YZwPZ7tbgpqCKJcA63GxWR8NfsN-bY/s1600/Lewis.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="501" data-original-width="800" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGuNFhCiwZ-v7_6UeW4rdu56b9CS_XdXEOrLgqPWOtHqRN_SzC3GMEnKOTOOjIJjb8eDgk4r06V-otC-P9GQKkBvCa-UAE-aXmFlyqMM73P3yh3YZwPZ7tbgpqCKJcA63GxWR8NfsN-bY/s320/Lewis.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://medium.com/war-is-boring/war-made-c-s-lewis-83d90682f4e1">From medium.com</a></td></tr>
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That's not to say I don't allow myself some fun. I do! My guilty indulgences include Julie Kagawa, Kimberly Loth, and Kiersten White. But I also believe many of their books have value, that they have some kind of moral message behind them. If you're wondering - or even asking aloud - how I select books to read, it's simple. If I pick up a book, start reading it, and feel icky, I put it down. You get it, right? Have you ever started reading something and felt "icky" about it? Or have you read something that feels subliminally dark or erotic that goes too far? I've picked up several of those books. But I put them down. Think about it. You have a limited amount of time here on earth. If you love to read, what books are you going to spend your time reading? Because there are millions to choose from. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZySu9Dn2k4alcuFoNYGhxz_6kJQvIOMEiZ4c1iRddRWMYdybZDoBZPeuT6OqnISPce9wC-yv21vLYMC79Jzluha-k4gDLuQGHy9z3FZ3HMKQSALkUaUgUlhgByWmXOpJkNVhmrf0vECQ/s1600/library.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="332" data-original-width="475" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZySu9Dn2k4alcuFoNYGhxz_6kJQvIOMEiZ4c1iRddRWMYdybZDoBZPeuT6OqnISPce9wC-yv21vLYMC79Jzluha-k4gDLuQGHy9z3FZ3HMKQSALkUaUgUlhgByWmXOpJkNVhmrf0vECQ/s320/library.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From https://polloplayer.wordpress.com/2013/01/21/2012-bookshelf-part-ii/</td></tr>
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I also try to broaden my horizons. Let me show you an example of my recent reading list: </div>
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<i>Les Miserables</i>, by Victor Hugo</div>
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<i>Talon</i>, by Julie Kagawa</div>
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<i>Mansfield Park</i>, by Jane Austen</div>
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<i>The Screwtape Letters</i>, by C.S. Lewis</div>
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<i>God of the Sun</i>, by Kimberly Loth</div>
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<i>Earthbound</i>, by Aprilynne Pike (just started this, so no judging if it turns out to be bad)</div>
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<i>White Trash: The 400-Year Untold History of Class in America</i>, by Nancy Isenberg</div>
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<i>Homebody</i>, by Orson Scott Card</div>
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I feel that, for the past few months, this is a pretty well-rounded reading list. I understand that some people only like to read one or two genres. And you know what? That's okay. Do you love sci-fi? Go back and re-read <i>Wrinkle in Time</i>. There is some great stuff in there. Read it to your kids, if that makes you feel better. If you don't want to re-read it, you don't have to. In fact, there are very few books I actually do go back and re-read in life. What I'd like to do is make these two points: </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp9c_2ckpplGiLl4aq3cukFpFcAmnIRQn2Q4lwEbwAEI8rLV0GcZQ-Enhc4d0psrdF70VFzgbELiEZVcked9gRgqSFGCwrFSZIstEwhqD8tpn2CrpE5K0L16ffVdcP2Bnd3YPlzq0C87U/s1600/reading+girl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp9c_2ckpplGiLl4aq3cukFpFcAmnIRQn2Q4lwEbwAEI8rLV0GcZQ-Enhc4d0psrdF70VFzgbELiEZVcked9gRgqSFGCwrFSZIstEwhqD8tpn2CrpE5K0L16ffVdcP2Bnd3YPlzq0C87U/s320/reading+girl.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.tuttartpitturasculturapoesiamusica.com/2015/11/Pietro-Magni-Reading-Girl.html">Pietro Magni's The Reading Girl</a></td></tr>
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1. You can and should read to elevate yourself, to be more educated, and to push the limits of your thinking. </div>
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2. You can and should read for fun, to escape a harsh reality, to unwittingly learn that truth is often more upfront in fiction than it is in real life. </div>
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Until next time, Happy Reading! And enjoy! </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Works Cited</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: #f1f4f5; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", HelveticaNeue, "TeX Gyre Heros", TeXGyreHeros, FreeSans, "Nimbus Sans L", "Liberation Sans", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; text-align: start; text-indent: -28px;">Graham, Ruth. "Yes, Adults Should Be Embarrassed to Read Young Adult Books." </span><i style="background-color: #f1f4f5; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", HelveticaNeue, "TeX Gyre Heros", TeXGyreHeros, FreeSans, "Nimbus Sans L", "Liberation Sans", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; text-align: start; text-indent: -28px;">Slate Magazine</i><span style="background-color: #f1f4f5; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", HelveticaNeue, "TeX Gyre Heros", TeXGyreHeros, FreeSans, "Nimbus Sans L", "Liberation Sans", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; text-align: start; text-indent: -28px;">. Washington Post Company's John Alderman, 05 June 2014. Web. 15 June 2017.</span></span></div>
Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05563812145014399803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8609813594474697427.post-30248166848085598832017-05-19T09:49:00.001-07:002017-05-19T09:49:52.895-07:00The Feminist Reality - Taking Charge of Emotion, and Princess of MarsTaxes, done. Exams, done. Car, registered. I'm going to sleep for three days.<br />
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Ah! If only that were possible. We all know it's not. Things happen, like birthday parties and art installations two hours away and family dinners and track practice. What happened to my week? Never-mind, I know what happened. I have a family.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVS2JZacc-2rVCrLmC7ntW91t6hm7sVoEaJNM6KKAeQlimtbHzUyYPvoCLCtFyU4mQFwabtQWH7hZMr4S4QrOPBOMbkrV9Lsg8gx7kaHXyO-Zm4fSm4tRFLo6AoyA4_FxtogUDDMd-Ppk/s1600/Princess+of+Mars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVS2JZacc-2rVCrLmC7ntW91t6hm7sVoEaJNM6KKAeQlimtbHzUyYPvoCLCtFyU4mQFwabtQWH7hZMr4S4QrOPBOMbkrV9Lsg8gx7kaHXyO-Zm4fSm4tRFLo6AoyA4_FxtogUDDMd-Ppk/s320/Princess+of+Mars.jpg" width="208" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Do you love the cover? Courtesy of Goodreads. </td></tr>
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My latest finished book would be <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40395.A_Princess_of_Mars?from_search=true">A Princess of Mars</a></i> by Edgar Burroughs. It was interesting to read for several reasons. One, it was probably <i>the</i> original sci-fi book of the century. Two, the book is well written and incredibly imaginative. Three, I could go over this with a fine-toothed feminist comb and make it look bad, but that's not my intent. We all know that things were different in 1912. Ready to change? Sure. But a strong patriarchal society prevailed. It's pretty obvious throughout the book. Especially when John Carter is constantly calling Dejah Thoris a "little woman," as well as building himself up as some kind of amazing god. There are good things too. You can read my complete (yet brief) review of the book on <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1148713001?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1">Goodreads</a>.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu4DPX00tJIOPFmYp3J8LIORy3JaK7nqVvMIJ_LCHvwx-iplEcbF6cLhaIu2Qf_XJ-Bs60YBVQMkPbJvHumafkmmWd_eeuavxdRW36PgGqVEBkAGE-kbW5yoD1h1Xp8ejH1GJsz7IzNqg/s1600/light+bulb.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu4DPX00tJIOPFmYp3J8LIORy3JaK7nqVvMIJ_LCHvwx-iplEcbF6cLhaIu2Qf_XJ-Bs60YBVQMkPbJvHumafkmmWd_eeuavxdRW36PgGqVEBkAGE-kbW5yoD1h1Xp8ejH1GJsz7IzNqg/s200/light+bulb.png" width="178" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">https://openclipart.org/tags/light%20bulb</td></tr>
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Speaking of which, I recently had an epiphany while contemplating modern feminism. While I am a feminist, I'm not the ultra, wear-pants-everywhere, I-hate-guys kind of a feminist. In fact, I noticed that in the past I often contributed my overly emotional reactions to being a woman. Instead of having a rational conversation with someone, I allowed myself to cry uncontrollably and blame it on being a woman.<br />
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Wow. What the heck was I thinking?<br />
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The more I thought about this, the more I understood that both men and women use their gender to excuse behaviors that are less than savory. Son being a bully? It's just boys being boys. Woman screeching at her husband for not picking up milk from the store? She's just acting like a girl. Right?<br />
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WRONG.<br />
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Yes, the 21st century has been the most open century yet, allowing women many privileges we didn't have before. We've had the right to vote for almost a hundred years! We can get almost any job we want now and we can go to college. There are as many female news anchors as there are male. My problem lies with the backward thinking that still seems to rear its ugly head every once in a while that is centered on the English language and how it still leans heavily toward patriarchy. I'm not saying this is always bad; if I'm reading something from an earlier century and the word "men" is used to refer to all mankind, I don't get offended. Some people might, and that's okay too. I get it. I'm talking about language that creeps into television and movies, music, literature, and other pop culture. Sprint recently came under fire for portraying women as "shrill" or stupid, and when Lara Croft got a "reboot" in 2012 she donned a more realistic body but ended up crying a lot (Cracked). Huffington Post recently posted an article on the difference in clothing for girls and boys, where girls' clothes said things like "I Need a Hero" and the boys' clothes responded with "Hero in Training" (What You Wear). And this...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5qq6lNSDlPxBXq0sKOZDb84urG-Mb04lsYO4ssbRSA3PyJ8lX_8WWDxLjMFWEJ5YDTrOrChTPbqDhQc9A5CQthTKEZm1kueJmqnKY6DiFZDCQkJl3p2Vymh4kXwPGNfcrC9Bjoz9Jwus/s1600/shirtcollage4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5qq6lNSDlPxBXq0sKOZDb84urG-Mb04lsYO4ssbRSA3PyJ8lX_8WWDxLjMFWEJ5YDTrOrChTPbqDhQc9A5CQthTKEZm1kueJmqnKY6DiFZDCQkJl3p2Vymh4kXwPGNfcrC9Bjoz9Jwus/s320/shirtcollage4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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...is horrifying. Funny, I guess. Some people see it that way. But this is still the way our society talks. If you're a girl and you're pretty, you don't have to be smart. This doesn't just do damage to girls:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc3gAUd9O-PtSbNVdEtQe9whj4hal1B4NRzyPwE2wjBS07nn-1hU2OOkEors9dOATK6GdAWtKVdA4JFTE0h62_MWx6S2VuyMNV4iMNBSnH5uJCrXETALOjqW3uF9BDsdGq5wVBlIVhrTo/s1600/shirtcollage3a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc3gAUd9O-PtSbNVdEtQe9whj4hal1B4NRzyPwE2wjBS07nn-1hU2OOkEors9dOATK6GdAWtKVdA4JFTE0h62_MWx6S2VuyMNV4iMNBSnH5uJCrXETALOjqW3uF9BDsdGq5wVBlIVhrTo/s320/shirtcollage3a.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Yes, males get it too. They need to be "tough guys," and it's okay if they are "little terrors," as long as they are boys and not girls. And...can you see those two in the middle?..."Smart like dad, pretty like mom." That troubles me. Deeply. (Thank you to <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/03/dangerous-lessons-from-sexist-shirts_n_6102096.html">Huffington</a>!)<br />
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Anyway, I don't want to spend all day on this. Because I could. And that could get ugly and/or boring. But I want to make a point. Pay attention to the way you treat those around you. What goes through your head when you see a man crying or when you see a woman being tough? News flash: we are tough. As a mom, college student, and artist's side-kick, I am tough. I need to be tough. That doesn't mean I don't celebrate my femininity, because I do. I am a woman, who is different than a man. I believe that I'm beautiful, but...and this is important...it's not because a T-shirt told me I was.<br />
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Something to chew on.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Works Cited: </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Samakow, Jessica. "You Are What You Wear</span></span></div>
<small style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333;"><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><small style="box-sizing: border-box;">The Dangerous Lessons Kids Learn From Sexist T-Shirts</small>." <i style="box-sizing: border-box;">The Huffington Post</i>. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 03 Dec. 2014. Web. 19 May 2017.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: #ffe7af; color: #333333;">Quercia, Jacopo Della, Evan V. Symon, K. Montagne, Dagmar Baer, David Wong, Josh Daws, Federico Cruz, and Miles Bacchus. "19 Surprisingly Sexist Messages in Modern Pop Culture." </span><i style="background-color: #ffe7af; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333;">Cracked.com</i><span style="background-color: #ffe7af; color: #333333;">. Cracked, 18 Nov. 2014. Web. 19 May 2017.</span></span></div>
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Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05563812145014399803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8609813594474697427.post-90164959953984808452017-03-20T08:25:00.003-07:002017-03-20T08:26:28.070-07:00Marxism and (Kids) MoviesAnd no, I'm not a communist.<br />
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So...turns out you can't be an English major and not have movies ruined for you in some way. Seriously. Ask any of us. Especially at the point in time when we're studying Marxist criticism. What we do is study the way text and language is affected by Marxist theology (along with a hundred other criticisms, like psychoanalysis, deconstruction, and feminism). Language is everywhere, even in the movies.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhyEDwy9LpXqvJJIzKQ-7sWgnuO1owGVpL1Gqnktt-EzsBN-03u8KGO-Xe9NfM27aIPRhz9F21LjDSrpJzfAASPapODJWH97ra5fmF0QYS-o1VrKsjEqtzBx4RdD6LdZbdsQDhoDCdJBg/s1600/Scrat_Ice_Age.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhyEDwy9LpXqvJJIzKQ-7sWgnuO1owGVpL1Gqnktt-EzsBN-03u8KGO-Xe9NfM27aIPRhz9F21LjDSrpJzfAASPapODJWH97ra5fmF0QYS-o1VrKsjEqtzBx4RdD6LdZbdsQDhoDCdJBg/s320/Scrat_Ice_Age.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://iceage.wikia.com/wiki/Scrat">wikia.com</a></td></tr>
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Which means that while watching Ice Age over the beautiful sunny weekend, a light bulb clicked on while I watched the saber-toothed squirrel Scrat try to get that acorn. The acorn might represent the American Dream and the squirrel could represent any person (or thing) under the upper class (the one percent). Do you see where I'm going with this? What used to be just a hilarious movie is now a platform for Marxist criticism.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgg2ttenqgwQcBqiGpKWA-gcmC_mWblEveDTqO9BRjDaZ6NzUk5C67PGkWJB040uycVt1LN67Z7uN5a8PdlwlAan2j3AuEHmsfaJTJiA96BMFk8ZQBDVTP8sT9Mr3FeshfGDmim-6HuyQ/s1600/anastasia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgg2ttenqgwQcBqiGpKWA-gcmC_mWblEveDTqO9BRjDaZ6NzUk5C67PGkWJB040uycVt1LN67Z7uN5a8PdlwlAan2j3AuEHmsfaJTJiA96BMFk8ZQBDVTP8sT9Mr3FeshfGDmim-6HuyQ/s320/anastasia.jpg" width="216" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anastasia_(1997_film)">Wikipedia</a></td></tr>
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One of my favorite movies, Anastasia, is riddled with this kind of stuff. The setting does start out in Red Russia, after all. You have Anastasia, who is unsatisfied with being a poor orphan and wants to find out if she can have a better life (beautiful girl means happily ever after). Demetri, who grew up a servant in the castle and has always been poor, sees his con of training girls to look and act like princesses an opportunity to get out of the lower class and "be happy." You see where I'm going with this. Things I like about this movie? One, Anastasia does not need to be saved by Demetri; they work together and it is Anastasia who ultimately defeats Rasputin. Two, that Demetri realizes that he doesn't need the money to be happy, but that it's Anastasia that he loves. Some might argue that he only wants Anastasia because of the status she holds, but 1) he starts to fall in in love with her before he realizes who she really is, and 2) he takes off with her, even though she decides not to stay with all the money either.<br />
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Wow. That was tiring.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheFhfczcQXO3CNIMATPu7n7VeegD82S8aUfwu4OYO2kS4z0Q8X8hBnXcDGiof09Yd__Gbj0UPmfA4IZM3kGh6zSSEhQT_yD1aTyLAXfL9usC7aY6FNa3PHOzP-ksfslMLBb_rx9CdYOD8/s1600/blackmoore.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheFhfczcQXO3CNIMATPu7n7VeegD82S8aUfwu4OYO2kS4z0Q8X8hBnXcDGiof09Yd__Gbj0UPmfA4IZM3kGh6zSSEhQT_yD1aTyLAXfL9usC7aY6FNa3PHOzP-ksfslMLBb_rx9CdYOD8/s320/blackmoore.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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Okay, so I did promise some book reviews. The latest book I read was <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/515742811?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1">Blackmoore</a>, which also offers a good Marxist or feminist reading. This book is an entertaining visit to the past with a Jane Austen romantic feel. I gave it three stars (this isn't a bad review - I do recommend it, especially if you like romantic escapes). One reason I like it is because it shows how "imprisoned" females were in that era, and she is ready to break rules (like go to India with her aunt - no place for a lady) because of it.<br />
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Hope you enjoyed these short, sporadic thoughts for today.<br />
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Happy Reading!<br />
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<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05563812145014399803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8609813594474697427.post-57708226482567258852017-02-27T08:19:00.001-08:002017-02-27T08:19:42.295-08:00If Anyone Says "Derrida" One More Time...It's not that Jacques Derrida isn't a brilliant man. I think he was too brilliant for his own good. After an entire page of "Structure, Sign, and Play..." I was about ready to drill a figurative hole in my head. I do, however, find the idea of deconstruction fascinating. I knew there was a reason I didn't like Gatsby! That guy's a fraud.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJKa5ejYLd7ym4oRYzT-NrZ7PRXg1zHxP2sNjrtw30I4z-NeIaSA_1lrk83TglOdjokfn3DJsjxwYn-ecOjRHLg-giMYsqRDYLM_vPZNV2q3FbzKDDZmn1NwD8t2eTkMPieJao23bUY4g/s1600/jacque+derrida.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJKa5ejYLd7ym4oRYzT-NrZ7PRXg1zHxP2sNjrtw30I4z-NeIaSA_1lrk83TglOdjokfn3DJsjxwYn-ecOjRHLg-giMYsqRDYLM_vPZNV2q3FbzKDDZmn1NwD8t2eTkMPieJao23bUY4g/s1600/jacque+derrida.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacques_Derrida" target="_blank">AKA: the critical theorist with the good hair.</a></td></tr>
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On the subject of the deconstruction, I do believe there is truth in the fact that literature contradicts itself, and that the "center is not the center" (Derrida, 1). Take Gatsby for example. He's supposed to be the hero, and the book touts him as the hero, but he made his living bootlegging and scamming people. This does sound like another favorite hero of ours, though...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheVKsTdAP3ThEE81pJARdQmd9ghjAnGc_020n-3bLF8FaSfMuvuP1JOOFcvmPuAWO1saJjuA_6HGfO1VuntPakCXsEnslZwkGjut5UgND5evGKdeGFXVH5xn8In-IJLj5OLXmU90ZmBCI/s1600/Jack_Sparrow_In_Pirates_of_the_Caribbean-_At_World%2527s_End.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheVKsTdAP3ThEE81pJARdQmd9ghjAnGc_020n-3bLF8FaSfMuvuP1JOOFcvmPuAWO1saJjuA_6HGfO1VuntPakCXsEnslZwkGjut5UgND5evGKdeGFXVH5xn8In-IJLj5OLXmU90ZmBCI/s320/Jack_Sparrow_In_Pirates_of_the_Caribbean-_At_World%2527s_End.JPG" width="142" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Sparrow" target="_blank"><i>Captain </i>Jack Sparrow</a></td></tr>
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The world loves conflict. We love complicated characters like Jack Sparrow, who, aside from being a conniving and plundering pirate, is a "good man." He's complicated, and he likes to complicate things. All for the Black Pearl. A boat. And here's where it gets tricky. What is the boat, really? He says it..."freedom." Probably more than that too, but I'm not going to deconstruct pirates. That would get so annoying. </div>
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Instead, I will share some of my favorite complex characters in a list. Because I like lists. </div>
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1. Jean Valjean.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTC91S2ZqFGm4B4qYPcp6NTLEB-KpCOiy-QBgu0WgfEGfFyIm-2KeclSbLuhu1H5jvCj-NYOySZzfH7wM5wSbUoMtPtS-9YS88vkheXuhyphenhyphenOYDEWpLE5jD0_ajicqdvwJKZO-isHSQcdMY/s1600/Jean+Valjean.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTC91S2ZqFGm4B4qYPcp6NTLEB-KpCOiy-QBgu0WgfEGfFyIm-2KeclSbLuhu1H5jvCj-NYOySZzfH7wM5wSbUoMtPtS-9YS88vkheXuhyphenhyphenOYDEWpLE5jD0_ajicqdvwJKZO-isHSQcdMY/s200/Jean+Valjean.JPG" width="144" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Valjean" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a></td></tr>
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At the beginning of <i>Les Miserables</i>, you don't think much of him. Especially when the priest is so nice to him and he ends up steeling from him. The reaction from the priest is admirable, and thank heavens for it. Then you can't help liking Jean Valjean.<br />
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2. Zuko. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6IS0bTi3OPX-oEF8mXSzveWFhuemPZMikoIh58TrZ0E_qjZFDnj3HGh-LSD7ez-C4uGGYJ1HSStExA-LLOsdFgixnFkRHIfVb_zPRMZA06P5Eu1c0Mh-NIw91sng7FfGGtmQMtONttqM/s1600/zuko.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6IS0bTi3OPX-oEF8mXSzveWFhuemPZMikoIh58TrZ0E_qjZFDnj3HGh-LSD7ez-C4uGGYJ1HSStExA-LLOsdFgixnFkRHIfVb_zPRMZA06P5Eu1c0Mh-NIw91sng7FfGGtmQMtONttqM/s200/zuko.png" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://avatar.wikia.com/wiki/Zuko" target="_blank">Wikia</a></td></tr>
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One of my favorite characters ever! He is almost ready to help the Avatar, and then BAM! Turns on his own uncle and betrays everybody. After that he realizes he's not happy. He ultimately confronts his own father and leaves to help train Aang as a firebender.<br />
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3. Max.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN3bDgOKLBgmmW2GLeDv-0MCls2umP6bJDEHzqTaSDxxmmNe7_hVEmMchwX-zkVQ-KY6bVqpMAFQqgfvgZuz94HBgSJGrNfoG90Hud-y667yrfrQ-1rL2Bfm4HGzXw41-CVasaSE4-Bt8/s1600/MaxWildThings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN3bDgOKLBgmmW2GLeDv-0MCls2umP6bJDEHzqTaSDxxmmNe7_hVEmMchwX-zkVQ-KY6bVqpMAFQqgfvgZuz94HBgSJGrNfoG90Hud-y667yrfrQ-1rL2Bfm4HGzXw41-CVasaSE4-Bt8/s200/MaxWildThings.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/FanTheories/comments/4z6pak/where_the_wild_things_are_max_runs_away_from_home/" target="_blank">Reddit</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Max, the star of <i>Where the Wild Things Are</i> by Maurice Sendak, is a great example of one of the most basic complex characters we love. As children we can recognize the struggle within, the frustrations he deals with. Our only hope is that, like Max, we have a hot bowl of soup to come home to because despite our faults, our mothers (or another person we need) still love us.<br />
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4. Jesse Stone<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Ny1e-N75mgZaPtMIBtzNCl4JYx1MtBkbQpkRCT6pGUChA3DyVIdWk4ebxtB-dGzVmb3x56vBZ9kqnvoZZI0yFg25t3ZKn-q_2wNEgFe0tSMtNUtgdDC7gSdN9KQf8JpnqIJ04n0IMwU/s1600/jesse+stone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="115" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Ny1e-N75mgZaPtMIBtzNCl4JYx1MtBkbQpkRCT6pGUChA3DyVIdWk4ebxtB-dGzVmb3x56vBZ9kqnvoZZI0yFg25t3ZKn-q_2wNEgFe0tSMtNUtgdDC7gSdN9KQf8JpnqIJ04n0IMwU/s200/jesse+stone.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.bleedingcool.com/2015/08/31/tom-sellecks-jesse-stone-comes-to-hallmark/" target="_blank">Bleeding Cool</a></td></tr>
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I don't know how a person can't like this guy. Fired for being drunk on the job, the police officer takes a position as chief in a tiny town called Paradise. He still drinks (he has a limit for the amount he can drink in a day), can't get over his ex-wife (still calls her quite frequently), and blatantly disregards rules he doesn't like. But he catches the bad guys, get the girls, and makes friends. Fear of intimacy? Yep. But he's a good guy.<br />
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5. Macbeth<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ5kuiShH3tainCDCRKfuyrQ4E6JJyuI_L0l0nRExNqFlhkfGExGtpKEMRzecmj26Eg7fnwa3dY8YIm9jZiZniX9-SAaI5nQRXwtDD_s1vPf41qVa0UmOPdfZk7nelwHtmNfuMksHvJE8/s1600/macbeth2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ5kuiShH3tainCDCRKfuyrQ4E6JJyuI_L0l0nRExNqFlhkfGExGtpKEMRzecmj26Eg7fnwa3dY8YIm9jZiZniX9-SAaI5nQRXwtDD_s1vPf41qVa0UmOPdfZk7nelwHtmNfuMksHvJE8/s200/macbeth2.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://shakespeare.about.com/od/macbeth/a/Macbeth_Character_Analysis.htm" target="_blank">Shakespeare</a></td></tr>
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Macbeth is driven to a state of insanity by three witches who prophecy his fate. In the beginning, his life seems fine. His wife trusts and loves him, he has a kingdom, etc. But when he learns of a man who is going to kill him, he falls apart at the seems. It's not that we all love Macbeth, but you have to pity him. If it weren't for the prophecy, he might have spared his own life.<br />
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Stepping aside from Derrida for a moment, what about Freud? A little (or a lot) of psychoanalysis would peel the layers away from these characters. Jesse Stone deals with a fear of intimacy, Zuko has family issues and a form of an Oedipus complex, and Jean Valjean is dealing with repression and regression so deep that he projects his fear onto the one man that makes sense; Javert.<br />
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Arguably, it is not analysis itself that makes a piece of literature (or a movie) good. But the best artistic pieces are riddled with complexities that are not just superficial. Good writing goes deep; the heart of the work is the center (and also not the center, according to Derrida), and all characters, settings, plots and subplots, and actions stem from it.<br />
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Oh yes. Books and movies are forever ruined for me. But in a good way.<br />
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Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05563812145014399803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8609813594474697427.post-48029021639529872692017-02-03T21:04:00.001-08:002017-02-03T21:04:30.738-08:00ReinventedYes, it's true. I am reinvented. Sort of. It's not like I switched religions or anything. But after a recent discussion with my husband (you will also hear me refer to him as my boyfriend, Mr. Hottie, etc.), and a slew of events that were minimally life-changing, I am redefining my blog. I can't do YA anymore. Scratch that. I can do some of it, just not all of it. Because as the wise Dr. W once said, "Wasn't Narnia a whole different experience when you read it as an adult?"<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivE7zRcl0ZjCJ6aDSG2oLixUFkHQEZv9EI6JUg1IqmxtzjZt-3lQcfq8UB78ONE-M-p8uox7OYBhOKQ4gSZzpG3sHGmaKWy8EyQ1O5IXjZFwXljhQ95Eijm4MLSDh2Kl_rRR3vE9aoIi4/s1600/aslan_2008_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivE7zRcl0ZjCJ6aDSG2oLixUFkHQEZv9EI6JUg1IqmxtzjZt-3lQcfq8UB78ONE-M-p8uox7OYBhOKQ4gSZzpG3sHGmaKWy8EyQ1O5IXjZFwXljhQ95Eijm4MLSDh2Kl_rRR3vE9aoIi4/s400/aslan_2008_01.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(As Aslan roars in my face)</td></tr>
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The answer is, "Of course it was." What I'm looking for is <i>good</i> literature. Good reads. Like the website. I'm kind of tired of over-the-top extremely handsome guys and out-of-this-world sparkling beautiful gals. I want substance. Besides sex, I mean. I don't need that from a book.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQQ7-7fslASoRMDtKWWorlDBADJoFF8TH28EWS3uXbU7lZd7kgirGwgmbkvEw-7bkJ6-DWplKjbMoSeTfPBJHqGXowVf5L5eklHRkm0Mp0_Y8i3zxYMMZk9Lc0RxKUyBfNCSF3UqaJkpQ/s1600/annoyed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQQ7-7fslASoRMDtKWWorlDBADJoFF8TH28EWS3uXbU7lZd7kgirGwgmbkvEw-7bkJ6-DWplKjbMoSeTfPBJHqGXowVf5L5eklHRkm0Mp0_Y8i3zxYMMZk9Lc0RxKUyBfNCSF3UqaJkpQ/s1600/annoyed.jpg" /></a></div>
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The more I thought about it, the more I realized I don't have that many years left. Even if I live to be 100, I will never get to read all I want to, nor will I get to experience everything I want to. I need to choose things that will benefit me somehow, not just give me instant and fleeting pleasure. It's not that I'm going to feel guilty about all the YA I have read. Nor about the time I've spent following boards on pinterest of things I'm never going to do. But now it's time to stop. To turn a new leaf.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTdd6Fc8EFzv5IDsCd-aQbioAIVoGtglF0w9n5iF6z0r3qjpOhBYV4jMx_hh9IpR5ojaLG3ry1TVkgH_98JgPuRA-vzHOk1NppxcOfn-ishNo7Y65DVzdJT2YuhbN05DUbHCgAiQNnr_s/s1600/hilarious-pinterest-fails-20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTdd6Fc8EFzv5IDsCd-aQbioAIVoGtglF0w9n5iF6z0r3qjpOhBYV4jMx_hh9IpR5ojaLG3ry1TVkgH_98JgPuRA-vzHOk1NppxcOfn-ishNo7Y65DVzdJT2YuhbN05DUbHCgAiQNnr_s/s320/hilarious-pinterest-fails-20.jpg" width="193" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">http://justsomething.co/the-34-most-hilarious-pinterest-fails-ever/</td></tr>
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This isn't going to be a book review blog alone, but will now include intellectual thoughts. I will try to maintain a theme, especially year-by-year, but I'm not promising I will be that organized. I do promise I won't post any cookie recipes. Or tell you about my awesome parenting skills (puh-lease). I might post a favorite piece of literature from the Gutenberg project. Or a favorite painting. You get the idea. And yes, I will still read. Because...guilty pleasure alert...I just got a digital copy of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child on Overdrive. Squeee!<br />
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Oh yeah, this is good stuff. Because we do need an escape. But Harry Potter can be deep, too. I think that's why I liked the series so much. All that "love" goo. Serious stuff. But also really fun. Don't mock me. I loved it a long time ago.<br />
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The two books whose covers are pictured above are books that I read for my Lit class. While I never would have picked these books up without a class assignment (or at least a strong recommendation from a friend), I am so glad I've read them. The first, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1876819882?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1" target="_blank">The Inconvenient Indian</a>, is a brief history of the Native Americans from the time of Colonialism down and is written from a Native perspective. Thomas King has a colorful, honest, and sardonic way of telling these stories without boring us with a textbook version. <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1890201197?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1" target="_blank">American Indian Stories</a> is a collection of essays and stories by Zitkala-Sa, AKA Gertrude Bonnin, who has written down these things in beautiful language and includes the story of her childhood. Yes, both of these are politically driven, but they're also interesting and well-written.<br />
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Well, there it is. Reinvented. What do you think?<br />
<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05563812145014399803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8609813594474697427.post-16615870892442279152016-08-11T19:02:00.001-07:002016-08-11T19:02:50.529-07:00CoglingWhat mood I'm in today: Reading<br />
What I'm listening to right now: Actually, I'm watching the Burbs.<br />
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Have you seen The Burbs? Because if you haven't, you should. Great summer movie. I watched this over and over growing up and I still know most of the lines. Is that lame? Probably. But I don't care. Especially since I just got back from camping for three days and don't plan on moving for the next five hours. Possibly more.<br />
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So my most recent read is Cogling, by Jordan Elizabeth:<br />
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Edna and Ike set out to help Edna's brother who has been replaced by a Cogling. This steampunk adventure is full of twists and turns and isn't sappy or pretentious. Read my whole review on <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1634040606" target="_blank">Goodreads (click for link)</a>. Gave it four stars!<br />
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Now I'm onto trying to read Les Miserables, which is kicking my butt. Ergo, I'm also reading Victorian in between, another Jordan Elizabeth book.<br />
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Until next time, Happy Reading!<br />
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<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05563812145014399803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8609813594474697427.post-22027514955039131522016-07-26T15:35:00.002-07:002016-07-26T15:36:27.113-07:00Gathering BlueWhat I'm listening to right now: If You Could Only See, Tonic<br />
What mood I'm in today: Reading<br />
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Today has been kind of weird. For lots of reasons, the least of which is I'm tired of looking at my computer. I'm kind of in a situation where I have to spend a lot of time with my youngest son, which means I get to watch Pokemon, Phineas and Ferb, and The Flash (good thing I actually like this show, though Phineas and Ferb can be pretty funny sometimes) repeatedly for several days. I'm also planning on running through the sprinklers tonight. And cutting back my dying lavender. And probably reading some more of Cogling, by Jordan Elizabeth.<br />
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Did I mention it's hot? I need a Popsicle. Be right back.<br />
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I almost forgot this little gem, Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry. It's the second book in The Giver series (which I just learned recently is actually a series). While I didn't love it as much as I loved The Giver, I really thought it had a good message and was an interesting story. In a harsh society, much more blatant one than Jonas', the crippled aren't worth much. Kira's mother insists she's strong and is able to contribute to society. Read my entire review <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1634040454?book_show_action=false" target="_blank">here on Goodreads</a>.<br />
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Hopefully next month I will be ten degrees cooler, at least.<br />
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Happy Reading!<br />
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<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05563812145014399803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8609813594474697427.post-19231920192683787542016-07-25T04:50:00.002-07:002016-07-25T04:51:12.783-07:00Cybele's SecretWhat mood I'm in today: Reading<br />
What I'm listening to right now: Sonic Underground, in the background<br />
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So, what do you do when you have to wake up earlier than five and you can't go back to sleep right away? You remember that you haven't posted your latest book review yet. And no wonder. Summer has been brutal in every way. Lightning fast vacation, kids going every which way, hardly any time to read so that you resort to audio books, and temperatures above 100 F for five days.<br />
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Five days!<br />
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I mean, geez!<br />
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I can't claim that I actually <i>read</i> Cybele's Secret. I listened to it. And this cover...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDqG6uRdYbF4_mHnDHEz0SK8KLsIigsbVd1poTxT8L5MLRvsUn6Ipsdf1bjh-q3j71iM15ID9lXtwfJPcoA7Gv2CMlAL0kjFJ1vjpifn9VcnJ5GPiYdQGS8oTRuET-UfsPDvqRk6QijVI/s1600/Cybele%2527s+Secret.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDqG6uRdYbF4_mHnDHEz0SK8KLsIigsbVd1poTxT8L5MLRvsUn6Ipsdf1bjh-q3j71iM15ID9lXtwfJPcoA7Gv2CMlAL0kjFJ1vjpifn9VcnJ5GPiYdQGS8oTRuET-UfsPDvqRk6QijVI/s320/Cybele%2527s+Secret.jpg" width="219" /></a></div>
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Juliet Marillier has this talent for building worlds that I envy. I mean, the places I could escape to in my head! Fair warning; if you haven't read Wildwood Dancing, read that first. That one is still the best, but this was an entertaining close second. Read my full review <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/460906957?book_show_action=false" target="_blank">here on Goodreads</a>.<br />
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Until next time, Happy Reading!<br />
<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05563812145014399803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8609813594474697427.post-26552082479352821572016-05-08T08:42:00.000-07:002016-05-08T08:42:29.206-07:00Secrets, Lies, and WitchesWhat I'm listening to right now: my son making noises with his Flarp putty.<br />
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What mood I'm in today: Editing</div>
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Wow! I finally finished a semester. Again. Lots of semesters to go, but can't complain. </div>
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Happy Mother's Day! Did you get your mother a book? Good for you! If not, I'm sure you at least gave her a card or a phone call or something else she will appreciate. The weather is pretty good here; a nice mix of rain and sun. At least my flowers are growing! </div>
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I had a bunch of books on the back-burner, and at last! Here they all are in no particular order...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNToZB6qOsD8i2tKwMDzG7qujG_RMpHD_A5KqOlKzlv4rXj_jVUCjBHl0e_vJoyovQv_eR-IoSicIA6nEx50wCxKTcPpsdyOhxjMUoLs8XbJ-zRDSHyq9V1KrO7ksO0LYVUmBKWZuHsYI/s1600/Escape.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNToZB6qOsD8i2tKwMDzG7qujG_RMpHD_A5KqOlKzlv4rXj_jVUCjBHl0e_vJoyovQv_eR-IoSicIA6nEx50wCxKTcPpsdyOhxjMUoLs8XbJ-zRDSHyq9V1KrO7ksO0LYVUmBKWZuHsYI/s320/Escape.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
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Escape from Witchwood Hollow, by Jordan Elizabeth. This was a really fun book to read. A little difficult to get through because of the writing style, but while I gave it three appreciative stars, most people give this four or five. You can read my review on <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1479760343?book_show_action=false" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>. I recommend reading this when you're in a spooky mood (think young X-Files meets Supernatural). </div>
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And by Kimberly Loth, the last two books in the Thorn Chronicles series. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9lhMx4YH8y-g3C61lnhiQNVfusSTlBx2MkAjU6ogLg9WMLcP6QkXAgY8ulGXFz-ZYZ6lgj99znnDKgq4Nz-AFcR_I_UI8i9yUG4zS8JCWssDSFRUkjaWNWkWkF-XYOK-XmlTHF5ZUPqQ/s1600/Secrets.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9lhMx4YH8y-g3C61lnhiQNVfusSTlBx2MkAjU6ogLg9WMLcP6QkXAgY8ulGXFz-ZYZ6lgj99znnDKgq4Nz-AFcR_I_UI8i9yUG4zS8JCWssDSFRUkjaWNWkWkF-XYOK-XmlTHF5ZUPqQ/s320/Secrets.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpb36JE3x5O0yFEHjJv40izdAkU-9qqzfH_3FAJbIRiZeuQcsDmLc62f-KaBjLYZiNe5NAdJfycvYYbV81nKSv0IDfr7Ue0o0xLLrSy9jNiaB73G79IFBQ50Lr1Cmab4VxyER8NKMLMl8/s1600/Lies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpb36JE3x5O0yFEHjJv40izdAkU-9qqzfH_3FAJbIRiZeuQcsDmLc62f-KaBjLYZiNe5NAdJfycvYYbV81nKSv0IDfr7Ue0o0xLLrSy9jNiaB73G79IFBQ50Lr1Cmab4VxyER8NKMLMl8/s320/Lies.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
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And don't you just love these covers? <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1580234410?book_show_action=false" target="_blank">Secrets </a>and <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1603487862?book_show_action=false" target="_blank">Lies </a>are the finishing touch on Naomi and Sunday's stories. If you like modern-day supernatural mixed with love story, this is your kind of things. You can read my review of Secrets <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1580234410?book_show_action=false" target="_blank">here</a>, and of <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1603487862?book_show_action=false" target="_blank">Lies </a>here. </div>
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That's it for today. Happy Reading! </div>
Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05563812145014399803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8609813594474697427.post-83727978846540645722016-02-14T13:20:00.000-08:002016-02-14T13:21:14.831-08:00Obsidian by Kimberly LothWhat I'm listening to right now: One Hippopotami, Allan Sherman<br />
What mood I'm in today: Editing<br />
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I hate haze. I also hate sunshine that looks deceptively warm, so much so that I half-expect if I go outside that it will be above 32 F. Come on snow! Move this stupid inversion out of here!<br />
Oh, and Happy Valentine's Day! My day has been awesome. Probably because I feel super loved here between my husband and my boys and my friends and family.<br />
Kimberly Loth was kind enough to ask me to give an early review of her newest book (comes out tomorrow, I think), Obsidian (Book 1 in the Dragon Kings series). Here's the awesome cover:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjLdu199DnCsKvKBk5hgpHixYOlN23e-g3XA9p-rLAOkYUuNCgZGl1dZIeMLziGV2yCjVvIgPQIrPdykZryCuABcg0gYLiXLYBkv0VABOyySx5iSuw42HTNq7ZLt08B7aEjNIdG3Ymvfc/s1600/Obsidian.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjLdu199DnCsKvKBk5hgpHixYOlN23e-g3XA9p-rLAOkYUuNCgZGl1dZIeMLziGV2yCjVvIgPQIrPdykZryCuABcg0gYLiXLYBkv0VABOyySx5iSuw42HTNq7ZLt08B7aEjNIdG3Ymvfc/s320/Obsidian.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
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Aspen is a dragon-loving adrenaline junkie intent on getting close-ups of the majestic creatures. Obsidian is a dragon who has to live for 10 years in human form and who finds Aspen captivating. Great love story, intense read. The full review is on <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1548415378" target="_blank">Goodreads </a>or Amazon. The book is also available for purchase on Amazon.<br />
As always, Happy Reading! Hope you're staying warmer than I am!Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05563812145014399803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8609813594474697427.post-13708212970185566762015-12-29T18:59:00.001-08:002015-12-29T18:59:26.578-08:00Back From The DeadWhat mood I'm in today: Editing<br />
What I'm listening to right now: The Twilight Zone (the old TV show)<br />
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Wow, I'm so missing. It's been six months, thanks to school. We'll have to see if I can keep up with this. I was hoping once a month at the least. Oh well...<br />
I've survived another semester of school, and I've been reading ever since. And Christmas-ing, of course. I finally finished the Iron Fey series with this gem by Julie Kagawa:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdQtsyRsueMMmC7KW9pMDKKP3v_wnu1YsBwonQifIfcccosOiwF6IsmEw270aedxnnxDyi-EJOSI-jGGHhviX66uAgv2uPs8iwAY4CbMcQdtJFiBJmg5mlFbzpdSdC9v4BSe7WYy80Qr0/s1600/the-iron-warrior.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdQtsyRsueMMmC7KW9pMDKKP3v_wnu1YsBwonQifIfcccosOiwF6IsmEw270aedxnnxDyi-EJOSI-jGGHhviX66uAgv2uPs8iwAY4CbMcQdtJFiBJmg5mlFbzpdSdC9v4BSe7WYy80Qr0/s320/the-iron-warrior.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>
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You can read my review on <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1024926103" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>. The short of it is, I loved it and gave it five stars. Not sure why. I'm probably biased. :)<br />
Happy Reading!Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05563812145014399803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8609813594474697427.post-60461094475681353122015-06-14T07:53:00.000-07:002015-06-14T07:54:09.947-07:00Great Summer Reads - Keeping the MoonWhat I'm listening to right now: The cat begging me to let him in. <br />
What mood I'm in today: Reading<br />
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It's a warm summer day here, and I know you all want a good book to read by the pool side or holed up in your cool basement. I thought I would throw out some great summer reads, and start with this one: <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhftXPVkEV3wi8ZZ3oWdvfc1-7o3IzYtK-RO0vgFz7Zr54OSxXACFBu4p0Dls0TM8yaafn_qk4Klpb1RNSPh5Cc1qCMN4Fo8h-rW40zNYHfsfu_zdQzWu_N2K_wbeuzLwRbNAjXCX0ecaI/s1600/keeping+the+moon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhftXPVkEV3wi8ZZ3oWdvfc1-7o3IzYtK-RO0vgFz7Zr54OSxXACFBu4p0Dls0TM8yaafn_qk4Klpb1RNSPh5Cc1qCMN4Fo8h-rW40zNYHfsfu_zdQzWu_N2K_wbeuzLwRbNAjXCX0ecaI/s320/keeping+the+moon.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
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Keeping the Moon, by Sarah Dessen, is a light yet thought-provoking read about Colie's summer at her aunt's. You can read my review on <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1296941878" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>. I'm going to pick up another Sarah Dessen ASAP, and enjoy my summer by the pool - er, I mean, in the basement. <br />
Happy Reading!Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05563812145014399803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8609813594474697427.post-66150167619023836542015-05-10T07:33:00.001-07:002015-05-10T07:33:41.664-07:00BittersweetWhat mood I'm in today: Reading<br />
What I'm listening to right now: Maddji, "Dawn Light" <br />
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Happy Mother's Day! <br />
Hope you are all having a lovely Sunday morning. The boys made me a delicious French Toast Bake with strawberry smoothies. Isn't it great when your kids are old enough to cook for you? <br />
My most recent read is this: <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbOHHUkpwc_IZVCCwD23kJ_9Zvzov4syWvHDTUMNTcm5c0gzKMfj48sxa-Jepa8mNZ115aAFh_xcRcNGN6ZmKwiFEv7g6HL5YRAVRUBF1jTL7BUljnniPC3kmgDM_i2VS8axAFhI8qdHc/s1600/bittersweet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbOHHUkpwc_IZVCCwD23kJ_9Zvzov4syWvHDTUMNTcm5c0gzKMfj48sxa-Jepa8mNZ115aAFh_xcRcNGN6ZmKwiFEv7g6HL5YRAVRUBF1jTL7BUljnniPC3kmgDM_i2VS8axAFhI8qdHc/s320/bittersweet.jpg" width="215" /></a></div>
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Another lovely read from Kimberly Loth. You can read my very scattered, left-brained review on <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1274192248?book_show_action=false" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> or <a href="http://www.amazon.com/product-reviews/1508644128/ref=cm_cr_pr_btm_link_1?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1&sortBy=helpful&reviewerType=all_reviews&formatType=all_formats&filterByStar=all_stars&pageNumber=1" target="_blank">Amazon</a>. I gave it five stars, and it's a fantastic book, a beautiful love story about a girl who has lost her father to suicide. <br />
Until next time, Happy Reading!<br />
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Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05563812145014399803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8609813594474697427.post-68068840275032653732015-04-02T14:59:00.003-07:002015-04-20T19:55:04.585-07:00PrettiesWhat mood I'm in today: Reading<br />
What I'm listening to right now: Avengers soundtrack <br />
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Hello Spring! <br />
Well, up until it snowed today, anyway. It's not bad. We need it. And snow makes lovely reading weather. That, and a couple of warm chocolate chip cookies. Is it so bad that I've been making them every few days for, like, a month now? I'm totally addicted. <br />
Not to mention lazy. <br />
Scratch that. I'm a mom, I'm not lazy. I'm busy. And sometimes at the end of the day I'm totally exhausted. But you know what's nice? Reading while sitting in the waiting room. It's the one thing that probably saves me from the stress of doctor, dentist, and orthodontist visits. I get to read! Yay! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSjrYEUh9cdYwOGq9-v79tiq9nVDjLkBG8XQHRpWDczaleKPZV3zmMo8-waf9Q7mgewtCSFYrOGK7fmh9UV4RsRPq6WnfpR7D0s5VsQtH3azKK7iGqBtvpIgATDkwsnY7SZc_jNlOpeqo/s1600/Pretties.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSjrYEUh9cdYwOGq9-v79tiq9nVDjLkBG8XQHRpWDczaleKPZV3zmMo8-waf9Q7mgewtCSFYrOGK7fmh9UV4RsRPq6WnfpR7D0s5VsQtH3azKK7iGqBtvpIgATDkwsnY7SZc_jNlOpeqo/s1600/Pretties.jpg" height="320" width="242" /></a></div>
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Pretties is the second in the "Uglies" series by Scott Westerfeld. Have I mentioned that I like his books? I do. A lot. Read my review of Pretties here on <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1228197473" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>. It's short but sweet, that's how I do it. Four stars overall - a really great read and lead up to Specials, which I'm just now trying to finish. <br />
As always, Happy Reading!Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05563812145014399803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8609813594474697427.post-80670594938340722692015-02-22T07:17:00.000-08:002015-02-22T07:17:34.240-08:00The UgliesWhat mood I'm in today: Reading<br />
What I'm listening to right now: Lindsey Stirling, Transcendence<br />
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It snowed last night. Smiley! Also, a good reason to want to stay in bed all morning. I didn't, which kind of stinks. I didn't even make hot chocolate for breakfast, because it's been around sixty degrees for a couple weeks. Boo. It's a good day to curl up with a good book. Like this one. And maybe some afternoon cocoa. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ9VOXuqQ2qqIZJamCUK4tg6pn8RMe2yp9CQgnKOBSv1Au8vTYuaimv8Xuoj4Oxes4yxk8W0RXqiKbleF3sUrinZgFYdk2lg2JFLv9jWBU-y13Mrwtof8jHxnHFo2V9HXgJG9eT-_wqaM/s1600/Uglies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ9VOXuqQ2qqIZJamCUK4tg6pn8RMe2yp9CQgnKOBSv1Au8vTYuaimv8Xuoj4Oxes4yxk8W0RXqiKbleF3sUrinZgFYdk2lg2JFLv9jWBU-y13Mrwtof8jHxnHFo2V9HXgJG9eT-_wqaM/s1600/Uglies.jpg" height="320" width="207" /></a></div>
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Uglies, by Scott Westerfield (love this author), is a fantastic, well-written and exciting Dystopian YA novel about Tally Youngblood and the world of Pretties (what I'm reading right now). Read my review on <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/199168468" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>. If you like Dystopian or Sci-Fi or anything with a remotely good plot line, this is for you. <br />
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Happy Reading!Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05563812145014399803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8609813594474697427.post-49677402478009093002015-01-18T07:34:00.000-08:002015-01-18T07:34:17.658-08:00The Beautiful BetweenWhat I'm listening to right now: Donald Duck cartoons, old school<br />
What mood I'm in today: Reading<br />
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Happy New Year! <br />
I love New Year's Day. It's like this whole starting over point. And even though it's halfway through the month (and we've got both feet firmly planted in 2015 already, right?), I'm still excited about it being a new year. Time goes by so fast. So much can happen in a short amount of time. At least I was able to read a whole 12 books last year. As for this year, I will plan on the same. Unless I get the time to read fourteen. Smiley face!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD78SlnVoIJpOGxnK-vyeD1VOEVR0HPAl8dVL_EaDZykui81Ep0SJdl3hjj6KCx8IzpPGP6KOT6i9kSTC18O2xd1kowkkA_vEXvuwBFDSDUGB24bF_Mm1G7jhxcuXgz9jxG2dJTQ2cj1Q/s1600/beautiful+between.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD78SlnVoIJpOGxnK-vyeD1VOEVR0HPAl8dVL_EaDZykui81Ep0SJdl3hjj6KCx8IzpPGP6KOT6i9kSTC18O2xd1kowkkA_vEXvuwBFDSDUGB24bF_Mm1G7jhxcuXgz9jxG2dJTQ2cj1Q/s1600/beautiful+between.jpg" height="320" width="209" /></a></div>
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The last book I finished in 2014 was a little gem called The Beautiful Between, by Alyssa B. Sheinmel. You can read my review on <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1112983711?book_show_action=false" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>. For the short review, I liked it and gave it three stars, mostly for it being a bit heavy (not just for young readers, but for anyone). <br />
And for the New Year - Happy Reading! Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05563812145014399803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8609813594474697427.post-77101335596294496532014-12-25T13:56:00.000-08:002014-12-25T13:56:37.152-08:00HexedIt's actually Christmas Day, and I'm blogging. What????<br />
So I feel weird when I have nothing to do, like I'm being lazy. Really, it's a problem. I'm trying to relax but I can't. Ugh. <br />
Instead of doing absolutely nothing, I will link you to my review of Hexed, by Michelle Krys, here at <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1095226222" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>. <br />
Here's the cover, which I think is kind of cool: <br />
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Until next time, Happy Reading! And Happy New Year!<br />
Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05563812145014399803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8609813594474697427.post-78891319401467280912014-11-02T06:50:00.001-08:002014-11-02T06:50:01.560-08:00Bones of FaerieWhat I'm listening to right now: Greensleeves<br />
What mood I'm in today: Reading<br />
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It rained last night. And this morning when I went outside it smelled AWESOME (okay, so I could probably find some better words to describe it than that). Fall is finally showing its face. We've already raked up 8 bags of leaves. Only 37 more to go...<br />
Fall is the perfect time to cuddle up with a mug of hot tea and a good book. This one made me the tiniest bit sad that the leaves didn't change color in the fall anymore...you'll have to read to figure out what I'm talking about. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixzBdXA49W6_U8Rjk-VNJICACj-kHaKasVhPKHj7S04FrQ9RPSWYtViir3Hl_2JwSxudeAAjaHizlcnoMIPdDT-p1s4IAaGhpI5M9mo22g8TQLc-ubJ0uBNAwh9HmwRaB1vul9-ASPBfU/s1600/bones+of+faerie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixzBdXA49W6_U8Rjk-VNJICACj-kHaKasVhPKHj7S04FrQ9RPSWYtViir3Hl_2JwSxudeAAjaHizlcnoMIPdDT-p1s4IAaGhpI5M9mo22g8TQLc-ubJ0uBNAwh9HmwRaB1vul9-ASPBfU/s1600/bones+of+faerie.jpg" height="320" width="211" /></a></div>
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Bones of Faerie by Janni Lee Simner is a dystopian faerie novel...so how could I resist? You can read my review on <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/303178338" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>. <br />
As always, happy reading!Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05563812145014399803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8609813594474697427.post-14205151808304344942014-09-28T08:26:00.001-07:002014-09-28T08:27:36.593-07:00I'd Tell You I Love You...What mood I'm in today: Writing<br />
What I'm listening to right now: Absolute silence<br />
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Fall is here! I'm so stinking excited I can barely contain myself. It rained - no, poured yesterday, and I LOVED it. I wanted to curl up with a good book and some hot cocoa. <br />
Speaking of books...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHZkrdSnU55m02Xku7ZufMfqHrjC8XwmZeFF5AWcvQGBetX5thIPZ6fX5K8XCcyzowAsGvxiBk0MF3qqAfrh_GmWPqtEfGJy-B7125jjoMPJkgw3ROgs1BAgeXBMyCbK_wVB0MjjJDDHE/s1600/i+love+you+but+then.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHZkrdSnU55m02Xku7ZufMfqHrjC8XwmZeFF5AWcvQGBetX5thIPZ6fX5K8XCcyzowAsGvxiBk0MF3qqAfrh_GmWPqtEfGJy-B7125jjoMPJkgw3ROgs1BAgeXBMyCbK_wVB0MjjJDDHE/s1600/i+love+you+but+then.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
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This little gem, I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You by Ally Carter, is a very fun read. There's not a lot of serious about this fun fic, but it was classic-YA-cute-love-story. Read my review on <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1025448532" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>. I plan on reading the rest of the series in the near future. <br />
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As always, Happy Reading! Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05563812145014399803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8609813594474697427.post-62121092407332220862014-08-11T10:29:00.000-07:002014-08-11T10:29:33.396-07:00Kissed, by Kimberly LothWhat mood I'm in today: Editing<br />
What I'm listening to right now: Hot Chocolate, Polar Express<br />
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Oh yes, you read that right. I'm listening to a Christmas song. It is August, after all. And Halloween candy is already adorning the aisles of my local grocery stores. I love holidays. Surely I've told you this before. <br />
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Aside from holidays, I love reading. I recently had the awesome opportunity to read <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Kissed-Thorn-Chronicles-Kimberly-Loth-ebook/dp/B00JVAQLTE" target="_blank">Kissed</a> by <a href="http://kimberlyloth.com/" target="_blank">Kimberly Loth</a>, someone I actually know (wow! I know famous people!). Okay, so I knew her a long time ago, but I really, really loved this book. She didn't ask me to read it or anything. I just ended up reading it, and liking it. A lot. <br />
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You can read my official review on <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/867054059" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>. And here's a pic of the lovely cover: <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxAufPoKmWDq2lOiubkHFUOUzLGnACL7UDL8sg3FxE2d0zY9p0CITKz5yhksZWF0zoVx3E0YpEY1iLkPAq7_F1SAvlYQT3sr2mPOjJaunTNAJzpIj-sMt-dSVpJaMWy7JFbbxTJfsV2s8/s1600/kissed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxAufPoKmWDq2lOiubkHFUOUzLGnACL7UDL8sg3FxE2d0zY9p0CITKz5yhksZWF0zoVx3E0YpEY1iLkPAq7_F1SAvlYQT3sr2mPOjJaunTNAJzpIj-sMt-dSVpJaMWy7JFbbxTJfsV2s8/s1600/kissed.jpg" /></a></div>
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Enjoy your reading! Hopefully, I can actually get to mine this week, but it's doubtful. Once school starts, maybe...<br />
Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05563812145014399803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8609813594474697427.post-40292776068370810312014-07-13T07:20:00.001-07:002014-07-13T07:21:03.611-07:00The Forever SongWhat I'm listening to right now: Autumn Forest, Adrian von Ziegler<br />
What mood I'm in today: Writing<br />
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After a very fun week of camping, movies, and the Payson Highland Games, here's a link to my latest <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/678058253" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> review. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1BHbs7gQGeWU6la-82sDZKwVk_dmti0NerdY9BqszByoxlT7DoiIH-bMG5I1PNJyjZsIT9sPqDXIpc2GriJrpTG0fg82dw7qJAAZYpSvqJhbYLYV6-W_9ebkfj3X1WegIat2x7AQyBl4/s1600/the+forever+song.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1BHbs7gQGeWU6la-82sDZKwVk_dmti0NerdY9BqszByoxlT7DoiIH-bMG5I1PNJyjZsIT9sPqDXIpc2GriJrpTG0fg82dw7qJAAZYpSvqJhbYLYV6-W_9ebkfj3X1WegIat2x7AQyBl4/s1600/the+forever+song.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/678058253" target="_blank">The Forever Song</a>, by <a href="http://juliekagawa.com/wordpress/" target="_blank">Julie Kagawa</a><br />
(As you now know, one of my fave-or-ite authors)<br />
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Happy Reading! Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05563812145014399803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8609813594474697427.post-52932085329493306002014-06-19T07:34:00.000-07:002014-06-19T07:34:58.672-07:00Of Triton, by Anna BanksWhat I'm listening to: Team, Lorde<br />
What mood I'm in today: Reading<br />
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Love this song. <br />
Summer is awesome. I'm about to put a copy of Forever Song in my hands again. I love Kagawa's writing style and am excited she's writing a new series. Woo! <br />
Anyway, this post is not about Kagawa. <br />
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<a href="http://byannabanks.blogspot.com/p/books.html" target="_blank">Of Triton, by Anna Banks</a>, is a fun and divergent summer read (like how I put in another plug there?). You can read my review on <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/958685043?book_show_action=false" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>. <br />
Happy Summer Reading! <br />
MandyAmandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05563812145014399803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8609813594474697427.post-1557639683944964502014-05-21T13:25:00.001-07:002014-05-21T13:25:33.792-07:00The House of The ScorpionWhat I'm listening to: The Celestials, Smashing Pumpkins<br />
What mood I'm in today: Reading<br />
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Recently finished reading another Nancy Famer. Love her. Read my short review on <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/268900878?book_show_action=false" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>. I would recommend this book to ANYONE, not just YA readers. Happy Reading!</div>
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Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05563812145014399803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8609813594474697427.post-46969149918294169302014-04-19T19:47:00.001-07:002014-04-19T19:47:21.148-07:0013 Reasons WhyWhat I'm listening to right now: Angels or Devils, Dishwalla<br />
What mood I'm in today: Writing<br />
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I just finished this book. Go read it if you can handle books about suicide. <br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/893282193?book_show_action=false" target="_blank">Goodreads Review</a>. That's all I'm saying. <br />
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Happy, or Deep and Thoughtful Reading. <br />
Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05563812145014399803noreply@blogger.com0