The Sunday So-So's

This past week was LONG.  I spent a good deal of my last week trying to get up to speed on our new term we just entered, so I could settle in for Term 2.  By the end of the week, things were looking pretty decent though, so I have high hopes for this coming one!

My BFF Doc is in the process of interviewing for medical internships across the country.  I don't understand most of what's going on, nor how this crazy process works or is feasible at all, but I was lucky enough to have her hanging around my place this weekend.  Although she had to work on an assignment on her laptop all day, we sat around in our pj's watching random stuff on DVR, and I worked on crafty things that I honestly hadn't touched in over two years! Below is the afghan I finished crocheting on Saturday.  It's now right on time for the holiday season.

For some reason, the picture isn't so great, but it is a "knobby" (if that's the right word) yarn and stitch that gives it a bit of character.  I was also working on a felt advent calendar, that was just for fun, but I doubt I'll really make much of a dent on that one before Christmas!

As for reading, I definitely have plenty that I'm working through.  This coming week we have our Local Author Book Club through my school district, "Teaching Through Literature Discussions," so I'm actually just starting The Hourglass Door by Lisa Mangum.  I'll really have to get a move on to get that finished by Thursday.  Later this week, I'll be holding a giveaway on this first book in her series, since I already owned a copy before the book club gave me a second!  Keep your eyes out for that giveaway.

I actually met the author at a book signing at a local Barnes and Nobles event in my area.  Just about every author from this area was there, and I went and purchased way too many books that day and had them signed.  I even took a few pictures with the authors.  I'll be honest, the pictures didn't turn out, so I felt it was a fail on my part and didn't end up posting them. 


On the blogging side of things, I'm excited to join in on two book swaps this year for Christmas!  The first swap I joined was the Broke and Bookish Secret Santa swap (open through 11/17). 

The second swap I joined was the Holiday Swap, which I participated in last year (open through 11/14).  Last year, I posted about the gift I sent in my December 3rd post.  Later, I shared in "Let the Holidays Begin...on Wednesday" what I received.  It was a lot of fun not only to participate, but to see all of the other posts that were shared during the swap.  If you're interested in sharing in the fun, I say join!  You still have a little while to join in, so do it today.

That's it for my weekend.  What have you been up to?

Review: Emma volumes 8, 9, & 10 by Kaoru Mori

Do you ever wonder when or if life will ever slow down enough to catch your breath?  I've been feeling that a bit lately.  I have a lot to be grateful for, but am as busy as I've ever been and wondering how that happened!  Just as a quick piece of health-front news, I met with my surgeon and was told everything is good.  No cancer.  *sigh*  That was a HUGE relief, obviously.  I'm still struggling with laryngitis, but am sounding less and less like the bass singer from the Oakridge Boys. 

Regardless of all that life is handing out right now with health, work, and life, things are good.  Unfortunately, I missed pretty much every author signing or event that came up this past month and was feeling pretty low about it all, but you have to do what you can.  I've still been reading like crazy though and finished up the Emma manga series by Kaoru Mori.  Because volumes and 8 & 9 are so similar, I thought I'd combine them with volume 10 for a quick triple review! Spoilers ahead.

Synopsis:  (Volumes 8 & 9)  These volumes continue off of the story of Victorian house maid and soon to be wife of upper society William.  Both volumes expand on the stories of the family Emma worked for, of William's previous fiance, of William's parents, etc.  Not as obviously connected to the main plot, these two volumes merely add more side information about characters we've met in previous installments of the book.

Synopsis:  (Volume 10)  The final book in the series returns us to William and Emma's sweet relationship as they spend more time together and prepare for their upcoming marriage.  William continues to introduce Emma to his upper-crust society, ignoring any disregard others might have for his housemaid fiance.  As the story concludes, we are welcomed into their marriage and dinner celebration, which round out the story with a fairy-tale happy ending.

Review:  While I wanted wanted to get to the conclusion of the story, I thought the side information about the other characters interesting and an okay diversion.  The final installment, with its wedding and finale to the story was a fun little happy ending.  I do have to say that I thought the reserve between William and Emma still a little strange.  I know that sounds odd for me to say, but some of the scenes (such as in the beginning when they go out riding bikes) to feel more like siblings or acquaintances than a soon to be married couple.  After the drama of the previous installments it might have just seemed like a resistant-free ending?  Overall though, I thought this was a fun diversion from my ordinary reads and will have to give manga another try!


*FTC Disclosure:  The review was based on library copies of the story.

Review: The Temptation of the Night Jasmine by Lauren Willig

As mentioned in previous posts, I like audio books.  Have I ever REALLY explained why?  I'll admit it.  I have terrible road rage.  Any swearing that ushers forth from my lips comes from a selfish driver cutting me off at 75+ miles an hour to and from work, the idiot who just has to merge into what is to be one lane at the last possible second, or the certified lunatic who tails you in the hopes that they can drive right up over top of you.  Yes, I hate drivers in my state like no other.  Out of all the places I've lived, Utah has to be the top of my list of most selfish, diabolical drivers on the planet.

To save my sanity and help me forget that I want to shake my fist at every car I meet on the road, I figured out that audio books helped soothe my anguish every time I hop behind the wheel.  Now I make sure to ALWAYS have an audio book waiting, for fear I have a mini stroke while driving.  This past month or so, I have been listening to The Temptation of the Night Jasmine, and since I kept getting lost and had to rewind about a million times, this might have just been a good one to settle me down!

Synopsis:  From Goodreads, "After 12 years in India, Robert, Duke of Dovedale, returns to his estates in England with a mission in mind-- to infiltrate the infamous Hellfire club to unmask the man who murdered his mentor at the Battle of Assaye. Intent on revenge, Robert never anticipates that an even more difficult challenge awaits him, in the person of one Lady Charlotte Lansdowne.

Throughout her secluded youth, Robert was Lady Charlotte’s favorite knight in shining armor, the focus of all her adolescent daydreams. The intervening years have only served to render him more dashing. But, unbeknownst to Charlotte, Robert has an ulterior motive of his own for returning to England, a motive that has nothing to do with taking up the ducal mantle. As Charlotte returns to London to take up her post as Maid of Honor to Queen Charlotte, echoes from Robert’s past endanger not only their relationship but the very throne itself."

Review:  Let me be up front in saying that I honestly grabbed this audio book, not just because I had already listened to the previous four that came before, but because I was so invested in the "modern-day" story that is embedded in these spy novels.  While the spy stories are being told, we as readers understand that it is through our modern storyteller, Eloise Keller, that we are getting anything at all.  It is her story, and her romance with modern day descendant to the Pink Carnation, Colin Selwick, that I was so involved in this installment.  The two have finally gotten together romantically, but there is still  much that American, Eloise, is uncertain about her dashing new boyfriend.  She finds information about him that might stake him to some spy activity of his own  And, how can this swashbuckler of his own rights be interested in an academic who has her nose in old journals and diaries all the time?

I really enjoyed the more modern side to the story this time around, especially since I found myself lost in the story of Robert and Lady Charlotte so often.  For one, Robert and Charlotte were often at cross purposes and didn't understand where the other was coming from throughout most of the story.  The miscommunication, jealousies, and misdirected frustration was enough to drive me batty.  To top it off, the story included the mad King George, so I was often thinking about history and where that placed things, rather than truly following the story.  My bad, I'll admit, but I was a bit distracted by the real history that went behind the story.

As always, the story was highly entertaining.  That is high praise from a reader, such as myself, who doesn't like mysteries hardly at all.  I like the romantic and historical twists to be found in this series, and find the author's writing style engaging.  Although this particular story lost me at times, and I found myself wanting more out of the modern story, I can still say that the series is great fun and a nice, historical diversion.

*FTC Disclosure:  This review is based on a library copy of the novel.

A Short Jane Austen Actor Love: The 39 Steps

Okay, so my AP students from  last year could (sadly) tell you that I have a bit of a crush on Captain Wentworth from Jane Austen's Persuasion.  This certifiable crush was sealed when I saw the newest film version with Rupert *sigh* Penry-Jones.  Yep.  He made my single girl heart go pitter pat.  I'm not much for the blondies, but I definitely made an exception from him.

Thanks to my Mr. Penry-Jones, I set aside my issues with mysteries to record an episode of Masterpiece Theater on PBS, The 39 Steps.  I hadn't watched it yet, so I settled down this evening to give it a go.  What a treat!!!  The premise of the story is that Jones's character, circa 1918, is given a booklet that contains coded messages from a German spy that will leave the British navy vulnerable to their enemies.  Said man who gave him the booklet is murdered in a hotel in front of him, and then he is blamed for the murder and must go on the run to Scotland.  His goal is then to try to get himself out of the murder accusation, and to uncover the German spy ring threatening home and country.

I have to say that this was a great spy thriller, and one that I could easily recommend to just about anyone.  Not only did it have one of my favorite leading men in it, but it had action, espionage, and even a romance.  Even the romance though was different than I might have expected.  The female lead was strong-willed and didn't need to be saved at every turn of the story, and Penry-Jones's lead wasn't as self-assured as a James Bond character might be, but was confused by his role in the espionage.  His fears and anxiety over what was happening to himself and could happen to his country had me eager to keep watching.  Regardless of any fear Penry-Jones might have displayed through his character, he was still quite the swash-buckling, handsome lead!  Also, he somehow managed to be more than a gentleman throughout all the action, which made him even  more charming.

Based on the novel The 39 Steps by John Buchan, I can absolutely say that the film version of this novel is a must see!  I'm not certain if it will be appearing again on Masterpiece Theater again, but it is well worth an effort to track down if you like spy thrillers or are even a fan of Rupert Penry-Jones.  In just under an hour and a half, this is a really great movie to watch!

Library Loot: Getting Back to Normal

First off, Happy Halloween to everyone! Where I live we generally don't get families with little kids roaming around trick or treating, but instead get teenagers who aren't dressed up, toting pillowcases around asking for candy.  I'm sure that since I work with teens all week, that I'm probably not their best stop along the way!  Halloween is one of those holidays that spells out the first of a string of fun holidays to come, so I'm happy, happy, happy.

As far as reading is concerned, I actually have read quite a bit, but need to find the time and energy to get reviews written!  Since returning to work, I've just been able to get through the day teaching and not much else.  Hopefully this weekend will help put me back on the right track, and my newest acquisitions from the library and in the mail will definitely help me get back into the spirit of blogging!  (P.S.  Thank you to everyone who left kind words this last week.  Your little messages were so sweet!)

Here are two new books that came in the mail this week, that definitely brightened my mood and got me eager to read for the holidays:

The first is a compilation of Pride and Prejudice remakes or tributes that are centered on Christmas.  I'm excited to read an Austen twist on the holidays!  Also, I am eager to read Dating Mr. December after I read the blurb.  When I noticed its about a girl who heads to the Lake District to heal a broken heart, I thought it had a very P&P meets Bridget Jones sort of vibe that should be kind of fun.

As for the library, here's what I picked up last night:

Bright Young Things is a new series by Anna Godbersen, who wrote The Luxe series, that I enjoyed so much.  I've been on the waiting list for this one for months!

Simply From Scratch just looks like a great book that will get me into the holiday baking and staying inside bit of this time of year that I love so much.

Finally, is Breadfruit, which is the follow-up novel to Frangipani that I read earlier this summer (and really loved).  My library actually had the first and the last in the trilogy, but not this particular book, so I requested that they get it.  How much do I love my library that they actually did?!?  Now I can keep reading this fun Tahitian-set story.

Before I forget, I wanted to share my library books for Library Loot, which is a meme hosted by Marg from The Adventures of an Intrepid Reader and Claire from The Captive Reader.  Join us, and share what you've picked up for one of our many great libraries!

Well that's what I've picked up this week.  I'm reading so many different things right now that it does me no good to even begin with that list, but am pretty excited about the new stacks of books waiting for me to read! 

What about you?  What great new book did you get this week that you're dying to dive into?

Short Review: A Truth Universally Acknowledged: 33 Great Writers On Why We Read Jane Austen

Today was my first day back at work after five days off.  Let me clarify that those days were spent GRADING for end of term, whenever I wasn't falling asleep from my surgery on Friday.  Honestly, going back to work really only pushed me out of bed early, with real clothes on!  I suppose that's over half the battle though, right?  My voice is still really weak, which has me pretty frustrated.  I'm just hoping it comes roaring back to life soon...literally!

Okay, enough whining on my part!

In between grading and resting up this last week, I picked up a copy of a collection of essays and academic articles on Jane Austen.  I wasn't sure what to expect, but soon found that A Truth Universally Acknowledged: 33 Great Writers On Why We Read Jane Austen wasn't a casual read.   This collection of essays really run the gamut, as I gathered when I noted the foreword was written by the very famous literary critic, Harold Bloom.  Other authors have included essays about Jane Austen, her individual works, or varied themes in her writing.  Authors such as:  Eudora Welty, E. M. Forster, Martin Amis, C. S. Lewis, A. S. Byatt, David Lodge, and Virginia Woolf are included in this collection.  Although their topics are varied, and absolutely astute in their ideas, their essays instantly took me back to graduate school. 

Edited by Susannah Carson, it appears that articles were chosen from as varied an audience as possible (among other authors and academics), with pretty critical approaches to Austen's texts.  I will acknowledge that I didn't read every article in the book, as I felt that would require me to get out a pen to annotate the ideas as I went!  I did, however, peruse many of the articles and found them to be pretty weighty reading.  Although I admit to loving a good bit of literary criticism once in awhile, I can't say than an entire collection of essays as presented could tear me away from the weightier selection of novels I have waiting for me right now.  My recommendation, if you are interested in checking out this collection of essays, would be to pick out a few of the articles that seem most interesting.  Otherwise, I might leave this collection to the college version of myself who needed great information and a resource for writing a literary essay of my own.

Here is another review by Jane Austen's World.
Also, another review by Austenprose.

If you've read this collection, or picked it up, what did you think?

Quick Follow Up

I mentioned briefly that I was going to be out for surgery.  Thankfully, it all went really well yesterday and I'm home and feeling pretty good.  The entire thing was a bit of a whirlwind, as they found that I had a large mass that we only discovered after I struggled with laryngitis and sore throats for about five weeks.  I have to admit, that as a teacher, thinking about not having a strong voice is a little scary.  I've always been able to yell out over a large classroom of noisy students to get their attention, but have had to resort to whistling to get their attention at the beginning of class, and to writing a lot of things on the board.  Not fun.

Anyway, all is well.  I realize I'm going to really fit in with the Halloween theme this year, as my scar makes me look and feel a bit like Frankenstein!  Maybe I can pull off some "bride of" theme?  What do you think?