Bluebird or the Invention of Happiness by Sheila Kohler
Acquired Book By: Purchased by me, whilst scouring through all the rows and stacks of discounted books at BAM! [Books-A-Million] approx. Autumn 2010! :) It was a blissful afternoon, where you just wander around a bookstore, not really in search of anything in particular, but your eye and heart are drawn into the stories that your reading, as you pick up one book at a time and realise that with the price marked down as low as it is, you could afford a nice stack of ‘new!’ paperbacks that are all but discarded and disinterested by others! Authors you’ve never heard of and a few that you have! This was one of those books that I felt had to come home with me that day!
Inspired by Actual Events: This is a piece of one woman’s [Lucy Dillon, otherwise known as: Henriette-Lucy, Marquise de La Tour du Pin Gouvernat] story, taken from a tumultuous time in history, whilst she was exiled in America from the courts of France during the height of the French Revolution. She would one day return, under Napoleon’s rule, as her husband was determined to restore what was lost when the family was forced to flee. There was a period of happiness she fought to secure, and apparently, this is that section of her life, based on accounts she saved for her only serving child. Not known to the public until 1906.
On why this appealed to me: ? coming soon ?
Wednesday — back to the Revolution!
Number of Pages Devoured | Out of : [continued with: Haunted, actually!] I started on page 112, then made it to page 166, and ended the day at page 302! 290 pages devoured from Haunted
Tally of Pages Read Thus Far: 401 | of Lark Rise & Haunted, respectively
Book in Progress |continuing onward |happily consumed: 2 | 2 | 0
A six word summary of today’s reading: just what exactly IS going on?
Best Chapter? still deciding!
Best part of the day? The Book Spine Poetry Challenge!!!! :) :)
Favourite Character? Mrs. O’Hara the librarian, who adores local history, myth, and lore, but was quite torn up about Darcy being injured in her library!
Challenge participation? Book Spine Poetry! I decided to use all the titles of books I am reading for Bout, 8.0!
My entry: [my camera is still giving me technical difficulties; therefore, my entry is unofficial, given the liberties of additions!!]
Thyme [time] of death, haunted the forest lover,
[who was en route between] Lark Rise to Candleford.
The lady in the attic [was] murder(ed) on monday;
[her homicide was suspected of] death by darjeeling!
The secret papers of Madame Olivetti [was an attempt of pacifying the] bluebird,
or the invention of happiness!
[The key to all of it was] the crimson petal and the white!
Tick, Tock There Goes the Clock:
12:00p-9:32p: [insert a day of comedic errors!] I wandered around some of the Bout’er blogs before attempting to get settled into “Haunted”, only to be deterred by another [bad!] lightning storm! Finally, settled into the book, only to find about a half hour later, that my plans needed to be halted! Dinner followed, and then, wells, I simply had a day where I had a lot of start/stops!! I am hoping that I can wake up earlier on the morrow, and get back to a regular pace/schedule!! Oyy.
Although, my intent is to visit: 108! EVERY SINGLE BLOG listed on my Goals & Motivations page!! :) I am going to make sure I didn’t miss any latecomers, fill in the missing ‘total # of blogs’, and make my rounds!! :) :) I am progressing from the end of the list back to the top!
All the posts interlinked to *Bout of Books, 8.0* are a work-in-progress post! Therefore, what you read on one visit, might alter/change or be added to by the time you swing back!!
{SOURCES: Bout of Books Badge created by Jorie in Canva to give readers & visitors who come to her blog a way to know of its existence and therefore increasing the mystery & lore surrounding it!! Seriously wicked bookish badges {entirely FREE!} provided by Squeesome Designs!}
Day Two: Haunted {Book One: Ghost Harrison series}
by Heather Graham
Book Gifted By: Mum and Da gave me this unbelievable SURPRISE for my twentytenth birthday: all the published books within this particular series as available at the moment of my birthday!
A Most Curious Series: Originally, I thought this series was specifically called “the Ghost series” or “Ghost Harrison series”, yet I’ve seen it mentioned as “Harrison Investigation series” as well! The best way to sort through which books to read is to check out the author’s page on Fantastic Fiction! Whereupon I learnt the proper order of this series which simply captivates me! I believe due to the way the interactions are set up inside this series where those who are living are being asked to help those who are in-between, led me to become enamored with Ghost Whisperer starring Jennifer Love Hewitt the Summer of 2012.
All the books gifted to me for my twentytenth birthday:
Haunted
Ghost Walk*
The Vision
The Seance
The Dead Room*
The Death Dealer
Deadly Night
Deadly Harvest
Deadly Gift
Therein lies the bit of confusion for me which I’ve finally begun to unravel, as you see, books 7-9 are actually a sub-trilogy called: Flynn Brothers! The actual next book past “The Death Dealer” is “Unhallowed Ground”, followed by “Nightwalker”.
I have been on Ms. Graham’s main website as well over the years, sorting through the book descriptions and noting which books are being published on a similar vein that might in effect be a continuation of the originals OR might be a new foray into the same general arena. Which is why, aside from the aforementioned “Unhallowed Ground” and “Nightwalker”, I want to gather these as well:
Bone Island: Ghost Shadow, Ghost Night, Ghost Moon, and Ghost Memories.
Krewe of Hunters: Phantom Evil, Heart of Evil, Sacred Evil, The Evil Inside, The Unseen, The Unholy, The Unspoken, The Uninvited, The Night is Watching, The Night is Alive, The Night is Forever,…
Motivation to Read: For reasons beyond any of my logical conclusions, the clock has shifted forward a few years, and I am still at a loss to understand why I haven’t progressed into this wicked sweet series! Therefore, without willing to waste time fretting about when or why I haven’t read the ghost series, I have included book one in my Bout of Books challenge!
A six word summary of today’s reading: not every ghost is without malevolence
Best Chapter: too early to speculate. at least there is a bit of humanness in the Sheriff; as i nearly lost all hope for him!
Favourite Character: Darcy, for sure! Although, Penny comes in a close second! I love strong women who know who they are and haven’t always had an easy road in life but feel strongly in what they do, and are determined to contribute something rather positive in life. Penny is an Aunt you wished you had with a cleverly open-mind!
Challenge Participation? not today.
Bout of Books blogs I visited: i honestly didn’t get the proper chance after all! i need to work on making amends on the morrow as i lost too many hours today! :(
Tick Tock, there goes the clock:
03:00a-3:30p: [consumed by unwellness, sleep took over!] i refuse to get down about succumbing to how physically unwell i have felt between last night & now. i saw the silver lining: now i have become better rested and most likely will be in a better place to get rolling with the rest of the Bout! thankfully, a good [12 hour!] rest appears to have cured my ills! :) :)
3:40p-?: [updating JLAS!] making my Bout’er blog rounds! checking out the Challenge of the Day! reading shall follow lateron!
|| I *love!* iHeartRadio! ||
[ramblings: 5:15p] The song: ‘Wake Me Up” by Avicii is super-encouraging & inspiring! I am loving the ability to listen to radio stations nationwide + throughout Canada! :) Ooh, my favourite is on!! “Ho Hey” by the Lumineers!! :) :) Hope everyone is having a good day!! Mine is looking up, despite the looming thunderstorm trying to make a hedge through the sunshine! Boston! Chicago! Vancouver! Hawaii! Dallas/Ft. Worth! Radio rocks my world! :) :) Oy, I shouldn’t have held off so long from going to iHeartRadio! I was just so disappointed in Pandora half an age ago, I didn’t want to set myself up again! :/
6:00p-6:30p: [long break] previous engagement: LIVE Author Chat via Booktalk Nation! Robyn Carr will be the guest!! :) :) i nearly missed this! i was logged onto the site at exactly 5:59!!! talk about cutting it close! i cannot wait to blog about this experience, as it will be my 3rd Booktalk Nation event! if you go to my “Topics, Genres, & Subjects” in the left sidebar [right below the Comments!] you’ll be able to track my experiences with Booktalk by clicking on: Booktalk Nation OR Live Author Events!! i love cross-referencing this blog!! :) :)
7:05p-8:13p: [dinner!] yummy 3-topping pizza special: loaded with onions, fresh spinach, & mushrooms! it was beyond YUM! plus, coconut, caramel, & chocolate bits yogurt ice cream! seriously, i was over the MOON for dinner!!
9:00p-10:00p: [Rizzoli & Isles] what can I say!? between the thunderstorms threatening outside, and my clear lack of focus since i woke up, i decided i best watch the new episode verse skipping it! i didn’t fully get into this until the start of the Summer Season (2013)!! imagine!? i used to watch Law & Order, so i am familiar with Harmon; and I currently cannot get enough of NCIS; still bothers me something fierce how Kate died! :( (ie: Isles was Kate in NCIS) what can i say? i love ensemble casts with ‘family’ at the heart! ooh, and did anyone else smile when they realised that Dalton (ie: MacGyver’s best friend!) is in this, too!! :) :)
| UPDATE: by far i never thought i’d say this but they are pushing the tolerance envelope for me; as far as what i am willing to accept. i quite literally boycotted tonight’s episode but returned for the last 10 minutes, whereupon i learnt the sad news that the man who played “Frost” [Lee Thompson Young] had passed!! I was beyond shocked! Thinking something rather tragic and sudden must have befell him — car accident or such. I am just not that fortunate: he committed suicide on Monday; the very day the series was renewed for a fifth season! :( :( I knew! that he was familiar to me, but I never could remember to look him up online; he played Jett Jackson, in Disney’s 1998 series “The Famous Jett Jackson”. Nearly every actor I grew up with and followed their career is in the grave. Most of whom committed suicide. I am beginning to wonder what is happening to young people in Hollywood. I felt gutted and anguished at the same time. :( :( So many lights have been extinguished. I grieve their loss and I pray for strength for their families. I even met one of these actors, years ahead of taking his life. He was full of life, light, and humour. I still remember his effervescent smile. I nearly had the chance to meet Mr. Young. 29 years old. Is too young to die, but is far too young to take one’s life. I read the cast was devastated and that production was halted. He was beloved on set and that gave me a bit of peace. Shakes head. My heart is heavy and I am not going to watch Rizzoli & Isles ever again.
Nor any show that chooses to cross the line. I grew up on murder mysteries, both in literature & film, but these days!? There is something rather brutal and sinister in the portrayals. Its darker than ever before and I am taking back the choice to switch my Tuesdays to “Who Do You Think You Are?” which is now featured on TLC, as they resurrected the series! Thank heavens, because I could use some light-hearted historical hunting mysteries about finding out your ancestral roots whilst travelling to the most unexpected places!
10:00p-2a: READING! No, seriously, I am!! :) :) i am settling into “Haunted” with the faint rumblings of thunder now subsiding out of view, with a cuppa tea to warm me as i enter the chilling world of ghosts and the humans they need to aide them!! As I expected it to, Haunted didn’t fail to disappoint me in being one of the chilling stories where there are certain ghosts who are not willing to be helped nor are they able to explain what is wrong. I am settling into the pace of the story, whilst thinking about the potential history of any house over 50 years old; 100, 150, 200 at least in America; far more years stretch in the homes across the Pond, esp in England where you can get property from the 16th century! I am not sure where the story is taking me, but I am enjoying seeing the differences in the characters and the curious mystery behind Adam Harrison; the very man behind Harrison Investigations, which is the root of the heart of the series this book started. Originally published in 2003, I am reading it exactly 10 years later! Enjoyed a cuppa hot tea!
Reflections shortly after the ending is revealed:
Review: ? to be revealed later! ?
{NOTE: I actually originally read “Ghost Walk” through my local library, and thus went on to gather the rest of the series as known to me at the time {including starting “The Dead Room”} through our local branches as well as ILL’ing a few as well! What surprised me the most is that I couldn’t read one book past “Ghost Walk” because each book was tainted by the permeation of smoke! I have the most ghastly allergies which made it impossible to continue! This is why the gift my parents gave me was doubly sweet and appreciated! I have never again encountered this issue either as I regularly borrow books from my local library as much as through ILL’ing!}
All the posts interlinked to *Bout of Books, 8.0* are a work-in-progress post! Therefore, what you read on one visit, might alter/change or be added to by the time you swing back!!
{SOURCES: Bout of Books Badge created by Jorie in Canva to give readers & visitors who come to her blog a way to know of its existence and therefore increasing the mystery & lore surrounding it!! Seriously wicked bookish badges {entirely FREE!} provided by Squeesome Designs!}
Day One: Larkrise to Candleford by Flora Thompson, which unbeknownst to me is actually a collection of three of her novels re-formatted as a trilogy omnibus originally debuted in 1945! The original titles were as follows: Lark Rise (1939), Over to Candleford (1941), Candleford Green (1943). Nor did I realise that this particular new found trilogy was an early pitch into what I call most endearing “biographical fiction” whereupon most of the context and contents are fictional re-representations of a living soul’s life and the experiences they incurred therein.
A more starting revelation: She was bourne 5 December 1876 passing from this life on 21 May 1947. This is pertinent to me because my parents were wedded in May and my Mum was bourne in ’47! I always get a hitching of excitement when I notice numerological coincidences OR dare I say, connective threads that interlace through all of our lives if we keep our eyes open to notice them. Further still, the sequel to Lark Rise to Candleford appeared in 1979, the year of my birth!
Motivation to Read: In part due to the BBC mini-series of the same name: Lark Rise to Candleford which afforded appreciators of period dramas four series to settle into this lovely community that has spun itself into our conscienceness.
Acquired Book By: Purchased in a used book shoppe in a small towne tucked away in a yester year atmosphere that resonated with my sense of nostalgia. I used to wander around soaking in the quiet solitude of a towne un-caught up with the pacing of the modern world, having alighted its rhythm to an unseen sense of un-clocked suspension. Circa 2010.
Oh, Monday, sweet Monday! The Read-A-Thon has begun!
Number of Pages Devoured | Out of : 48 |537
Tally of Pages Read Thus Far: 48; slight difficulty in reading as this is more of a sociological accounting of real life, rather than a purely fictional piece of literature. it reads more like an observationist’s journal, crafted specifically not to let one detail go unnoticed or unwrit! in the beginning, i nearly felt i could not finish this one, as it was harkening back my nightmares of boredom with Robinson Crusoe!! thankfully, it fluttered away from those grievations!
Book in Progress |continuing onward |happily consumed: 0 | 1 | 0
A six word summary of today’s reading: a throbbing sense of real life
Best Chapter? *loved!* the Introduction by H.J. Massingham! specifically, page 1, paragraph 1, opening sentences & the bottom of the paragraph! on page 2 i appreciated his sentiments on Lark Rise and the way in which the author reveals the setting and story.
Favourite Character? have yet to determine; leaning towards Laura; as she’s a little bookworm who overcame her learning difficulties by never giving up on learning as she went with each word she came across! she did the same thing i did when i was younger: read the context to understand the words!
Challenge Participation? |unofficial: Pairathon| *to be added soon!*
|official: Bookish Bucket List| Q: What is one bookish thing you want to do before you die? OR what is one thing you want to do that was inspired by a book you read!?
I saw this go ‘live’ last night/early morn today, but it’s taken me this long to return in order to compose my thoughts properly! I have a rather extensive ‘bookish bucket list’, not that I ever attached myself to that terminology before, but it’s true enough! I think it would have to be a spilt between following in Jane Austen’s footsteps by taking a full-on Regency touring of her life + world! From being able to ‘step in’ to the literal footprints of where her stories came alive for her and what real-life counterparts are still visiable and able to be experienced! As much as to get into the core of who she was a woman, as a living person! Aside from Ms. Austen, I’d love to follow a Downton Abbey inspired tour — complete with a guided tour of Highclare! I am not sure if this last bit counts, but Julian Fellowes did release the ‘scripts’ which are in bound-book form, so perhaps by a hair?! Laughs. Most of my bookish dreams are forevermore hinged to England! {or the Highlands of Scotland!} I already accomplished the inspired by a book tick off the list: as a young woman first coming into her own, I discovered the parfum “Chanel No. 5” via Rosamunde Pilcher’s “The Shell Seekers”!! That’s a prime example of fiction bleeding into the real world! [entry for Book Depository book!]
Bout of Books blogs I visited: quite frankly, I lost count! laughs! :) i was on such a sweet roll, that i didn’t really keep a tally! i will attempt to sort out a rounded # to post! i will take better notes on the morrow! :) :)
Tick Tock, there goes the clock:
07:15a: woken up by a siren! what is up with alarm clocks! sighs!! sat straight up like i was flinching from a bolt of lightning! the dreamscapes dissolved faster than you can say, “poof!” i was hoping the morn would be delayed [somehow] a wee bit, as i didn’t get to clock off until 2am!
07:16-08:07: scouting more Bout’er blogs! [too much talk, not enough music! c’mon KISS Boston! ack! the Sox were creamed!] i think i NEED a chai!! can you order those in!? from an indie coffeehouse!? apparently you can!! bairbre rocks!! erm, should i have made that an espresso latte, instead!? hrmm,… [newsflash: my bookish blog is writ on EVERY order book in a mad dash to get the ‘name’ right! now that’s positive ‘word of word’ signage!]
09:00-11:35: ? projected time to start reading ? hey, its the first day! i can be be a bit behind the eight ball! actually, i was noshing on a fried egg, homemade hummus, & paul newman salsa sammie! :) i’m getting a bit of a late start, but i have the bout’er blogs set up {will have to check back when the sign-ups close for latecomers!}, and as I embark on my rounds, i will continue to clean up the ‘quick reference’ wordage per blog!! :) :) i feel good, and that’s the best way to go into a read-a-thon!
now then, check out this wicked sweet blog badge for bookish girls + blokes like us:
i am forgetting which Bout’er had it on their blog, but i will sort that out lateron!! :) its more to reflect that i am taking a hiatus from: the netherspheres, email stalking, radio rockin’, cats who act like toddlers [smiles fondly], the telly, and everything in-between, including the plumber pounding away! for all visitors + Bout’ers alike: kindly drop me notes! during my breaks i’ll approve them + drop a note back!! peace to readers everywhere!!
official start time: 11:40am!!
1:53p: [short break!] i am running into things that are more confuselment than enjoyable! need to do a bit of digging online to sort through it! lovely depictions of country life, though! my mind is darting about making cross-comparisons in both literature & film! :) received confirmation that my First Impressions [ARC] choice will be sent to me! [overjoyed!!] KISS Boston is back on whilst i haul into research! :)
3:30-4:30p: [short break] began to compose my review for Lark Rise to Candleford
7p-8:32: [dinner break]
8:33p-10p: [longer break, a bit under the weather!] touring the Bout’er blogs, slowly catching up the comment threads + enjoying ‘meeting’ other bookish bloggers! added more wicked awesome {FREE!} bookish love badges from squeesome! check it out!
10:01p-03:00am: reading Lark Rise to Candleford. instead, i felt like getting full of INK! i monked around with my distress inks, washi tape, and vintage ephemera, created envelope art, and followed it up with finishing my letter to CaffienatedLife! will have to key in my daily totals after I put the book down for the evening! i wake up! :) overall, it was not a bad first day! i wish i had felt better [overall], but i feel good in what i am accomplishing which is the only part that matters! :) despite not getting too far into the book, my mind was lit alive with things to write about, which is why my [review!] impressions of the book are off to a hearty start!
Reflections shortly after the ending is revealed:
will come back and enter in my thoughts once I finish the book!
Review: Betwixt Lark Rise and Candleford will update when my post goes live!
All the posts interlinked to *Bout of Books, 8.0* are a work-in-progress post! Therefore, what you read on one visit, might alter/change or be added to by the time you swing back!!
In closing, if you have read “Lark Rise to Candleford” or the books in their individual volumes, what did you find the most difficult to get used to as you read them!? OR, did you find that they were easy to swallow and wished there were more volumes!? Is this a book that appeals to you to read, if you haven’t yet read it!? Did you watch the mini-series instead!? Will you watch the mini-series if you read the book(s)!?
{SOURCES: The Bout of Books badge was created by Jorie in Canva! Seriously wicked bookish badges {entirely FREE!} provided by Squeesome Designs!}
{Official Blurb} Inspired by Pop Culture Junkie and the Story Siren, the aim of Showcase Sunday is to highlight our newest books or book related swag and to see what everyone else received for review, borrowed from libraries, bought in bookshops and downloaded onto eReaders each week.
When you find yourself unexpectedly encouraged to seek out Austen, Ms. Jane Austen,…
You see, there is this little blogosphere event called: Austen in August, hosted by Roof Beam Reader, which seeks to encourage and inspire everyone to become caught up in all things *Austen!* for the entire month of *August!* :) It was my full intent to read each book I had selected during the past weeks since August dawned, however, I made a misstep in not realising how quickly the hours would fly right-on past me to the stratosphere as soon as JLAS Launched! Oyy vie!! Clearly, I did not schedule enough hours to fit everything into August that I dearly wanted too! Therefore, after I participate in the Bout [Bout of Books, 8.0], I will resume where I left off with *Pride and Prejudice* which I had been making inroads of finishing ahead of the 18th of August — had power surges + freak lightning storms not intervened!! Sighs. Technologic disadvantages aside, I am plumb fortunate that my local library has such a hearty girth of choice for a Janeite to find herself swimming in a sea of lovelies that come “After the Canon” of Jane Austen’s collective works!! You just never know what you’re going to unearth:
Jane Austen [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons. Courtesy of the University of Texas Libraries, The University of Texas at Austin.
Vanity and Vexation: a novel of Pride & Prejudice by Kate Fenton
Presumption by Julia Barrett
Pemberley by the Sea | renamed: The Man Who Loved Jane Austen, I chose the original! | by Abigail Reynolds
Jane and the Unpleasantness of Scargrave Manor | Being a Jane Austen mystery | by Stephanie Barron
The Family Fortune by Laurie Horowitz
Mr. Darcy’s Little Sister by C. Allyn Pierson
Pride, Prejudice, and Jasmin Field by Melissa Nathan
Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal
Sandition and Other Stories by Jane Austen
Dancing with Mr. Darcy: stories inspired by Jane Austen & Chawton House by Sarah Waters
Ontop of which, when you discover an author such as Andrea Barrett,… You never fathom that it would take such a long time to read her lovely books, and yet, that is what I am finding right now! I remember when I came across her book “The Voyage of the Narwhal”, and I was immediately slipped into her world!! There was something rather tangible and honest about how she writes her novels. I could only pin it to the thought of the writing process that I always respected learning from Ms. Natalie Goldberg; Ms. Barrett clearly knew exactly how to impart her heart into her narratives by ‘writing down the bones’ and soul of what she wanted to express. She transitions you out of your reality and into her perceptional sphere if only for the briefest of moments; long enough to know you want to go back and short enough to realise how special you were to stumble across a writer who takes her time to allow her muse to fully develop and envelope inside her. She’s prolific in a league of her own. I decided that being that I’m into my early thirties now, its high time I ‘stop’ awaiting the ‘perfect’ season to read Ms. Barrett’s novels nor stop hoping for the time to collect them!! The time is now, and now is the time I have chosen to read her collective works!! A small collection of the following are available locally, however, the rest I am ILL’ing:
Lucid Stars
Secret Harmonies
The Middle Kingdom
The Forms of Water
The Voyage of the Narwhal
The Air We Breathe
| Ship Fever
| Servants of the Map
| Archangel
*titles in bold came in through ILL; | titles represent story collections
I remember that I was 18 years of age when I first discovered Andrea Barrett, because I was in the thick of writing three manuscripts before a full-stop occurred that fateful December. A writer’s block ensued which was not broken until Nanowrimo 2008. I remember that I felt like I was on the edge of a brilliant discovery,… a new piece of literature that would open new horizons and new doors of literary enlightenment. Isn’t it fitting then, that I am picking up her books during the next adventure I am undertaking in my writing life!? Who knows what inspirations I shall draw out of her words and breathe back into my own writing pursuits!! For that is why I am a book blogger,… seeking literary enlightenment first, and a resurgence of my muse secondarily.
A conundrum of a muddlement: August’s hours are dwindling down and twinkling with fading light, and I find myself betwixt knowing if I want to ‘let go’ of Austen!! I was sitting here contemplating this very thing just the other day, noting that my heart had already made up its own mind as how to proceed! Of course, the simple resolution would be to table the notion of reading the books I selected this year for Austen in August, and re-attempt them 12 months from now, when Austen in August comes back into view!! Honestly, that’s as ridiculous as asking Elizabeth to wait at home whilst Jane was ill at Netherfield! :( And, then, *lightbulb!* Who says I cannot continue onward with my list!? I may only finish Pride in time to qualify as a participant this year,… but even that, is one book closer to my goal and of my intent to read Austen alongside other Austenites & Janeites! :)
My new reading plan is simply this: After Austen, [inspired by Austen in August] I will proceed to read and every book from my Austen in August Reading List, by which I shall archive my updates on my original post with a footnote explanation of what I am doing! In this way, I can accomplish what I wanted to do: spend time soaking into the books that followed the canon, introduce myself to characters other authors created based on Pride & Prejudice, and read two books past Pride: Persuasion & Sandition and Other Stories!
What about you!? If you were faced with the same tragic ending, would you re-write a happier ever after OR await the next year to follow your heart’s desire!?
{SOURCES: Jane Austen image was provided by Zemanta, and inserted directly to the post via the related content widget. (content which is in either the public domain or available through Wikimedia Commons) Thus providing the related content with appropriate attribution and sourcing. I did update the attribution on Jane Austen to reflect the University of Texas Library! Showcase Sunday badge provided by for participants to use to promote the weekly meme by Books, Biscuits, & Tea.}
I, honestly admit, I have a slight confession,… I am hereby addicted to reading challenges, read-a-thons, read-a-longs, and other blogsphere community reading events! Yes. I, Jorie, of Jorie Loves A Story, have an addiction to reading! And, of daring myself to tackle one more ‘challenge’, despite already being committed to another already in-progress! I have discovered today, that I am NOT alone. Nor am I the only one PROUD of this affliction. Look for our ‘badge of honour’ to find us! OR, click to join, if you find your afflicted too!
I created a running list of all the particulars of each challenge or reading event that I take on under my *RALs & Challenges* page!! However, for the sake of declaring just how much of an addict I am in this regard, I shall list them in order of participation:
70 Authors Challenge: A Personal Challenge I created for myself to read 70 Authors in 24 months time; focusing on 1-5 books per author! Technically, this won’t count until the 2015 Tally, as it concludes in August 2015! Originally scheduled to be a challenge in 12 months, but I have re-considered this and extended it to two full years!
SFN Bingo Reading Challenge: declaration of participation; Collaborative blogosphere event, merging book bloggers, authors, publishers, and sci-fi enthusiasts together, for a month long celebration of science-fiction! Each blogger will have a set schedule of posts, topics to explore, books to focus on, tv series to gush about, and certain bloggers will be hosting giveaways as well! Event begins 1 November & Concludes 30 November!
Wonderfully Wicked: coming in October Due to circumstances changing, my amount of free time is reduced.
Banned Books Week: late September / early October Due to circumstances changing, my amount of free time is reduced.
Author of the Month: september, october, november, & december Due to circumstances changing, my amount of free time is reduced.
Unless I am mistaken this will be the full list for the year! :) Ahh, alas! A Bingo Challenge steps through the ether! :)
Reflections After the Fact: {work in progress!}
Austen in August: Aside from the fact that I nearly considered this a failure in the regards of being able to accomplish what I originally set out to do, in the end, I felt confident in my ability to actually ‘read’ a work of Austen during the month of the event! My review of the book did not post until September, which I regrettably could not avoid but I felt badly that my review’s link had to be threaded in the commentary section rather than the official Austen in August linky! :( Next year, if Roof Beam Reader hosts this lovely event again I would like to wisely choose 3 Austen novels to read so that I can not only reflect on her grace of story-telling but also participate in the Romance Reading Challenge that helps to promote the romance genre! I think if I could spilt the difference and read six books total I’d be plumb happy! I did complete the challenge even if I only read “Pride” due to the fact that the challenge had no direct rules or obligations! :) In this, I drew a bit of repose,…
Bout of Books, 8.0: You could say this challenge is continuously ongoing as I have not yet resolved the posts for the event itself as right after the event closed, I was ‘up and at ’em’ as the saying goes on my blog! I was focusing on everything that was happening in my personal life as much as attempting to keep a pace on where my blog was taking me next! Somehow in those short hours of September’s opening door, I lost my footing with Bout of Books, 8.0 despite the fact that I did finish reading one of the chosen books (“Haunted”), as much as finished nearly a quarter of another (“Lark Rise to Candleford”), and a bit less than that for the rest of my selections as I purposely focused on the first twenty pages per novel which was left-over to read save two (“The Crimson Petal & the White” & “The Lady in the Attic”). In this way, despite my challenges during the event, I succeeded in not only pushing forward and keeping with the event but for proving to myself that an isolated read-a-thon has its benefits even if you fall a bit short in your accomplishments! For instance, it opened my mind and heart to authors I never had the chance to fully grasp beforehand, and it opened up the door to the bookish blogosphere in a way where I could become acquainted with new bookish bloggers & hosted events where without JLAS I was blind to knowing existed previously! I consider this a strong lesson in perhaps being overly ambitious in my reading selections but having the heart of a reader who was determined to prove something to herself even if she fell a bit wayside of the intentions of conceiving the goals originally!
I am working towards having all the posts reading for reading and viewing by the close of the year!! I would love to even attempt to finish reading the books I had started and post the reviews to coincide with Bout 8.0! As even if they run on my blog in December, its a project that meant something to me and if I complete it even four months after the fact, the point is dear hearts, I completed it in a time frame that worked for me! :) And isn’t that the true merit of why we join these challenges!? To endeavour to accomplish something we first feel we cannot and to rise above our doubts and take our reading lives to new heights!?
Books of Eyre:
Septemb-Eyre:
The Reading Hour: I thoroughly enjoyed my reading of “Charlotte’s Web” even a bit moreso than I originally felt that I might, as I knew the story was intrinsically sorrowful and yet, held within it a life lesson worth reading even as a thirty-something as I am now rather than the young girl I was originally! :) I followed true to the “The Reading Hour”‘s principle in reading at an hour that coincided with their main event in Australia. The only disheartening experience for me during this event is that when I attempted to contact the event hosts I did not fetch a reply by email despite how enthused I was to share my own ‘reading hour’ observation! :( I followed up reading the book by ILL’ing a copy of the live-action motion picture of the same name which starred Dakota Fanning! The ILL arrived roughly a month shy of when the event occurred but I didn’t mind the wait as the reward was too sweet to worry about the gap of time which had elapsed! I considered this one of my favourite reading challenges of the year as I tipped my hat back into my childhood and drew a breath forward into my adult years at the very same time! How oft are we able to do this?! The full effect of ‘the reading hour’ was not lost on me, and I look forward to when I have children to inspire the joy of reading to nestle into their hearts as my own Mum and Da did for me so many moons ago! :)
Finnikin of the Rock:
SFN Bingo Reading Challenge:
Reading Challenge Addict is hosted by Bev of My Readers Block. Originally inspired into being by Cheryl of CMash Loves to Read & Gina of Hott Books! You have until 30 November 2013 to add your declaration post to count in the tally for the year! The way in which you know your such a reader is by noting the following:
Easy as Pie: {1-5 Challenges, entered + completed}
On the Roof: {6-10 Challenges, entered + completed}
In Flight: {11-15 Challenges, entered + completed}
Out of This World: 16+ Challenges, entered + completed}
By looking over the specifics of this listing, I am on the cusp of On the Roof/In Flight!! We’ll have to wait and see what befalls my interest between now and New Year’s Eve!! Laughs whilst smiling. Not bad, eh!? For a blogger whose only been ‘live’ for 10 days!! I am itching with curiosity what everyone else put on their posts of declaration, so as I’m able too I will be visiting their blogs!
What about you!? Are you addicted and afflicted by reading, too!!??!
2014 Advance Planning Sesson {which will I choose!? ooh the intrigue!}
Wednesday — back to the Revolution!
