Top 5 Wednesday: 11/22/2017

November 22nd: Books You’re Thankful For
–For whatever reason, big or small.

(1)

The Princess by Lori Wick – This was a book I read over and over again in my teenage years. It got me through some pretty dark times. I’m not entirely sure what it is I loved so much about this book. Probably had something to do with my romanticized view of arranged marriages. But I really loved this book. Christian fiction at its finest.

(2) 

Harry Potter by J.K. Rowlings – I think that a lot of us can thank this series for our love of reading. I was in the 8th grade when I started reading this series. I don’t think the 4th book was yet out. But man did I fall in love with this whole universe. It sparked my creativity as well. I used to read and write fanfiction and dream dreams I never would have dreamed without this series. It got me through some very very dark times. Times I am not sure I would have gotten through if I hadn’t had the Harry Potter world to fall back on.

(3) 

The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson – This book solidified in me a love of fantasy and I think it is the start of the very best fantasy series out there. Brandon Sanderson is the very best fantasy writer there is, in my humble opinion. I am a major fangirl of him and this series is no small part of that. I am so thankful for this series as it has kept me company during many a night spent crafting at home.

(4) 

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins – This book was one that brought my family closer together as we all read it and talked about it. We were all “Team Peeta” and were equally horrified that anyone could be “Team Gale”. We cried and laughed and rejoiced together during the many high and low points in the series. It really brought us together. We still talk about it. And now we watch it together. The genres we prefer very a lot in my family, but this book brought us all together.

(5) 

Private by Kate Brian – I think that this is the first book that introduced me to the Young Adult series. I was in college and fed up with the contemporary adult genre. I felt that they were too… “superior” or whatever. Like they had to shove their intellect down my throat. The borders at my local mall was having a going out of business sale and the first four books of this series were on sale for a crazy cheap amount. So I picked them up and discovered this whole new genre of Young Adult books. The series eventually went super downhill and weird. But I still read them all and the beginning books have a very fond place in my heart. Plus I loved the cover. And the idea of boarding school.

Top 5 Wednesday: 11/15/2017

November 15th: Nostalgic Book Boyfriends/Girlfriends
— Characters you swooned over when you were younger.

(1) Draco Malfoy from the Harry Potter series. In my teenage years, I was super in love with Draco Malfoy. I thought he was misunderstood and a victim of his upbringing. I also thought that if his enemies had shown him some kindness instead of always retaliating with equal dislike, that maybe he would have turned out a little different.

(2) Snape from the Harry Potter series. Probably for many of the same reasons I loved Draco. Plus I have also always like older men.

(3) Todd from the Sweet Valley series. He always seemed like a good boyfriend. Or at least if my mind remembers correctly from that long ago. I don’t know. This list is harder than I thought it would be.

(4) Peeta from the Hunger Games. Okay, now we may be getting into the cheating area as I read the hunger games in college. So not my adolescents. But I am going to go with Peeta. And he is still a character crush. He treated Katniss far better than she deserved. He was loyal and steadfast.

(5) I’m going to go with another cheat here. Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice. This crush/swoon is entirely based off of Colin Firth’s depiction of him in the long movie version. But this is a crush that I have carried ever since the movie was released.

Hour 11 Mini-Challenge Finish Post

This post is for anyone who doesn’t have Goodreads but still wants to participate in this mini-challenge. Feel free to comment below that you’ve completed this mini-challenge and cheered on five fellow participants.

To see the Goodreads post about this mini-challenge, please go to: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/18972096-goodreads-mini-challenge

Second book finished

I finished There’s Someone in Your House by Stephanie Perkins. I hated it. I’m debating between a one and two stars. I’ll probably give it a two since I did manage to finish it and it wasn’t the worst thing I’ve ever read. But I am glad it is done.

I’ve started book number three. Emily of New Moon by L.M. Montgomery. I’ve never read this series and I am quite excited about it. I’ve only read the first of the Anne books so I would like to read all of those books as well.

I have been working on a small Christmas Project that will be a christmas present for one of my sisters. It is a Mill Hill kit called For Santa. I think that my nephew will like it. I hope to finish this today.

 

Two Hours in and a book finished already…

 

What happens when you listen to books at double speed and you accidentally checked out the abridged edition of the book? You reach hour two of readathon and have a book finished already. That’s right, I’ve finished The Princess Bride already. I might have to buy this one on audible because the abridged version was just so unsatisfying. If I hadn’t been so familiar with the movie, I would have been confused as to what had happened.

I am currently listening to There’s Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins (author of Lola and the Boy Next Door and Anna and the French Kiss). I’m on Chapter two and I have to say that so far, I am unimpressed. Luckily, at this speed, I should have it finished before noon.

Still no crafts started. I have Serengeti on my stand but my eyes are still too tired for black fabric. Maybe I’ll work on that this afternoon. I’m thinking of starting The Swinging Snowflakes SAL by Carolyn Manning. I’m thinking I can finish part one today and stay caught up on this SAL. But then again, maybe I’ll work on the Monthly Cottages by Country Cottage Needleworks since it is on my Year of WIPS plans (link to my craft blog included).

 

And so it begins… Readathon October 2017

It is the start of the readathon and I am listening to The Princess Bride by William Goldman. I love the movie but I’ve never read the book. Soup is in the crockpot and bread is baking in the bread machine. I have Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie dough I made last night in the fridge. I am going to put Wassail on to simmer on the stove and then start working on a cross stitch project. Not sure which yet as I’m tired and don’t want to strain my eyes.

Intro Meme:

1) What fine part of the world are you reading from today? I am reading from Roseville, California. That is just outside Sacramento in Northern California
2) Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to? I don’t really have a stack this year. Just kinda winging it. Maybe There’s Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins.
3) Which snack are you most looking forward to? My bean soup. I’ve been craving this. Also the Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
4) Tell us a little something about yourself! I am a craftaholic. No, but seriously, I plan on cross stitching while listening to books for much of the readathon.
5) If you participated in the last read-a-thon, what’s one thing you’ll do different today? If this is your first read-a-thon, what are you most looking forward to? I’m going to no update my blog so often and I am skipping  most of the mini-challenges. However, I am hosting two mini-challenges, which I’ve never done before.

It’s readathon time again… because that’s pretty much the only time I update my blog

My plan is to listen to audiobooks and work on either crochet, quilting, or cross stitch. So instead of updating every hour like I try (and fail) to do every year, I am just going to update at the end of every book. Maybe halfway through if I feel so called. I’ll post some short thoughts on the book I listened to, the snacks I consumed, and maybe include a picture of the project that I worked on during that time. I don’t think that I am going to do mini-challenges. I normally try to do at least a couple but this time I am feeling more like cross stitching and listening to books. And talking to people on the goodreads group. Hopefully I will get more accomplished. I expect that I will. I listen to books at double speed so I can get through them pretty fast. I’ll post a quick post at the start of the readathon with what I am listening to. Hope you all had a chance to get out a book and read a little.

PS: Sorry for being the worlds worst blogger. 😦

First Book Done #readathon

Well, I finished the The Da Vinci Code right at the Hour 7 start mark. I enjoyed it. I am trying to re-read all those books in time for the release of the next book from Dan Brown.

Anyway, so now I am going to try to finish the last two books of the Gregor books. So first up: Gregor and the Marks of Secret. This one should take just over 3 hours. So I should be done around Hour 10 or 11. Things are moving along quite nicely.

Bread failed. I had apparently put in too much water. Very doughy. 😦 But I have been eating some of the chicken that I was not going to eat… It was just so good and hot and I couldn’t even help myself. The soup should be ready to eat in a couple hours. So ready for it. I had about 10 chips (Garden Salsa flavor).

In terms of crafts, I finished gridding my fabric for my main project and have put it on my scroll rods.  I will be working on A Christmas Carol charted by Heaven and Earth Designs. I am going to try to put a picture of what the pattern looks like.

And so it begins… Readathon April 2017

It is the start of the readathon and I am listening to The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown. This is a re-read. But I still need to put on bread in the bread machine and soup in the crockpot. So I needed something that could be on that I only half pay attention to.

Haven’t eaten anything yet. Might eat some fruit while putting on the soup. No crafts started yet.

Intro Meme:

1) What fine part of the world are you reading from today? I am reading from Roseville, California. That is just outside Sacramento in Northern California
2) Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to? I’m not actually sure, honestly, as I am kinda flying by the seat of my pants this time. Maybe Gregor and the Marks of Secret
3) Which snack are you most looking forward to? My bean soup. But also salami. Or Salsa.
4) Tell us a little something about yourself! I am a craftaholic. No, but seriously, I plan on cross stitching while listening to books for much of the readathon.
5) If you participated in the last read-a-thon, what’s one thing you’ll do different today? If this is your first read-a-thon, what are you most looking forward to? I’m going to no update my blog so often and I am skipping mini-challenges.

It’s readathon time again…

I am going to do something different this year in regards to my update posts… My plan is to listen to audiobooks and work on either crochet, quilting, or cross stitch. So instead of updating every hour like I try (and fail) to do every year, I am just going to update at the end of every book. Maybe halfway through if I feel so called. I’ll post some short thoughts on the book I listened to, the snacks I consumed, and maybe include a picture of the project that I worked on during that time. I don’t think that I am going to do mini-challenges. I normally try to do at least a couple but this time I am feeling more like cross stitching and listening to books. And talk to people on the goodreads group. Hopefully I will get more accomplished. I expect that I will. I listen to books at double speed so I can get through them pretty fast. I’ll post a quick post at the start of the readathon with what I am listening to. Hope you all had a chance to get out a book and read a little.

PS: Sorry for being the worlds worst blogger. 😦