Spring/Summer Reading

The Elite by Kiera Cass
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

If you know my book reviews you know I never like book 2 as much as book 1 in a series.  This is no exception.  I loved book 1, The Selection, but The Elite just wasn't as great.  Not only that I didn't like the cover.  Book 1 cover was pretty, book 2 cover annoyed me.  I didn't like seeing a face on the model, I didn't like her hair, or the cgi, etc etc.
On to the plot: I didn't like the characters in this book as much as the last even though they were the same characters.  Their action aggravated me beyond belief, but I guess that is the problem with Teen Fiction, the characters act like stupid teens. After reading book one I didn't know what boy I was rooting for but in the beginning of book two I definitely picked a side.  Yes, this is another love triangle teen novel.  And keeping with last book, I find the author's future intriguing.  After World War III, we become United States of China, since they invade to collect on our debts, which we can't pay.  Then after the Fourth World War, a man takes over renames the US, and makes it a monarchy.  Which is how our main character makes her story, in a Bachelor type competition to become the next princess. Even though I didn't like this book as much, I still will wait in anticipation until next spring when book 3 comes out.

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I read this because my husband is a huge fan and kept asking me to read it.  I enjoyed most of the book, but I did not LOVE it, like so many fans. I don't love sci fi, so Orson Scott Card is not my favorite author, but I do think he is a very skilled author. I appreciated reading an author that shows discipline in their writing. I feel like most current authors are lacking the self control needed to allow the reader to use their imagination. Card does not have that problem. It makes for an enjoyable read.
I found the political discussions interesting because I love a good political discussion, I found the military tactics painfully boring, but appreciated the genius child descriptions, since I have a genius child. Even though the military tactic sections bore me, I did read the first 2/3 with great interest, because of my oldest child who is a genius.  The part where they felt adults were the enemy because they underestimated them really clicked with me.  How often to I underestimate my child?  I also wondered does he think I'm keeping secrets from him when I don't answer his questions.  Actually I don't know the answers of the questions he asks me, life is rough when at 7 you are smarter than 2/3 of the adults, if not more. I very useful book for parents of Gifted children to read. 

Insurgent by Veronica Roth
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Normally I don't like book 2s, but this is the exception. I LOVED this book! Who would have thought? I didn't hear the best of reviews about this book, so I wasn't expecting much, I did read that the author does not plan her novels. I heard nothing happened. When I read it I thought, whatever something is always happening, the plot moved along beautifully I thought. The romance definitely drew me. But what I really enjoyed about this book it was classically dystopian plot with a teen fiction spin. Complete with 'the man' trying to break the man character because 'the man' believed the main character was the key to breaking the resistance. I loved that part for the sole reason of the author keeping a solid archetype of the genre.  I always thought I didn't like dystopian because I hate 1984 and couldn't understand Ayn Rand in high school. While I read Insurgent I remembered all the dystopian I had read and enjoying. (Since revisiting Ayn Rand post college, I can appreciate and comprehend her writing, something I couldn't do as a weak reader in high school.) Anyway, if you are looking for a fun dystopian book, read this series, fight your way through the first 40 boring pages of book 1, and love book 2. It might be the only book 2, I've ever loved.

By the way we listened to book 1 and 2 of Harry Potter with our seven year old on our car trip, and watched movie 1.  I forgot how much I love reading Harry Potter.  I knew I loved him, but I forgot just how deep my love goes.  It is so fun to experience it with a newbie. I will feebly admit, I am a Harry Potter success story, the Harry Potter series was the first books I read for pleasure. 

The Spiderwick Chronicles Box Set by Holly Black
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I listened to this on tape with my 7 year old.  It was very fun to listen to this with him.  He like many inexperienced readers is afraid to pick up books out of his comfort zone. This was his first exposure to fantasy chapter books. I knew he would like fantasy if I could just get him to pick up the right book. Now I need to get a papercopy for him to reread. I picked this up on a whim and I'm glad I did, because even my four year old enjoyed listening to this series.

The Penderwicks at Point Mouette by Jeanne Birdsall
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is book three, and I honestly can't remember the other two books. I do remember the characters, Birdsall does an excellent job of developing her characters. Since it is a children's book, I found the book slow in the beginning, but it was age appropriate. I honestly was wishing I was reading something else that was on hold at the library, but I continued because the characters were well developed, and enjoyable to read about. It was worth the perseverance, I loved this book by the end. It made me cry. I cried for Rosalind, but it was probably from pent up emotion from the previous chapters before Rosalind got back from New Jersey. Hooray for Jeffery.
One day when my four year old daughter is old enough to read chapter books, she will be sorely disappointed that she does not have three sisters, and instead two brothers. I know this since she already asks me how families get lots of sisters. The positive thing is there are books about families with lots of sisters. She will love the Penderwicks.

During this time for book group I picked and reread, Sorcery & Cecelia: or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot by Patricia C. Wrede
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book.  I thought it was Jane Austen mixed with Harry Potter.  How can you go wrong with that mix?!  The romance/society/dating of Austen and mixed with magic.  It was fun, and I would totally recommend it to people who like both JK Rowling and Jane Austen.  It was a little predictable when it came to the romance, but isn't that the way we like Austen's time period.  But I also found two story tellers slightly confusing, the book is a series of letters back and forth between cousins. Plus I thought the cover was fun. But just for the record, book group didn't enjoy it as much as me.  They thought the cover was ugly, they didn't like the plot being based off of letters, and struggled keeping the characters straight.  

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 The Far West by Patricia C. Wrede
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I enjoyed Eff, Lan, and William, I enjoyed them as adult characters. The pace of this book was much better than book #2. I'm sad the series is over, although I'm glad the author finished it before I got bored with the series. I enjoyed Wash and Professor Ochiba. I enjoyed the alternate reality of the American wild west with magic. It was also fun to read about a magic society were everyone can possess magic as long as they study.

 Across the Great Barrier by Patricia C. Wrede
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this book, but not as much as book 1. But when have I ever liked book 2 as much as 1. I'm very interested to read book 3. It didn't seem to have as much plot as book 1, a lot of wandering around the Frontier, and what seemed like not a lot happening. But like I said I still enjoyed it.

 Divergent by Veronica Roth
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A friend picked this for book group. I was a little wary of yet another Teen Fiction Dystopian lit series, but my friends assured me there was no love triangle in this one. I almost quit this book multiple times in the first 40 pages. It took me 2 days to get through the first 40 pages. I could not stand the main character's voice. At page 40, I decided I would give it 10 more pages. By page 60, I was hooked. As the book progressed the character's voice changed thankfully. Which is all part of the plot. I was slightly surprised at how much of a romance this story was, but in truth that is what pulled me. A lot of the plot was seemed like petty teenage angst, but oh when would they hook up? In the last 80 pages it finally turned into a Dystopian revolution, and once again I was surprised at how much it hooked me in. The last 80 pages was much more classic Dystopian than most teen fic that is currently popular. I found it surprisingly enjoyable. By the time I finished I wondered if my husband had the patience to put up with the first 300 pages, because if the series follows the current trajectory, it could get very interesting in a dystopian genre way.
Lastly, for some reason when Four cuts his hair I found it very touching, which is such a minor plot detail.
Also this book is fairly pg-13, if anyone cares.


The Selection by Kiera Cass
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Oh my goodness, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed reading this book. Dystopian lit version of the Bachelor. Just for the record I don't actually like the Bachelor. I was disappointed when I figured out this was only book 1. Why does everything have to be series? Hopefully its true to its name and actually a trilogy. I couldn't read this book fast enough, normally I clearly pick sides in a love triangle, but this book I'm not team anyone. What will the next book hold?!!
I really fell in love with the book, and wanted to keep reading after it was finished.

 Thirteenth Child by Patricia C. Wrede
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book. Its fantasy historical fiction. Ok, so its not historical at all because they live in a magical world where everyone can learn magic if they apply themselves and dragons fly around west of the Mississippi. I've realized I like magical fantasy as long as the rest of their world is pretty normal and preferably on Earth in a time period I enjoy reading about even when its not magical.
Eff is the main character and she thinks she is unlucky being the thirteenth child. Anyway, I enjoyed the book, I'm excited to read book 2. I like books that take place on the frontier.

 Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great by Judy Blume
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

It took me a page or two get into this book, since it was in Sheila's voice instead of Peter's. I personally think Peter is a better storyteller. I didn't like this book as much as the books about Peter, but it is a good book for kids to realize its ok to be scared of things. I'm interested to see if my son likes this book where its a girl's perspective. He did want it from the library so we'll see.

 What Matters in Jane Austen?: Twenty Crucial Puzzles Solved by John Mullan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I loved this book. It made me want to quit all of life and reread the complete works of Jane Austen again. Its a book comprising of 20 essays all by John Mullan about Jane Austen's works. There was about four of the essays that bore me, but other than that I loved the other 16. I found them so fascinating. Two of which were the last two essays, I'm not sure if I was just exhausted or if his arguments loose steam near the end. I really wish I would have made notes so I could remember what other essays I found dull.
It makes you wonder who is your favorite herione?
Elizabeth Bennet?
Anne Elliot?
Fanny Price?
Emma? Its not Emma, but it make me wonder if it is. Its also not Fanny Price, but I like Fanny more than the next reader.


 Superfudge by Judy Blume
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I reread this book after Reading Tales of Fourth Grade Nothing. I remembered I liked Tales of Fourth Grade Nothing better than Superfudge. But it was still fun.
I haven't given this book to my 1st grader yet because there is chapter that strongly suggests Santa Clause is pretend. My seven year old still is very much in awe of Santa glory, I'm not ready for that to end. I own an older copy, I got for 50 cents. I'm debated removing that chapter. Is that wrong of me? Maybe if he was nine. I was a cynical second grader but why make him one?

 Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love this book. I reread before I gave it to my seven year old to read. He read loved it too. Even though he is is first grade not fourth, I thought he could relate to having a younger sibling that is crazy and demands a lot of attention. I found myself hoping he wouldn't relate to Peter feeling neglected by his mother's attention, but alas he probably did. :(

 Viva Jacquelina! Being an Account of the Further Adventures of Jacky Faber, Over the Hills and Far Away by L.A. Meyer
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Although I love Jacky I'm losing interested in this series. I'm ready for Jacky and Jaimy to get married, 10 star crossed lover books is PLENTY. I'm sure LA Meyer could continue once they got hitched, its hardly like Jacky is going to stop being crazy just she has a husband. With these opinions I was slightly annoyed during the first third of the book, but then as I read about Jaimy's adventures, I realized ok, so Jacky's adventure are feeling over donE, but yes Jaimy really needed this last adventure before he was ready for Jacky. I enjoyed Jacky's story after she got out of Madrid, and so I was a little sad when the book was over, but over all this book just doesn't have the same pizzazz as some of the earlier books.

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That brings us back to March which was the last time I posted one of these.

Vacations

Don't you wished I posted vacation pictures?  I mean we went to Costa Rica.  We went to Thatcher, Arizona.  We went to Roswell, NM, we went to Carlsbad Caverns, all on our way to Dallas.  It would be so excited if I posted pictures.
It would have also been useful for posterity if I posted about the fire that was 5 miles away from my house, burning up my forest.  But yet, such is life.  We are fine, our house was fine, and thankfully all of our friends were fine.  Although I feel quite terrible for all those who weren't as lucky.  Thankfully we are now getting lots of rain, in fact today was the first day in awhile it didn't rain.  It threatened to ruin my mood, but I made it until evening to eat a bomb pop on my patio and count my blessings.  No, I don't do that every night, but it would be lovely if I did.
One last off topic note, I totally impressed my 7 year old the other day with my ability to touch type, I was looking up books for him or something, I was staring at what he was showing me, instead of looking at the keyboard, he apparently didn't know such thing was possible.  Silly, since I never look at the keyboard, I guess he never noticed that I'm watching the screen not the keyboard.  I said, this is why your daddy wants you to learn how to type correctly.  Years ago I was visiting my parents, and I impressed my father with my speed.  I didn't mean to, I was just typing to my husband and he was surprised at how fast my fingers went.  Now I think I type slow and sloppy compared to what I was able to do in middle school and high school in my technology classes, but such is life.  Maybe I'll practice against the computer when my son starts learning.  My speed nor accuracy were never close to my grandma's skills when she finished book keeping school after high school then again, I had no incentive to be as accurate as her since I have always used a keyboard on a computer and she was on a typewriter.

Dream (Repeat from FB)

I had a strangely bizarre, vivid, and gruesome dream last night. I walked out my backdoor come morning, and saw there was an owl nest by my chimney (I don't have a chimney, it was also above the laundry and my daughter's room which is a bad place for it.) There were two parent owls, and a baby, I could see them all very clearly. It was quite exciting. The massive amount of owl poop on my roof was not exciting. (A week ago we saw a baby owl, in the garden center of Home Depot, they've nested there for two years.) Then I noticed a different large bird nest on my hill. Not sure what it was, but it was a very large bird of prey. There were two parents and some babies. All very majestic. Just then the owl parents swooped down took one of the babies, shredding the outside, and saving the inside for their baby. This infuriated the large bird of prey and they came to attack the owls, just as they were giving their baby the other baby. Next thing I know they were in this massive gruesome aerial fight, that some how ended up swooping into my kitchen. Some flew back out, so I shut the door. Then realizing they weren't all out, I opened the door, the ones that were out flew back in, I couldn't get them out, and I woke up, during the vicious fight of large birds.

Shorts

A friend of mine wears skirts all summer long.  She says its because she looks weird in shorts, I tell her no, its because you spent years living in Europe. I on the other hand, spent 10 years growing up in Texas.  I proudly wear shorts all summer long.  The minute it is warm enough to wear shorts you'll find me at the park with my children wearing shorts, even if it requires a jacket. I have twice as many pairs of shorts and long pants. I know other cultures think Americans are ridiculous in their fascination with shorts. But its not just United States Americans, its the whole western hemisphere as far as I can tell. In Costa Rica everyone wore shorts.  Why because its hot, and when it hot why not wear shorts?! I personally think my 7 year old should still be able to wear shorts to church, but my husband says he's too old.  He's probably right because I almost typed my 5 year old should wear shorts, but he's not 5, he's 7.  And probably 8 is too old for shorts at church, so....
I personally would put him in shorts, a white shirt and tie, yeah, I might be a little too obsessed with shorts.

No Happiness Without Service

Recently heard a quote from Joseph F. Smith, 

There can be no genuine happiness separate and apart from the home, and every effort made to sanctify and preserve its influence is uplifting to those who toil and sacrifice for its establishment. Men and women often seek to substitute some other life for that of the home; they would make themselves believe that the home means restraint; that the highest liberty is the fullest opportunity to move about at will. There is no happiness without service, and there is no service greater than that which converts the home into a divine institution, and which promotes and preserves family life.
Those who shirk home responsibilities are wanting in an important element of social well-being. They may indulge themselves in social pleasures, but their pleasures are superficial and result in disappointment later in life. The occupations of men sometimes call them from their homes; but the thought of home-coming is always an inspiration to well doing and devotion.

Gospel Doctrine, 5th ed. (1939), 300.

I like those paragraphs, I need to hear them. The world teaches the exact opposite.  One more time,

" ..they would make themselves believe that the home means restraint; that the highest liberty is the fullest opportunity to move about at will. There is no happiness without service, and there is no service greater than that which converts the home into a divine institution..."

As you may recall a few months ago I mentioned feeling like I had postpartum depression. Its been a long spring, in so many ways. In one or two of the ways, my husband had a lot of responsibilities out of the house, it was rough.  I wondered how much the world, the church, my family would ask for me.  Life was being too demanding.  I felt pity for a while, but then I volunteered to be a nursery worker (18 mo-3 years) at church.  I have another calling, and my husband has a demanding calling, but I realized if I was feeling pained about my service I wasn't serving enough.  I'm only in nursery for an hour, because of other responsibilities. Most Sundays I walk in to nursery I wonder what was I thinking? But its what I need to be doing.

Early Father's Day

Two years ago my husband moved into our house with us after we had lived here for two months. In an effort to save money since he wasn't here, I didn't buy him a front porch chair. 

Finally after two years, I bought him a chair. A grand gesture so he knows I've   made space for him in our lives. 

Happy Father's Day. Now you can sit on the front porch with me. I love that I have a front porch it makes life seem to quaint. Too bad it's not twice as big. But life goes on. The kids have a bench to the left of the door. 

Pinterest and Pregnancy is a Bad Mix

On pinterest someone had pinned, "Creative Ways to Tell Your Husband You're Pregnant (For Future Reference).  I thought really?  There is something wrong with laying on the couch, complaining how sick I feel until days later he convinces me to take a pregnancy test? I had no idea I was doing it so wrong.
This all be said, I am not pregnant, I'm not announcing anything.