Nicholas Nickleby

Nicholas Nickleby and his sister, Kate, lose the life of their father and Nicholas is forced to be the man of the house. Actually, I don't know that forced is the correct word as Nicholas is one who does it out of personal duty and love for his sister and mother. He is sent to work as a teacher for Mr. Squeers, a one-eyed crotchety old man, who leads the boys to be fearful of him and treats them harshly. While there, Nicholas finds an older boy who is also there to work, Smike, who is essentially a slave for Squeers and his wife, who is just as unpleasant. Nicholas and Smike become true friends and Nicholas rescues Smike and they escape together. The rest of the story is romance, where Nicholas finds his hearts partner, Madeline. Don't worry Kate also finds her true love!

It is a story of true friendship and working through the trial of losing a loved family member. At the end the narrator asks what happens to one who loses a parent too early and describes that family isn't always blood related but those who we would give our blood for.

Mama Mia

The music definitely kept me entertained... I was the dancing queen during in the theater. I went into the movie not knowing the plot and enjoyed it, although there were some less than stellar parts and pretty shady images. I probably wouldn't see it again for these scenes.

Sophie is about to get married and wants to find out who she is before by finding out who her father is. She finds her mother's journal and finds three possible suspects and invites them to the wedding. Her mother nor her fiance are aware of her tricky plan. It is set in Greece, beautiful scenery and the adventure with Sophie as she tries to discover herself and who her father is.

Honey, honey, how it thrilled me! Take a chance on this movie for only two main reasons: the songs and seeing Pierce Brosnan sing a few!

North and South

I have decided to make this more of a media review because I don't finish books fast enough... probably because I read at night and end up falling asleep. Although, I do fall asleep during movies as well.

North and South is in the same feel as Pride and Prejudice and it is fantastic. It is the story of Margaret Hale's family being moved to Milton with a struggling economy. With the struggling economy also comes the fight between the union and the employer, Mr. Thornton. Margaret is cordial to Mr. Thornton but resists his friendship after watching him harshly treat one of his employees. The story continues and the feelings between the two are reconciled...

Miss Margaret, is truly to be admired as she crushes the challenges that come her way and of course finds love while doing so. Basically she puts me to shame as a woman with all she is able to handle. It is a great reminder of making the best of your situation, taking challenges head-on and going in with a smile.

Life of Pi, Yann Martel

This was a great book. The beginning runs through Pi's life as an Indian boy whose father runs a zoo in Pondicherry, India. Pi loves religion and loves God and he regularly attends all three services and practices each religion at home in his own way. Religion is a common theme throughout the book, especially as Pi struggles with his family and the different clergymen as they try to force him to choose one religion.



His family makes their way to North America with their zoo animals when the ship sinks and Pi makes it onto a life boat. The main storyline follows Pi as he is stranded on this life boat with an orangutan, a tiger (Richard Parker) and a zebra. The author details Pi's experiences as he is able to survive with a tiger as well as at sea.



The last chapters run through his dialogue with two interviewers after he reaches land. This section, while enlightening, was also a little disturbing. This is where you decide which is the better story with or without Richard Parker. I choose to believe the story with Richard Parker as it is a better story and I do not wish to believe the other version.

Book Night

I have a "craft club" I go to but really it is just an excuse for all of us to get together and talk. This last topic was books. It is always nice to get recommendations from friends on clothes, music, makeup and books too! I will definitely be adding a few of these books to my queue... although some I am going to have to decline!

The Kingdom and the Crown: Gerald N. Lund
Rough Stone Rolling: Richard Lyman Bushman (I think this is the correct author)
Green Eggs and Ham: Dr. Seuss
Five People You Meet in Heaven: Mitch Albom
Princess Diaries: Meg Cabot
These is My Words: Nancy E. Turner
Gone With the Wind: Victor Fleming
Twilight Series: Stephanie Myer
Tale of Two Cities: Charles Dickens
Ashes of Remembrance: Bodie and Brock Thoene
Zion Chronicles: Thoene
Zion Covenant: Thoene
Anamalia: Graeme Base
The Memory Keeper's Daughter: Kim Edwards
Dead Certainties: Schama
The Host: Stephanie Myer
Howl's Moving Castle Curse of Blessing: Chevitz Aleisha
This is My Story:
Elantris: Sanderson
The Holy Temple: Boyd K. Packard
Life of Pi: Yann Martel
Atonement: Ian McEwan

The last two are my recommendations, but I also forgot to include the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith.

Used Bookstore...

I am in love with used bookstores. There is a fantastic one in Port Townsend, William James Bookseller. I came out with 6 books for a total of $20.00, that is a price you can't beat. Books I came out with: Sophia's World, Three Cups of Tea, Night, Snow Falling on Cedars, Vanity Fair and a compiled book of The Tale of Peter Rabbit (good bedtime stories for future children).

Atonement by Ian McEwan

Well it has been over a year since my first and only post. The blog didn't go as well as planned, but I am giving myself another try.

I really enjoyed this book. It was a very different read than the Harry Potter series I just finished. It wasn't that Atonement was difficult to read, but the sentences and storyline produced more thought than Harry Potter. Be assured I loved the Harry Potter series and loved that it would take me into a fantasy world; however, Atonement takes you into the real world. With Atonement I would often reread a sentence over because it was such a great simile or metaphor. The sentences and storyline would instigate trains of thoughts. It is a story filled with love, war, struggles and forgiveness and throughout the book you connect with the characters as they grow. Because the book talks of common elements (love, forgiveness) it leads to thoughts or memories of our own similar situations of love and forgiveness. I think one of my favorite sentences is in references to one of the characters reading a letter from a loved one over and over again, so much it becomes translucent. It immediately put a picture into my mind and I was better able to understand the emotion of the character. This letter is ultimately a lifeline while they are apart. The book actually has a bit of a sullen ending, but sometimes life has those endings.