What I Read This Summer

Okay so I'm semi-cheating. I already used this post on one of my other blogs, but this blog has been neglected!! Besides, I really did enjoy reading these books. They are all young adult fiction. I guess I needed a little bit of a break from the classics over the summer. Anyway, here's the post I stole from myself :)





Like every summer I told myself this year that I was going to read a ton of those books I've been meaning to read for forever! Like always, I didn't accomplish as much as I'd hoped... But I did read some good ones. Now let's see if I can remember them all :)



A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket





I've wanted to read this book for a long time especially after I saw the movie. I found it very enjoyable. The style in which it was written made me laugh, and at the same time I could feel a connection with the three Bauldelaire orphans even though I've never been in a simalar situation. I'd like to read more of the series (perhaps next summer!!). For those who are not familiar with the story, the story begins with the three Bauldelaire children, Violet, Klaus, and Sunny. As they are spending a day at the beach, Mr. Poe arrives to deliver the news that their parents have perished in a fire that destroyed their entire home. This event is the first of a series of unfortunate events for the Baudelaire children, now the Baudelaire orphans. They are taken to live with the horrible Count Olaf who is only interested in getting his hands on the Baudelaire fortune.



Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie

This is another one I've wanted to read for sometime. As I read it I kept thinking of all the movies I've seen that tells some version of the Peter Pan story (Disney's Peter Pan, 2003 version of Peter Pan shown in the clip above, Hook, Finding Neverland, and Return to Neverland). It was interesting to consider the differences from these movie versions and the book itself. For instance, I wondered why Disney had Hook try to kill Peter with a bomb whereas in the 2003 movie (and the book) Hook tries to kill him with poison. I'm glad I finally read this book. It was also very enjoyable. Barrie has a great imagination and I liked his style of narration. It's a children's story, but it is also one that makes you think. I was a little sad for Peter, the boy who would never grow up. He is full of joy, adventure, and conceit, things that are commonly found in young boys. But he also had sadness and a grudge against his mother who he couldn't even truly remember although he convinced himself that he did. Peter Pan is a great story full of imagination, laughter, and adventure. All children must grow up except for one who lives with the fairies in Neverland.

Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

Last year I saw the movie "Howl's Moving Castle" for the first time. Soon after that I discovered that it was also a book by Diana Wynne Jones. This was the first book I read when I got home for the summer. I was curious to see the differences and found that there were particular bits that I really liked from the book and the movie. The book tells the story of Sophie Hatter who is unfortunate enough to be the eldest of three, which is bad luck. Sophie spends much of her time in the family hat shop talking to hats (they are very good listeners!). But her bad luck wasn't going to let her stay cooped up with a bunch of hats forever! One night, Sophie is visited by the Witch of the Waste who mistakes her for someone else and puts a spell on her--a spell that turns her into an old woman. Thus begins Sophie's adventures! She leaves the hat shop behind and goes in search of her fortune, but runs into the dreaded wizard Howl, and offers him her service instead. Sophie must learn how to break her own spell while at the same time trying to free Howl and Calcifer (Howl's fire demon) from theirs and keeping the moving castle clean (a very hard task with Howl around). The two of them butt heads on more than one occasion (you would get after Sophie too if she had mixed up all your bottles so you accidently dyed your hair and you would get after Howl for going after the girls with guitar in hand all the time, I'm sure of it!), but only together can both their curses be broken and the Witch of the Waste defeated. I really liked this book as well. Sophie is a strong character who likes to think out loud or grumble when she's annoyed with Howl. Her personality sucks you into the pages and takes you to a place where seven league boots, enchanted scarecrows, and a castle with portals leading to distant places actual exist. The characters are lovable and believable. You can enjoy a little snippet of the book here. Thank you, Google.

Leven Thumps and the Gateway to Foo by Obert Skye

This was an interesting story and just the first of the series, I might add. There were some things I really liked about it and some things that started to get on my nerves after a while. Skye has great descriptions of his characters that help form a clear picture of who the characters are or are dealing with. They were unique and many times made me laugh, gasp, or shudder! I liked the characters and their individuality. The thing that bothered me was the repetition of things. Many times it felt like Skye would introduce a character and then a few pages on felt the need to introduce them again with a different description that basically gave you the same idea. The protagonist, Leven, gets depressed and wants to go back home to his guardians who only keep him around because they can force him to do the chores at least three times. I don't know how the other characters could stand it. I would have strangled him. But he does pick up some more positive energy as the book moves to it's close. Curiosity may drive me to read the next book in the series because we all know that first impressions are not always true impressions and sometimes you have to read the second book to enjoy the first. A brief synopsis is as follows: Leven Thumps, who became an orphan soon after his birth, lives with his aunt and uncle, two people who don't care for work and don't care for Leven. One night, while he's sleeping in his bed on the back porch, he meets Clover, a clever little creature who is helping Leven reach his potential and save...well Clover isn't supposed to tell what he's meant to save, but just between you and me, he's the only one who can save Foo, a world which you may not know much about, but it is very important. Your dreams depend on it! Oh, did I mention that Leven also has the ability to see and manipulate the future? Handy, huh? While Leven is trying to figure out what he's meant to do (Clover is very secretive) he meets Winter, a girl sent from Foo to help him on his journey. The only problem is, she doesn't remember that. The only thing she does know is that she was drawn to Leven and she has the ability to freeze things. So the three set off to find Geth who Clover says will tell them what they need to do, but no one knows where he is or where to start looking. Time is running short for both Foo and our world as Sabine sends his shadows to do his evil bidding. Find out what happens for yourself in Leven Thumps and the Gateway to Foo!

Inkdeath by Cornelia Funke

Last but not least, "Inkdeath" is the third and last book of the "Inkworld" trilogy. It's about time I read it since book number two leaves us with a cliff hanger. I was kind of surprised at the way things turned out, but that's not a bad thing. I think she could still do spinoffs from the series if she really wanted to. I don't want to give too much away as this is the final book, but I had a similar complaint with this book that I did with Leven Thumps. It didn't annoy me as much in this one but I began to feel that repetition in word and thought. I think the redundancy occurred in this story because there were so many characters you had to follow (some of them with similar feelings under the circumstances) and so in attempts to reveal all their thoughts I began to feel like I was reading the same thing over and over. However, I was pleased with the story. It was enjoyable to be reunited with characters I was familiar with as well as becoming acquainted with new ones. There were a couple things that she left somewhat open with no clear conclusion of what happened, but I kind of liked that not every little detail was summed up because life does go on even if that particular story is ended. Not every story will be told from beginning to end. So I don't spoil anything for those of you who still have "Inkdeath" on your list of books to read, here is a summary of the first book, "Inkheart", instead. Mortimer Folchart has an extrodinary gift: he has the ability to bring books to life with his voice...literally. But there's a catch. Whenever something or someone comes out of a book, something else must go back in and take it's place. Mortimer (or Mo as his daughter calls him) first discovers this gift one fateful night as he is reading out of the book Inkheart to his wife, Reesa, and his daughter, Meggie. Out of the book comes three characters: Dustfinger, Basta, and the infamous Capricorn. It is only after Mo's fearful encounter with three people who were only meant to be words on a page that he realizes that Reesa was sucked into the book. Mo vowed never to read out loud again save for one book in attempts to bring his wife back. But Inkheart is out of print and very hard to find, not to mention Capricorn and Dustfinger both want Mo and his talent. Mo tries to runaway dragging Meggie along with him and Capricorn is not far behind. It's a great story and I recommend it!!

So there you have it. That was quite the lengthy post but it makes up for us neglecting you I suppose. Gives these books a try. I hope you enjoy them! Untill next time!

North & South

Last night, Megan and I had the pleasure of seeing the 2004 BBC adaptation of "North & South". Neither of us knew what it was. Megan had a heard of the author of the book, Elizabeth Gaskell, who was a contemporary of Dickens. The story, which takes four hours to tell and reminds me somewhat of Jane Austen, is about Margaret Hale who has to leave her home in the south for the industrial town of Milton to the north. Her family must adjust to a new kind of life, and mourn for the loss of their home and friends.

Through all the trials that they witness and endure, Margaret begins to adjust to her new life and soon makes friends with many of the mill workers while at the same time making enemies with Mr. Thornton, one of the owners of the mills. So of course we all know that he is going to be the love interest!!

I found a fan made trailer on youtube that will hopefully illustrate the awesomenes of this movie to you. Four hours is a long time, but it is definitely worth it!

Margaret is played by Daniela Darby-Ashe and Mr. Thornton is played by Richard Armitage.

Mon-star!

Frankenstein
by Mary Shelley
1818
pp. 352

Rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book starts out a little slow, but it is so good! Something interesting that I discovered the last time I read this book was the message it sends about becoming what society claims you to be. Dr. Frankenstein's creature originally desired nothing but basic physical needs and companionship, but he was so grotesque-looking that he was rejected and feared as a monster whenever he was seen. In time, he actually becomes this monster that everyone assumes him to be and seeks revenge on the doctor who abandoned him soon after giving him life. If you know anything about sociology or Howard Becker, labling theory comes to mind. If you call a person something long enough, odds are he will begin to see himself that way and will become whatever they have been labled as.

This novel is a little Phantom-of-the-Opera-ish in that there are moments when you feel so sorry for the monster, but there are also many times when you wish him dead.

Chewy Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

I just made the most delicious cookies. I was randomly craving double chocolate chip cookies, so I went to the most beloved recipezaar.com and fortuitously found this recipe. DELICOUS. Some comments suggested going half and half on the white and brown sugars, but I used all white, and the cookies were heavenly. The dough is really thick, so when it says to fold in the chocolate chips, it means that in the most literal sense. My cookies weren't flattening in the oven, so I smashed them with a spoon when there were only a few minutes left to the baking time.

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups margarine
2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
3/4 cup cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups chocolate chips

Directions:
Cream together margaringe and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Blend in cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Add flour and fold in chocolate chips. Bake at 350° for 8-9 minutes.

Wuthering Heights: Another Nineteenth Century Romance?

Wuthering Heights
By Emily Bronte
1847
pp: 336

Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights has been making a comeback with the recent popularity of Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series. References to the classic novel within Meyer's series has influenced fans to expand their literary horizons; however, not all Twilight fans have a taste for classic literature. One even said Wuthering Heights was "very heavy to read and digest, [and it was] written in the language of my great grandmother….The more the pages go on, the less you feel that the story is advancing.” You can find that article here. Well, I don’t know what kind of language this person was expecting from a nineteenth century novel, but I did not find the language the least bit difficult (except when a minor character, Joseph, was speaking in his nearly incomprehensible dialect); however, that could be credited to my familiarity with classic novels.

This is not intended to be a Twilight review, and the series is really uncomparible to Wuthering Heights, although some say Isabella Swan is a modern representation of Catherine Earnshaw. For those of you who have read both Meyer's and Bronte's work, you will know how rediculous this idea is. If Bella represented anyone from Wuthering Heights, it would have to be Isabella Linton. Not only do they share a name, but they also share a love of demonic men. I will say no more concerning the Twilight saga than this: It baffles me when a person asserts the creative genius of Stephenie Meyer over that of Emily Bronte.

It is not difficult to see why a person would consider Wuthering Heights “heavy” because, yes, it involves complex characters and a substantial plot that leaves readers something to consider. It is the complexity of the novel that makes it so fascinating. As children, the mischievous qualities of Catherine and Heathcliff, seem fun and relatively harmless, but as the adventure-seeking duo grows older, Catherine becomes more spoiled and vain, while Heathcliff becomes angrier and more spiteful. There is no clearly defined protagonist or antagonist in Wuthering Heights; in fact, I found the majority of the characters repulsive with their fiery tempers and violent fits that were so appalling to the public when the book was first published under the pseudonym of “Ellis Bell” in 1847. There is a certain shock factor that remains for contemporary readers, as well. One cannot help but be disgusted with the scenes of domestic violence and unspeakable cruelty towards others: knives are thrown, puppies are hanged, and children are dropped over the banister. At the same time, there are moments when it is difficult not to sympathize in at least a small degree with characters such as Heathcliff, who was hated by his adopted brother and, as a gypsy child, was treated with prejudice by those outside his family. Even Catherine abandoned him for the less degrading company of the Lintons while still professing, “If all else perished, and [Heathcliff] remained, I should still continue to be; and if all else remained, and he were annihilated, the universe would turn to a mighty stranger.”

Wuthering Heights is not your typical love story by any means; in many ways, it is the antithesis of a love story. Heathcliff’s unhealthy obsession towards Catherine is the root of all conflict in the novel. If it were not for my endless mound of homework for other classes, I would have finished this book in one sitting. The insanity of Heathcliff and the anarchy he creates drove me forward. I saw no way for the story to end on a happy note, which only increased my compelling need to know what was written on the last page. Many times, unhappy endings are more interesting to me than happy ones because there is generally more to think about. Whether or not this ending is happy is debateable, and I am not going to tell you what I thought, but I will tell you that this book is amazing. And so is this:

Sweet Pork Deliciousness

Unfortunately I do not have pictures of this for you, but trust me, it's delicious. So basically you make all different parts of the recipe and then wrap it all in a tortilla and eat it!! Here it is!

Pork

Ingredients
3.5 lbs pork roast
1 bottle taco sauce (8oz)
1T cumin
1C brown sugar
1 can coke (not diet)

Cook pork in pot on low for 6 hours (cover roast half with water. I cooked for a couple of hours on high and switched to low, that made it shred easier; also, when you add the other ingredients, please take out some of the water, leaving only about half in. in the bottom of the pot) Add ingred. To pork 3 hours before it is done.

Lime rice

Ingredients
In a saucepan, sauté:
2T butter
1 yellow onion
4 cloves garlic, minced

in a large pot, bring to a boil the following:
6 2/3 cups water
8t chicken buillion
½ bunch cilantro chopped
2t cumin
2 sm cans diced green chilies
1T lime juice
½ t pepper
3 cups rice (maybe half cup more, you'll have to play with it.)

Tomatilo dressing

Ingredients
1 pkg Hidden Valley Buttermilk Ranch Dressing mix
1C buttermilk
1 C mayo
1 to 2 tomatillos
½ to 1 clove garlic, minced
½ to 1/3 bunch cilantro, chopped
½ t lime juice
½ to 1 small jalapeno, seed removed
(blend in food processor and add to buttermilk dressing)

Black Beans

Ingredients
4 cups black beans
1 onion chopped
4 cloves garlic
8 cups water

cook in crock pot on low 10 hours add salt and salsa when done (to taste)


I hope that makes sense. The next time we make it, I'll take some pictures.

Their Eyes Were Watching God

Their Eyes Were Watching God
By Zora Neale Hurston
1937
pp. 184
-- Included on Time Magazine's "100 Best English-language Novels from 1923-2005" list.

This is another one of my favorite books. I remember reading it my senior year of high school and really enjoying it; however, I couldn't remember any details before I reread it this semester. Mostly I remembered being involved in some sort of group project concerning the novel, and we would get together at Starbucks. Mmm...raspberry hot chocolate. Anyway, my love for Their Eyes Were Watching God was recently renewed. Oprah Winfrey loved this book so much, she had it made into a film. After seeing one particular Youtube clip, I must say it looks pretty cheesy, but I think I'm going to have to watch it anyway. I'll let you know how it goes.

The story begins with Janie returning to Eatonville, Florida, an all black community, after spending some time away with her third husband, Virgible Woods, more commonly known as Tea Cake. The town has been gossiping about what supposedly happened to Tea Cake and why he has not returned with his wife, but Janie's good friend, Phoeby, is the only one she takes the time to share the truth with. Janie takes us through all three of her marriages, the role she plays in each, and her progression towards a loving relationship and, eventually, independence. Near the beginning of the novel, her grandmother tells her that the black woman is the mule of the world because when a white man gives a job to a black man, the black man gives it to the black woman. This concept is illustrated throughout the novel, and although Janie's life is difficult, and her story is generally an unhappy one, the reader is able to see Janie grow as a character, overcome her role as "mule of the world," and learn how to live for herself.

Hurston chooses to write the dialogue in the dialect of the time and culture in which the novel takes place. Some find this frustrating, but one cannot deny the effect this dialect has on the spirit of the novel. It is not degrading to the black culture as some people say; the white police officers in the book use the same dialect. I can't seem to put it into words, but this dialect is necessary for this novel to be the masterpiece that it is. This detail helps depict the black community as it was at the time and adds to one of many messages Hurston expresses: although differences between cultures exist, there are certain human experiences and emotions that cross those barriers.

"The wind came back with triple fury, and put out the light for the last time. They sat in company with the others in other shanties, their eyes straining against crude walls and their souls asking if He meant to measure their puny might against His. They seemed to be staring at the dark, but their eyes were watching God."

(I'm sorry if referring to people as black and white is not politically correct. Actually, I'm not, although I mean no disrespect. I love all children of God equally. I just don't generally use the term "African-American." My ancestors didn't originate in America either, but you don't expect people to call me "Irish-Scottish-English-German-American.")

Scones: When Elephant Ears Go Wrong

I recently had a carnival night with my roommates and FHE sisters. Basically, we ate carnival food, hung out, and played Curses (click here to see our review on Curses). We had a grand ol' time. We had originally planned on making elephant ears, but we filled ourselves up on corndogs and peanutbutter carmel corn. Delicious. We did, however, attempt elephant ears the next day with a recipe I found on http://www.recipezaar.com/ (Danielle's called for powdered milk, which we did not have). The funny thing about this recipe is that it calls for eggs, but it never tells you when to add them in the instructions, so I forgot about them. They turned out more like scones, but were heavenly nonetheless. So much so, that we made them again a few days later. Here is the recipe as we made it:

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups milk

4 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

Oil (for frying)

1 tsp. salt

2 (1/4 ounce) packages yeast

6 Tbs butter/margerine

1 tsp cinnamon and 1/4 cup Sugar (combined)

Directions:
In small pan combine milk, sugar, salt and shortening. Heat only enough to melt butter. Do not boil. Remove from heat, and let cool to a temperature that won't kill the yeast. In a large bowl, combine cooled mixture with yeast; stir to dissolve yeast. Stir in flour 2 cups at a time, beating by hand until smooth. Place dough in a large greased bowl. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled. Gently stretch out dough into flat circles of whatever size you wish them to be. Note: even though you flatten the dough, it will puff up a lot. Fry in oil until brown on bottom, then flip and brown other side. Drain on paper towels, and roll in cinnamon and sugar while still hot.

Elephant Ears

Once upon a time, Megan and I took part in the Strawberry Festival festivities in Marysville, WA. Together we shared the goodness of a well crafted Elephant Ear. Apparently they go by other names, but all the cool kids from Washington call them elephant ears; therefore, that's what they are really called :)

I have a recipe for said elephant ears. What it fails to mention is that you should smother each ear in cinnamon and sugar (preferably the powdered kind)! Here be yon recipe:

Ingredients:

2 cup Flour
1/2 cup Powdered Milk
1 tbsp Baking Soda
3/4 tsp Salt
2 tbsp Shortening
3/4 cup Warm Water
Hot Oil

Directions:

Mix all ingredients to form a ball of dough. Knead about 3-5 minutes by hand. Separate into egg size balls. With rolling pin, roll balls out flat on floured surface to about 1/8 inch. Fry in hot oil till lightly browned on both sides. Makes 12.

Speak: a well crafted story on a sensitive subject

Speak

By Laurie Halse Anderson
c. 1999

pp. 240

-- Awards: National Book Award, Michael L. Printz Honor Book, SCBWI Golden Kite Award

-- Summary: As Melinda Sordino enters her first year of high school, she carries a burden that no one knows about. Everyone knows her as the girl who called the cops at the biggest party over the summer, but no one knows what really happened. Melinda was raped, and she can’t tell anyone. Sometimes it’s better not to say anything at all. Speak is the story of a ninth grade girl struggling to cope with what has happened with her, and learning to be herself as she was before.

-- My Thoughts: Very well written. I first read this book in the seventh grade. Back then, it, as I like to say, “scarred me for life.” To put simply, I was not ready for the subject material. However, I personally decided that I should read it again before I made a final judgment as I thought I may have been too sensitive for the book the first time I read it. I love the way Anderson wrote the book. It is wonderfully crafted and it sucks you in from the beginning. I also felt that the rape scene wasn’t too graphic, which is one of my main concerns from a novel with such subject matter. However, it still made me a little uncomfortable more because I had an understanding/connection with the character this time around. There were a couple other times in the book where it felt a little dark or awkward but it fits in with the situation that Melinda is in. Overall, I think it would be a great book especially for girls who have been in similar situations. I feel that Anderson's approach is one of the best ways of going about writing a book on this subject. If you are sensitive to such subject matter, this probably isn't the book for you. I still don't know if I can put it on my shelf because of those few moments that made me a little uncomfortable. But I cannot deny that it is wonderfully written and those few awkwards moments may actually be an example of how well Anderson pulls this off.

This book has also been turned into a movie starring Kirsten Stewart (you may know her better as Bella Swan from "Twilight")

No Bake Cookies with Peanut Butter

I love me some good no bake cookies. But you know what I love even more? No bake cookies WITH peanut butter! Yum yum!!


Recipe:

2 cups sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
1/2 cup milk
1/4 lb margarine (or 1 cube butter)
1 tsp vanilla
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup peanut butter
3 1/2 cup outmeal

Directions:

Mix sugar, cocoa, milk, and margarine in saucepan. Cook until it starts to boil. Cool for a minute. Add vanilla, salt, peanut butter, and oatmeal. Stir well. Drop by spooful onto wax paper and let set.

IMPORTANT NOTE!!
So when I made these I was very impatiant and therefore didn't let the first mixture cool like I should have. Apparently that messes with things and the cookies will not completely set. They still taste good but it's more goop than cookie... So don't be impatient. And if you don't like peanut butter, no bake cookies without peanut butter are yummy too!!!

The Breakfast Club

This is one of my favorite scenes in The Breakfast Club. Sorry the quality isn't the greatest:


Yes, this movie is almost pointless and somewhat slow at parts. Let's face it; not a whole lot happens in detention. But this movie is all about finding ways to entertain yourself in an otherwise boring situation and making friends in the process. It also takes some time to delve into the adolescent psyche to discuss what makes people who they are. All the characters are necessary to make The Breakfast Club the 80's classic that it is, but without Johnny Bender, this movie would be a dud. Because of him, I can watch this movie over and over again. Follow this link for a classic Bender moment. Embedding wasn't allowed on this one, but clicking is well worth your time. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8qb9TRqZsM

My Girl Has Happy Feet

My roommate, Melissa, loves the movie, Happy Feet, and brought it back from Utah one weekend, hoping that I would watch it with her. I had remembered seeing Happy Feet previews a long time ago and seemed to remember it looking potentially cute and maybe even funny, so we sprawled out in her room to watch the movie. Forgive me for not conforming to P.C. standards, but this movie was gay. We didn't even finish it. Basically, it's a bunch of singing and dancing penguins. I don't know what I was expecting.


I think I would have liked this movie if I were six; however, I am nearly four times six, and I couldn't make it through.

Melissa was kind enough to turn it off so we could watch My Girl instead--a movie I hadn't seen since I was six, ironically enough--and it turns out I still enjoy it. If you haven't seen it, you really should take the time. It was filmed back when Macaulay Culkin was still a cute little boy. The main character is eleven-year-old Vada, who is being raised by her father (Dan Aykroyd) in a funeral home. Besides this unusual living situation, she feels responsible for the death of her mother, who died shortly after Vada was born, so it's no wonder that she always thinks she is dying of something. Her best friend, Thomas J. (Macaulay Culkin), says this is Vada's way of dealing with her fear of death. Jamie Lee Curtis is also a prominent character as the love interest of Vada's father. This movie is both funny and sad, and I love it.

Just Shoot Her With a Silver Bullet Already!!

Blood and Chocolate

By Annette Curtis Klause

Genre: Supernatural
c. 1997

pp. 264

-- Summary: Vivian Gandillon has a secret; she and her family are werewolves. When she begins to fall for Aiden, a human boy, she puts her secret and her whole pack in danger. Things get even worse for the pack when mangled bodies begin to show up around town. Can Vivian find a way to stay with Aiden and protect her pack even if she is behind the mysterious killings?

-- My Thoughts: To be perfectly honest, I didn't like this book at all. I felt there was only one scene which was well written. The character develpmont was weak and the characters were on more than one occasion unbelievable. I wasn’t convinced of Vivian’s feelings toward Aiden or vice versa. Also, the character of Gabriel, who is basically the head of the werewolf pack, was confusing. I thought I had him figured out but then at the very end, he seemed a lot kinder and capable of love than he did through the rest of the book where he was a jerk through and through. The idea wasn't bad (as you can see with the success of a book like Twilight), but I only found a few portions of the book engaging. There is also some sexual content that isn't explicit, but I didn't feel it was necessary. In this case it was just another turn off. The book has also been adapted as a movie, which I hear at least has a better ending. I'm a little curious to see it, but I'm afraid I will enjoy it just about as much as I enjoyed the book. Perhaps I will make another post in the future letting you know how that went :)

Gotta Love Your Controversy Every Once in a While: Phillip Pullman's "The Golden Compass"

Last semester I had the opportunity to take a Young Adult Fiction class. We had to read a total of 25 books by the end of the semester and we had to cover certain categories. For my fantasy choice, I chose to read the controversial "The Golden Compass" by Philip Pullman. You can read a little bit about the book and its being banned here.

I decided to read the book for a couple reasons. I saw the movie in theaters and that generally encourages me to read the book if I haven't already. Also I must admit that the controversy is part of what enticed me to read it. After seeing the movie, I couldn't really see what the big deal was. I knew there was apparently meant to be Atheist theology embedded in the story but I couldn't see it (most likely because they appear more in the book than the movie :) go figure). So I decided I couldn't judge the story for myself until I actually read it.

Here's a little background for those of you who don't know already. The book is set in a world much like our own. However, each person has a daemon, which is essentially a person's soul that follows them around in animal form. The protagonists are a young orphan girl by the name of Lyra and her daemon, Pan. It's one of your innocent embarking on a journey type of stories. There are a group of people known as Gobblers who capture children that they think won't be missed such as orphans. Lyra's quest first starts when her best friend, Roger, is captured by the Gobblers. To make this summary very, very brief, Lyra must travel to the north to save her friend and disrupt the work of an organization called the Magisterium. Where does the golden compass fit in? The compass, known as the Aletheomiter if I remember correctly, will answer any question as long as you know how to read it. It was given to Lyra, but she soon finds that there are people who would do anything to get it from her hands and keep her from fulfilling the destiny that she doesn't even know she is meant to be a part of.

At first I didn’t think I was going to like the book. It was okay, but it didn’t pull me in from the start. I also found the beginning a bit confusing. In one aspect that works with the story as we view the story through Lyra’s eyes, and she knows very little of the world outside of Oxford where she grew up. However, it took a long time for Pullman to explain what daemons are and the sort of laws or taboos that come with them. When he finally does describe them, we only get small bits at a time, so a complete picture isn’t created until at least halfway through the book.

I really began to enjoy the book from about the time Lyra meets an armored bear, Iorek Byrnison, to the end. She meets Iorek halfway through the book FYI. That is where I began to feel connected to the characters and that drive to finish just so I could know what happened. That alone makes me want to read the rest of the series. As far as the controversy is concerned (most of it actually stems from the third book in the series), Pullman doesn’t hide the fact that the Magisterium is essentially a branch of the Catholic Church. The Magisterium also conducts experiments on children which may also be open to controversy. Neither of these things bothered me when I read the book. I was a little bothered by the children experimentation when I saw the movie since slthough we don't see them being probed or tortured or anything, we see the aftermath when Lyra finds one of the children who has escaped.

I suggest that you don't judge this book by it's controversy before you try to read it for yourself. There are plenty of banned/challenged books that are wonderful. Have a look for yourself! Or even a second glance! Now I understand that some books have been banned reasonably, so be wise in your choices. But there are challenged books Madeliene L'Engle's "A Wrinkle in Time" that I just have to stand up for!

There are two more books that follow "The Golden Compass" which are "The Subtle Knife" and "The Amber Spyglass".

Decadent Biscuits

I got this recipe from my next door neighbor. I made them two days in a row, and my roommate could not stop telling me how "decadent" they were. They are super easy, super fast, and super delicious.

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1 Tbs baking soda
2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter
1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Combine ingredients in a medium sized bowl and stir until just mixed. Drop onto cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes or until biscuits just start to turn a golden brown.

These will puff up quite a bit. I didn't realize this the first time I made them, so I ended up with rather large biscuits.

Peanut Butter Cookies

I stole this recipe from my lovely sister-in-law, Laura. The first time I ate one I couldn't stop eating them. There were at least two dozen and I, with the help of my brother Stuart, ate pretty much all of them in one night. Laura wasn't very happy... But that's how good they are!! When Megan and I made them, they turned out a little differently for reasons unknown to me. But they were still very good!!

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup Peanut butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 egg
1-2 cups chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:

Mix Peanut butter, brown sugar, baking soda and egg.
Add chocolate chips and mix well.Drop onto greased cookie sheet.
Bake at 350’ for 9 minutes.
Be sure to cool for 5 minutes before moving to cooling rack - they're crumbly soft.

And then, of course, the only thing left to do is eat them!!! Just don't eat them like I do...

Dang Yankee

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court
By Mark Twain
c. 1889
pp. 336

I recently finished reading A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain for my American Lit class, and I was glad when it was over. It's difficult to give even a synopsis of the story as there is not a solid plot, but I'll give it a whirl. The main character is Hank, who, after being struck by one of his employees, finds himself back in medieval times--in Camelot, no less. Hank is to be hanged the next morning, but luck is with him, and he remembers learning about a solar eclipse that happens to occur that very next day. He claims to be a magician and "prophecies" the darkness that was to occur and thus escapes death. He becomes second only to King Arthur, who is too ignorant to figure out anything on his own anyway, so Hank becomes known far and wide as "The Boss."

The remainder of the novel jumps all over the place with random people, random adventures, and random rambling. Hank is constantly referring to the ignorance of the people at that time and introduces nineteenth century technology to help keep up his magician status. The book has its moments and was amusing at times, but as I mentioned before, there isn't a solid plot--fifteen mini plots, maybe. It was a tolerable book, but I will most likely not read it again.

World's Best Chili

I absolutely love this chili! I hope you enjoy it too!

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef

1/2 c chopped onion

1/8 tsp garlic powder

1 can diced tomatoes

1 can kidney beans

1/2 c water

1 (6 oz) can tomato paste

2 to 3 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp basil

1 tsp salt

Directions:

Brown beef. Add onion and garlic powder. Drain and add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 20 minutes.

I like to top it of with cheese and sour cream. And it's great with cornbread! I would recommend Krusteaz honey corn bread.

Some other things I've discovered about this recipe is that you can substitute two small cans of tomato sauce and don't add water if you do not have tomato paste. It'll turn out a little different, but it's still good. Sometimes I had more of the spices than the recipe suggests as well.

The Tale of Desperaux: Movie Edition

I saw this movie on Tuesday, a rather stressful day. Part of me said I shouldn't go see it because of all the things I should be doing. But I gave in, and I have no regrets.

The movie is based of the book by Kate DiCamillo, author of "Because of Winn Dixie", "The Tiger Rising", and "The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane". The characters are voiced by Emma Watson (perhaps you know her best as Hermoine Granger), Matthew Broderick, Sigourney Weaver, Dustin Hoffman, Kevin Kline, and Christopher Lloyd to name a few.

I have not read the book so if you want any sort of comparison, you won't find it here at this time. The movie itself was entertaining. One of my roommates found it a little hard to follow as it does follow three different characters. However, I felt they did a good job of incorporating all the necessary stories into the whole. The characters were well created and believable, even if half of them were mice/rats. I even felt that the music was engaging and helped add to the story. They use a lot of narration which I am guessing is a lot like what is written in the book. I did begin to wonder if they had a little too much narration, but overall I liked the effect. It made it a little more enjoyable for me to hear some of that language. I guess that's an English major for you :) Overall, well done and I would recommend it.

The only thing you might have a problem with is a character formed of fruits and vegetables. That might be a little too much for some people. But give it a whirl! I hope you like it as much as I did!

Now I just need to read the book!

Curses

Don't you wish that there were times in your life when you could bless that special someone with a curse? For instance, wouldn't you like to force someone to speak in a french accent while simultaneously speaking with an imaginary golf ball in their mouth? I know I would, and now it is possible!! Welcome to the family friendly game of CURSES! I was first introduced to the game during play rehearsal in high school. At the time, I was an observer. I was glad that the first opportunity I had to play the game was with family only. It's easier to make a fool out of yourself in front of people who've known you long enough to know you are a fool already!!

So here's the gist of the game.

A player will first pick up a challenge card, read it outloud, and do whatever it says to do. For example, your card may say "You have just become president of the United States! Tell the other players what you would say in your inaugeration speech." After said player has fulfilled the requirements of the challenge card, they take a curse card and, with out looking at it, give it to the player of their choice. The person who has the curse will read the card to everyone and then they must continue doing whatever is on that card for the rest of the game or until they break the curse (not a good thing is this game!!).

The curse card will say something like "Whenever someone says the name of a food shout 'That sounds delicious'". So for the rest of the game, that person would have to say "that sounds delicious" whenever someone mentioned food. You no longer have to do that curse if it is broken. The way a curse is broken is if someone catches you not doing one of your curse cards. They would ring the bell and inform you of your mistake. You then turn that curse card over. If you turn over three curse cards, you are out of the game. The person who survives is the winner!

It was a fun game although sometimes frustrating when you start to get a whole bunch of curses. It becomes more fun if you intentially try to get the other people out though. Not to mention the joy of seeing everyone else look stupid.

If you get a good sized group and one that is willing to put their sane reputations on the line, this is a great game for all!!