Reading

I've been really lucky at work recently, what with only having three clients and all. Especially since two of my client's are really low impact. I've had time to actually do paperwork AT WORK, ya know...when I'm getting paid instead of at home for hours after work. Since I've had practically no paperwork I have been reading a lot. Which is VERY GOOD because I have Y'all Fest in November and I'd really like to have read at least one book by each of the authors who will be there. Right now I'm reading a lovely steampunkish novel called The Iron Thorn by Caitlin Kittredge and The Vespertine by Saundra Mitchell.

I'm not certain what exactly The Vespertine is about, but it is one of the most amazing books. The way Mitchell describes her MC's thoughts and feelings is incredible and I am completely in love. And honestly, I think that says something about Mitchell as a writer. Usually if I get seven chapters in and have no idea where the story is going I toss the book aside and try again later. I never want to put The Vespertine down. There is a sense of elegance and mystery in the book. Set in the late 1800s in Maryland it focuses on girls who are attempting to find husbands. A common practice back in the day. There is also a flirtation with the occult, the girls sneak off to see a medium and I'm pretty sure that they plan to start dabbling as well. Soon I will be reading about seances and spirits. Already the MC has "seen" the future. I'm not sure that she has actually had a vision or if her imagination has ran away with her.

In short this book is beautiful. I have a (very, very sad) Tumblr account that is rarely used, but as I've read this book I've posted quotes from the book. Actually I think that may become the reason for my Twitter account. To post book quotes and such. It's hard to fit them all on Twitter and really I don't see the point of posting a three sentence quote HERE because apparently short blogs are of the devil! In short: If you are looking for an awesome historical fiction book check out The Vespertine.*

*Even though I have no real idea what the book is about or what is going on. It is still WONDERFUL!

A Day Off Work

Today I didn't go to work. Not in a super exciting way, just in a "I have been having crazy bad migraines and was hoping a day to sit at home and relax would fix all of that" kind of way. I got a lot of stuff done today. I finished reading a book, I caught up some TV shows, I worked on some of my blankets, I folded laundry, I started another book. I also got tagged in a note on Facebook. Usually I ignore those kind of things (even though I have a secret love of memes) but this one was about BOOKS! The prompt was to take fifteen minutes and list fifteen books that will always stick with you. So I posted that on my Facebook page, but I thought that I would post it here too!

1. Harry Potter (series) by J.K. Rowling
2. Paper Towns by John Green
3. Sea by Heidi R. Kling
4. Love is the Higher Law by David Levithan
5. Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
6. Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld
7. Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson
8. Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan
9. How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss
10. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle
11. Wonderful Tonight by Pattie Boyd
12. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
13. Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler
14. Tricks by Ellen Hopkins
15. Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

I should mention that there are WAY more books I could add to this list. Especially A Midsummer Night's Dream, and most anything written by John Green, Ellen Hopkins, Maureen Johnson, Scott Westerfeld, E. Lockhart, and sooo many other fabulous books. If there are any books on this list that YOU haven't pick up I highly recommend them all. They may not all be epic works of literature, but each of them has left an imprint on me. I hope they will make a difference in your life as well.