Hard
to believe another year has come to an end. As I sit here, writing for the
first time in ages, I find myself staring out the window, watching a rare blustery
winter storm wage war on my normally sunny desert. Thankfully, I am snug and
cozy in my own little rabbit hole, pecking away on the keyboard, while tunes pump
through the speaker and a cup of tea steams next to me. Woodland blossoms waft
through the air, and it’s pure bliss. After all, sometimes it doesn’t matter
what I write…I just have to write…a cleansing of the soul, if you will. Other
times, there is more intent and purpose. Today, I find myself in a deep reflective
state, but this year is very different from previous years. Usually, it’s all
about what goals did I accomplish? Which ones did I not accomplish? Why? Do I
still need/want to? What new goals do I want to set for next year? But, like I
said, this year is…different…
I
find myself insanely thankful for all those meaningful moments, large and
small. And some of mine at the end of this year have been amazing. From quality
time with my brother and my best friend to a memorable 4th birthday
celebration for my niece filled with friends, family, laughs and love. Only to
be followed by a special Christmas with my in-laws, and much needed free
time enjoying Disney with the husband. To wrap it all up, I get some serious warm
snuggly time my two, favorite, four-legged dudes, and downtime before the rest
of the school year kicks into high gear. All in all, one hell of a way to say
good-bye to a lovely and wonderful year!
To be fair, I also reflect on the bad, but I find this bubbly feeling from my recent slew of meaningful moments has clouded
my normal realism (some call it cynicism), because I can’t even find fault in rough times, both successes and failures. Of course, there are the tragedies that left holes in the heart, but most of the tough times feel
like valuable lessons, some harsher than others, but each one meaningful and
necessary, in its own way. I don’t know what it all means, and I'm not going to spend too much time dwelling on it. I do know that I’m going
to continue to follow my dreams and shoot for the stars, making sure to stop and take
time to enjoy the journey, wherever it may take me. Truth be told, I’m very
interested to see where it leads.
Wishing everyone a
peaceful, prosperous, harmonious, delightful 2015!
~Stephanie
Now, a few things before I get to the original
intent of this blog…
First,
there are a ton of them. Some, I think, I read over the summer and parts are
fuzzy. A lot has happened since summer to cloud bits and pieces, so you will
find my thoughts short and sweet.
Second,
let me explain my method of evaluations…
*N/A
**N/A
*** Pick up at your
own risk, even if it’s your preferred genre
****It’s doable. You
can probably get through it, if it’s your preferred genre
***** PICK IT UP, especially
if it’s your preferred genre
I
don’t give one or two stars. Congrats, you wrote a book! You jump immediately
to THREE. I know what it takes to write a book. And I am certainly not the last,
only or final say on any book.
Finally, the books and my thoughts…
Looking for Alaska by John Green
I
have mad respect for Green. He has an intense way of writing within the
parameters of very sensitive and heavy topics. In this story, he leads the
reader on a journey into the life kids in a private school, filled with teenage
angst and agony. Along the way the characters have some very meaningful
moments, and learn some intense life lessons about friendship and immortality.
It was a great read, but I cried opening…Green does that to me. I also chuckled
every now and again. The characters are believable and intriguing.
Final
thought: I’ll read just about anything Green writes.
Paranormalcy by Kiersten White
OK,
I read this because it was recommended by an agent I was trying to solicit at
one time (at the very beginning of this adventure). It was okay. Tough to
follow at the beginning, and I hate being confused at the beginning. I like to
be intrigued, not confused. It was tough to identify with the characters,
although I liked Evie, so I pushed through it. It ended up being an interesting
storyline.
Final
thought: Yes, I would check out the next one, if I can catch it on sale.
Dark Water Rising by Mariah Hale
I
read this as a possible book to use with my 5th graders. It’s a good
story about a family and people responding to the crisis of a devastating
hurricane. The author created a realistic and frightening picture of the
destruction a hurricane would leave in its wake. The characters were believable
and heroic.
Final
thought: A good read for grades 6+
Manaic Magee by Jerry Spinelli
One
of my all time favorite books to read and teach! Spinelli is a god in my eyes.
It is the outlandish tale of the legend, Jeffery ‘Maniac’ Magee, and his quest to
find a forever home. No matter what life throws at him, he preserves and
remains a kind decent human being. He sees people for who they are, based on their
character and actions, not by the color of their skin or where they live.
Final
thought: Read this with your kids. Use it to teach respect and acceptance of
people that are different. Make the future a better place than we have now!
Life After Life by Kate Atkinson
It
started off very confusing (again…intrigue, yes…confusion, no). Darkness kept
coming, but I didn’t understand what it meant. The more I read the more I loved
it! Until the halfway point, then it lost in interest for me. Once I figured
out what the darkness meant, I couldn’t get enough, especially when Ursula was
mingling in the same circles as Hitler prior to World War II, but the older
Ursula got the less and less I liked it, not because she grew older, but once I
realized she was destined to continue to make poor choices, again and again. There
was a chance for redemption at the end, but the author never pulled it off for
me. I can only stomach a
terrible ending if the book is amazing. This one lacked a lot for me.
Final
thought: This rollercoaster ride was tough to enjoy.
Spellbound by Sylvia Day (18+)
Three
has three paranormal short stories wrapped up in one book. These erotic tales
intertwine the many highs and lows of Max, a Hunter, and Victoria, his feisty Familiar.
Victoria is a fun, strong, female character to read. The intense relationship
these two share is enough to keep the pages turning. I would have preferred a
little more depth to the storyline at points.
Final
thought: The author can create an intense picture and I’m reading another one
of her books now.
Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz
I
love this book. I’d read it before and enjoyed it years ago, when I was becoming
a teacher. Now, as a veteran teacher and a new author, I love it even more.
Munoz constructs the heartfelt realistic fictional tale of Esperanza with grace.
She plagues a spoiled young woman with sudden challenges and ill fortune, but
the character digs deep and finds unimaginable strength. The scenic setting the
author describes is intense and beautiful. The lessons learned are poignant and
meaningful.
Final
thought: Read it with your kids. Use it to teach them about persevering when
life is tough, because life can be very mean.
Current Reading List:
A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
Thirty
percent in and very intrigued to see where this goes.
Bared to You by Sylvia Day
Sixty
percent in and there are times when I can’t put the sucker down, then there are
times I roll my eyes and get up to do just about anything else.
Dances with Dragons by George R.R. Martin
This
will be done soon…the next season on HBO starts in March!
Thanks so much for stopping by! See you in 2015!
