Top 10 Tuesdays

Top Ten Books I’d Recommend As Good Beach Reads

Posted on June 12, 2012 by Shoeless

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by the bloggers over at the Broke and the Bookish. Book bloggers from all around create lists based on the chosen topics, and post links to the host blog to share our love of books. This week’s topic is Top Ten Books I’d Recommend As Good Beach Reads. Now…this is kinda hard considering I hate the beach, I mean the sun and the sand and the salt…I just don’t understand the appeal…however, “beach reads”…those mindless novels that  flourish during summer’s lazy months…that I can understand! So here goes my top ten books I’d recommend for lazy summer afternoons.

When she wrote this she had no idea a few years later she’d be the record holder for the fastest ever thru-hike!

  1. Harry Potter: Really, do you need a reason to reread these? These are great summer reads cause they are rereads and the skill level is low plus you know they’re addictive (so make sure you pause long enough to add on extra sunblock)
  2. Becoming Odyssa: Epic Adventures on the Appalachian Trail by Jennifer Pharr Davis: I just recently finished this book and LOVED it! If you like adventure, camping, hiking, backpacking, the outdoors or just funny stories then this is an excellent book. Just be forewarned…it’ll make you want to pack your bags and hit the AT.
  3. The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher: A wonderful series, great reads that will keep your butt stuck to that beach towel (or hammock). Easy reads but amazingly complex story lines about an adult wizard (ironically, named Harry). Think of this as the grown up, R-rated Harry Potter.
  4. Oh, the Places You’ll Go! by Dr. Seuss: ‘Cause am I right…did not every single high school senior receive that for graduation? So before you rush off to college sit down and read this inspiring little book and give your life a little thought. And for those of us that have been out of school for a while, we could always use a refresher.
  5. Women’s Murder Club series by James Patterson (and some other people): Short chapters make for quick reads and the good girls always win!
  6. A Year by the Sea by Joan Anderson: A woman’s journey to rediscover her self after her marriage has gone cold….she runs off to live in a little cottage by the sea (where else?) to figure out if her marriage is what she wants, and to figure out who she is after having raised her children to adulthood. A wonderful discovering yourself book for those of us who aren’t 17.
  7. Marching through Georgia: My Walk along Sherman’s Route by Jerry Ellis: Filled with ghost, adventure and history, what more could a novel have? Oh yeah, and lots humor! Another book that will make you want to shrug off your responsibilities and hit the trails.
  8. Legacy of Luna: The Story of a Tree, a Woman and the Struggle to Save the Redwoods by Julia Butterfly Hill: A book that’ll make you want to shrug off your responsibilities and go live in a tree.
  9. The Bridges Of Madison County: ‘Cause really, what’s a beach read list without a romance? Even if it does include adultery and doesn’t end the way you want it too.
  10. Hiking Virginia by Bill and Mary Burnham: To help you plan all those hikes you’re going to want to take after reading the other books on this list.

What’s your favorite summer read?

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Top Ten Books I Feel Everyone Has Read But Me

Posted on June 5, 2012 by Shoeless

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by the bloggers over at the Broke and the Bookish. Book bloggers from all around create lists based on the chosen topics, and post links to the host blog to share our love of books.

This week the topic was Rewind Tuesday, so we were suppose to pick any past topic and write about it, so I picked Top Ten Books I Feel Everyone Has Read But Me. I felt this would be a pretty good topic considering I tend to steer clear of popular books.

  1. Twilight: I just don’t get the whole vampire sensation…I don’t see this changing anytime soon. And yes, pretty much everyone I know has read these books, including the hubby.
  2. Fifty Shades of Grey: I just…I don’t know, don’t get the whole premise…I have a feeling this maybe one I end up breaking down and reading…mainly cause you people just never give up!
  3. The Help: There’s not really I reason I haven’t read this…well except just not having enough time.
  4. The Lord of the Rings: I did attempt to read the Hobbit…can’t stand, put it down after only a few chapters, so saw no real reason to actually try and read the series.
  5. The Secret Life of Bees: I did watch the movie…does that count? lol. No seriously, nothing against this one either just haven’t gotten to it.
  6. The Game of Thrones Series: I have lots of friends who have LOVED this series…to be honest I know pretty much nothing about it except that everyone keeps recommending it to my husband…but not me…hmmm….
  7. Of Mice and Men: I’ve owned this book for probably 10 years…and for some odd reason can never compel myself to crack it open…one day…maybe.
  8. The Kite Runner (and A Thousand Splendid Suns): Picked up both of these at a yard sale a few years ago as they’ve only been recommended to me by about 100 different people…they are both on my summer TBR list…again.
  9. Water for Elephants:  Ditto to #8.
  10. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo: I’ve just not been compelled to pick it up, but nothing against it really.
P.S. This was scheduled to post for Tuesday, I don’t now why it didn’t so, I’m post dating it. Sue me. :)

So, which ones can you join me in saying you haven’t read? What books have you not read that it feels like everyone has read??

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Top Ten Blogs/Sites That Aren’t About Books (Top Ten Tuesday…err Thursday)

Posted on May 24, 2012 by Shoeless

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by the bloggers over at the Broke and the Bookish. Book bloggers from all around create lists based on the chosen topics, and post links to the host blog to share our love of books. I kinda forgot to post this Tuesday, but I really wanted to given the topic. This week’s is the top ten sites or blogs you visit that aren’t about books. Now…I spend WAY too much time on the computer (blame that on a job that sits me in front of a computer and doesn’t keep me busy), so, I have a lot of sites I visit…so I decided to impose my own additional limit…they would only be blogs by fellow writers like me…nothing commercial, just people sitting at their kitchen table with a cup of coffee trying to fit it in between kids, work, school and well…life. So, here is my shout to ten blogs I love that you should check out! (in no particular order)

  • I love to do DIY projects and the projects at Freddy & Petunia are an endless source of inspiration for me.\
  • Everyone met John. (“Hi, John”) He is the brains behind Baystride Images. He’s also one of my favorite Backpacking 101 students and the Education Support Specialist at York River State Park (near Williamsburg, VA). He is also one of the best photographers I know, and I never cease to laugh at his stories as an aspiring backpacker.
  • And next up we have Beth…who I can sooo relate to. She’s addicted to Pinterest and her blog is aptly named Diary of a Pinterest Addict. Although, I do have a slight bone to pick with her…now, not only am I addicted to Pinterest, I’m addicted to her blog! (And her freaking adorable kids)
  • Ahh, Fred. One of the many great people I’ve meet on the hiking trail (and hiking forums). His blog One of My Turns is absolutely hilarious in that he delivers life in 100% truthful tidbits..in other words, he says what we’re all thinking but are too scared to say.
  • Tony, over at Finding Subjects states that his goal is to Finding Subjects: one man, one journey to motivate and inspire others by sharing his music, photographs, stories, and humor with the world. And well… he’s hilarious and takes really great photos…I mean, really, what more do you need from a guy?
  •  This is Meg and her adorable little girl, Zoe, over at Never Done it That Way Before. Now, I found Meg’s blog when she entered (and won!) my first ever Free Book Friday. When I first clicked I read that she was a Pastor…eww…I thought, that’s not going to be good. I am like 100% not religious and have some serious issues with the church. So there was no way I was going to enjoy her blog…well, turns out I was totally wrong (about the blog thing, I stand by my church opinions :) She’s fun, entertaining and never cease to inspire…and bonus points for not pushing religion!
  • Books are definitely a huge part of my life, but my true passion is hiking and that’s what lead me to Adam & Christine at Virginia Trail Guide. They have the best hiking write ups ever! One of my favorite parts about their blog is the blog features both of their view points on the hike. Sometimes they agree, sometimes not. Just makes it that much more interesting! Plus they’ve featured some great hikes I haven’t done yet, so I can add them to my TBH list.
  • So the 50 year project is kinda semi about books…but not really. It’s T. B.M’s challenge to visit 192 countries, read 1,001 books, and watch the top 100 movies. Not only do I love the idea of the challenge but I love how she writes about her adventures and truly shares herself with the world through this blog.
  • Vicki’s blog over at TGAW is one of the first blogs I ever discovered when I started blogging. And well, it’s still a favorite! It’s simple, the design is nothing fancy but her writing draws you in and keeps you. Whether is talking about a hike or her adventures as a new mom, it’s fascinating and I can’t stop reading until the end.
  • Growing up one of my earliest memories was watching my older brother draw, years later it became watching my little brother draw. Both were incredibly talented but never really pursued it. Me, however…I did not get the artistic gene. Cooking, creativity, maybe, art, no way. I can’t even draw a stick figure. I think that’s part of why I love the blog at Buddhafulkat. The art work is amazing and takes my back to those days as a little girl peering over my brother’s shoulder wishing I could draw half as good as him. P.S. If you’d ever like to make me a header image, feel free. :)
P.s. Originally I had awesome images to go with this post so you could get a little snapshot of each of the blogs…sadly, wordpress had different ideas.
Categories: Top 10 Tuesdays | Tags: , , , , | 4 Comments

Top Ten Favorite Quotes From Books

Posted on May 8, 2012 by Shoeless

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by the bloggers over at the Broke and the Bookish. Book bloggers from all around create lists based on the chosen topics, and post links to the host blog to share our love of books. This week the topic is Top Ten Favorite Quotes From Books…now this was seriously a hard topic…I mean come on…from one good book I can probably give you 10 favorite quotes…so this was very hard to narrow down…so these probably aren’t my exactly top 10, but most recently read and/or that I actually remembered. So…in no specific order….

1. “Only difference between a traitor and a patriot is your perspective” ―Jeanette Walls (I think this was from Half Broke Horses)

2. “When you have eliminated all which is impossible, then whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.”
― Arthur Conan Doyle, The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes

3. “I hadn’t been paying much attention to things like the sunrise, but that old sun had been coming up anyway. It didn’t really care how I felt, it was going to rise and set regardless of whether I noticed it, and if I was going to enjoy it, that was up to me.”
― Jeannette Walls (Another one from Half Broke Horses)

4. “We still hadn’t learned, though, that growing up is all about getting hurt. And then getting over it. You hurt. You recover. You move on. Odds are pretty good you’re just going to get hurt again. But each time, you learn something.

Each time, you come out of it a little stronger, and at some point you realize that there are more flavors of pain than coffee. There’s the little empty pain of leaving something behind – gradutaing, taking the next step forward, walking out of something familiar and safe into the unknown. There’s the big, whirling pain of life upending all of your plans and expecations. There’s the sharp little pains of failure, and the more obscure aches of successes that didn’t give you what you thought they would. There are the vicious, stabbing pains of hopes being torn up. The sweet little pains of finding others, giving them your love, and taking joy in their life they grow and learn. There’s the steady pain of empathy that you shrug off so you can stand beside a wounded friend and help them bear their burdens.

And if you’re very, very lucky, there are a very few blazing hot little pains you feel when you realized that you are standing in a moment of utter perfection, an instant of triumph, or happiness, or mirth which at the same time cannot possibly last – and yet will remain with you for life.

Everyone is down on pain, because they forget something important about it: Pain is for the living. Only the dead don’t feel it.

Pain is a part of life. Sometimes it’s a big part, and sometimes it isn’t, but either way, it’s a part of the big puzzle, the deep music, the great game. Pain does two things: It teaches you, tells you that you’re alive. Then it passes away and leaves you changed. It leaves you wiser, sometimes. Sometimes it leaves you stronger. Either way, pain leaves its mark, and everything important that will ever happen to you in life is going to involve it in one degree or another.”
― Jim Butcher (one of the Dresden File books, I don’t remember which one)

5. “Most young dealers of the Silicon Chip Era regard a reference library as merely a waste of space. Old Timers on the West Coast seem to retain a fondness for reference books that goes beyond the practical. Everything there is to know about a given volume may be only a click away, but there are still a few of us who’d rather have the book than the click. A bookman’s love of books is a love of books, not merely of the information in them.” ― Larry McMurtry, Books

6. “As the dozers moved into a section of black bear dens, Ed saw two young black bears dart out of their homes, only to be crushed and buried alive by debris falling from the bulldozers above. ‘I wonder how many other bears didn’t even make it out of their den,’ Ed said.” -Tree Spiker by Mike Roselle This is by no means a good quote, but it was so very powerful…that’s why I included it.

7.“Join the mob or go what you want. Give yourself plenty of quiet time alone in order to get in touch with who you are….Focus power of thought. Remind yourself that the world is yours for the asking. The non-risker does not grow, you just get older. When you have decided which ideas, beliefs, relationships, and situations no longer work for you, it is time to release them. Let go of negative thoughts—view them as a flight of birds crossing your path. See them fly into view and continue on their way.” -Wildflower by Mark Seal

8. “Responsibility is a position. An attitude towards events. You can either take responsibility or you can feel victimized by the world. Your choice of whether to play the victim or take responsibility will determine who power grows—yours or someone else’s. If you take the position of victim, you lose power. If you choose responsibility, you have power then, to do something about what’s happening—to choose your next step. It’s all about attitude.” -Wildflower by Mark Seal

9. “So many of our dreams at first seem impossible, then they seem improbable, and then, when we summon the will, they soon become inevitable.” ―Christopher Reeve

10. “Other people’s houses were always fascinating. As soon as you went through the door for the first time, you got the feel of the atmosphere, and so discovered something about the personalities of the people who lived there.”
― Rosamunde Pilcher, Coming Home

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Top Ten All Time Favorite Characters In Books

Posted on April 24, 2012 by Shoeless

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by the bloggers over at the Broke and the Bookish. Book bloggers from all around create lists based on the chosen topics, and post links to the host blog to share our love of books. This week the topic is Top Ten All Time Favorite Characters In Books. As an avid reader of books I find myself “falling” for characters quite often, but when it came to sitting down and picking my favorites, I found that there weren’t as many that actually stuck with me…so I guess these are the ones that have truly made an impression on me. P.S. These are in no specific order…just the order they popped into my head.

The only book that I've liked the movie just as much as the book.

1) Matilda.  This one probably is my all time favorite but it’s also the one I fell in love with first. I use to stay up late at night hiding under the covers with a flash light to read and re-read this book, and it was mainly because of Matilda. As the black sheep of my family I could relate to her out-cast status and sympathize with her struggles. I also could relate to her avid love for books and admired her strength in not stooping to the level of the immature adults that play such a prominent role in this book…and plus let’s face it, what young girl doesn’t want to have magical powers? I can’t say for certain, but Matilda could have totally been the inspiration for the character of Hermoine…which leads me too…

2) Hermoine. I love how strong her character is…and how no matter how much people call her a know-it-all she still strives to better herself and learn as much as she can. I wish I’d had that kind of self esteem as a teen…hell, I wish I had that kind of self esteem now!

3) Nancy Drew. Who wouldn’t have loved to be a teen sleuth? I admire her tenacity and overcoming odds to find out the information she wants…not the kinda girl you want to mess with! I also like that she’s real…she has faults…she doesn’t always say the right things or make the right choices and that just makes her all the more likable.

4) Severus Snape. For some reason I liked him from the very beginning of the series…maybe I just like to root for the underdog, but there was just something about him that made me think he couldn’t possibly be as evil as the students thought. (Looking back now on some of my old teachers, I wonder if maybe they were quite as bad as I thought?) My heart broke for him in book 7 when he passes away and to know how much he loved Harry’s mother yet knew that nothing would ever come of it. And even with his broken heart he still looked after Harry…how hard would it be to look out for your lost-loves child when he looks exactly like the guy who won over the girl and stole her from you?

5) The Giving Tree. I’m not sure if a true can really be considered a character, but, it’s my list so, I’m counting it :p I know everyone cites the Lorax as their first call to the environmental movement, but for me it was the Giving Tree. I know trees don’t really get a choice in real life…if humans want to chop them down, we do…nothing the tree can do, but I loved the idea of the tree willingly giving herself to this little boy…kind of reminded me of the loyalty of dog. In all reality, without the trees, our race would cease to exist. We owe so much to these giant beauties and yet after we reach an age were we stop reading Shel Silverstein and Dr. Seuss we seem to forget that. We seem to forget how miraculous and amazing those trees really are.

Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden (P.S. Jeff S. I still hate you for getting me addicted to this series...and no, you're not getting off the hook anytime soon.)

6) Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden (from the book serious by Jim Butcher). For those not familiar with this series Dresden is a first class wizard working as a private investigator in Chicago. He’s rude, arrogant, demanding and cranky…all the good qualities of a favorite book character, right? No matter how much you want to not like him, deep down Dresden is just a good ol’ boy. He’s a gentleman and no matter how much he doesn’t want to, he always makes the right choice…and he can also shoot fire out of his staff, so that’s definitely points in his favor.

7) Death (The Book Thief-P.S. I’ll be reviewing this book soon…and have another fun post coming up about this book, be sure to check back.) I feel in love with this book from the first sentence where Death introduces himself. I loved the concept of death as a character…especially as a narrator of a story. He uses color to interpret the souls of people he’s carrying off and I loved his dry, cynical nature.

8) Tia and Tony (Escape to Witch Mountain) I use to watch this movie with my younger brother when we were kids…and recently read the book. I loved the book as much as the movie, and it took me right back to those childhood days snuggled up on the couch. Secretly I always wished my brother and I were really aliens stranded here from a distance planet and that any day we’d discover our magical powers…sadly, that never happened.

Couldn't help but relating to Francesca.

9) Francesca (Bridges of Madison County) I know, adulteress…yeah, yeah. I read this book recently after I got divorced and well…I could really relate to Francesca. Having just left a bad marriage I could understand what she was reaching out for…what she needed to feel. This little book made me feel like maybe someone else understood what it felt like to be in a loveless marriage…like I wasn’t completely alone.

10) Judith Dunbar (Coming Home by Rosemunde Pilcher) Another romance novel, and yet I don’t like romance novels…but I really think this book is more than just the flowery cover. It’s a coming of age novel that follows Judith from being abandon (okay, at a boarding school and with an aunt) by her parents and rediscovering her baby sister after many years have passed to her first crush and finally finding her love. The book isn’t based on the romance though…and in fact it only really occupies one chapter, but it’s about human relationships and dynamics. I admired her independent spirit and related to her when she felt alone, overwhelmed and like she didn’t have a place in this world. Yet, she continues on and becomes an amazing woman…the kind of woman we all strive to become.

Categories: Top 10 Tuesdays | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 42 Comments

Ten Books It Seems As Everyone Has Read But Me

Posted on September 27, 2011 by Shoeless

So, I saw this on the librarian who doesn’t say “shhh” blog last week, she actually got the idea from The Broke and the Bookish blog who does a top 10 Tuesday post every week. I don’t plan on doing that but they both did an awesome job, and it was fun to read and relate…so I thought I’d share my top Ten.

1. Water for Elephants- Am I the only one who hasn’t read or seen the movie? I don’t know…it’s gotten GREAT reviews from everyone. In fact, I even bought a copy at a used book sale, for like a $1, figured I’d eventually get around too it. Well…that hasn’t happened.

2. Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy- Just no desire…not much of a sci fi kinda-girl.

3. Lolita- I tried…I’ll admit, but was very creeped out after chapter 1. Of course, that could be because the main character (the guy, not Lolita) really reminded me of my ex-husband…too much so for me to continue.

4. The Scarlet Letter- I was suppose to have read this for school, at LEAST twice…yeah, still haven’t done it. Maybe it’s the fact I was being told I HAD too? Or maybe it’s that whole sexism part of the lady being punished for something men have been doing since the start of mankind.

5. The Bell Jar- Not even sure what it’s about…

6. The Lord of the Rings- I know it’s more of a series than a book, but I could barely make it through the Hobbit.  Too many fantasy characters and words I had to keep up with…which is strange, because I didn’t have that problem with Harry Potter.

7. Gone with the Wind- I hated the movie…NO way am I suffering through that book.

8. The Kite Runner- It’s on my TBR list…just haven’t gotten there yet. I am looking forward to it though.

9. Memoirs of a Geisha- Haven’t read it, no real desire too.

10. The Lovely Bones- Lovely and bones should not be in the same sentence…Am I right?

11. The Secret Lives of Bees- If you notice a lot of these books are popular fiction…never been into the “best sellers”…which is why I haven’t read this, either. (And yes I know I said 10, but I had to many to whittle down my list anymore than I already did..

10. Twilight- Nope, not gonna read it…don’t care how much people raved about it…and no, this has nothing to do with the fact that I married an Edward.

Categories: Top 10 Tuesdays | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

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