V is for villain, a character that can make or break any story. A story that has great tension, heroes, humor, and everything else a reader could want but lacking a good villain often falls flat. A villain does not even need to be a person, it could be the government, a system, or a misunderstanding that stands at the root of all conflict. Sometimes the villain does not even know that they are the villain, or make an effort to be so. Like in Les Miserables, one villain is a man doing his job and strictly enforcing the law but forgetting about compassion, and another villain is the very poverty and social upheaval that leads to the French Revolution.
My favorite villains are the ones you love, or love to hate. The villains with a humor to them or a badness that is simply over the top. Think about some the classic villains; scheming witches or kings looking for more power, those that think that they are better than those around them. There are the villains that know they are doing wrong, but do not really care. Then there are the villains that are noble in their own way, working towards what they see as the greater good even if it means perpetrating some evil deeds along the way. I have a special love for the characters that start off as villains, but somehow turn into the hero or just leave you rooting for them to somehow come out on top.
What do you think makes a great villain? Who is your favorite villain?
Early Book Review: My Mixed-Up Berry Blue Summer by Jennifer Gennari
My Mixed-Up Berry Blue Summer by Jennifer Gennari is a children's
book scheduled for release on May 8 2012. June Farrel is a twelve year
old that bakes a great pie, helps in her mother's store, and just wants
to have a normal life. However, she has never had that. Her mother has
always been a single mother, and is now engaged to marry another woman.
June loves her mother, MJ, very much. Her soon to be stepmother, Eva, is
alright but has taken some getting used to. However, the social and
political backlash against civil unions is not making life easy for
June. She has to figure out how she feels about her family's coming
changes. She needs to decide if she wants to stand up for her family,
try to come up with the perfect pie for the upcoming competition, and
figure out her own friendships and feelings.See my complete review here on Yahoo! Voices.
U is for Unique- A to Z Challenge
U is for unique. Anyone that reads a lot is bound to run into books that feel familiar, even if they are new reads by a new author. Some themes, conventions, conflicts, names, whatever seem to be used more often than others and become familiar. There are also authors that have written the same type of book, or books
from the same series, for so long that they all sort feel the same. This is not always a bad thing, sometimes it is comforting to wrap yourself in a comfortable, familiar world and read.
However, a book that feels new, a book with a unique story or twist can really shake things up. These are often not the most popular books, because they often make the readers think or take them out of their comfort zone. As an avid reader, I am inordinately excited to find a book that is unique, even if I do not particularly enjoy the reading process. If a book entertains or informs me WHILE being new and unique, they are quickly added to my list of books I need to recommend to others. Books on my list range from picture books to off adult non fiction, because you never know when an author's voice or take on something will be exciting and new. Though I will admit that I struggle to read that balance, an enjoyable or informative but unique experience, I do not believe I have reached it. I strive for that balance with all of my creative endeavors.
How do you feel when you read or encounter truly unique? Does it excite you or make you uncomfortable?
However, a book that feels new, a book with a unique story or twist can really shake things up. These are often not the most popular books, because they often make the readers think or take them out of their comfort zone. As an avid reader, I am inordinately excited to find a book that is unique, even if I do not particularly enjoy the reading process. If a book entertains or informs me WHILE being new and unique, they are quickly added to my list of books I need to recommend to others. Books on my list range from picture books to off adult non fiction, because you never know when an author's voice or take on something will be exciting and new. Though I will admit that I struggle to read that balance, an enjoyable or informative but unique experience, I do not believe I have reached it. I strive for that balance with all of my creative endeavors.
How do you feel when you read or encounter truly unique? Does it excite you or make you uncomfortable?
T is for Testing- A to Z Challenge
T is for Test. Testing does not stop with school. Every single day includes tests. Tests of your limits, abilities, patience, endurance, and so on. Children, and every living creature, test their limits daily. They want to see how far they can go, what they can get away with, and what they can do for themselves.
Then there are the days that test you more than you are quite prepared for. The days of bad news, or good news; the days that will change the way you look at yourself and others. There are also the days where only your sanity and patience are tested, but continually. Yesterday was one of those days that tested my sanity- everything that could go wrong did, but nothing incredibly important. Simply every single annoyance and frustration that could creep up did. From not being able to find my shoes, to an exploding coffee pot, to not getting this post up on time- but enough of that. I know that the day is done, and am glad that nothing serious happened, only a singularly bad day.
So, to start this day a little better than yesterday, and ignore the lingering headache, i will test my own limits today as my children test my noise tolerance levels. Can I push past the lingering annoyances and rise above them? So often I concentrate on the tests put before me by other people, society, and daily life. Today I will will concentrate on the tests I put before my self; to be the best and most creative, understanding, and thoughtful me that I can be.
What tests do you face today, or during life in general?
Then there are the days that test you more than you are quite prepared for. The days of bad news, or good news; the days that will change the way you look at yourself and others. There are also the days where only your sanity and patience are tested, but continually. Yesterday was one of those days that tested my sanity- everything that could go wrong did, but nothing incredibly important. Simply every single annoyance and frustration that could creep up did. From not being able to find my shoes, to an exploding coffee pot, to not getting this post up on time- but enough of that. I know that the day is done, and am glad that nothing serious happened, only a singularly bad day.
So, to start this day a little better than yesterday, and ignore the lingering headache, i will test my own limits today as my children test my noise tolerance levels. Can I push past the lingering annoyances and rise above them? So often I concentrate on the tests put before me by other people, society, and daily life. Today I will will concentrate on the tests I put before my self; to be the best and most creative, understanding, and thoughtful me that I can be.
What tests do you face today, or during life in general?
Picturebook Review: Small Saul by Ashley Spires
Small Saul is a picture book written and illustrated by Ashley Spires. Saul has always loved the sea, and wanted to sail. Unfortunately he was too short to met the Navy's height requirement. So, he joined up with pirates to have his chance at sea. He is a little different from the others, but he still graduates from pirate school and sets sail. The other pirates think that he is strange, and eventually throw him overboard. However, they soon miss Saul and the very things that made him so different and rescue him from the sea.I loved Small Saul. As a vertically challenged, and unusual, soul myself I found that I related to Saul. I bet many kids will too. Saul is short, but the story has very little to do with his height, other than the fact that it has kept him from the Navy. The heart of the story is that Saul is a little different, but it is the differences that initially bother other people that make him so special. Children that feel like the outcast, and those that tend to pick on the outcasts, can see something of themselves in the story. It can start a great discussion in a classroom about what makes each of us special, and why those differences should be celebrated rather than punished.
Small Saul is a great picturebook about following your dreams, and being yourself. The illustrations are charming, and the fact that I look a little like Saul (sans the facial hair) made me laugh and enjoy the story a little more. The style is unique and simply fun. While Saul might not be a typical pirate, he really does try to fit in, he is the kind of pirate I would want living in my house, and on my ship. The bunny tattoo, and need to clean, and skills in the kitchen would make him a welcome addition to me crew.
Early Book Review: Two Crafty Criminals! by Philip Pullman
In the second story, a shy gas-lighter's romance with Daisy is the focus of the entire community and the subject of many bets. But when a collection of silver is stolen, the gang's attention is divided between helping romance along and solving the case. The gang's strange ideas, grand plans, and unexpected disguises often cause more commotion than good, but in the end the kids always find the real crafty criminals.
Two Crafty Criminals! is an action packed and hysterical romp through the back alleys of London. Benny, Thuderbolt, the twins, Sharky, and the rest of the gang are fantastic characters. they are imaginative ad cunning children, in ways I both hope and fear my own children might be when they are the same age. The adult characters are equally well depicted, showing the greed or innocence that each part needs. The stories and characters just draw you in and do not let go, but what else do you expect from Pullman?
I recommend Two Craft Criminals! to readers that enjoy historical fiction, mysteries, and stories about independent children that often outwit the adults around them. I think that children in elementary school and middle school will enjoy this book the most, although adults that like well written children's fiction will also want to give this book a look.
S is for Singing- A to Z Challenge
S is for Singing, my first love. I know, I know- you all thought reading was my first. But I could sing before I could read (even if I did start reading early). I have always been involved in some sort of singing. I was in every single choir available to me as a child. Church choirs, school choirs, musical theatre, community choirs. You name it, I have tried it. I college I even managed to get myself into the choir that was primarily music majors, while learning my town choir's music via tapes the accompanist made for me, and singing in both concerts. I even tried my hand at singing in a band, albeit briefly.
Now, those that know me in real life already know this but might not have realized the irony. I am extremely shy and introverted. I do not like to stand in front of people to talk, feel awkward with new people, hate crowds, and most days would be perfectly happy with only my family, a good book, and the internet connect to real people. People staring at me tends to freak me out, and I really do not do well in tight, crowded spaces. Then the music starts and I start singing along- no matter where I am. I just got lost in the sound, and nothing else matters other than the way it makes me feel. It soothes me, energizes me, inspires me.
Now, combine my love of singing with my dislike for being watched, and think about how auditions usually go. For years I kept trying, because I felt that if I could perform in an audition the way I do when I am in the midst of a performance or by myself I would be fine. It does not happen, I still get freaked u and shaky. So, for years I had stopped doing anything that required audition. There was no point in the community choir anyway, because the director has favorites in each section who he often just hands solos to with no auditions or ones that do not really seem to have bearing on his decision. This year, I stepped up and decided to try again. The same director still has his same favorites, but they are tired and were not auditioning for a song I loved. What happened? Well, he dragged one of the favorites into the audition, even though she said she wanted someone different to do it. The final decision was a quartet- his favorite and three of us that he generally ignores. I still feel like it is a small victory. Maybe it will be enough to make future auditions easier?
Shyness and singing might not seem to go together, but many great artists in several feels label themselves as shy or introverted. There is something about losing yourself in something you love that makes the crowd, the people around you, melt away. Is there something in your life that does this for you?
Now, those that know me in real life already know this but might not have realized the irony. I am extremely shy and introverted. I do not like to stand in front of people to talk, feel awkward with new people, hate crowds, and most days would be perfectly happy with only my family, a good book, and the internet connect to real people. People staring at me tends to freak me out, and I really do not do well in tight, crowded spaces. Then the music starts and I start singing along- no matter where I am. I just got lost in the sound, and nothing else matters other than the way it makes me feel. It soothes me, energizes me, inspires me.
Now, combine my love of singing with my dislike for being watched, and think about how auditions usually go. For years I kept trying, because I felt that if I could perform in an audition the way I do when I am in the midst of a performance or by myself I would be fine. It does not happen, I still get freaked u and shaky. So, for years I had stopped doing anything that required audition. There was no point in the community choir anyway, because the director has favorites in each section who he often just hands solos to with no auditions or ones that do not really seem to have bearing on his decision. This year, I stepped up and decided to try again. The same director still has his same favorites, but they are tired and were not auditioning for a song I loved. What happened? Well, he dragged one of the favorites into the audition, even though she said she wanted someone different to do it. The final decision was a quartet- his favorite and three of us that he generally ignores. I still feel like it is a small victory. Maybe it will be enough to make future auditions easier?
Shyness and singing might not seem to go together, but many great artists in several feels label themselves as shy or introverted. There is something about losing yourself in something you love that makes the crowd, the people around you, melt away. Is there something in your life that does this for you?
R is for Religon- A to Z Challenge
Are you shocked that my R is not for reading? I am, a little. It almost was, but I wanted to do something different than I did last year during the challenge. So, this time around my R is for Religion. Crazy topic, hard topic, varied topic. But hey, here we go...
I my mind religion is both a personal and public thing, even if you are atheist. It is personal, because everyone has a slightly different view. Even if they follow identical teaching from identical sources, because the moments of life shape and color our points of view. It is a public thing every time we share our views, have a discussion about them, worship with others, or follow or beliefs in our words and actions. No matter what happens, I think that the most important aspect of religion is the personal part, because that will color the most important part of the public side, how we treat others. I will never understand how people claim to follow a religion that includes ideas like loving your neighbor or living a loving life in general can bomb abortion clinics, wage war based of different beliefs, or simply be hateful to people because they are different. I just do not get it.
I am a practicing Lutheran (ELCA for those that know the differences) and am thrilled to be part of a congregation that is generally welcoming and accepting of everyone. I am sure there are a few holding prejudices, but I have not seen evidence of it thus far. However, there are people from the same branch of the church with much less accepting views. I think tat every congregation, from every different church, and everyone that holds any personal beliefs at all, has slightly different takes on the whole thing. I think that is fine, everyone should think for themselves. It is the mindless following of what people hear, are told, are taught; that leads to problems. Those that fear, hate, and inspire violence in the name of religion are typically those that have never sat down and realized that they might not have all the answers, that someone else's views might be different but hold as much value as their own, that they might be the focus of someone else's misguided fear.
Over the years I have taken the time to learn about several different religions, from pagan religions to catholic ideals. The one thing you can find, at least in all of the ones that I have studied, is at least some mention for the responsibility we have towards the earth and all the living creatures we share it with. There is almost always some mention of helping those with less, and taking care of the creations around us. Even if the larger picture of the religion's teaching have every one that believe differently as heathens, they are still a part of a bigger picture, and should be treated as such. If they have different views, I have no problem with a conversation comparing, and even trying to argue that yours is more correct. But, respect them for the living and thinking being that they are, and respect that they have their own beliefs which have as much value to them as yours do to you. Before trying to convert, or damn, and individual with your words think about how you would feel if someone were trying to do the same to you. Most of all, remember that it is not our job to judge others. Regardless of religion, each individuals job is to be the best version of themselves they can be, not to condemn or condone anyone else's attempt to do the same.
So, with all this thinking done, I am going to work harder at being the best me I can. I am going to work to stop getting angry at those that want to control my actions in the name of their religion. Instead I will put my efforts into helping people maintain or gain rights that have us all with equal say. I am going to use that energy to take care of my family, and to try and make life better for those with less than myself. I am going to try harder to offer my shoulder, ear, and time to those that need it. I will try and do more good than harm to the earth and all of its creatures. All of that is easier said than done, but I can try. I can work towards being the best me I can.
What do you think?
I my mind religion is both a personal and public thing, even if you are atheist. It is personal, because everyone has a slightly different view. Even if they follow identical teaching from identical sources, because the moments of life shape and color our points of view. It is a public thing every time we share our views, have a discussion about them, worship with others, or follow or beliefs in our words and actions. No matter what happens, I think that the most important aspect of religion is the personal part, because that will color the most important part of the public side, how we treat others. I will never understand how people claim to follow a religion that includes ideas like loving your neighbor or living a loving life in general can bomb abortion clinics, wage war based of different beliefs, or simply be hateful to people because they are different. I just do not get it.
I am a practicing Lutheran (ELCA for those that know the differences) and am thrilled to be part of a congregation that is generally welcoming and accepting of everyone. I am sure there are a few holding prejudices, but I have not seen evidence of it thus far. However, there are people from the same branch of the church with much less accepting views. I think tat every congregation, from every different church, and everyone that holds any personal beliefs at all, has slightly different takes on the whole thing. I think that is fine, everyone should think for themselves. It is the mindless following of what people hear, are told, are taught; that leads to problems. Those that fear, hate, and inspire violence in the name of religion are typically those that have never sat down and realized that they might not have all the answers, that someone else's views might be different but hold as much value as their own, that they might be the focus of someone else's misguided fear.
Over the years I have taken the time to learn about several different religions, from pagan religions to catholic ideals. The one thing you can find, at least in all of the ones that I have studied, is at least some mention for the responsibility we have towards the earth and all the living creatures we share it with. There is almost always some mention of helping those with less, and taking care of the creations around us. Even if the larger picture of the religion's teaching have every one that believe differently as heathens, they are still a part of a bigger picture, and should be treated as such. If they have different views, I have no problem with a conversation comparing, and even trying to argue that yours is more correct. But, respect them for the living and thinking being that they are, and respect that they have their own beliefs which have as much value to them as yours do to you. Before trying to convert, or damn, and individual with your words think about how you would feel if someone were trying to do the same to you. Most of all, remember that it is not our job to judge others. Regardless of religion, each individuals job is to be the best version of themselves they can be, not to condemn or condone anyone else's attempt to do the same.
So, with all this thinking done, I am going to work harder at being the best me I can. I am going to work to stop getting angry at those that want to control my actions in the name of their religion. Instead I will put my efforts into helping people maintain or gain rights that have us all with equal say. I am going to use that energy to take care of my family, and to try and make life better for those with less than myself. I am going to try harder to offer my shoulder, ear, and time to those that need it. I will try and do more good than harm to the earth and all of its creatures. All of that is easier said than done, but I can try. I can work towards being the best me I can.
What do you think?
Book Review: Zero by Tom Leveen
Zero by Tom Leveen is a young adult novel about the aspiring artist Amanda Walsh, who calls herself Zero. Her home life is less than stellar, with her father drinking all the time and her parents arguing daily. She had plans to go away to a great art school and escape, but when her scholarship fell through all her plans went up in smoke. Her best friend Jenn is not in the picture, after an awkward situation, and Zero feels lost. One night she heads out to a local club to lose herself in some punk music. Somehow she finds the courage to talk to a drummer, Mike, who's eyes capture her attention. Amidst doubts about her talent and fear for the future, Zero and Mike find themselves working towards their goals together and encouraging each other. Is Zero's art really worth continuing, will Mike's band find success, and will success bring them together or tear them apart?
Zero is a great novel about following your dreams, while still staying grounded. I really liked that Zero grows and changes in the novel, evolving to better understand herself and those around her. She starts off showing more respect for her father, because he seems to offer her more support and freedom, but comes to respect her mother's inner strength and love. Zero has several moments of thought that include running away from it all. She considers cashing in her education account, but does not. This is partly in fear and doubt in herself, but it is also because she knows that it would be breaking her parent's trust. The development of Zero and Mike's relationship is full of the doubt and stomach butterflies that naturally comes with teen relationships. I think all aspects of the relationship were handled extremely well. I also liked the fact that Zero is not a fairy tale story, it is realistic and full of the decisions that people really have to make, with no perfect choice.
I highly recommend Zero to young adult and adult readers. It is a story that captured my attention on the first page and had me reading well past the time I had intended to go to sleep. Zero, Mike, and the other characters are complex and thoroughly realistic. I feel like they might really be wondering around somewhere working toward their dreams. Zero was so real to me that I was amazed that Leveen could so thoroughly understand the inner workings of a teenage girl's mind.
Zero is a great novel about following your dreams, while still staying grounded. I really liked that Zero grows and changes in the novel, evolving to better understand herself and those around her. She starts off showing more respect for her father, because he seems to offer her more support and freedom, but comes to respect her mother's inner strength and love. Zero has several moments of thought that include running away from it all. She considers cashing in her education account, but does not. This is partly in fear and doubt in herself, but it is also because she knows that it would be breaking her parent's trust. The development of Zero and Mike's relationship is full of the doubt and stomach butterflies that naturally comes with teen relationships. I think all aspects of the relationship were handled extremely well. I also liked the fact that Zero is not a fairy tale story, it is realistic and full of the decisions that people really have to make, with no perfect choice.
I highly recommend Zero to young adult and adult readers. It is a story that captured my attention on the first page and had me reading well past the time I had intended to go to sleep. Zero, Mike, and the other characters are complex and thoroughly realistic. I feel like they might really be wondering around somewhere working toward their dreams. Zero was so real to me that I was amazed that Leveen could so thoroughly understand the inner workings of a teenage girl's mind.
Book Review: Alice-Miranda on Vacation by Jacqueline Harvey
Alice-Miranda on Vacation was a fun children's book. I think I would have enjoyed it even more had I read Alice-Miranda at School, which I plan on going back to read. The characters are complicated and well developed, more so than I sometimes see in adult and young adult stories. I recommend Alice-Miranda on Vacation to young readers that enjoy mysteries, adventure, and a good read. Children that are reading at advanced levels, or are often referred to as advanced in their school work, will especially enjoy this book because Alice-Miranda shares similar traits.
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