A Movie?

Yes, believe it or not, as much as I love to talk about books, I do enjoy movies, as well. I don't usually enjoy them as much as I do books, but - now and then - I get a truly pleasant surprise. I'm pleased to share one of those with you that I recently enjoyed, although,...it isn't a recently released movie.

I had finished reading a wonderful historical fiction (which I'll talk about later) and was still marinating it, which means I was still researching some information from the historical fiction, still thinking about the storyline. I wasn't ready to start a new book yet, but I wanted something to keep me company for a couple of hours one day. I knew what could satisfy my desire: Kindle Fire.

The great thing about my Kindle is his Fire not only burns passionately with beautiful books, it also glows with Netflix and Amazon. (There is more than one reason I love him, you know.) It helps that I'm a Amazon Prime Member, too, which means I love shopping for a "free" instant movie to see what hidden treasures I can find without paying an additional price for them. (What can I say? Along with being born a bibliophile, I'm also a born bargain shopper. It's the thrill of the hunt!)

The movie I found, on this particular hunt, was "Amelie" from 2001. I had never heard of it before, but I loved the look of the pixie-faced actress on the cover. She reminded me of a faerie, and I love faeries. When I read the reviews and a bit of the synopsis, I decided it might be just the thing I wanted. I also admit it appealed to me because the film was set in Paris (one of my most favorite places), and it was in French with English subtitles (which helps me practice my French). I thought I might like the film. Little did I know, I would fall in love with it! I smile, even now, just thinking about it.

To me, "Amelie" is everything a movie should be: art and magic and wonder. A movie is a place to lose yourself for a little while and enter another world. If it's a good movie, you take a part of that world with you when the film is over. It's a place you remember fondly and, if the movie is really good, it might be a world you'll want to visit again. "Amelie" is definitely that kind of movie.

I was going to post a link here to the movie trailer, but I feel it gives too much away. I'm glad I didn't really know much about the movie before I watched it (which is why I only read a bit of the synopsis, I hate knowing too much before watching a movie or reading a book. Spoils the fun, in my opinion. I believe I've said this before, yes?)

I'll end my recommendation with this, if you find yourself wanting to spend some time in a lovely place with a pixie-faced faerie girl as your guide, just give "Amelie" a try. She'll lighten your heart and make you smile, and we all need some of that, oui?

Books...

Oh, yes, I do have a book recommendation, as well. I won't go into a review, but I will say this book was another great surprise (so, don't think my lack of review indicates a lack in the book). It was one I had on my shelf, but had not read yet. It was meant to be a "filler" book or a "tweener" - you know, something I was reading to kill time until my next Kristin Cashore book arrived. I was pleasantly surprised to find the book was more of a main attraction than I would have imagined.

 If you love historical fiction, as I most passionately do, I recommend you read The Irish Princess by Karen Harper. I've never read Harper before, but I liked her style. I also like the research she did for her book and the references she gives to the real information at the back of the book. I found the novel to be a springboard into some interesting research of my own. I admit to having a particular fondness for the setting, as I love England (another one of my most favorite places), and was more than a bit thrilled to see some places mentioned I know and love well, such as Leicestershire and Charnwood Forest - truly lovely places with truly lovely people.

Time to go now...

Not that this post was short, but I do feel a bit rushed in writing it. You see, today is my last day of Spring Break. It's back to work tomorrow. I have a few things on my "just gotta do list" to end my break in style and, of course, one of them is reading. My Kristin Cashore book has arrived from Amazon, and I am anxious to spend a little time in that world before enjoying some other things this lovely Sunday.

Happy reading! :)



 

Book Buffet

I am happy to say that I'm having a lovely "breather" from work this week, as we are on Spring Break! Because I have different things going on during my break, I didn't want to get caught up in a long novel that would make me want to stay curled up under a blanket all week to read it. Yes, yes, I know that "normally" it's exactly like what I'd want to do - but...it IS spring here in Texas, and we've had a few lovely days and more on the way. As much as I love to read, I also love being outdoors. Rarely do these two conflict but, when they do, I try to be outside as much as possible when the weather permits. (I mean, this IS Texas - which means spring doesn't last long, and we can go from a mild winter to 102 degrees in the blink of an eye.)

All that being said, I decided to stay away from long and in-depth books and do a little 'buffet' reading. You know, pick a few small, unimportant novels - a little fluff, so to speak. Now, I'm not a book snob, so I'm pretty much game for anything within reason. I skimmed my book shelves and my Kindle, but...I don't buy 'fluff,' so I shopped for some inexpensive ($1.99) reads on Kindle. After I thought I'd found a few, my book buffet began.

I enjoyed the first book. It was cute, simple. I had the plot pretty much figured out (including the ending) by the time I was done reading a fourth of it. Of course, I didn't want something too involved - I mean, wasn't that the point? On to the next book, the plot...pretty much played out like the first one. Don't get me wrong, I can find redeeming qualities about each, just...not very many. Quick, easy reads - isn't that what I wanted?

Here's the thing about a buffet, though. If you're not real picky with what you read, it seems to satisfy the need for reading, but...it doesn't stick with you. I mean, it's fun in the moment (which is fine)...buuuuut, after the third one...I realized my brain wasn't really being fed. Is that so bad? Well, I guess it all depends. I thought what I wanted was to read but try to give my brain a bit of a vacation, too. What I realized is my brain appreciates a vacation where it can build its own world inside my head. That IS my brain's version of "fun" - which really means, it's also my version of fun.

What did I do about it?

Well, I got up this morning and looked at the calendar. I still have four days left of my break. I do have plans that don't involve reading, of course, but I've decided it's time to give my brain what it wants. It's suffered from malnutrition long enough. And if you're wondering if I'm aware that there are strong, powerful, well-written books that aren't the size of doorstoppers, I should acknowledge that I am very aware. I am including those when I say "in-depth" books. I do not mean size. When a book is good, no matter the size, it pulls me in and makes me a part of it. It engages my brain, my heart, and my soul. It takes energy and thought and, because of the way I am, usually involves additional research of some kind. I do not read just to follow words across a page and to mark it off my reading list. I read to add something to my life.

I guess...that's what was missing from my fluff reads. They didn't add anything to my life. It's like watching a sitcom just to have something blaring on the television. There's nothing wrong with that, of course, it...just...doesn't happen to be my thing.

I do have two other books I read before the break that I want to tell you about, but I'm not in the mood to write about them today. I guess I'm a bit anxious to have some reading time before I start my day's adventures. I promise to write about them in the next few days before I go back to work. Hopefully, I'll also have something interesting to tell you about the book I am about to start today.

Happy Reading! :)

Need A Good Cry?

"As he read, I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, and then all at once."

I avoid books that make me cry. I just...don't care to go there. That isn't to say I don't read books that have sad parts, even depressing parts sometimes, but - as a rule - I try to stay away from books I think will just absolutely break my heart. 

A couple of weeks ago, I began seeing quotes pop up on Facebook for a book titled The Fault In Our Stars. I liked the quotes I saw, so I looked the book up. I quickly found that it was a young adult book and the narrator is a sixteen-year-old girl with cancer. I immediately scratched it off my "maybe I want to read it" list. I knew my heart could not take reading that book.

A couple of days ago, however, I just couldn't get some of the quotes I'd seen for the book out of my head. I looked the book up on Amazon and found I could download it on my Kindle Fire for $3.99. At that price, it was hard for me to pass up. I didn't want to buy it, though, if I wasn't going to really read it. I finally decided I would make it my first read over my Thanksgiving break from school, so I would have time to read another book or two after it to ease the heartache I felt sure the book would give me.

I downloaded the book on Friday night, and I finished it this morning. I even 'scheduled' the crying I knew would come. When I was about seventy percent done with the book, I could tell I was going to start getting emotional. I stopped reading last night and decided to finish the book this morning when I would be all alone in my house, and no one would question my tears, or ask me to explain, or wonder what the book touched off in me that would send me in to sobs.

And that is exactly what I did - bawled my eyes out for a bit. (It's OK, though, I was overdue for a good cry.) And if you think I'm giving anything away by saying that, you'd be wrong.  

Am I recommending the book? Oh, absolutely. It may have a couple of sad parts, but it has happy parts, too - along with great sarcasm and intelligence. I can't resist a book with good banter between characters. This one has a good bit of that. I promise you will smile and laugh and smirk more than anything else.

While the book is listed as "young adult," I will let you know it has some mature language in it here and there. It is appropriate (and not gratuitous), in my opinion, given the ages of the main characters and the fact that they are having to deal with some serious life issues. That being said, I wouldn't recommend it to one of my sixth graders, but I think it would be good for older teenagers. Amazon lists it as age appropriate for fourteen and up.

The book isn't long, only 318 pages in the hardcover edition. It packs a good punch, though, and makes you think,...which is exactly what a good book should do. I liked the book, and I am glad I read it. I am especially glad I read it before it becomes a movie, which is currently in the works. 

Nothing ruins a good book like a movie...

My Like Affair with Mr. Kindle Fire

I admit it, I was resistant to change - especially when that change came in the form of technology and wanted to replace my books. My books!!! When I would go into bookstores and see the displays for ebooks, I would turn my nose up to them - insulted that a BOOKstore was selling the little electronic posers. And every time my family asked me if I would like a Kindle or Nook for a gift? My answer was always the same:

"No, absolutely not."

One day, against my wishes, my husband gave me a Kindle Fire. It was not love at first sight, but Kindle and I did start out with a little polite conversation. Gradually, as we got used to each other, we became casual friends. As time went by, the friendship between us grew because I gained a slow appreciation for the things Kindle could give me that I did not have before.

For instance, Kindle is great at giving me instant definition gratification by telling me what a word means in an ebook without having to go to any other source! Isn't that wonderful?! And speaking of instant gratification, I like that I can finish a book at midnight and desperately want to read another book by that author, or the next book in the series, and Kindle will fetch it for me right away! I don't have to drive to the bookstore (which isn't close to my house and, most certainly, isn't open at midnight).

Another great thing? Kindle is always pleasing to my eyes. He always looks neat and clean and handsome in his red leather jacket, and I love that I can make his text any size I want. He is also quite the gentleman and always carries my ebooks for me. He is very strong and can carry as many as I'd like to take with me anywhere I want to go! That is a wonderful thing about taking trips with Kindle. He also never complains that I'm taking too much to read on vacation.

Yes, Kindle is amazing like that... (sigh)

I think, though, that what I like the most about Kindle - and our well-cultivated friendship - is that he always knows what I want. He can tell a lot about me from the things I read and knows my preferences. Not only is he not jealous of my reading time, he encourages me to read even more! When Kindle suggests something, I am seldom disappointed by his ebook recommendations. It's like...he can read my mind!

(I'm smiling now just thinking about Kindle. He's great, you know?)

I would, however, like to make one thing very clear:

While Kindle and I are very close friends, and he is often there when I need him, he knows I do not love him. I like him very, very much. I always enjoy our time together, and it is always productive. Kindle knows, though, that I could never love him like I love...Book.

You see, Book is very special and very dear to me. He is the only one I want to cuddle up with at night, even though he needs a light to be seen. He is the only one I want to sit in front of the fireplace with or enjoy having coffee with, even though he's a little more complicated and can sometimes be difficult to handle with all the sticky notes, highlighters, pens, and pencils.

Yes, Book takes a little more patience sometimes, but I think he is worth the extra effort. Besides, nothing else looks and feels and smells like Book,...and he's still handsome to me, even though his pages may be a little worn. I know he isn't the newest thing on the market, but he is the longest lasting and the most loyal. He doesn't need a battery or a charge or a plug...ever. Most importantly, Book has always been there for me,...and I know he always will be.

Yes, Mr. Kindle may have a fire I appreciate, but Mr. Book will always have my heart.