Tis the Season

I feel like it has been a lifetime since my last post! I hope that everyone has enjoyed their holiday; it is amazing to me how the holiday season can completely consume you at times. But... with that being said, I had a friend come for a "Friendsgiving" visit over the Thanksgiving break. And after our little adventure to the big city, (and I will spare you all of the glorious details!) we were able to spend some time around my little town. 

Since we are both ELA teachers, and due to the beautiful grey clouds and rain that plague our skies on a daily basis, I took her to one of my favorite hidden spots in town, Jane Addams Book Shop. Needless to say, with our coffee in hand, we spent countless hours immersed among the things we love best- books. 

Signed by someone in 1875!

Why I love Jane Addams, and why you would too:

1. They are a small, locally-owned store with a lot to offer.

2. You can find very rare, special edition, and even signed books.

3. It is a whopping three stories tall. (With plenty of nooks and crannies to investigate.)

4. All of their books are used. (It is cool to me to flip through pages and see where other people have left their mark.)

5. They offer their entire inventory online! 

Head on over to http://www.janeaddamsbooks.com/ to check out what they have. If you are ever in or around the Champaign-Urbana area, by all means swing by!

The Art of Racing in the Rain

• Author: Garth Stein (website/instagram/twitter)
• Publisher & Date: Harper Collins, 2008
• Pages: 352
• Intended Audience: Adults/Young Adults who love animals!
• Genre: Fiction, Fantasy, Philosophy, Family, Pets
• Goodreads Rating: 4.15/5.0 
• Sneak Peak by Jess:   

    "I'm old. And while I'm very capable of getting older, that's not the way that I want to go out. Shot full of pain medication and steroids to reduce the swelling of my joints. Vision fogged with cataracts... That's humiliating and degrading." At the very beginning of the novel, we meet Enzo, an aging, old soul, who is nearing the end of his life, and we meet Denny, his beloved and dearest friend. Enzo's health has been on a steady downhill slope for some time, but before his time comes, he reflects on his long and happy life by telling his story through his own eyes, as a dog. 

"The Art of Racing in the Rain is a beautifully crafted and captivating look at the wonders and absurdities of human life...as only a dog could tell it." -Goodreads.com

    If you are an animal of lover of any kind, then this book is an absolute must-read! Garth Stein is, in some way, a genius. He has cleverly written a novel of the everyday life of a family, the Swifts, but through the point of view of their family pet, Enzo. If you are anything like me, you have probably wondered to yourself what your own pet is thinking, what they dream about, and what they would say to you if they could speak. After reading this book, all of my questions were finally resolved! Enzo is, and like I know my own dog is, a very smart and talented soul. He realizes what is taking place in the world around him; he understands the trouble that his family is going through; he also knows the answers and solutions to those problems, but he cannot communicate effectively other than using small gestures that prove to be pointless most of the time.

  Sure, he can be clever and even sometimes a stubborn individual, but nonetheless, Enzo explains what it means to love, forgive, protect, and cherish those people and things you hold dear by comparing life to one of his favorite past-times, racing. Life is not always about how fast you can go; "The one who drives smart will always win in the end." His canine life is so profoundly inspiring for all of the humankind. You are guaranteed to laugh and most definitely cry as you witness the beauty of his life unfold from beginning to end in this endearing novel.

• Favorite Quotes:

-"Sure, I'm stuffed into a dog's body, but that's just the shell. It's what's inside that's important. The soul. And my soul is very human."

-"It makes one realize that the physicality of our world is a boundary to us only if our will is weak; a true champion can accomplish things that a normal person would think impossible."

-"Yes: the race is long- to finish first, you must finish."

• Favorite Chapter:

-"Chapter 11" (Or as I like to title it, "The Stuffed Zebra!"): This chapter was hilarious to me! I can totally see his situation with the evil stuffed animal, as something that one of my dogs would do. Just being able to see their train of thought makes me literally laugh out loud! 

-"Imola, Italy": My favorite chapter by far, and I don't want to give anything away, so you will see why once you read it! This book couldn't have possibly had a better ending!

• Cons:

-Yet another book that I cannot seem to find anything negative to say about it. When a book can move someone, as much as this book moved me, then that means it is a work of art.

  

  And in honor of Enzo's fabulous life, I wanted to share a few other fabulous dogs that I am lucky to have in my own life! Roxy, the boxer, Baloo, the Black Mouth Cur, Ellie, the Alaskan Husky, and *not pictured* Sadie, the Yellow Lab. 

Making a Difference

   Hope you are having a HAPPY FRIDAY! I just thought I'd share a story that has found a place in my heart! As some of you may or may not know, I taught 6th English-Language Arts last school year, and some of the most heart-breaking moments for me were when I would have a child tell me they hated reading. Hated reading? 

   In all honesty, I could almost relate to them. I never hated reading when I was their age, but I was by no means an avid reader either. (see Behind the Pages) But hearing this as a teacher took a different toll on me. It was like something had hit me deep in my core. It became my goal to pry and find out why the child resented reading. I would do what I could, and more often than not, I would discover that the child simply could not read, or could not read well. How unsettling is it to know that by 6th grade some students still cannot read? We are talking eleven and twelve-year-old children here, and unfortunately, it happens all the time. 

   Which brings me to the reason for this post. My S.O. shared this story with me (bless his heart!) from CBS News; it was aired on "College Football Today" last week. Malcolm Mitchell, a football player for the Georgia Bulldogs, has a very similar story to what I have just described to you. Struggled in grade school. Could not read well. Therefore, hated to read. But with all of the talent he possesses on the field, why would he ever need books? This is a very common misconception of many students; they find success in other areas, and they put reading on the back burner. The difference is, Malcolm decided to choose a different path. His story is absolutely remarkable, and it should be shared. If only every kid could see this...

 

"Somebody called me a nerd. That's not a word that I am used to hearing. I was proud of it...It was like a badge of honor to me." -Malcolm Mitchell

For more information about this story and Malcolm Mitchell, please visit CBS News. 

Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail

• Author: Cheryl Strayed (website/facebook/twitter)
• Publisher & Date: Vintage Books, 2012
• Pages: 311
• Intended Audience: Adult/Young Adult
• Genre: Memoir, Adventure, Travel, Survival, Inspirational
• Goodreads Rating: 3.91/5.0 
• Sneak Peak by Jess: 

     Picture this: You are a 26-years-old female, recently divorced from a man you love dearly, still grieving the loss of your mom who passed away four years prior to this very moment, and you are standing on the edge of a forest line about to take on a 1,100 mile journey through the wilderness, alone, after uprooting your entire life. On top of this slightly irrational decision, you have never hiked a day in your life. Got the idea?

    As crazy as that may sound to some, it is the only thing that sounded sane to Cheryl Strayed at that time in her life. And that is exactly what she, the author of Wild: From Lost and Found on the Pacific Crest Trail, decided to do for herself after her life was seemingly becoming more and more out of her control.

    Young and in love with her high school sweet-heart, Cheryl married at the very young age of 19, and her life was everything she wanted it to be, until her mom fell suddenly ill. After her mother's passing, Strayed did just as her name suggests... she strayed from everything that was once holding her together in one piece; her friends, her family, her husband, her life, her job, and her morals. With all else gone, and having nothing else to lose, she makes the decision to quit her job, sell all of her belongings, and travel across the country to the Mojave desert to hike the infamous Pacific Crest Trail, where she would be faced with some of the most brutal, unforgiving, and loneliest days of her life.

    This memoir takes the reader through a step-by-step retelling of Cheryl Strayed's remarkable journey, as she recounts what it was like to spend three grueling months on her own with just herself and a "Monster."

"Told with great suspense and style, sparkling with warmth and humor, Wild vividly captures the terrors and pleasures of one young woman forging ahead against all odds on a journey that maddened, strengthened, and ultimately healed her." -Goodreads.com
 

    Let me begin by saying that anyone who can hike for 1,100 miles in one lifetime is a BEAST in my eyes. Kudos to you! However, not only did Cheryl Strayed hike 11,000 miles, but she did it alone. A woman, in the woods, for months, alone. That would terrify me; yet, at the same time, I envy her adventure.
   This would not typically be a book that I would grab off of the shelves and read just because it sounded good. I honestly know very little about hiking and the outdoors, and I couldn't really care less about someone taking a trip along the PCT. And if we're being completely honest, I probably would not have read this book if it had not been a true story. The fact that the story was actually lived out by the author made this a good read to me. 
    So let's back up. Strayed takes this journey.. a kind of pilgrimage, if you will, in search of personal fortitude. I guess it was hard for me to grasp why she felt she needed to go hiking (Keep in mind she had never been hiking- it would be like me saying that I needed to go sailing solo down the West Coast to help me find inner peace.) to find such a thing, but then again, I suppose I have never felt that lost. Some people will probably consider this a very reckless decision on her part, and others will love her courage and the struggles that she overcomes. Strayed uses some pretty vivid detail when she writes about her time in these various desserts and mountain ranges, which in a sense is nice, because she paints a picture for you, but can get a bit lengthy for my taste. (Again, if your into that kind of thing, then you'll love it.) She also explains some background on her life and events leading up to her final decision to take on the PCT. Growing up with an absent father, moving from place to place, and losing the one person that kept the family glued together, could easily cause anyone to fall into a dark, bottomless pit. Who really knows what it would take to rebuild a life from such a place until you reach that point yourself? To wrap it all up, this memoir is painstaking proof that even through the midst of defeat, starvation, and loneliness, humans are equipped with what it takes to survive. Just strap in tight because this story can be very emotionally raw, sadly relateable at times, and brutally descriptive, but it will leave you cheering her on around every bend. 

•  Favorite Quotes:

-"Fear, to a great extent, is born of a story we tell ourselves."

-"I'd made a plan: I would follow this road wherever it led me. I'd ignore all others that crossed its path, no matter how intriguing or promising they looked."
 -"There is no way to know what makes one thing happen and not another. What leads to what. What destroys what. What causes what to flourish or die or take another course."

• Biggest Takeaway:

-Never take your loved ones for granted. (Especially your mom.) I have learned that my time with my parents and grandparents is very limited, and I have always known that, but seeing what Strayed goes through really opened my eyes to how precious my family is. 

• Cons:

 -I'm racking my brain to find a con about this book, and it doesn't seem like I am going to be able to fabricate one. It is a beautifully-crafted novel. 

• Questions:

-Why did she choose the PCT? What was so intriguing about hiking to her at this point in her life?

-Did she really ever find what she was looking for?

-In your opinion, did her brutal honesty about some of her previous mistakes seem like bragging points?
-Was her decision to take on this journey irrational or justified?

Spoiler Alert!

IF YOU HAVE NOT READ WILD, BY CHERYL STRAYED, THEN STOP READING HERE. I REPEAT, DO NOT WATCH THE TRAILER BELOW.
(Just thought I would torment you with a little temptation this morning!)

I cannot wait to go see this movie!!

Hollow City: The Second Novel of Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children

• Author: Ransom Riggs (website/instagram/twitter)
• Publisher & Date: Quirk Books Publishing, 2014
• Pages: 396
• Intended Audience: Young Adults
• Genre: Mystery, Suspense, Paranormal, Fantasy, Historical Fiction
• Goodreads Rating: 4.03/5.0
• Sneak Peak by Jess:   

    Hollow City picks up right where Miss Peregrine's left you hanging. We meet up with the children and the bird as they make there way to... well, we aren't so sure of just where they are going. All we know for sure is that there is no turning back at this point. Wights, hollowgasts, and explosions have left their once perfect, never-changing loop in total devastation. Now, after sailing for miles across the sea, the children find themselves in quite the predicament. How will they manage to save Mrs. P and themselves in the midst of a World War and wight infiltration? Time is certainly not on their side, and it is quickly running out. 

"Having escaped Miss Peregrine's Island by the skin of their teeth, Jacob and his new friends must journey to London, the peculiar capital of the world. Along the way, they encounter new allies, a menagerie of peculiar animals, and other unexpected surprises." -Goodreads.com

    This sequel to Miss Peregrine's steps it up a notch, in my opinion. Stuck in Europe, in probably one of the worst time periods imaginable, Jacob and his crew take readers on this terrifying journey in the middle of World War II. The scene has changed, the characters are evolving and becoming more and more relentless, and the story itself is more edgy than the first novel. Not only are these children amazing and very unique, but Riggs doesn't stop there. He decides to take it a step further and introduce a "menagerie of peculiar animals" to the mix. 

    I cannot exaggerate enough about the suspense that is created and just built upon in this book. Several of the characters are forced to make some pretty costly decisions, decisions I would never want to have to make, and they have no choice but to act in ways that you would never expect them to. There are circumstances in just about every chapter that leave you wondering how in the world? Don't get me wrong, not every situation ends the way you would want to. I swear that little twists and surprises are Riggs's specialty! I guess you'll just have to read for yourself. If you loved the first book, then do yourself a favor, and read this one immediately. 

• Favorites:

-Quote: "Despite everything, the peculiar life was what I had always wanted. Strange, I thought, how you can be living your dreams and your nightmares at the very same time."

-Character: Milliard Nullings, "An invisible boy, scholar of all things peculiar." I really loved Milliard in the first one, but he is fabulous in this sequel. 

-Also, I liked the twins. They were creepy but in a cute kind of way.

• Cons (as I see them): 

-Some of the conflicts in the plot seemed a little too far-fetched. Just be sure to remind yourself that this is a fantasy novel and that is all the fun in it- being able to accomplish things that would never happen in real life.

-And am I the only one who thinks that the romance happening is a little odd? (which may be the point?)

-The only other downside about this novel is that there is not a sequel written about it yet!!

• Questions: 

-Do you think that Jacob made the right decision? What would you have done if you were in his shoes?

-Is it okay to abandon your morals in certain situations?

-Should there be a third book to this story?

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)

 

• Author: Mindy Kaling (facebook/instagram/twitter)
• Publisher & Date: Three Rivers Press, 2011
• Pages: 219
• Intended Audience: Adults (specifically those with an open mind and a great sense of humor.)
• Genre: Memoir, Comedy, Adult Humor
• Goodreads Rating: 3.81/5
• Sneak Peak by Jess:

     Mindy Kaling lays it all on the line in this interesting, yet hodge-podge-like memoir of her life. From her memories of growing up as an uncoordinated, non-athletic immigrant child, to her views on the do's and don't's of karaoke, Kaling addresses just about everything she could think of at the time of writing her first book. 

"In Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?, Mindy invites readers on a tour of her life and her unscientific observations of romance, friendship, and Hollywood, with several conveniently placed stopping points for you to run errands or make phone calls." -Goodreads.com

   To this day I have never watched a single episode of, "The Office." There. I said it. However, I have watched a movie or two that had Mindy Kaling in it. Now that I have read this book though, I consider myself a fan. She allows readers to take a trip through her life- the good and the bad- and she really doesn't hold much back.

   The novel itself is written like a collection of essays and lists. Don't ask me how it is organized though because I am still trying to figure that out myself. It is very informally written, and it is written in her voice, which I really liked because you feel like you are listening to one of your best friends tell you story. She takes the time to address serious topics; bullying, coming of age, friendships, career and life decisions, self-esteem and self-worth, romance and guys, and legacies, and sprinkled throughout all of these more serious topics she leaves little pieces of what I would like to consider is her humor by addressing things like, "The Day I Stopped Eating Cupcakes," and, "Revenge Fantasies While Jogging." Take it or leave it, I guess.

   In all honesty, I think that this book is either a "you love it," or "you hate it" type of book. There are no deep-rooted, over-arching themes, or little hidden pieces of symbolism waiting to be discovered, and more than likely, you won't take much away from it. But with that being said, if you love a good laugh and a little entertainment, you'll probably find yourself somewhere in the "you love it" category. I just enjoyed getting to know who she is as a person and where she came from. 

• Favorite Quotes:

-"Are you kidding me? The thrill of living was high school? Come on Mr. Cougar Mellancamp. Get a life."

-"I was sitting in an audition room with a bunch of girls who were the "after" picture to my "before."

- "...(b) introducing Americans to the Daisy Duke short-shorts, which single-handedly lowered the average age of sexual intercourse in this country by several years."

• Favorite Chapters:

"Failing at Everything in the Greatest City on Earth": I really liked this chapter simply because it is so easy for me to relate to at the moment. She is living proof that everything happens for a reason.

"Best Friends Rights and Responsibilities": Only because this is a day in the life of my best friends and me. Any girl could understand. 

"Married People Need to Step It Up": In my opinion, Mindy becomes very sincere when she addresses this topic, unlike many of the other chapters in her book. As a reader, you can almost see through her and her comical facade she uses to conceal her insecurities. She nails it in this chapter though. It really did reaffirm my belief that marriage can work; sure it's not always a "cake-walk." As she describes it, it is "not the beginning and certainly not the end of your friendship with a person you can't wait to talk to about gardening with for the next forty years."

• Cons (as I see them): 

- One thing that I didn't really like- and it is my fault- is that she uses several references to other celebrities and producers that I have never heard of. I missed out on some of her jokes by not knowing who played in that movie twenty some-odd years ago. Again, probably my fault that I am not a movie buff. 

- This did not necessarily bother me, but fair warning, she uses some crude language and racy comments at times. I seriously doubt that she means to offend anyone by this, but just so you are aware. 

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

• Author: Ransom Riggs (website/instagram/twitter)
• Publisher & Date: Quirk Books Publishing, 2011
• Pages: 352
• Intended Audience: Young Adults
• Genre: Mystery, Suspense, Paranormal, Fantasy, Historical Fiction
• Goodreads Rating: 3.78/5.0 
• Sneak Peak by Jess:  

      Jacob Portman is your everyday, very average, mad-at-the-world teenager who woefully works at his family's pharmacy. His disappointment with his ever so boring existence and his cynical outlook on life and family, makes the stage for the reader at the very beginning of the book.

       As a kid, his grandfather was his very own super-hero. Grandpa Portman shares stories from his past; stories of the WWII, stories of growing up in an orphanage, and most importantly stories of strange and extraordinary kids. 

       At sixteen-years-old Jacob is put in a life-altering situation. A horrific tragedy sends his life spiraling out of control, and he is now left to decipher the stories that have long been clouding his mind. 

      Unfathomable disasters, hidden family secrets, abandoned orphanages, and a box of strange and inexplicable photographs will leave you wanting more in Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. This all but ordinary novel takes its readers on a mysterious journey across the seas, across time, and across a land of very strange occurrences.

"A spine-tingling fantasy illustrated with haunting vintage photography, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children will delight adults, teens, and anyone who relishes an adventure in the shadows." - Goodreads.com

    First of all, I was dying to read this book as soon as I laid eyes on the cover. It's intriguing, right? Well, I have never been more pleasantly surprised to go against the quote, "Never judge a book by its cover." What Ransom Riggs accomplishes in his very first novel, mind you, is astonishing. 

    Jacob's overall story is great, and honestly, I kind of envy his adventure. I thought that it may be a little cheesy at first- simply because I am not always into the "paranormal" bits, but I was completely surprised at how much I loved it. One of the my favorite aspects of the book is how Riggs takes you through time and incorporates so much history throughout the story, and you can't get much more paranormal than time travel! So, I guess I am a fan. 

   Riggs develops his characters in an unique way as well. (Although, there are quite a few, and it was hard for me to keep them all straight at times. Good thing there are pictures!) You are introduced to them over the course of the book, which I loved, but he also randomly adds photographs here and there that he has personally collected for himself over the years. (Pretty cool hobby if you ask me!) It was interesting to me, and almost creepy in a sense, how seamlessly the photographs accompanied the plot. It would not surprise me at all if this style of writing became popular all of a sudden. Nice touch.

    But I think what I loved most about this book is the way Riggs writes. He is such an animated writer, and as a reader, you fall in love with his language. From his syntax, to his specific word choice, I guess I just was not expecting so much from a newly published author. 

    I highly suggest giving this book a shot. If you're into mind-boggling, super-twisting, mysterious, and kind of creepy suspense reads, then you'll be right at home. Also, I am a huge fan of learning a little bit about the author before/after I read something, and Ransom Riggs is a pretty interesting fellow. I would definitely suggest you swing by his website to see how he came up with the idea for writing Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children.

Favorites:

-Quote: "I used to dream about escaping my ordinary life, but my life was never ordinary. I had simply failed to notice how extraordinary it was."

-Character: Horace Somnusson- He is a intellect with an exceptional way with words. My kind of guy right there.  

Cons (as I see them):  

-As I already mentioned, it was hard to adjust to all of the characters' names at first. Just sort of confusing. 

-I was not completely thrilled by the way it came to an end; however, I knew there was a sequel, so I wasn't too worried about it. 

For the Love of Books

   Hello, and welcome! Recently, and without warning, I came to the conclusion that I needed to start keeping track of the books that I find myself plundering through. So, my next thought was, "What better way to keep a record of a ton of books than in a blog?" And from there, Pretty Little Page Turner was born. I decided to start a blog to help myself and others keep track of the good, the bad, the ugly, and the downright amazing books out there. To kick off the new site, I would like to start with an "At-A-Glance" approach so everyone can know what's coming up! This will also give you a chance to join in on this escapade with me if your book-loving heart desires.

October Reviews

   Being that October is my first month to start reviewing, I thought it may be best to back track just a little. (Only because the books that I read this summer were so remarkable and deserve to be shared and celebrated!) So for October, I will post reviews for three books: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, Hollow City: The Second Novel of Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children, both by Ransom Riggs, and Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) a memoir written by one of Hollywood's finest, Mindy Kaling.

November Reviews

   I will bring you the latest scoop on Cheryl Strayed's novel, Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail in November. This novel is yet another memoir making waves in Hollywood. Rumor has it that this book is in the making to become a motion picture this year!

December Reviews

   As for December reviews, I cannot wait to share my thoughts on the novel The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern and The Opposite of Loneliness: Essays and Stories by Marina Keegan- if you're lucky!