How to devour a book...

I decided to move back towards  literature akin to L. M. Alcott's and began reading another childhood classic.....
  
       Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgommery

...of which I have now read 100 pages, loving every word!

Im 12 chapters in and while I know the story itself by heart thanks to the film adaptation with Megan Follows, it is simply wonderful to read. The writing style that L. M. Montgommery has is deliciously inviting, terribly romantic and gloriously descriptive. Furthermore I would like to add that I find her writing flawlessly enchanting.

In fact, im falling in love with her use of language as I did with Alcott's.... Simply breath-taking.

If you have never read this marvelous tale, I strongly recommend that you do so... Or else you won't realize just  "how much you miss" (55 ).

My copy has the motion picture cover, but it belongs to a set of the Anne novels written by L. M. Mongommery printed by McClelland-Bantam, Inc. It is a Bantam Seal Book, but it does not give me the editions print date. I do have a history of printing but it just tells me the original pring date is 1908 and the second copyright date is from 1935. And that it was printed in the USA. So I have no idea what the print year of this edition is but I shall endeavor to find out :)

Well, I'm off to read another 100 pages or so ;) I can feel your envy from here :p *kidding*

Fare thee well faithful bookworms!

<3

The wanton angel...

Such a wonderful tale spun masterfully by Edward Marston!

"We are fortunate men"
"We are!" Said Nicholas with feeling.
"Alexander Marwood is a menace but remember this, Nick. Better the devil we know than the angel we do not!" (278-9)

It took me longer than expected to read because of being busy working, but thoroughly worth my while. I am both relieved and sad to have come to the end of its pages. The passage quoted above comes directly from the end of chapter 12- the books final chapter. I was entertained to the height of my senses! I laughed and cried out in anger or surprise, I wept bitterly for losses and sweetly for gains, couldn't put it down and didn't want to finish it.  Marston's writing is easy to fall into while remaining difficult enough to retain ones interest.. his use of the time period language really helped me (as reader) get into the historical, social and cultural mood. I felt able to identify with not only the players, but everyone from Lord Westfield to Leonard and from Cordelia Dartford to Rose Marwood. The characters were wonderfully genuine and believeable, so much so that the readers own loyalties and feelings toward each individual person changes and sways from time to time.  Simply fantastic writing!

I intend to locate and read the other numerous works in Marston's Nicholas Bracewell series.

Another Sunday come, another week done.. and another book read. Monday comes and bringeth along book 7!

<3

one more down,,,

I should stop making promises more often... miraculously I finished the remaining 140 pages last night!! *high five*

Now if I could only decide what to read next.... supernatural chills or romantic thrills... 

.  .  .

well I think I'll work my way backwards in time and read a book that's both suspenseful and romantic.. My faithful readers, I give you. . .

The Wanton Angel  by Edward Marston

My sister purchased me this book for Christmas when I was in the middle of my high-school years.. I was extremely interested in the Elizabethan era and Shakespeare had become a fortified passion of mine- that year in English Lit we studied Hamlet. Edward Marston writes Elizabethan mysteries and this particular text is the 10th in his critically acclaimed series featuring Nicholas Bracewell.  I have not read any of the other 9 works of this series but I intend to look into it after i'm through with my bookcase. 

The copy i am reading is hardcover, published by St. Martin's Press, 1999. It's 279 pages and fairly large print... I anticipate being finished by tomorrow morning. 

as always, If you want any more information or have questions etc. don't hesitate to e-mail or comment :) 

<3

promises...promises

It is becoming more and more apparent that I should stop making promises with you and myself about the finish dates for my books. Its been three days and I am on page 254 of 394 of V.C Andrews  

Daughter of Darkness... *sigh* It's a fairly fast paced read, I was simply too occupied to do more than a 100 pages this weekend.  I hope to have it finished by tonight, since it's only 140 pages to go. *fingers crossed* 

I've still to decide with title to choose for book 6 on my list... it's either going to be a pure and wholesome coming of age, or another wonderfully dark and delicious supernatural thriller. OR maybe I'll start making my way through one of the thick texts... But i'd rather be able to read it from cover to cover... hmmmm decisions decisions.

Never the less, I hope to be finished book ten by the end of this week... Although I seem to be failing at keeping my day count, wish me luck! 

<3

Along the same lines of supernatural..

After having finished the collection of supernatural shorts, my spark of interest for the otherworldly became a flame which I have decided to fan into an all out fire! As such, I've chosen a lengthy, yet satisfying title for book 5, written by one of my top favourite authors...

             Daughter of Darkness by V.C.Andrews

395 pages of delicious intoxication, I cannot wait to sink my literary fangs into!

I couldn't wait to jump headlong into this tasty morsel of literature and am now well into the first 50 pages.

Allow me to provide you with the first page after the cover:

                                  First Taste

- My sister Ava smiled at me. "Maybe you don't realize it yet, but the change has begun in you, Lorelei. Don't tell me you don't feel it in yourself."
"I do, Ava, but I'm not sure what it is I'm feeling exactly"
"You're feeling the power" she said.
"What is the power?"
"The gift that makes it possible for you to do for Daddy what your sisters, what I, have done for him. Its not just being attractice. You will mesmeriza, capture, and fascinate. You'll get to feel like a goddess, like the puppeteer pulling the strings and making men dance. You had a taste of that last night, didn't you?"
"Yes."
She smiled and nodded. "I remember my first taste of it. It was truly like drinking from the Fountain of Youth. The energy, the strength, the confidence in yourself that you feel right now will never die."
"You make it sound as if we're immortal."
Ava smiled.

I am so excited to be reading this text again and I hope you will be just as thrilled to come along with me through it here.

The verson I am reading was published by Pocket Star Books, a division of Simon & Schuster, 2010. If you're interested in getting to know more about the author or would like suggestions about which of her series to read, drop me a comment or email.

My goal is to have this completed by tomorrow evening so as to stay on track. 394 pages in 36 hours... no problem!

<3

Thank you P.N. Elrod!!

Thanks to this brilliant authoress (teehee),  my love for supernatural romantic suspense thrillers grows and grows and grows!!

If you are looking for a sampling of paranormal fiction, I strongly suggest you pick up either of the two collections of short stories that P.N. Elrod has edited. I am going to be on the look out for My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding myself but I can verify that my bookcase book #4 provides pleasure at every page turn.

The collection of short stories within this text were wonderfully varied on their paranormal characters which I feel really helped me (as reader) move from one short to the next.  I intend to do some website hunting and will be looking into the other (and primary) works of fiction created by these brave, amusing and fantastic authors.

I'm still not caught up yet on my list, but I remain optimistic.  I will be 35-40% completed as of October 31st. Because if not, I'll fall truly behind and won't allow myself to give my full attention to national novel writing month November..

*fingers all crossed and holding* wish me luck!

Now.... cultural fiction or another suspenseful supernatural romance thriller??

<3

Moving right along to book number 4 :)

Changing the genre a little I give you...

           My Big Fat Supernatural Honeymoon

Published by St. Martin's Press NY, January 2008, it is a collection of new short stories, edited by P.N Elrod. It includes 9 shorts by 9 of todays "hottest paranormal authors" in, what I assume to be, response to the following question found on the back of the book:

"What newly married couple doesn't dream of a romantic retreat where they can escape the world for a while- but what happens when supernatural forces intrude on their wedded bliss?"

Sounds thrilling no? This editor also put together a collection prior to this one called my big fat supernatural wedding which I will be on the look out for...

Oh that this too human flesh would melt and transform me into that otherwordly shape which pleases me so!

Well, its 357 pages in total but I am looking forward to reading every word!

Wish me luck... Come my bookworms of the night!

Another day, another title..

I just finished the last page of Ever After and this final line was bitter-sweet for me...
"Danielle snuggled in close, breathing in Henry's clean, woodsy scent and pressing her cheek against his. Happily ever after. . . what a romantic way to begin the rest of their lives together. It sounded almost like a fairy tale." (Loggia 184)
Beyond the fact that it consisted of less than 200 pages and was a rather large font, I really enjoyed this novel to the fullest. It was wonderfully paced and did my poor scarred heart some real good. Thank you Wendy Loggia for putting the magic of fairy-tale love back into my life!!! :)
Well, since this book ends with a marriage, its only fitting that I follow it with my next text...
               
<3

I give you... Book Three!

Ladies and Gentlemen, without much further ado I disclose to you the choice for my next bookcase text...

                                                  Ever After- a Cinderella story    

It is a novel by Wendy Loggia, based on a screenplay by Susannah Grant, and Andy Tennant & Rick Parks and is a major motion picture from Twentieth Century Fox.

The copy that I will be reading has the movie poster cover, which usually I dislike but since I did not purchase this text I had no say in the matter. My sister gave it to me and who am I to turn away a good read... talk about  a literally judging a book by it's cover. 

The book was published by Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group Inc, NY- the text copyright 1998 by Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation.  It was printed in the United States of America, September 1998.  

I have seen the motion picture but am really hoping that it proves my theory right as I believe that the book is almost always better than the film adaptation. No matter how lovely Drew Barrymore may look picking truffles. 

It is my up most desire to have this text read by tomorrow evening, and as it is 184 pages, I cannot foresee there being any obstacles. 

Wish me Luck!

<3

Book two finally finished :)

It took ten days but I finally made it to the end of Luisa May Alcott's Little Men I am very glad for it. It is an unforgettable read and I was entertained and pleased throughout it's entirety. Often times, I worry that I'm going to get halfway through a novel and find it boring or find my interest waning but this wondrous tale had me completely and thoroughly capture.  Though I had to read it in small bits when I found five minutes to myself, I was thrilled. I would sit smiling, crying and laughing out loud to myself, captured in the beautiful prose and held breathless with anticipation of the next moment of "boyish" fun to be had with Jo, the boys and the little ones. The author was quite clever in including morals to every moment in the story but in ways that did not bother or bore the reader. In fact, I feel that it enhanced the plot and made you fall deeper in love with each and every "ruddy faced little chick" that Mother Bhaer kept under her wings. 

The final chapter provides a wonderful summing up of both this novel and of Little Women with regards to character and plot development and the tying of loose ends. Laurie "Teddy" Laurence reminds Jo that her work with the boys at Plumfield is as successful as her and her sister's work with him back in their childhood days.  L.M Alcott brings the following conclusion forward to her readers: 

"...the good Professor and his wife were taken prisoner by many arms, and half hidden by the bouquet of laughing young faces which surrounded them, proving that one plan had taken root and blossomed beautifully in all the little gardens.  For love is a flower that grows in any soil, works its sweet miracles undaunted by autumn frost or winter snow, blooming fair and fragrant all the year, and blessing those who give and those who receive." (253) 

*sigh* two words- Simply Beautiful

Well, it's off to the next book and I've decided to choose at random for the time being rather than go through alphabetically.  This decision taken in the hopes of my ability to read through the next few texts quickly so as to get back on schedule in order to accomplish my deadline. It's been 12 days since I began this endeavor and I am only 2 books down... 118 texts to go. *sigh*  Just to see where I stand in terms of having fallen behind, I have to read through the remaining 118 texts in 293 days. Approximate reading speed should be around 2.5 days per text. 

Well, that's reasonable enough!! I shall rise to face this challenge as courageously and strong-willfully as ever :)


Happy Reading To You All 
<3 

Still on book two :(

Im afraid that this year long bookcase expedition isn't off to the greatest start. Im still reading L.M Alcott's little men and at a slow pace at that.

We've been working around the clock on my parents bedroom and the work is finally half finished. Hence my lack of reading lately. I hope to be back on track by the end of the week and to read doubly fast the remainder of this month. *fingers crossed*

-_-

<3

8 days down, 358 days to go... and I'm already behind

So Im only on book two of my large reading list.. and sadly, am already behind...

Even though I've been reading Little Men every chance I get, there just haven't been enough chances for me to get very far I'm afraid. 

I've spent the past 3 days tearing apart my parents bedroom furniture and rifling through bags of accumulated memories and "stuff", lending my spare time to the important task of finishing and editing my brand new short stories!! That's right! I've been a short story writing fiend lately... especially at 2 am when insomnia hits. When not covered in dusty pictures and marital paraphernalia, I can be seen wandering about in my Colombian macrame shawl with my black Moleskine and a ball point pen.  Suffice to say, I've been neglecting my reading and writing up a storm! 

I'm taking the GO bus to TO today and will be returning tomorrow so during my 2 hour bus ride I intend to speed read my way through the remaining half of the novel.  

Oh! I almost forgot to tell you!  I was taking public transit yesterday and trying to read through the last pages of chapter 7 when this elderly lady sitting to my left eyed my book.  She then proceeded to ask me whether or not my copy was a first edition and had me check the front inside cover pages where upon we found no date of print or copyright or publication.  The elderly woman informed me that she was an avid collector of first editions and even possessed a first edition of Little Women. She guessed that my book was probably printed in the late 1930's judging by print, paper type and cover quality. I haven't the slightest clue about the edition of this book, as all I have to go off of is an indication of where the book was printed.  However, i will endeavor to search out this hidden information and am rather excited at the prospect of owning a first edition of this novel.  Interesting, no? 

Any who, I hope my next post involves a description of my inhuman speed read completion of this novel  and perhaps some interesting bus banter during my trip. 

Wish me luck.. 

Happy reading!

<3 

First Wednesday of September and...

     To date, I've read just over 90 pages of L.M. Alcott's Little Men and loving every word of it.  The only trouble with the book is that I find myself repeatedly and totally lost in reveries about having children and sitting on the side of hills in a fancy frock watching them play with their father - who incidentally is looking more and more like Prof. Bhaer as the day dreams roll on- while I write beautiful words down on parchment.  I hope to get my head out of the clouds soon enough to start reading seriously but it is so easy to get lost in the lovely pages of prose. Take a look at the wording of this quick and simple opening passage for instance: 

     "When Nat went into school on Monday morning, he quaked inwardly, for now he thought he should have to display his ignorance before them all.  But Mr. Bhaer gave him a seat in the deep window, where he could turn his back to the others, and Franz heard him say his lessons there, so not one could hear his blunders... He was truly grateful for this, and toiled away so diligently.  Thinking that a lesson in learning to help one another was better than arithmetic just then, Mr. Bhaer, told them about Nat, making such an interesting and touching little story out of it that the good-heartened lads all promised to lend him a hand, and felt quite honoured to be called upon to impart their stores of wisdom to the chap who fiddled so capitally." (Alcott 44-45)

I mean, isn't that just lovely? And its just a description about a boys insecurities about learning and gaining the assistance of his teacher and fellow classmates. It's not an epic moment in the novel, or in any ways in competition with something by Chaucer but it's a sight prettier than you're average scribbling... if you know what I mean. 

Well, I hope to be as enchanting an author some day.. perhaps the ghost of L.M.Alcott will visit me in one of my daydreams and inspire me to literary greatness! 

Check out the copy that I'm reading from... cute right? 

"Pin Circus. Come in for a Pin" -I'll explain later :)

Inside cover.. sorry for the blurriness

Well my intentions are to finish this book off by end of today, so here's hoping! Wish me luck and post your comments at your own will ;)

XOXO

The BookCase of Wonderment... Read Freely and Of Your Own Free Will

Ladies and Gentlemen (and any of you considering yourselves to in between, around, beside, reversed or flipped over), avid bloggers and random passers-by, those of you who may have happened here by chance, google, previous fellowship or subscription... 

I BID YOU WELCOME. 

It is my pleasure to begin this new project and I hope that you will be as entertained with my posts and I endeavor to be with my rather large upcoming reading list.  

I have posted a list of all the titles- alphabetically by author last name- that reside snugly in my 6 foot bookcase.  These texts will be a part of my life for the next 363 days and so I decided to begin this blog.  As I have decided 2012/2013 to be a year of change, a new space for blogging was called for and I have undertaken a personal challenge of reading/re-reading all the literary works on my bookcase. I'm excited to finally kick things off and I hope you will enjoy coming along with me on my year-long reading adventure. 

Below is the completed listing of the titles that sit on the shelves of my bookcase and as I complete each text, I will strike it through. As of yet, I remain unsure about reading through the list by author or simply choosing a text at random.  It could go either way... and perhaps I might attempt to read by genre and therefore begin with the classics, and work my way onto contemporary fiction. Only time will tell.  If you are interested in knowing more details about the works I read, or curious about editions, publications information, historical background etc. feel free to post a comment and I will try my hardest to satisfy your burning curiosity. 

I hope you enjoy reading along with me this next year and that you will open your minds and hearts to receive the wonders that Literature can provide.

                                               Now then... Onto the list!! 


Alcott, Luisa M- Little Women
                              - Little Men
Alexie, Sherman- The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven
                                 - Reservation Blues
                                 - Indian Killer
                                 - Ten Little Indians
                                 - The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
Andrews, V.C - Daughter of Darkness
                     - Daughter of Light
                            -Garden of Shadows
                             - Flowers in the Attic
                             - Petals on the Wind
                             - If There Be Thorns
                             - Seeds of Yesterday
                              - Secrets in the Attic
                              - Willow
Armintrout, Jennifer- Blood Ties Book One: The Turning
                                         - Blood Ties Book Two: Possession
                                         - Blood Ties Book Three: Ashes to Ashes
                                         - Blood Ties Book Four: All Souls Night
Austen, Jane - Sense and Sensibility
                           -Pride and Prejudice
                           - Persuasion
                          - Northanger Abbey
                          - Mansfield Park
                          - Emma
Banks, L. A: Vampire Huntress Legends
                       - Minion
                       - The Awakening
                      - The Hunted
                      - the Bitten
                      - The Forbidden
                      - The Damned
                      - The Forsaken
                       -The Wicked
                       - The Cursed
                       - The Darkness
                       - The Shadows
                       - The Thirteenth
Boyden, Joseph- Three Day Road
Baum, Frank L. - Dorothy and the Wizard In Oz
                               - The Road to Oz
Bruce, Harry- MAUD: The Life of L. M. Montgomery
Campbell, Camille - Meditations with Teresa of Avila
Churchill, Jill- Someone To Watch Over Me
Cohen, Leonard- Book of Longing
Conrad, Joseph- Heart of Darkness
Dick, Phillip- Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
Dickens, Charles- David Copperfield
                                  - Oliver Twist
Elrod, P.N et al - My Big Fat Supernatural Honeymoon
Erdrich, Louise- Tracks
Fielding, Helen- Bridget Jones's Diary
Ftizpatrick, Becca- Hush, Hush
Frank, Anne- The Diary of a Young Girl
Gansworth, Eric- Sovereign Bones
Golden, Arthur- Memoirs of a Geisha
Grimm Jakob & Wilhelm - The Complete Brothers Grimm Fairy Tales (Unabridged)
Gunn, Robin Jones- Sweet Dreams
Hart, Raven- The Vampire's Seduction
                        - The Vampire's Secret
                        - The Vampire's Kiss
                        - The Vampire's Betrayal
                        - The Vampire's Revenge
Highway, Thomson- Dry Lips Ought to Move to Kapuskasing
Harrison, Charles Yale- Generals Die in Bed
Hiaasen, Carl- Native Tongue
Hughes, Monica- The Dream Catcher
Humphreys, C.C - Vlad, The Last Confession
Kate, Lauren - Fallen
                          - Torment
                          -Passion
King, James - Etienne's Alphabet
Laurence, Margaret- The Stone Angel
Lewis, C. S - The Chronicles of Narnia
Lewis, J. F - Staked
Loggia, Wendy- Ever After, a Cinderella Story
Marston, Edward- The Wanton Angel
McCabe, Patrick- Breakfast on Pluto
Milton, John- Selected Poems
Mojica, Monique- Princess Pocahontas and  The Blue Spots
Momaday, Scott.  N - House Made of Dawn
Montgommery, L. M - Anne of Green Gables
                                          - Anne of Avonlea
                                          - Anne of The Island
                                          - Anne of Windy Poplars
                                          - Anne's House of Dreams
                                          - Anne of Ingleside
                                          -Rainbow Valley
                                          - Rilla of Ingleside
                                          -At the Altar
                                          - Magic for Marigold
                                           -Christmas With Anne
Morrison, Tony - Tar Baby
Morton, Kate - Forgotten Garden
Culleton Mosionier, Beatrice - In Search of April Raintree
Powell, Julie - Julie & Julia
Rice, Anne - Interview with the Vampire
                       - The Vampire Lestat
                       -Queen of the Damned
                       - The Vampire Armand

Richardson, Samuel - Clarissa
Rhys, Jean - Voyage in the Dark

Selvaduri, Shayam - Funny Boy
Shange, Ntozake - For Coloured Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow
                                       is Enuf
Shakespeare  - Hamlet
                    - The Tempest
                    - The Taming of the Shrew
Saint- Exupery, Antoine de - The Little Prince
Sparks, Kerrelyn   - Be Still My Vampire Heart
                           - The Undead Next Door
                           - Vampire Mine
Stine, R. L - Bitten: Dangerous Girls & The Taste of Night
                  - First Date
Stoker, Bram - Dracula
Thomas, D. M - The White Hotel
Tolstoy, Leo, Anna Karenina
Twain, Mark - Classics
Walker, Alice- The Color Purple
Wilde, Oscar - The Picture of Dorian Gray
Wilder, Laura Ingalls- Little Town on the Prairie
Yeats, W.B - Early Poems

My New IKEA Billy Book Case... not even big enough to house all of my treasured texts,
too tall  couldn't fit the bottom shelf into this picture... :) 

I've been anticipating this day for so long now, I already began (and completed) reading my first text- in fact, the first title on my very large and very daunting list... Little Women by Luisa M. Alcott.  It has greatly inspired me not only to read with all my heart but to write with passion once again.  Josephine March is my current role model and L.M Alcott has managed to light the fire under my backside to end my interminable writer's block.  If you have yet to read any of her works, I challenge you to do so and begin with Little Women because it is  piece of literary elegance that cannot be explained, expressed or replicated even with all of the film adaptations.

Well, I'm off to read another Luisa M. Alcott classic...Little Men and I cannot wait to delve into his pages and lose myself amongst the rumpus and chaotic adventures of the Plumfield boys.

As Always, e-mails, comments of any sort are always appreciated... constructive criticism is preferred, and questions and topics for discussion are more than welcome.. 

I have 120 physical texts to read through- not included in this account are the 3 or 4 texts which hold more than one story or novel within them.  With 363 days remaining herein, I shall be endeavoring to read a new text every 3 days approximately. Keeping in mind that I will be taking most of November off to complete NANOWRIMO and that some texts are much larger than others and will require more time.  None the less, by September 3rd 2013 I shall have read them all regardless of pain, sorrow, stress or difficulty.

Wish me Luck.. 

<3