October is my favorite holiday! Day 1

I decided, since I basically celebrate the whole month of October, I should follow my heart and revel in what I love about Autumn. Today will be a book recommendation and and list of what I don’t actually like about this season. I view myself as a traditionalist.

First the list. Things I don’t like about Halloween season:

1. Depictions of blood, gore and death. It is almost like people revel in it.
2. Skimpy Halloween costumes
3. HORROR MOVIES. Not a fan of evil being given a winning hand. Not a fan at all.
4. Anything to do with zombies.
5. Most Tim Burton movies. (Exceptions: The Nightmare Before Christmas, Edward Scissorhands, the short film Vincent)
6. Wiji boards
7. Ghost shows or basically ANYTHING to do with possession
8. The movie Scooby-Doo On Zombie Island (1998)
9. Anything depicting children as evil
10. CANNIBALISM shown or described at all.

And there you have it. Now, Halloween is my favorite holiday. After seeing this list you are probably thinking how on earth this is the case. Quite simply, I celebrate the traditional Halloween. But I will get to that later!

Book recommendation #1!

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making (2011)

Actually, I recommend this entire five book series by esteemed author Catherynne M. Valente. Though not a fan of her adult novels, I fell in love with this beautiful book from its first chapter. It follows a girl September who is taken to fairyland and has her heart grow to fill it. She meets a Wyvern, who is part library, saves the Madrid Saturday from his lobster cage, gives away her shadow and travels throughout a land which is always Autumn! A lot more than that transpires which makes reading it all the more wonderful!

What I like so much about this story is how much it broadened my vision and caught my imagination on fire! Valente has a way of painting with words which I find altogether charming. For Autumn lovers I say read the entire series! It is utterly delightful.

“Of course not. No one is chosen. Not ever. Not in the real world. You chose to climb out of your window and ride on a leopard. You chose to get a witch’s Spoon back, and to make friends with a wyvern. You chose to trade your shadow for a child’s life. You chose not to let the Marquess hurt your friend–you chose to smash her cages! You chose to face your own Death, not to balk at a great sea to cross and no ship to cross it in. And twice now you have chosen not to go home when you might have, if only you abandoned your friends.You are not the chosen one, September. Fairyland did not choose you–you chose yourself. You could have had a lovely holiday in Fairyland and never met the Marquess, never worried yourself with local politics, had a romp with a few brownies and gone home with enough memories for a lifetime’s worth of novels. But you didn’t. You chose. You chose it all. Just like you chose your path on the beach: to lose your heart is not a path for the faint and fainting.”

― Catherynne M. Valente, The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making

Tiger’s Curse (2011) Book Quote and Short review

The dream made me realize how alone I really felt. Since my parents had died, no one had held me like this. Of course, I hugged my foster parents and their kids, but no one managed to break through my defenses- nor had I let anyone pull this depth of emotion from me in a long while.

That was the moment I knew that Ren loved me.

I felt my heart open to him. I already loved and trusted the tiger part of him. That part was easy. But, I recognized that the man needed that love even more. For Ren, it had been centuries-if ever. so, I held him close. . .

So, I wanted to just share a quote from a book I really like. But it comes with a short review because. . . I need to get my thoughts off my chest. Tiger’s Curse is actually the first in a four book series. It is followed by Tiger’s Curse, Voyage and Destiny. Overall, it is definitely a good series to read and better than. . . Twilight. (Sorry. I had to say it.) Colleen Houck did a wonderful job embellishing Indian culture and creating likable characters with real problems.

I liked the main heroine Kelsey because though she was definitely insecure about herself and her relationships, it had a foundation for it that I could understand. But through it all, she was very compassionate and charitable. Ren was my favorite because he was intelligent, vulnerable and he loved very deeply. All in all, I saw in both of them my own anxieties in love and in life.

I also like Ren’s brother Kishan and was happy he received the ending and family he so desperately needed in the last book.

My thoughts on Colleen Houck’s novels are mostly positive. I love the way she writes, the setting she creates, and the the ending. But .. . . I can usually only read the first book and then the end of the fourth.

Of all the four novels in this series the first is my favorite because, well, there isn’t the mind crushing, painful love triangle from the others. Honestly, I can’t read the whole series because it gives me such awful anxiety and frustration.

Here is my reasoning. This was one of those stories I could tell right from the get go who would be together and I really thought it was tangible and real right from the start. But reading Kelsey’s decision to leave Ren after painfully watching him act though a haze of stolen memories and then have to read of how much she fought against herself to the point of almost hating herself. . . Oh gosh it is too much for me.

There are over two books of it and I just. . . can’t. . . make it through. I felt so sad for everyone involved. So. . . I read faithfully to the end, rejoiced it was finally over with Kelsey and Ren married happily with Kishan also married and happy and I was satisfied. But by golly if it didn’t almost destroy me.

So there you have it. The first is my favorite, I love the ending but can’t make it through the books without going through my own personal crisis.

Book Quote: The Girl in the Tower (2017)

Sometimes I read new books and never finish them (This is about 60% of the time). Other times I finish them really fast but don’t think of them later.

However, there are other moments, the rare ones, where I become lost in a story and forget it isn’t real. Then it ends…. and I become angry because I have to wait for the next installment.

Yep, that is this series for me. This is a phenomenal story and I recommend it especially to those with a love of history, folktales and Russia.

‘Should I live out my life as a false Lord, until they find me out and put me in a convent? She demanded. Should I run away? Go home? Never see my brothers again? Where do I belong? I don’t know. I don’t know who I am. And I have eaten in your house, and nearly died in your arms, and you rode with me tonight and I hoped you might know.’

The word sounded foolish even as she said it. She bit her lip. The silence stretched out.

‘Vasya,’ he said.

‘Don’t. You never mean it,’ she said, drawing away. ‘You are immortal and it is only a game.’

His answer was not in words, perhaps, spoke for him when his fingertips found the pulse behind her jaw. She did not move. His eyes were cold and still: pale stars to make her lost. ‘Vasya,’ he said again, low and almost ragged, into her ear. ‘ I am not wise as you would have me, for all my years in the world. I do not know what you should choose. Every time you take one path, you must live with the memory of the other: of a life left unchosen. Decide as seems best, one course or the other; each way will have its bitter with its sweet.‘

‘That is not advice,’ she said. The wind blew her hair against his face.

‘It is all I have,’ he said. Then he slid his fingers through her hair and kissed her.

Book Quote: The Paper Magician (2014)

The context of this passage is interesting. Ceony is traveling through the four corners of her teacher’s heart, encountering different parts of himself. She saw his proud and happy moments, his hopes and aspirations and here she encounters the parts of himself he can’t forgive: the dark corners each of us have but choose to overcome or cultivate. The greatest battle is the one within ourselves.

What about my mistakes? I think about them, too, but where would I be if I thought of nothing else? What sort of person would I be if I drowned in them?

…

‘I forgive you Emery.’ Ceony repeated. ‘I’ve seen all of it, and I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to. I didn’t intend any of this to happen. ‘ She blinked away tears and stifled a sob lurking deep I get throat. ‘But I forgive you. It’s okay now. ‘

…

‘You don’t have the power to forgive.’

‘Then forgive yourself! ‘ She shouted, pushing herself back up. She pressed her palm against the wall for support. ‘Everyone has a dark side! But its their choice whether or not to cultivate it. Don’t you understands? Laura’s exploited hers, but not you. Not you Emery Thane.’ -Charlie M. Holmburg

Last of the Breed (1986): Book Quote

Louis L’amour is a peculiar writer. He is known for his westerns but that description does not suit him well. This book in particular is an insightful look into inter-relations between Russians and Americans. It is a testament that our differences as countries are an illusion. L’amour brought into perspective how it is individuals who show the true, unqiue characters of the countries they live in.

Anyway, this was a most intriging, unbiased look into Cold war history. L’amour is truly a great historian and writer.

Quote 1:

“You’re a good woman,’ he said. I shall pray for you and yours.’

‘Pray is it? A long time since I’ve heard of that. Not since I was a small girl and we had churches where I lived, and priests. Well, pray if you will. I could do with a few prayers. Now be off with you, and if you say you have seen me, I shall say you lied.’

‘Of course. He smiled suddenly. ‘But don’t forget there’s a man walking away who will hold a place for you in his memory.'”

Quote 2:

“When you get back to America will you think of me?’

‘How could I forget you?’ He said, and was startled at the words. Now why did he say that?

‘It is very far. Everyone will be against you.’

‘How could it be otherwise? If our people and your people could sit down together and talk about our families, their farms, and their jobs, I think there would be no trouble.

‘It is our governments that are continually fencing for position, each trying to gain some advantage.

Russia does not trust its own people. They have built a wall to keep them in …'”- Louis L’amour

A Wrinkle In Time (1962) Book Quotes

I had never read this book until a few days ago and I have only one regret; that I can not go back in time and read it again as a child. It was a beautiful story. I highly recommend it.

“We look not at the things which are what you would call seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporal. But the things which are not seen are eternal.” -Madeleine L’Engle

Book Quote: 鋼の錬金術師 (Hagane no Renkinjutsushi) or Fullmetal Alchemist

Hehe, this is one of my favorite stories of all time. But to review it I need to do some heavy duty research. So everyone must wait. If you are a fan of Japanese literature and have not read this… for shame. Start now! 

Father: Why did you not become mine God!?

God: “Because you never believed in yourself. You thought you could make God’s power your own? Don’t make me laugh. You think stealing something powerful makes you great? You’re nothing but a cunning thief. You should have stayed satisfied inside the flask where you belong. All you have ever done is use the strength of others to grab godhood. You haven’t grown at all.

Father: “I wanted to become a perfect being! I wanted to understand God! I wanted to know everything about the world! So, why do you oppose me? Who are you?!

God: “I am what humans call the world, Or the universe or God or truth or all or one. And I am you. . . The truth brings despair to those who dare to reach above their station. This is the end you wished for.” ― Hiromu Arakawa, Fullmetal Alchemist 2001-2010

Book Quote: 夏目友人帳 (Natsume Yūjin-chō) or Natsume’s Book of Friends 2005-ongoing

This is one of my favorite stories and series! If you have not read it, I would highly recommend it, especially if you are a fan of Japanese literature and culture. 

Once you’ve been loved once and have loved once, you cannot forget it.- Natsume, Natsume’s Book of Friends 

Book Quote: Miss Burton Unmasks a Prince (2015)

The correct relationship​ will make a person bloom. He becomes more himself, his talents deepen, his personality grows, and he thrives. But the wrong relationship will produce the opposite. The things that were once so vital no longer matter. His talents disappear, his individuality fades, and he wilts. -Jennifer Moore

Book Quote of the Day: Исповедь or Confession

“As it was before, so it was now; I need only be aware of God to live; I need only forget Him, or disbelieve Him, and I died.

What is this animation and dying? I do not live when I lose belief in the existence of God. I should long ago have killed myself had I not had a dim hope of finding Him. I live, really live, only when I feel Him and seek Him. “What more do you seek?” exclaimed a voice within me. “This is He. He is that without which one cannot live. To know God and to live is one and the same thing. God is life.

Live seeking God, and then you will not live without God.” And more than ever before, all within me and around me lit up, and the light did not again abandon me.” 

-Исповедь or Confession (1879-1880) by Лев Никола́евич Толсто́й or Leo Tolstoy