Weekend Update for March 21/22, 2015: A Life Update.

I thought it would be a good idea to give a small life update, as I haven't been posting regularly in quite some time. I could say a year, but quite frankly, I lost the blogging mojo for a couple of years.

In two words, I'm good. Things are going much better than they have been, and while the last year has been incredibly challenging for me, there are a lot of good things on the horizon for myself, my husband, and my life in general.

I think in the last update I gave before completely disappearing, I mentioned that I was hit with a lot of chaos in my life all at once-issues at work, stress from taking classes to renew my certificate, and Matt losing his job. Of the three, obviously Matt's job was the biggest problem and caused a great deal of stress and financial strain for about 6 months. It's been almost a year since it happened and I can say that without a doubt, it was a blessing in disguise. Matt is finally back in school and is set to graduate in another year (FINALLY). We're actually at a good place financially where all of our debt is paid off, and we've both grown up in a lot of ways. There were many times over last summer when I would break down crying because of stress, but we're doing okay now, and our relationship is stronger because of that strain.

Speaking of Matt, we celebrated our 5-year wedding anniversary after Christmas. It doesn't seem like it has been that long, which I suppose is a good thing. ;)

I also have a new niece, Madelyn, who was born in October. She belongs to my brother, Eric (he also has Zoey, my goddaughter). It's crazy that Zoey is already 2 1/2!

In my work life, things are pretty good. My district has some reshuffling before Christmas that resulted in a few lay-offs, and because of that, my schedule was changed. I now teach all English, and while that was what I wanted a long time ago, I really miss teaching history. I currently have 3 sections of sophomore American Literature, 1 section of senior Composition, and 1 section of Mythology. It's a lot of essay grading, but I have found that I've been much more efficient in how I collect and grade papers. I'm not sure what I'm teaching next year, but I'm pushing to get at least 1 section of history back. I'm also hoping that if we get enough student interest I will be teaching a Shakespeare class. We will have to see.

Probably the biggest news is that I finally decided what to do with my education. I was going to start graduate school in the fall, but after Matt lost his job, it wasn't a financial possibility. So, I decided to earn my National Board Certification instead, which in addition to giving me a substantial pay raise, is pretty prestigious and takes care of my certification issues for the next ten years. It's a 3-year process to complete and has 4 parts-a content test and 3 different portfolios. I'm working on one of the portfolio pieces now (it's due May 20th), and when it's finished, it'll be about 60 pages. But the whole process is a challenge and worthwhile, so I'm going to tough it out (and will be spending my entire Spring Break writing and writing and writing).

I'm also hoping to teach summer school this year, with the hopes that the extra income will fund a road trip Matt and I have been talking about taking for years. If all goes well, we're going to spend the first two weeks in August driving out West, camping in Yosemite, seeing lots of national parks, visiting my sister in Los Angeles, and heading back by way of Vegas, the Grand Canyon, and more. I'm really hoping it pans out, as we have been talking about taking this trip for years!

Beyond all of that, not much has been going on. My health has been surprisingly good, with the exception of bad days here and there and a string of migraines that have plagued me this winter. I did have to get glasses back in December as my eyes were going crazy. They make my life much easier. :)

If there's anything else I forgot to mention, feel free to ask.

I will say-it feels good to be writing again.

Book Loot (March 2015).

Ahhhh....buying new books. To be honest, while I have purchased books here and there over the last year, I've been reading a lot from my own shelves and the shelves of my school's media center.I'm sure I will continue to do so, as the need to own every book I read has passed (I've gone through that stage...seriously, I had to buy my own copy). I have learned that it's okay to read things, then seek out a copy if it's something I really want to keep or read again in the future.

That being said, I've gone a bit crazy buying books in the last couple of months. I thought it might be fun to pull out some titles from my new acquisitions and book chat with you. Some of these I have already read, some are shelved on my bookshelves, and some are waiting for me on my nightstand (my nightstand is where I store my current TBR).

The Penguin English Library Collection

Long time readers of my blog know my obsession with all things Penguin Classics. The Penguin English Library editions became an obsession of mine beginning with their debut. I was fortunate enough to be able to purchase many of them myself, but I had about 10 more that I needed when Christmas rolled around. My mom ended up buying the remaining books for me, so now I have all 100. I know that's a bit insane, especially when I own the same title in other editions, but I have since culled my classics shelves for doubles and donated them to my school. 

I also love that I have a full set of classics with gorgeous covers and great features inside. I know I will keep these always, so it was a great investment. :) And just throwing it out there that these are pretty darn affordable. The clothbounds, on the other hand, well, I have quite a few left to pick up, but I'm working on that now too. 

The Alex Crow by Andrew Smith

I first discovered Smith through that Smith reading project a few summers ago (I know RoofBeamReader was one of the organizers, but I can't see who else....). I fell in love very quickly and have purchased all of his new releases since. This one did sneak up on me (I blame that on being out of the book blogging loop), but now that it's in my hands, I'm excited to get to it. 

Vanishing Girls by Lauren Oliver

This is another very recent acquisition, but I'm excited about it. While I always find some fault in Oliver's work, I'm always excited to see a new title out from her. I actually just talked about Panic with a student the other day, so that's given me a bit of a push to read this one sooner rather than later.

I do want to mention that I'm not at all a fan of the cover. It's boring.

Shadow Scale by Rachel Hartman

This was definitely an impulse buy for me the other night when I ducked into Barnes and Noble for the Smith title. It was the only copy left, so I snatched it up pretty quickly, even though I still have Seraphina on my shelf unread. I find some kind of dumb comfort in knowing that they're both there when I want them. Question for those who've already read it...is there a third book coming out? Tell me so I know whether to wait to read them. 

All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

Truth: I've already read this book. I actually bought it as soon as I read a synopsis and read it that weekend (my thoughts are coming next week). I love this book. Seriously. So far it has been my favorite read of 2015, and it gave me a ton to mull over in the weeks since finishing it. 

I often stay away from books like this-that have a lot of hype-when they debut. But the hype was worth it.

Landline by Rainbow Rowell

This was another spur of the moment decision the other night, even though it has been on my mental TBR since it's debut over the summer. I have loved the Rowell titles I've read so far (Eleanor and Park, Attachments, and Fangirl), so I'm excited to read another by her. And because of my book blogging bubble, I really have no idea what it's about. I like it that way.

The Wheel of Time Series (Books 1-6) by Robert Jordan

Considering I believe myself to be a big fan of fantasy novels, a friend was shocked I had never read these. Truthfully, I had never picked them up because they are GINORMOUS. And there are twelve of them. I also wanted to avoid reading them while they were incomplete (but Jordan passed along his notes to Brandon Sanderson to finish after his death). 

But I miss reading big fantasy epics, so I have acquired the first 6 books over the last couple of months (some I purchased, some were gifts). I'm hoping to dive into the series later this spring and read a book a month over the course of the next year. Readalong anyone?

Stormlight Archive 1 and 2 by Brandon Sanderson

Since we're talking about epic fantasy, why not add on the other series that I have started to acquire....and that has no end date in sight....and who knows how long it will take. But....I might as well have them on my shelf, right? They are also VERY big-they make the Wheel of Time books look like afternoon reads, but I have heard very good things, and I have enjoyed all of Sanderson's work that I've read (and you know...I have other books by him on my shelf that need reading too). 

My Heart and Other Black Holes by Jasmine Warga

I honestly don't know why I bought this book, as I heard nothing about it. But, it called to me, so I bought it and read it shortly after All the Bright Places. I think that's where I went wrong because while the books are very similar, Niven's was more compelling. That's not to say this was a bad read (it isn't), just that I didn't sink into it as much as I probably would have. 

We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson

I know that I read this at some point in the past, but couldn't remember when and I didn't have a copy on my shelves. Since this was a title for my literature groups, I needed to read it, and quickly (my thoughts up sometime soon). 

I was very particular looking at covers, and this one drew me right in. And hey, it's a Penguin (you see how they get me every time?). Now that I've read it, I'm drawn to The Haunting of Hill House even though I hate scary. Crazy how that works.

There you have it, the newest additions to my already overflowing shelves. I'm sure I'm missing a few, but they're hidden on my shelves and I don't want to go digging. So let me know if you've read any of these, or if there is something else I should check out!

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher.

“I hope you're ready, because I'm about to tell you the story of my life. More specifically, why my life ended. And if you're listening to these tapes, you're one of the reasons why.”

It has been a few years since I've read Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher. I read it during my very first long-term sub job after college when one of my struggling students recommended it (at the time, I was ready to read anything that I thought would get those kids reading). On that read, I remember flying through it and being incredibly emotional by the time I finished. I liked it and found it to be a pretty amazing little book.

Flash forward to a couple of months ago, when our media specialist and I sat down to invent a new book project for my sophomores. We both wanted something to encourage a little more interaction and competition, so we came up with a big group project and a list of 15 books for groups to pick to read and promote. Among many others, we placed Thirteen Reasons Why on the list (and a group in all three of my classes picked it. The only other book with as many kids reading it is The Compound). 

As the kids started reading, both of us decided we needed to reread some of the books that were a little fuzzy in our memories. Part of our competition is a quiz bowl at the end, so we really needed to brush up on some of the titles. I elected to reread this one, as I already had a copy sitting on my shelf, and since I've read two other YA titles in the last few weeks revolving around suicide, I was already into the topic (those two titles are My Heart and Other Black Holes and All the Bright Places). I didn't end up picking this up to read until Friday night, but much like my first read, I flew right through it, completely absorbed with the story. 

For those unfamiliar with the title, it is a dual narrative. Most of the story is told from Clay's perspective. He comes home from school to find a shoebox on his front porch. Inside are a series of cassette tapes, and on each one, Hannah Baker narrates the 13 reasons why she decided to commit suicide just a few weeks prior. Clay is obviously shocked to hear her voice, as he had feelings for Hannah prior to her death, but he listens.

The story follows Clay through a long night as he listens to the tapes and travels around the town to the places that Hannah mentions. Hannah's narrative interweaves with Clay's and as readers, we get to feel his reactions right along her narrative. By the end of the night, Clay has heard all of Hannah's reasons and passes the tapes on to the next person on her list.

On this second read, I definitely found more to critique. Part of that is due to the other books I mentioned. Both are fairly new releases, and while I loved one more than the other, they also cover this same topic, and in what I find to be a much more believable way as an adult.

I think that is really the difference here. Reading this, I can see both the teen and adult perspectives. It's no wonder that many teens find this narrative compelling-after all, some of the reasons Hannah mentions are things that happen every day in a teen's life. Some other reviews on Goodreads point out that some of the reasons aren't really reasons at all, but merely incidents that Hannah later dwells on. Whether or not that is true...well, we don't get that into Hannah's head. However, there is one incident/reason that I need to dwell on, and while it's not fully spoilery, I'm giving you my warning here.

One of Hannah's reasons is a teacher in her building. In probably what was the most emotional part of the book for me to read, Clay listens as Hannah converses with her teacher and tries to explain what's going on. In many ways, Hannah is testing her teacher to see how much he cares and whether he can decipher the clues she is giving him. This scene bothers me for more than one reason. First, as a teacher, I take what my students tell me very seriously, especially if they are coming to confide in me. If it is something serious, we are bound by law to report it. Obviously, that doesn't happen in Hannah's case. Second, the teacher in question was also assigned to the role of guidance counselor, seemingly without training, etc. As an adult who works in a school, I know that our counselors are privy to some incredibly private information and sensitive topics. But they are trained to handle those things. That inconsistency bothered me. Third....it felt so much like a trap. And almost like an excuse for Hannah. It's the one reason I had a hard time believing this second read. And it bothered me more than any of the others (and many are also very serious in topic). 

However, that being said, I think this is a great book for teenagers and adults alike. It does give some perspective into the minds of those battling depression and suicide. I also think it ends with a sense of hope, and of course, the lesson that as people, we need to understand that everyone is going through something.

It's a popular title for good reason. It's a fast read, a bit of a thriller, and keeps you on your toes as you follow Clay and Hannah. It's certainly a book I'm glad we gave as part of our list of titles to read. 

“No one knows for certain how much impact they have on the lives of other people. Oftentimes, we have no clue. Yet we push it just the same.” 

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books on my Spring TBR.

I think it should be acknowledged that it has been quite some time since I did a Top Ten Tuesday. Like really, a long time.

The basic idea is that the folks over at The Broke and the Bookish give a topic, and book bloggers count down their top ten for that topic.

This week's topic is a good one as I dive back into blogging and try and find my niche again. And I have a pile of new books sitting on my shelves waiting for me to read them (my spring break is the first week of April, so I'm sure I'll go on a reading binge).

In no particular order:

1. The Alex Crow by Andrew Smith: I am a huge fan of Smith, so I've been buying his books as they debut (I do have some of his older books to read as well). Given the controversy that surrounded Smith last week (all unnecessary in my eyes), I'm even more anxious to show some love to one of my favorite contemporary YA writers.

2. Landline by Rainbow Rowell: Eleanor and Park pretty much killed me when I read it, and like Smith, I've been buying up Rowell's work as it comes out. I've heard so many good things about this one, and the cover is adorable (because I do judge based on covers).

3. The Blood of Olympus by Rick Riordan: I bought this when it came out, but like many other titles, it has been sitting on my shelf waiting for me to get to it. I really do love Riordan's work, but I have a tendency to put them off (the length-I still have the whole Egypt series to read).

4. Vanishing Girls by Lauren Oliver: While I have found some fault in some of her books, I can't deny that Oliver's work is always engaging. So, I always buy her new releases. I have high hopes for this one (especially as I was a bit disappointed by Panic).

5. The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan: Yes, we can acknowledge how heinous this cover is. But I've been slacking on my fantasy reading, and the Wheel of Time series has been on my TBR for years. Honestly, I probably won't start this series until the summer, but I really want to dig in now.

6. Beloved by Toni Morrison: I actually started this one back in January, but set it aside and never got back around to it. It's a title for my 250 challenge (that I still need to finish), so I'll be excited to get back to it and read! Morrison hasn't let me down yet, so high hopes.

7. Lady Audley's Secret by Mary Elizabeth Braddon: This is a title for my 2015 TBR Challenge, and one that I have been eyeing for a long time. To be honest, I don't know a ton about the book, just that I want to read it!

8 and 9. Days of Blood and Starlight and Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor: I read the first title, Daughter of Smoke and Bone last summer and LOVED IT, but for whatever reason, I didn't read on to finish the trilogy. These have been sitting on my nightstand since then, and I keep wanting to pick them up (I know if I do I won't get anything else done until I finish them).

10. The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte: With the exception of Shirley, this is the last Bronte novel I have left. It's another title for my 2015 TBR Challenge, and a book I've been wanting to read since I bought it (a couple of years ago, don't judge). I also loved Agnes Grey, so I have high hopes for Anne's other novel.

What are you planning on reading this spring? Let me know!

Weekend Update for March 14/15, 2015: Beginning Again.

After nearly a year away from my home here at A Literary Odyssey, I have finally come to the decision to resurrect my blog and find a home again on the internet. I'm sure that many have forgotten about this space, but I haven't. While I have changed a great deal since starting this, and while I am not in the same mental place, I need a place to start over, and this is as good as any. Besides, I have a hard time letting go.

I imagine that in the next few weeks I'll give the place a makeover, as well as removing some old posts and challenges. I also want to "catch you up" on things that have been going on, as well as writing about books.

The biggest thing I have learned in my time away is that I need to make time for myself to do what I love-read books and write about them. I'm hoping I can do that regularly. But I also want to write about school, my husband, cats...and anything else I find important. You're invited, of course, but I'm just giving you a head's up. :)

So, tell me what you've been up to, what book you're reading, and anything else you feel inspired to say.