The semester is winding down. Only three weeks of school left, then finals week, and then this semester is over! I am so anxious for a break. With Ben taking 9 credits of masters' classes, and me taking 14 credits for my BA, our house and family has been a little crazy this semester! We are all looking forward to summer and a little bit of laziness.
Because it's down to the wire time at school, I really have to stay focused. I have one 8-10 page paper that I haven't even started yet, one 2 1/4 page paper that needs some serious revision and needs to be turned into a 6-8 page paper. I have to finish my poetry sequence, which means writing 3-6 quality poems before the semester is over. I have a resource binder to finish (to start, for that matter) for educational psychology. Needless to say, I've got my work cut out for me.
And that is good and bad. Good, because I know what needs to get done, and it's not really difficult-no studying all hours of the night for finals or anything-just more time consuming than I'd like. Bad, because I have this problem. It's called recreational reading...and I can't stop!
I've always enjoyed reading, but my enjoyment has blossomed since Melanie and Ben have become just as avid of readers as I am. We've started buying books, which is great, but now I have these shelves filled with books that are calling my name, reaching out to me, and I can't help them right now!
I just thought I'd share with you the books on my "to read" list. In no particular order (feel free to suggest an order so I know where to start) they are:
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne
The Great and the Terrible Series by Chris Stewart (six books)
Gregor the Overlander (same author as Hunger Games and Catching Fire, five books)
The Neverending Story by Michael Ende
River Secrets by Shannon Hale
Forest Born by Shannon Hale
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortensen and David Oliver Relin
Fablehaven: Keys to the Demon Prison by Brandon Mull
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
Angle of Repose by Wallace Stegner
Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow by Jessica Day George
Fairest Gail Carson Levine
Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis
The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis
American Gods by Neil Gaiman
Beauty by Robin McKinley
The following books are not on my shelf, but on my list:
The Professor's House by Willa Cather
This Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Call It Sleep by Henry Roth
The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton
The House of Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne
Sister Carie by Theodore Drieser
So, do you think I'll make it? Do you think I'll ever see the lovely rays of the summer sun? I really don't think I'll make it through all of them...unless I turn into a hermit and live in the forest without talking to anyone, and that just isn't me. I know I'll kick myself for asking this one, but do you have anything you'd add to the list?
7 comments:
I am seriously considering one of those really huge sun hats so I can sit outside and enjoy some rays without ridiculous amounts of stress on my eyes or frying my face. I saw some at Ross yesterday...
As for the books, I will tell you that when you finish Catching Fire, you are really going to want to read Mockingjay, but it isn't out until the 24th of August. I too have about 15 books sitting on my shelves waiting for me to defend my thesis and graduate. We can make it :)
I like your scenario for how you can get all that reading in - sometimes a forest life just seems like it would be better all around.
As for the books... I have read Beauty and Jane Eyre, so if it were me, I'd start with something I haven't read, yet... ha, ha... okay, but really... I want to read some more of Shannon Hale's stuff and Carson Levine's and I've never read a CS Lewis, so that would be cool. I think I'm just going to copy/paste your list onto my own... not that my own isn't long enough already, and I need a forest life to even start on one.
Oh, and definitely DO NOT read the Neverending Story, because if you start that one, you won't be able to read any of the rest.
;)
I have read two of Shannon Hale's book, but not those two. Will have to though. The Great and Terrible series is really good! I can't wait for Mockingjay to come out, like Tasha said, you may want to read all of those once the last one is out. You have a great list, I may have to come back ans steal some ideas once I am finished with "The Rangers Apprentice", I am on the last one that is out.
Oh I thought of one more "The Undaunted" by Gerald Lund, if you like LDS historical fiction. It is really long, 800+ pages, but definitely awe inspiring! I have it, if you ever want to barrow it.
Thanks for the list - I've added some to my list - not that I need more.
Tasha - I've been thinking that with the Hunger Games series. And I probably will wait until Mockingjay comes out. Good luck defending your thesis and with graduation. If I find an enormous sun hat, I'll buy one for me and one for you. ;)
Sarah - Seriously, a cabin in the mountains would be a great place...or better yet, a beach in Hawaii. Ahhh...
Melissa - I've heard a lot of good stuff about The Undaunted. I love historical fiction.
Lori - Glad I could add to your list. I've been stealing from Tasha's list for a long time.
you know I used to read all the time, but took about a 10 year hiatus. I only just started getting back into it since I joined goodreads.
I've read Neverending story, its very good. EVERYONE in my ward, except for me, has read the Hunger Games. So I'll probably read it eventually. Good luck!
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