Love Comes Softly

First order of business: I got my cast off!!

Second, let's talk about some books. I have been rereading this series of books called "Love Comes Softly." The first one, just entitled "Love Comes Softly" tells the story of Marty, a young woman who is moving out into the west with her husband. Through circumstances and hardships, Marty suddenly finds herself alone, trying to make it through her first winter out west. 

In walks Clark Davis. This handsome young stranger proposes an idea, literally. He asks Marty to enter into a marriage of convenience. She needs a place to stay and he needs help raising his young daughter Missy. Realizing that she can't do it alone, Marty unwillingly accepts.

Throughout the novel, we see Marty struggling with her grief and confusion while also trying to teach young Missy, who clearly doesn't have any desire for another mother. The two often quarrel until Marty finally understands where Missy's frustration is coming from. Clark, knowing his daughter needs a mother figure, is okay with stepping back and letting his "wife" and daughter work out their problems.

The story continues and we find Marty pregnant with her husband's child. Clark is determined to be there for her, wanting to keep up his end of the bargain. As winter turns to spring and Marty's son is born, readers see that Clark has fallen in love with Marty and we see that Marty has feelings for Clark as well, although she is unsure of how to feel. Having lost most of her faith when she lost her husband, Marty wonders if she could be good enough for Clark, who is a devout Christian man. 

I must admit that I fell in love with the movie before I read the book. After watching the movie, however, I realized that the book had to be better, and truth be told it was. I have since read the entire series, and it has to be one of my favorites. To see Marty and Clark struggle to come to terms with their past and slowly build a new future together is exciting. 

I say this at the end of all my posts, but if you haven't read it I ask you to give it a try. Join Marty and Clark as they realize that love doesn't always barge in. Sometimes, love just comes softly.  

So I get my cast off in a week, which is definitely exciting!

So someone asked me recently if I knew of an author named James Michener. Truth be told, I don't. But I've done a little research.

He was apparently born in 1907, and in his 97 years he published over 40 titles. He never really knew his parents. His "mother" took in children and raised them. 

One of his most well known works is "Tales of South Pacific" for which he won his Pulitzer Prize in 1948. He has also published some non-fiction works, as well as a memoir. 

I read an interview by Mr. Michener. Click here to read the interview and find out a little more about James A. Michener. 

Michael Crichton dies

So I just posted a blog a few minutes ago, but I just found out that Michael Crichton passed away due to cancer and wanted to pay a tribute to him.

First of all, how freaking awesome is "Jurassic Park?" The movies were great, but the book just blew me away.

Second, Crichton also helped create the medical drama "ER" which I love; great stories lines that have lasted for 15 seasons. Crichton must have done something write (and I spelled it that way on purpose.)

He will be missed. 

The Outsiders

I love "The Outsiders."

The book itself is about the a group of boys who depend on each other when everything else in the world sucks. Ponyboy (yes, that's his real name) is our main character. We follow Ponyboy as he struggles being a "greaser," one of the rough and tumble kids in town as they are known.

"The Outsiders" is about growing up and really learning who your family is. Ponyboy has two brothers who will defend him and help him grow no matter what. But Ponyboy also surrounds himself with some boys who understand that he's really not just some poor kid who is never going to amount to anything. He's something special to each of them.

I prefer the book to the movie, although I would recommend seeing the movie. It's a great story and I think it could really make a difference in people's lives; it helped me see that people might not be cut from the same cloth as you, but they are cut from cloth just as you are (strange metaphor, I know, but we're going to go with it.) Click on "book" to find out more about the book, and "movie" to get some info about the movie. 

Have a good afternoon and be safe.

-Ace

Barnes and Noble

Since I usually blog about books, I figured I would dedicate a blog to my favorite bookstore Barnes and Noble.

Granted, I'm probably a little biased since I work there, but even before I got a job there I loved going in there. They give readers a chance to sit down a browse through books while sipping on their white chocolate mocha (or whatever their choice of drink is from Starbucks) and enjoy the atmosphere. 

Plus, there are hundreds of books. Sports, gardening, children, fiction, history, language, romance, religious, computer, mystery. Almost any type of book you could think of. Barnes and Noble also has a staff (I noticed this long before I started working there) that is really helpful and understanding. 

If  you like to read and are looking for a place to go, give your local Barnes and Noble a try. Curl up with a nice drink from Starbucks in one of the comfortable chairs that are floating around, and get lost in the pages of a book while the music that plays over the intercom soothes you. 

Harry Potter

So, I know most people are thrilled that the "Twilight" movie is coming out in November now. I am excited, yes, but also a little disappointed to hear that Harry Potter got pushed back.

I've read the Harry Potter books since I was young. My mom used to read them out loud to my sister and I on car trips. As I grew older, I found myself re-reading the worn pages of our hardcover edition, which I still do to this day. I have (finally) come to terms with the fact that the series is over, and it might be a while (Twilight is great, but it's just not Harry Potter,) before we see another series like that.

My favorite in the Harry Potter series is "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix." I must admit I was disappointed in the movie, because they left out some of the best scenes in the whole novel. I won't spoil them here (hopefully more will people read the books now.) 

It was fun growing up along side Harry Potter and his friends Ron and Hermione. The struggle with good and evil is something I think everyone deals with and as a child it was nice to have examples of how people's goodness can outweigh the bad. 

If you haven't read any of the Harry Potter series, I encourage you to do so. Especially if you like to read. I find something new in the series each time I read it, which goes to prove that the novels aren't just for kids. Or maybe, just maybe, they will let you escape back into your childhood. With a little bit of magic from Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived. 

"Nineteen Minutes"

Some people take a 19 minute shower. It takes 19 minutes to drive across my town if I catch the green lights. In the novel "Nineteen Minutes," it takes Peter Houghton 19 minutes to walk into his high school with four guns and kill 9 students 1 teacher. 

 I've read a lot of books in the past few years. I read all the time. But no book has affected me nearly as much as "Nineteen Minutes" by Jodi Picoult. This books sheds light on bullying. The question it raised for me was really a touchy subject. When do the bullied start fighting back? And who has the right to judge another?

 The book is littered with main characters, each playing a significant part. Alex is the judge on Peter's case. She is also the mother of Peter's childhood best friend, Josie, who was hurt in the attack. Lacey is Peter's mother. Patrick Ducharme is the detective that works on the case, trying to get inside Peter's head. All these characters are essential to the novel. 

 Reading this book in high school completely changed my perception. What is constituted as bullying? When is it taken too far? When do the bullied become the bullies? How can we stop it? After reading this book, I realized that these questions are present outside of high school and can define who we are as people and as a society. 

 Read Nineteen Minutes. I hope it gets you to see that bullying is a serious issue. 

 That's it for this post. Have a good night and be safe.

Ace