Showing posts with label first love. Show all posts
Showing posts with label first love. Show all posts

Thursday, July 31, 2014

Book blurb... Fangirl

To continue my summer I just finished the book Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell. I picked it up because lately I have caught myself having some fangirl moments and I thought maybe this book would help me understand the obsession some of get into.  Okay I am a fangirl but I don't write fanfiction but the main character Cath does. She writes fanfiction about the Simon Snow books (which seems kind of like Harry Potter to me) and while this seems crazy to her college roommate her writing is actually her escape from the world (which I understand). 
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The book takes place in Cath's freshman year of college. She and her twin Wren go to the same college but Wren seems to have no interest in being with her sister anymore and this leaves Cath feeling a bit abandoned and instead of embracing college and all its new experiences she kind of holds up in her room. This pushes her into the presence of Levi (who is always hanging out in their room). Cath tries to ignore her growing crush on him as she thinks he is her roommate's boyfriend... but her crush grows and so does their friendship. On the other side her world is feeling like it is more and more falling apart with no Wren and her dad is struggling back home... That is all I will say about the plot because I don't want to give Spoilers. 

I don't know why, but this summer I felt I have read more YA books than any other, and I have loved them. I think this is my first YA book that is set in present time (not like Hunger Games or Divergent) and it felt natural and true in her thoughts and the conversation. This book is full of college crushes, angst about finding who you are, and first loves. There were so many passages of the book I felt like I knew exactly what she was going through. And on multiple occasions I would be reading and pull the book close to my chest as to give her hug (I am sure it looked weird on the T). I also like the fact though Cath and her roommate, Reagan, didn't get along at first eventually they got into their own rhythm and they grew to like each other and there was a few moments that Reagan even stood up for Cath. 

What I didn't like was occasionally an F-bomb would be dropped... it only threw me off once then it just felt normal for the tone of the book (so if you are sensitive to that I wouldn't recommend it).  
Illustrations of the main characters
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Monday, May 26, 2014

Adulthood Angst....

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In my last post I wrote about how I related to Tris because of her angst... in the book she is dealing with first love and trying to find her place in her world. In the book Tris feels she has to make one choice and follow it wholeheartedly, but because she is Divergent she has multiple paths and that is how life is. Thankfully (and sometimes not so thankfully) we all have multiple paths.

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I am grad-school and I am almost at the end. I hopefully have one more semester... though I feel I have said this a few times because I had to delay my thesis a few times. This has given me time to think of what I want to do with my life.

When I was in high school I wanted to be Abigail Chase, Diane Kruger, character in National Treasure.  She was a confident, and though she was a history nerdy girl she was was also very sexy. Also, she knew everything about everything, which was cool. For like split second I thought about doing Political Science but then I realized I loved history and escaping into the past. So I decided to pursue history in undergrad. I moved to Boston, on an almost gut reaction, because from almost the moment I visited it felt like it was home. Plus it didn't hurt that it was one of the most historical cities in the US. And basically minus the really cold winters and spells of homesickness I love Boston and I have been blessed with a second family here.

Now I am grad-school, and thinking about my future I often wonder if this path I chose going into library science and history is what I am suppose to be doing. For awhile I thought about leaving everything I know and going on missions. But the more time I thought about it, it didn't feel right. I had a passion for it but over time I lost it and sometimes I feel I have no idea what to do...
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Sometimes, it scares me because I am usually a person with a five year plan, but I feel my five year plan has changed a few times. Right now I am embracing I don't have a plan, because right now I can hide behind the idea of just working on my thesis. I can put off real life and trying to be an adult. I guess this why I relate to Tris... she is still trying to make decisions of her life and figure things out.  Fortunately for me I am not also trying to fight a corrupt government (thank goodness).

Even though I am trying to figure things out I am glad I have some solid things to hang on to. I have my family, my second family, my friends, my faith... all these things have held me up and held me together and I a thankful for those. Also I am glad to figure out that like Tris we don't have one path and one choice. 
A previous post Figuring some things out...

Monday, July 15, 2013

A Debuntante through the years

Edwardian Debutante
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Hello,

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I am sorry I have not posted much of my story here... I have been writing I promise. As I have said in the past I usually have to write out my story in my notebook and then I type it up. Unfortunately with the heat wave we have had in Boston  and also due to some of the emotional issues I have shared I have not had the energy to sit at my computer and typed it up. As I have postponed my thesis I want to spend more time fun writing and then typing it up. In my story I am up to the year 1913. Daphne, the oldest daughter is now being presented into society. I was first introduced to the idea of a debutante through Gilmore Girls... though the debutantes have changed over time there definitely something very traditional about them.

I know it is old fashioned but there seems something about a girls debut that seems so nostalgic. In the books I have been reading The Dream Kingdom and The Restless Sea the author Cynthia Harrod-Eagles makes a girl's first season to be the height of their life. It is also a pivotal point in a girl's life... it is here the girl can finally leave the home and perhaps have some adventure. It is also during the season a girl had hopes to find love and marriage. (I had truly wished Downton Abbey had shown Lady Sybil's season.)

The book To Marry an English Lord writes "In the June fortnight between the Derby and Ascot, the seasons reaches its peak. Invitations like in stacks on silver salvers just inside every front door. More dinners, parties, balls, concerts, teas, breakfast even, than anyone can possibly attend. The aristocracy socializes morning, noon, and night, going without sleep for the sake of another dance or one last hand of 'baccy'" (p. 25).

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And now it is Daphne's turn to partake...

          It was now the early spring of 1913.  My sister, Daphne, was now eighteen and the height of her beauty and was preparing to be presented in society. Lady Adelaide had slowly come back to us, though she was forever weakened. She could be lively when she need be. Lady Adelaide had generously invited the position of tutoring and hosting Daphne for the season. When I asked her if she was sure about this position knowing how her heartache when Aurora died, she promised she was certain. Daphne was to attend the best of society. Father grumbled at the dressmaker's bill but mother  knew it was all the key to getting Daphne married off well. Mother wanted Daphne to be the talk of the town and mother was repeatedly telling Daphne she had the beauty to capture a viscount or earl if she put her mind to it.

      Daphne and I spent most of the spring practicing dancing and other refined manners. Mother though t best that I too be prepared for my debut. Of course by the time my presentation would come we would be at war and the season was hardly thought of. However, for now I was happy to have such an open time at Cranston Court. I enjoyed being able to see Lady Adelaide most everyday and I felt our presence was a comfort to her since Lord Welford had been splitting  his time between York and Manchester only rarely coming to Cranston. Parker was away at University and even when he had a holiday he spent it with some of his classmates. Marcus did the same.

      "Men were not to stay at the home," she once told me. I never knew if that was meant to console her heart or just a truth.

      And as Parker and Marcus were away Lady Adelaide enrolled Shane and Kelby to be our dance partners. Until now I only saw Daphne having a crush on Shane but it was during our time at Cranston I began to see Shane had feelings for Daphne. It all came on gradually it would be hard to pin point when I first notice an affection between them. Then one day we were dancing and the floor was too slippery and Daphne tripped and he gallantly picked her up and carried her to the sofa. I am sure any man would have done the same but there was a look that I saw pass between them. After that it was only looks I noticed. They had to be discreet as it would bring ruin to both Daphne and Shane if a servant to fall for a lady. While at this point it was only looks I never imagined either one of them would act on it. Daphne knew the desire mother had for her life and Daphne was the finest defender of propriety. So the moments of their affection would be off the page if it wasn't for my for my vivid imagination.

This has been particularly interesting in writing this part as my story is told from first person perspective, Rose's perspective and she is not with Daphne. So far letters have told the events of what is going but I need to think of other ways... perhaps more will be told when Daphne returns home.


Besides the books I have listed there have been some websites that have been quite helpful...


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Friday, May 31, 2013

"My One Weakness..."

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I have spent a lot of time since being out of school for the summer escaping into period dramas but the one I have recently been obsessing with is Lark Rise to Candleford. It stars some pretty familiar people... well familiar if you are obsessed with Downton Abbey and Pride and Prejudice both BBC and the 2005 version. One is Brendan Coyle (aka Mr. Bates) who plays Robert Timmins a mason that has high political beliefs in equality but also lots of hard work to make his way in the world. Hie wife, Emma Timmins, plays Charlotte Lucas in the 2005 P&P , she is the good wife always sticking by her man but does frequently get annoyed with his pride.

The next Julia Sawalha who plays Dorcas Lane the serious but mischief loving post-mistress. Who is better known as another mischief character Lydia Bennett. She is frequently saying "It is my one weakness" and she says about most everything from different kinds of cakes to warm baths.
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The main focus of this period piece is two little towns, the hamlet known as Lark Rise and the big/small town of Candleford. The hamlet is where our main character Laura Timmins comes from and in the first episode she moves to Candleford to assist her mother's cousin Dorcas. I love her for many reasons... she is head strong but yet very sensitive and always tries to help. Also she is considered "buttoned-up" but really she has such a soft heart but she only lets those close to her see it. She wants to do the right thing but frequently makes mistakes. She also writes in her journal all the time. 
Laura
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There are some other colorful characters like Robert the mail man with his strong faith and always quoting the Bible. Sometimes I do not like how they make the religious characters ridiculous but he is so humorous in his righteous ways. Then there is Minnie who is the goofy maid but trying hard to right in the world just goofs up a lot. There is also all the hamlet people like Queenie and Twister who add lots of humor into the plots. And like any good small town shows there is always 1 episode visitors who come and shake up the towns and then leave after all is settled. Also like any good period dramas there is love interest. We watch Laura and Dorcas have loves and hear breaks. I am about to finish season 3 of 4 so I am not for sure how it ends but it does seem that once Dorcas adopts her son Sydney her heart is more settled. So now I eagerly await to see if Laura will end up with Daniel or Fisher. If you know do not tell me.

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Oh I can get so lost in these period pieces... they are my one weakness and thanks to people uploading them on YouTube I can have my little heart go a twitter for them. I hope if you are like me and want to lose your heart to a period drama you will watch and fall in love with this show.

Lark Rise to Candleford Ep. 1 Part 1
You do have to watch them in parts but xLarkRiseCandleford
 has uploaded them all and there is an autoplay button that automatically starts the next part.

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Side Note: After watching all these period drama's I feel like I should have a post on "6 degrees of Separation in Period Drama." 

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

So my story begins...

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My life begins with a letter. Maybe I should say my life changed with a letter since I received the letter when I was twenty-three. My new life began with a letter.

My dearest hope,
If you doubt the words I spoke to you the other night, don't. I have made you the promise of my love and my devotion forever.

I have ordered us a simple state room on the Northern Star Liner, it leaves from Liverpool on Monday and we will sail to New York as man and wife. No one can stop us not even the King, I promise. If you love me meet me at the Euston Station for the 6:15 AM train to Liverpool. I will be waiting to take you into my arms and away from all things long ago. 

Believe me when I say, all my love,
K

So begins my story...
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Somewhere I was told an author does not to share your work. It might have been when Norman Mailer was on Gilmore Girls and was talking to a reporter (picture above). He said he never talked about his work. I don't understand this. I mean I know I am not a real author and by that I mean I am not published (minus this blog). I don't know how not to share my writing... I love it so much and when you love something you want to share it. I mean If you follow me on pinterest you will see my love of Downton Abbey, Jane Austen, and other things. So why can't I share my writing? Besides this blog might be the only way I am ever published. I used to blog my story, the Sisters of Pine Haven, and it kept me motivated to finish. Then my friend told me a publisher would not touch my story if I kept it open for the public (that makes sense so I limited who could see the blog). Though I still long to share my writing. If I should never get published at least I would know the blogging world would see my story and know my passion. So I don't know what is better...

My new story starts in 1906, goes through WWI and then ends in the 1920's. The scene I shared is Kelby Gray (my hero) promising to take Esther Harrington (my heroine) away from their past. Then the story flashes back to summer of 1906 when the kids still have very idealistic views of the world but that all the ideals come crashing down during WWI. Marcus Harrington (oldest brother) is eager to fight but his father doesn't want him to go so he has to run away to join the military. Marcus' best friend Shane Gray comes with him and together they join up. After Shane is shot Marcus becomes a shell of his former self and is sent back home. Not long after the news of Shane's death Daphne (Esther's sister) marries Parker Welford (Lord Welford's son). This shocks Esther because she always knew Daphne loved Shane. This marriage pleases her mother as she knows it is good security. Some where in this Esther and Kelby fall in love which is not at all good because Kelby is the son of Lord Welford's cook and mother finds out. So now her mother sends her to London to stay with Daphne and Parker. In this time her mother promises Esther's hand to Lord Welford (Parker's father). Kelby and Esther know the only way they can be together is if they run away.

This is a story I have been playing through my head for a year or so and I really hope to finish this story. I have this brief outline but I am excited to see where the characters take me.

Found these images on Pinterest and thought they would be good settings for my story... 
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Southerton Greens... The Harrington's home


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Cranton Court... Lord Welford's home

Even if you guys don't know it this blog was a big support for me to finish my last story, which was a huge accomplishment for me. (It just needs to be edited and published... but I am working on it). So I wanted to share the starting point of this story. 

Thanks for your support. 

Monday, June 4, 2012

The Engagements

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The second part of  "The Sisters and the Engagements"

The next day Laurel came down stairs and saw a few of Aunt Iris' friends but in the afternoon she adjourned back to her room and she did not feel well enough to go to Uncle Charles' and Aunt Iris' dinner party. Aunt Iris did not feel comfortable leaving Laurel alone so Emmy was attended to party by Mr. Dumont. Mr. Dumont was not the most sociable person so people were a bit surprised to see him without his wife but accepted him just the same. Emmy apologized to host and hostess for the change of plans. Uncle Charles paid no mind and Aunt Victoria was sorry she didn't know of her niece's sickness, when she said this she almost had a look of remorse so Emmy believed her. The when she was out of the receiving line she looked around and realized besides Mr. Dumont she knew no one in the room. She recognized some of them from the wedding but could not think of the names to go with the faces so she didn't feel comfortable approaching anyone. She saw Caleb standing in the corner talking to another group of men, she caught his glance for a bit and smiled. He smiled back but then coldly returned to his conversation.
"Miss Emmy," it was Mr. Foster.

"Mr. Foster, I did not know you would be here."

"Your aunt was kind enough to invite me. She needed a seat filler," he giggled a bit.

"Aw for me it was a family obligation."

"Where is your family?"

"Mr. Dumont has been pulled in with the other married men. Laurel was not feeling well enough to come and Mrs. Dumont stayed home with her."

"Miss Cromwell is sick?"

"A slight fever, the doctor said she would be fine."

"You called a doctor?"

"Yes Mr. Foster but like I said, he said she will be fine she just needs rest."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, he is coming back next week to check up on her but Dr. Clark has been Mr. and Mrs. Dumont's physical for years he is completely trustworthy." Emmy saw Ethan's face change to worry over this conversation she lightly touched his arm. "If you want Mr. Foster, I can send word when Dr. Clark comes back."

"Yes Miss Emmy that will be nice."

"Now, Laurel told me for me not to be worried about her and told me to have a good time, I suggest you to do the same."

"Of course, I cannot having you go back to your sister with a bad report and since Mr. Dumont is preoccupied it is up to me show you off. Come on we can be second string invites together." Mr. Foster then stuck out his arm so he could escort her around.

"Thank you Mr. Foster," Emmy smiled one of her sweet smiles.

When they were at Pine Haven she saw Mr. Foster as a quiet and reserved man almost to the point of boredom and could never figure out why Laurel liked him. Though after few minutes with him she saw a soft side of him that was very caring and he made her laugh more than once through the night the night with his little jokes. And he did his job of showing her off to all her the best of society.

Eventually Aunt Victoria came up them. "My dear Mr. Foster, thank you so kind for entertaining my niece. Now Emmy tell me all about Laurel," she took her arm and started to pull her away.

"Mr. Foster please find me after dinner," Emmy said before she could get away.

"Yes Miss Emmy."

When they were out of hearing range Aunt Victoria gave her real reason for pulling Emmy away. "Be careful Emmy dear, people are whispering."

"Whispering about what?"

"You and Mr. Foster, what else?"

"What else indeed, he is a good friend of the family."

"Yes everyone knows his connection to your family. Sitting with you at church, spending the day at your house and now you guys are joined at the hip."

"What? You must be joking."

"We all thought it was your older sister he admired but now you are raising questions and I must say it is quite unbecoming for a young lady especially a young lady being just presented into society. You cannot chance ruining your good reputation before you have one."

"Aunt Victoria, I think you are worrying too much. I do not have any intentions towards Mr. Foster as far as I am concerned he and Laurel are meant to be together."

"Then behave better."

"Yes aunt," Emmy said as the dinner gong rung.

Mr. Dumont was good for being at her side two seconds later to escort her into dinner. He apologized for leaving her alone but Emmy told him it was alright. He either didn't hear the whispers going around or he did not care, both of those reasons made sense for Emmy and she was glad he didn't have any time to ask her follow up questions.

Though Emmy felt like a second string invite, she got a high seat of honor sitting at the right hand of her aunt. It was only correct that Emmy be giving a high spot of honor, after all she was the niece of the host and hostess but it was nice recognition. She might have had a high seat of honor, her aunt paid little attention to her and Emmy's other dinner partner was Reverend Cole, who was at least a hundred and had no interest in speaking. She looked diagonally across the table and saw Mr. Foster who sat three seats away Mr. Foster who sat three seats away from her on the opposite side allowing no conversation to happen but he smiled at her then rolled his eyes at the conversation his dinner partners were having. Both girls looked like persnickety girls that cared more about the fashion of the party than having an actual intelligent conversation.

"Why would he be so sweet to me and be so concerned about Laurel if he was engaged to another girl. No it could not be right Caleb must have been wrong," Emmy thought.

"Well cousin, you are getting some whispering about, I hope you are proud of yourself," Julia said after dinner when the men and women separated.

"All the whispering is ridiculous, I have no attentions towards Mr. Foster as I told your mother."

"I hope not you would not want to crush her sister's heart."

"I have no attentions."

"You are such a good, sweet, innocent girl and way too idealistic."

"Thank you cousin."

"It will not do at all if you plan to stay in Boston. Everyone know to survive in the real world you must be sweet and innocent on the outside and cunning on the inside."

"Perhaps then I don't belong in Boston."

"Perhaps not."

"But while I am here I will learn from your ways and then all the men will want me."

The words could be sweet but the tone was far from anything sweet. Emmy could not tell you what it was about her cousin that brought out the worst in her. She used to love her cousin but after this summer she saw her cousin as a manipulative person always looking for trouble. Emmy thought her cousin would be great as a Shakespeare villain, much in the vein of Iago from Othello.

After Emmy and Julia exchanged their pleasantries the men returned to their women. No one could miss what happened next Caleb nodded to Julia when he came in the room and she cut through the party to him. Uncle Charles then clinked his glass calling the attention to him

"If my wife could join me, we have some pleasant news to announce," Aunt Victoria joined him in no time. "We kept it quiet till our eldest, Nicholas, was married bit now we are pleased to announce our daughter Julia will be marrying Mr. Caleb James."

The room began spinning for Emmy. All the claps and clinks of glasses blurred together and she felt her knees go weak. Her vision then got hazy and then she was gone. The next thing she knew she woke up in one of aunt's guest room.

She had collapsed, and unlike Laurel who gained consciousness right away Emmy stayed out while Mr. Foster picked her up and at Aunt Victoria's insistence carried her up to a guest room. Then he was ushered out of the room so the maids could take off her dress and loosen her corset. Of course they thought it was her corsets pulled too tight, it was frequent for girls to lose breath with their corsets pulled too tight even with the more natural form styles that were in fashion.
Little did they know Ethan Foster paced in the hall outside of Miss Emmy's door till he heard that she was alright. Mr. Dumont was there too but he just leaned against the wall not saying much.
"How is she doing Mrs. Danford?" Ethan asked she came out of the room.
"She is awake now."
"Good, then I think should order my motor coach and we can bring her down when it arrives," Mr. Dumont said calmly.
"I do not think that is a good idea, I would not want to upset her, I think she should spend the night her. We will send word after breakfast if she is up to leaving," Mrs. Danford said.
Before Ethan could say he agreed Julia was at the top of the stairs.
"Mother, come quickly the guest are talking about leaving. This is my night and I will not let Emmy is fainting ruin it," Julia had her temper fit tone.
"Alright, darling, alright I will be right down."
"No mother, I need you now or else this whole night will be ruined."
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This is left the gentlemen alone.
"Mr. Foster thank you for being so concerned over Miss Emmy, I am sure my wife will want to express her thanks as well, they meant the world to her. When she is home please come by."
"Thank you Mr. Dumont. Please send her my regards and give Miss Cromwell all my best wishes for her to feel better soon."
" I will. I'd better be off, I am sure by now Mrs. Dumont would have received word of Miss Emmy and I will have to calm her down."
Both Mr. Dumont and Ethan Foster snuck out of the party. Mr. Dumont did it quickly after saying his farewell to Ethan but Ethan stayed a bit, he could not leave the house thinking any second he could be needed to fetch a doctor, or send word to the Dumonts, or really anything. Then Mr. Danford came up stairs a little sloshed from the festivities below. Mr. Danford was usually the first one to turn in, he stat it was because he had business to attend to but in reality he was either too bored or too drunk or both to be in a party mood.
"Go on son, go on home, we will notify you right away if she gets worse," was all he said when he passed by Ethan Foster in the hall.
"Yes sir."
Then Ethan slipped out. It was warm October night which was uncommon for how late in the season it was. The summer air had disappeared but there was still a sense of warmth that lingered. Because of this walk home. The Danfords lived near Berkley on Commonwealth and he lived near Dartmouth on Marlborough, it would not be worth hassle of ordering his automobile for the five blocks. Plus his thoughts were preoccupied and he needed the walk to clear his them out. They should have been on Miss Emmy after all she was the one that fainted, but Laurel was stuck in his brain. He pretended not to hear the whispers at the party as a man it was easier to ignore idle gossip. He had though, everyone snickering at his behavior to Emmy calling them suitors and making other false accusations. How would he ever be able to explain it to Laurel? She had seem so cold the other to him and now this would not help her thoughts of him. He thought he could put it all behind him, he never should have sent her the book, it would just give her hope and he could not lead on like that. The news of his engagement would crush her.
To read more click here

Thursday, July 14, 2011

The book should be a ball of light in one's hand.

Quote comes from:
Properly, we should read for power. Man reading should be man intensely alive. The book should be a ball of light in one's hand.
-Ezra Pound
US poet (1885 - 1972) found at: http://www.quotationspage.com/quote/1911.html

Today on the blog Austenprose I read about a new book called Sass and Serendipity by Jennifer Ziegler and while I hope my story that I am writing is kind of like Sense and Sensibility what struck me most about the Austen prose article was that Jennifer Ziegler called Jane Austen a Young Adult author and I was a little surprised by this but I must say she makes perfect sense. Ziegler says...

" I think, in some ways, Jane Austen wrote YA. Before anyone tosses tomatoes at me, please allow me to explain… Austen’s books centered around young women on the verge of adulthood. They are nearly ready to leave the nest and take their spot in the world – and in the Regency era, the best landing of all would be that of a happy marriage to a good and prosperous man. Standing on this threshold of life is the emotional setting for all young adult novels. Teens are caught between the insular world of the childhood home and that of society at large. Even if they don’t strike out on their own at the end, they have surely become more “adult” by the final page.
Austen never makes the search for a proper husband the point of her stories. In every case the main character needs to go through some significant growth first. Whether it’s Elinor learning to trust her feelings as much as her intellect, Marianne coming out of her fantasies and into her senses, Elizabeth learning not to judge too prematurely, Emma learning not to meddle in other people’s lives, and so on, Austen makes sure her heroines recognize and overcome character flaws in order to earn their happy-ever-afters. Such maturation is central to young adult literature, as it is with all good character-based fiction. However, in YA, the age of the protagonists is key. Teens and early twenties don’t know as much about the world or themselves quite yet. Because of this, the problems they face are brand new, but also – and this is critical – their emotions are brand new. This is first love, first heartbreak, first crushing disillusionment. "

For full article click here

I guess when I started reading Jane Austen I thought them as so high class literature that in a very geeky way I thought I was cool that I loved Jane Austen and I could appreciate her. But in high school I couldn't share my love to people other than my mom because all my friends were reading Harry Potter or other books that I had no interest in. So I kind of kept my love a secret, it wasn't until I college I met other lovers of Jane Austen and it is like this instant bond. One of my best friends and I started talking only because we both loved Jane Austen and since a beautiful friendship has grown. But I still until reading this article would have consider Jane Austen Young Adult only because sadly sometimes, young adult literature is looked down upon from a scholarly point of view.

I am here to say that I like Young Adult novels (other than ones about Vampires or Werewolves but if that is your thing be proud of it) and I like reading stories about first loves, first heartbreaks, over coming maybe childish things, and experiencing the world for the first time. I am not ashamed to say it. Whatever you read is good just read!

So I wanted to give a shout out to two Young Adult novels that have really shaped me...

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine this book I read in the 6th grade so might be a little to young for Young Adult but I owe this book a lot of credit in my life. I read this book in the 6th grade and since then I have not stopped reading. Now I know Anne Hathaway (who I usually love) made a movie of this book but don't waste your time watching the movie read the book it is so worth it. It is kind of Cinderella story as Ella has the curse of obedience with over her and she has two mean step-sisters that she knows might threaten her life if they find out about her curse.
A good book review click here
And one day I hope to give it to my niece and let her experience this book I first loved... of course that won't happen for a few more years she is only 18months old now.

A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly is another book that I like to give a shout out to. I read this book my freshman year of college and I re-read it the summer before my senior year. Though this book and I have had an interesting history. While I was re-reading it my purse including this book was stolen. While the purse and a few items were returned to me this book was not. That made me sad because it was so good but I hope that this book didn't end up in a dumpster but some one picked it up and was able to read it. I then checked it out from the library to finish re-reading it. And until recently I didn't own it I just knew I read it. In a moment of retail therapy I bought another copy for myself so now I own and have read everything that Jennifer Donnelly has published and when The Wild Rose comes out I will own that too (can't wait).


The reason the story impacted me was that as a wanna be author I like how Donnelly blended kind of two stories in one (a thing I have always wanted to do). But as a person I love how the main character Mattie is under hardship being the oldest girl of a farm family but she still has goals to go to college and write. I won't ruin it for you but it is a good read. For a good review click here

I will also be sharing this one with my niece when she is older.

Probably the best known Young Adult book (and if its not it should be)
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson show a darker side of High School but maybe me laugh when she wrote about the "Lies they tell you" for example the teachers are always there for you.

I won't go too much into this but its a good read rather you are in high school or not.

For more click here


Oh yeah for my readers who want to know more about my story (as the last few blog postings have been about my life) I am working on it... grad school is taking up a lot of time but I am still writing.