School Reading

Hello!

I know there have been a major lack of posts over the last several months, but I'm going to start getting back into blogging, I swear! Today, I thought that I would talk about what I've been reading the last two months for my classes, since these books have been taking up most of my reading time. I'll go ahead and rate the one's I've completed. Let's get started: 

Jane Austen Freshmen Seminar:

So, I'm technically not taking this class. I'm TA-ing for it! I'm really enjoying getting to reread some of my favorites, but also getting some life affirmation. I'm thinking about becoming a high school English teacher, and so TA-ing/Mentoring has really been allowing me to see what a good fit teaching would be for me. Here are the books I'm reading for this class:

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Rating: 5 out of 5 Cups of Tea


Persuasion by Jane Austen

Rating: 5 out of 5 Cups of Tea

Emma by Jane Austen

Rating: 5 out of 5 Cups of Tea

African Literature:

This class has already been so interesting. It's been eye-opening and a wonderful experience. I've enjoyed a majority of what we've read, and when I haven't quite enjoyed reading it, I've enjoyed learning more about it. Here are the books I've read for this class: 

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

Rating: 4 out of 5 Cups of Tea

The Joys of Motherhood by Buchi Emecheta

Rating: 4 out of 5 Cups of Tea

An African Quilt: 24 Modern African Stories

Rating: 5 out of 5 Cups of Tea

The Thing Around Your Neck by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie


Rating 5 out of 5 Cups of Tea


Waiting for the Barbarians by J.M Coetzee

Rating: I haven't finished this quite yet, but I'm really enjoying it so far.

20th Century American Literature:

This is a class I've struggled with. The context of the books is often hard to handle, as are the writing styles of many of these authors. I have been enjoying getting to know more about this time period and the writings we've been focusing on, though. It's been a good class, thus far. 

In Our Time by Ernest Hemingway

Rating: 4 out of 5 Cups of Tea

As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner

Rating 4.5 out of 5 Cups of Tea


Pale Horse, Pale Rider by Katherine Anne Porter

Rating: 4 out of 5 Cups of Tea


The Surrounded by D'Arcy McNickle

Rating: 3 out of 5 Cups of Tea


Lost in the Funhouse by John Barth

Rating: We only read one chapter out of this, so I don't want to rate it my usual way. I did highly enjoy the chapter and am hoping to read the rest of this at some point in the future.

White Noise by John DeLillo

Rating: 5 out of 5 Cups of Tea


Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson

Rating: 2 out of 5 Cups of Tea


The Intuitionist by Colson Whitehead

Rating: I'll be reading this over Thanksgiving break and will update you all on how I like it once I've finished.

Well, I'll see you all next week!

Your Pemberley Reader,
Acacia 

October TBR

Hey, guys!

Sorry for going MIA there. It's been a long month. I moved back to Seattle for school, so getting ready for that was stressful. I moved into my first apartment and started classes this week, so I am going to get back on track with blogging. Promise!

Today, I am going to go over my October TBR. I've decided to try and read 4-5 books this month on top of reading for school (which is a lot this quarter.) We'll see how it goes. Let's get started:

1) Pet Sematary by Stephen King

Since it's October, I wanted to start the month off with Stephen King novel. I just got my first library card in Seattle, and so I used it to get this! I am very excited, as this is one of the King novels I have still yet to read. Hopefully I like it as much as some of his other novels.

2) The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy


I promised my cousin that I would finally read this book. She gave it to me a few years ago, but I've been a bad cousin and have yet to read it. It's a rather short book, so I'm thinking I'll have find to fit it in amongst the rest of my reading this month.

3) Where She Went by Gayle Forman (If I Stay #2)

I read If I Stay in high school, and I loved it. I recently watched the movie adaptation, and it reminded me that I have Where She Went, but that I have still yet to read it. So, finally, I'm going to get to it. I'm very excited to get back into this story and see what has become of the characters.

4) Atonement by Ian McEwan

Like many, I saw the movie version of this novel first. I know a lot of people who have said that the movie is better, and that the book is very different. I'm hoping since I'm aware of this, that I will be more open to what the book has to offer.

5) Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson

I figure that by the end of October I'll be wishing for summer again. Hopefully this will feed that need. I read Matson's Amy and Roger's Epic Detour last year and loved it. I've heard this is equally as good. I'm looking forward to finishing out the month with this one.


Have you read any of these books? Will I like them? Let me know if any of you want to read along!


Your Pemberley Reader,
Acacia

September TBR

This summer has gone by so fast, you guys! I leave for my junior year of college in about three weeks, and I'm wanting to get a lot of reading done before going back. It's going to be a very busy quarter, but I'm going to enjoy my last few weeks of reading freedom before it starts. Here are the books I'll be reading this month:

1) 
Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas


All I can say about this one is: FINALLY! If you haven't noticed my absolute need for this book over the last few months than you've obviously missed a few blog posts. I'm pretty sure I've talked about it multiple times this summer, and I am so excited to spend the entire day reading this!

2) The American by Henry James


We read James's short story "Daisy Miller" in my American Literature class last quarter, and I loved it. So, when I found this novel for only $1 at a cheap thrift store last month, I jumped on the chance to get it. I think it will be an intriguing read. I hope I like it as much as "Daisy Miller".

3) Crimson Bound by Rosamund Hodge

I read and enjoyed Hodge's Cruel Beauty in July, and so when I found her other novel, Crimson Bound, a retelling of Little Red Riding Hood, at the library, I decided to get it. Though Cruel Beauty wasn't one of my favorites, I did enjoy it, so hopefully this one turns out just as good or perhaps better.

4) Lair of Dreams by Libba Bray


This is the second book in the Diviners Series. It took a long time to come out, but anything from Libba Bray is worth the wait. Her books are amazing. Seriously, if you haven't read any of her books before, go look into getting them. They range from beautifully tragic, to hysterically funny. I'm really looking forward to another novel by her, especially since it's a continuation of a story I loved!

5) Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo

I read the first novel in this series, Shadow and Bone, back in July. I wasn't sure if I wanted to continue this series, especially if I was going to have to pay for it, but thankfully I found the second book at the library. Hopefully this one is better than the second, or I'm not sure I will be continuing on with this series.

6) Nimona by Noelle Stevenson


I have read all of, I think, two or three graphic novels in my life. I have heard a lot about this one on tumblr/booklr, and so I asked my dad to get it for me the last time we were at Barnes and Noble. Surely, graphic novels do not count against my book buying rules, right? (Like I didn't break practically every single rule on this list last month. Sigh.) Apparently it is about two "villains" who set out to prove that the "good guys" on not actually all that good.

7) Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon


I talked about this book in my Most Anticipated Books post, which you can find here. It is about a girl who is allergic to just about everything and has to stay inside her house all the time. But when a boy moves in next door, she starts falling in love with him. This book sounds so cute and unique. I'm looking forward to getting this one!

8) Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple

For those of you who don't know, I go to school in Seattle. I love it up there. There is always something to do, whether coffee-shopping or walking by the water. However, it is very different from my hometown here in California. This novel takes place fairly close to my school, and it sounds absolutely hilarious. It's supposed to be pretty satirical, and so I'm really looking forward to the many laughs I'll have while reading this novel.

9) Anthem by Ayn Rand


Multiple family members have recommend this very short book to me, and so I'm going to take the time to read it this month. When I say "take the time," I really mean "take a few hours at most." This book is insanely short. It will be my first book my Rand, and I'm excited to see if I like it or not.

10) Library of Souls by Ransom Riggs


I am so excited for this book to come out! I have been waiting for this book since the finishing the second shortly after it came out early last year. This series is amazingly creative and unique. I'm excited to see where Riggs takes his characters in this next installment. Also, these novels are beautifully made! They look and feel like they are straight out of the late 1800s/ early 1900s. It's so cool how they design the actual book!

I think I'm in for a good reading month! I'll be doing a good amount of reviews this month, so there's that to look forward to. Have you read any of these? Are there any you would like to read along with me? Let me know in the comments!

Your Pemberley Reader,
Acacia