Title: Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
Pages: 1037
Genres: Historical Fiction, Romance, Classic
Published by: Macmillan Publishers (June 30, 1936)
Summary
Gone with the Wind is a novel written by Margaret Mitchell, first published in 1936. The story is set in Clayton County, Georgia, and Atlanta during the American Civil War and Reconstruction era. It depicts the struggles of young Scarlett O’Hara, the spoiled daughter of a well-to-do plantation owner, who must use every means at her disposal to claw her way out of the poverty she finds herself in after Sherman’s March to the Sea. A historical novel, the story is a Bildungsroman or coming-of-age story, with the title taken from a poem written by Ernest Dowson.
Gone with the Wind was popular with American readers from the onset and was the top American fiction bestseller in the year it was published and in 1937. As of 2014, a Harris poll found it to be the second favorite book of American readers, just behind the Bible. More than 30 million copies have been printed worldwide.
What I Thought
Gone with the Wind is a book that I have been wanting to read for some time. I know of so many people who adore this epic novel, and I wanted to see what my opinions would be. Let me just say that this book is so much more than just a romance novel! Honestly, this review isn’t going to be able to fully capture everything I have to say about it, because there’s just so much I could say that I don’t even know where to begin, but I’m going to try my best!
A while back I was nominated by Jade at Drink Coffee and Read Books to do the Unique Blogger Award tag! Thank you so much for tagging me, Jade!!
THE RULES
- Share the link to the blogger who nominated you.
- Answer the questions they gave you.
- Nominate 8-13 other bloggers and pay it forward.
- Ask them three questions.
THE QUESTIONS
1. What books might we be surprised to find on your shelves?
I don’t know if this would necessarily be a surprise or not, because I’m terrible when it comes to unhauling books, but I have a lot of children’s books on my book shelves. I’ve always been a really avid reader, and I still have most of my books from elementary school. So I have popular titles like Nancy Drew and the Ramona books, but I also have lesser known books that none of my friends read, like Robin Kane and The Littles.
2. Can you leave a book series unfinished or do you have to own all the books and read them all?
I definitely can leave a book series unfinished. That’s actually a struggle of mine. I’ll start a series, and then never finish it! One of my reading goals for 2018 is to actually finish/make progress in some of the many series that I have started and then never got around to finishing.
3. How do you think you would be described if you were in a book?
Hmm…What an interesting question! Honestly, I’d probably be described as rather bookish and sensitive and appearing on the outside, altogether average.
For my questions, I think I’m just going to reuse these, because I really love the questions Jade picked out!
I TAG:
Thanks for reading!
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It’s Top Ten Tuesday again! It’s a weekly bookish list created by The Broke and the Bookish, but is now hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl! This week’s topic is:
BOOKISH RESOLUTIONS AND GOALS FOR 2018
So, I’ve already shared some of my bookish goals for 2018, because of that, I’ve decided to only list a top 5 today. Now that 2018 is actually here, I feel like I have a lot more clarity of what I want to do when it comes to books and blogging! Okay, here we go:
1. Focus more on quality instead of quanity.
I want to focus less on the number of books read, and more on the quality. There are a lot of large books that I’ve put off reading just so I can read and finish shorter books quicker, and I need to stop that. If I want to read a short book, I should read it. If I want to read a H U G E book, I should read it – and without worrying about how many books I’m completing.
2. Host my own event.
I’m super excited to be hosting my own Classics Challenge (which look out for the announcement later this week)! I don’t know if anyone will actually participate with me, but that’s okay. I think it’ll be a neat experience either way, and it will help me complete my next reading resolution which is…
3. Read more classics.
In middle school and high school, I really didn’t enjoy reading classics. However, now that I’ve gotten older, I’ve really come to appreciate them! They sometimes take a little longer to read, but I really do enjoy many classics, and would love to incorporate more of them in my reading life.
4. Finish some series.
I have a really bad habit of starting book series, and then never finishing them! So, in 2018, I want to actually finish, or at least make progress, in some of the many book series that I have started reading, but haven’t finished yet.
5. Bookstagram more.
I love the Bookstagram community! It’s so much fun to take book photos, as well as to see everyone’s creative photos and love of books. This year, I want to post more on my bookstagram. In the past few months, I haven’t posted as consistently as I would like, and so I’d really like to change that. I already have a few creative ideas I’m working on, and I just want that to continue throughout the year!
Those are some of my bookish resolutions! Tell me about yours in the comments!
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It’s Top Ten Tuesday again! It’s a weekly bookish list created by The Broke and the Bookish. This week’s topic is:
TOP TEN BOOKS I MEANT TO READ IN 2017 BUT DIDN’T GET TO
Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo
I totally mean to read Crooked Kingdom in the beginning of last year, but then I got distracted by other books, and kind of forgot what happened in Six of Crows, so I just kept putting it off. Not this year! I’ve started listing to the Six of Crows audiobook, so my memory is refreshed. I’m reading Crooked Kingdom in 2018!
Wayfarer by Alexandra Bracken
This is another I mean to read in early 2017. I won a signed copy Wayfarer (2 actually…what are the odds that I would win 2 different giveaways of the same books?!), and so I had every intention of reading it. I really don’t know what happened! I loved Passenger, so I’m sure I’ll love this book, too.
The Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray
I know why I didn’t read this book. I had originally planned on reading this during the summer. However, around July, I got hit with a huge reading slump, and the idea of reading such a large book just didn’t seem like a good idea. So, I just kept pushing it off again and again. Hopefully I will actually get to it this year! Not hopefully…I will!!
The Help by Kathryn Stockett
Honestly, I’m not sure why I didn’t get around to reading The Help in 2017. I had every intention of reading it, and I just never picked it up. I really would love to read this book in 2018!
Illuminae by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff
I’ve heard nothing but good things about this book, so even though I didn’t get a chance to read Illuminae in 2017, I really plan on changing that in 2018!
The Borrowers by Mary Norton
The Borrowers sounds like such a fun and easy book to read! I loved the movie when I was little, and I’ve always wanted to read the book, but it’s one I just never got around to as a little kid. I found a copy at the library book sale last year, and so even though I didn’t get to it last year, I’m definitely getting to it this year!
Reached by Ally Condie
Honestly, I’ve been meaning to read this book since probably 2012. I’ll probably have to reread the entire series before I can read Reached, but I still really want to. I loved the first two books when I first read them, and I would just really like to finish the series.
Christy and Todd: The College Years by Robin Jones Gunn
This is another book that I’ve really been meaning to read for years. I really love the Christy Miller books, so I’m not sure why I haven’t read this one!
Every Day by David Levithan
This is actually another book I’ve had since, probably, 2012. I honestly forgot that I owned it for a while. However, when people started talking about it becoming a movie last year, I was like, “oh hey! I have that book!” So, talk about it really made me want to read it last year. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to it, but I’m definitely going to read it this year!
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
I feel like The Chronicles of Narnia is such a classic, children’s series, but aside from watching the movies, it’s one I totally missed out on as a kid! The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe is a very winter-y feeling read, so I had every intention of reading it last winter, but I just didn’t get to it. So, I’m trying again this winter!
There’s my Top Ten Tuesday! After writing this, it’s very clear to me that I need to work on my TBR! There shouldn’t be books that I bought from 2012 still on there. 🙈
Thanks for reading! Be sure to let me know which books you meant to read in 2017 but didn’t get to!
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Hello! 2017 is over! Can you even believe that?! We’re a week into January now, and I still have to keep reminding myself that. I hope all of you had a lovely Christmas, or any other holiday, and just all-around great December. I had a fun and festive month filled with family, celebrations, and lots and lots of Christmas movies!
When it comes to books and blogging, my December did pretty great! While I would have liked to read a little more than I did, I still managed to finish 5 books, and I participated in Blogmas!
BOOKS READ
– Journey Back to Christmas by Leigh Duncan (ebook) \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
– Skipping Christmas by John Grisham \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
– The Afterlife of Holly Chase by Cynthia Hand \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
– My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
– Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
STANDOUT BOOK OF THE MONTH
This was a close tie with Gone with the Wind, but I chose The Afterlife of Holly Chase as the Standout Book of the Month, because I really did not expect this book to standout at all. This book was so cute and festive and it had a lot of heart. I ended up loving The Afterlife of Holly Chase way more than I intended. I figured it would just be an okay read, but for me personally, I loved it and even listed it as one of my top 10 books of 2017!
BOOKS REVIEWED
The Christmas Blessing by Melody Carlson \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Journey Back to Christmas by Leigh Duncan \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
Skipping Christmas by John Grisham \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Afterlife of Holly Chase by Cynthia Hand \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
BOOK HAUL
First, I participated in The Broke and The Bookish Secret Santa, and my Santa was the sweetest ever, and really spoiled me with all the goodies I received! If you want to know everything I got, check out my post here! Just the books I got were: Delirium Stories by Lauren Oliver, The Start of Me and You by Emery Lord, Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell, and Hiddensee by Gregory Maguire!
Then, for Christmas, I received 2 more books: Genuine Fraud by E. Lockhart and the Just One trilogy bind-up by Gayle Forman!
MISCELLANEOUS
December was a really fun and active month for my blog! I participated in Blogmas, so I posted something every single day during the month of December (minus 2 days, that I just ran out of time).
I continued my Countdown to Christmas series:
I shared some of my favorite holiday quotes:
And a few holiday recipes:
I also participated in 2 different readathons (even if I didn’t do too great)!
#ReadersCrossing | TBR & Wrap Up
The Holiday Adventure-A-Thon | TBR & Wrap Up
The Movie Monday of the Month was Christmas with the Kranks!
I also did a few TTT’s!
Some #AMonthofFaves
As well as some fun and festive book tags:
- ‘Tis the Season Book Tag
- The Christmas Song Book Tag
- The Bookish Naughty List
- Christmas Party Book Tag
- New Year’s Book Tag
Also, I shared:
Gifts to Buy a Bookworm that aren’t Books
My Most Memorable Christmas Memories
My 2018 Reading and Blogging Goals
That wraps up December! It was such a great month for me, bookish and nonbookish. I’m really looking forward to 2018, and seeing all that it has in store!
Thanks so much for reading!
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Title: The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondō, translated by Cathy Hirano
Pages: 224
Genres: Nonfiction, Self-Help
Published by: Ten Speed Press (Oct. 14, 2014)
Summary
Despite constant efforts to declutter your home, do papers still accumulate like snowdrifts and clothes pile up like a tangled mess of noodles?
Japanese cleaning consultant Marie Kondo takes tidying to a whole new level, promising that if you properly simplify and organize your home once, you’ll never have to do it again. Most methods advocate a room-by-room or little-by-little approach, which doom you to pick away at your piles of stuff forever. The KonMari Method, with its revolutionary category-by-category system, leads to lasting results. In fact, none of Kondo’s clients have lapsed (and she still has a three-month waiting list).
With detailed guidance for determining which items in your house “spark joy” (and which don’t), this international best seller featuring Tokyo’s newest lifestyle phenomenon will help you clear your clutter and enjoy the unique magic of a tidy home – and the calm, motivated mindset it can inspire.
What I Thought
I had seen people talk about this book for a while now, and I had always been intrigued, but I never picked it up, because I don’t typically read this type of book. However, since Christmas, I’ve been in a cleaning mood, and, since I’ve been sick this week and haven’t been well enough to actually clean, I decided to check out the ebook from my library. I’m really glad I did, too, because this book surprised me!
Holly, over at Nut Free Nerd, did the What Cats Do book tag a while back, and it looked like so much fun! For those of you that don’t know, I’m a huge animal lover, and actually own 4 cats. So, I just had to do this tag! I’ve included some pictures of my cats, too, because they’re too cute!
Purr: As cats do this when they’re happy or relaxed, what is the book that makes you happiest or relaxed?
I’d have to go with Anne of Green Gables. As many of you know by now, it’s one of my favorite books, and it just makes me so happy. It’s a very character driven novel, and just such a relaxing book.
Sleep: What is a book that put you to sleep or was just boring?
It pains me to say it, because I loved the rest of the books in the series, but The Kill Order by James Dashner was just so meh. I didn’t even know it was possible for a book that had so much action to be so boring.
Twitch while dreaming: Have you ever dreamt of a book you read?
I know I’ve dreamt of several books that I’ve been reading, but I think I’ve dreamed the most about being in Nancy Drew mysteries. When I was younger, I remember dreaming about them all the time!
Seems to play nice…until the claws are out!: Which book had the biggest plot twist(s)?
A certain plot twist in Insurgent had me s h o o k. I remember I was reading it while I was babysitting (It was nighttime and the kids were already asleep, lol, I promise I’m a responsible babysitter), and I was so surprised and had nobody to talk about it to that I had to tell their dog. 😂
Cuddles: Which book character would you give a hug to?
I think Liesel Meminger from The Book Thief could really use a hug. The Book Thief is another of my favorite books, and the things that Liesel goes through just makes me want to hug her, support her, and be there for her.
Catnip: What’s a book that made you have warm and fuzzy feels?
There’s several books I could have chosen for this, but I’m going to go with What Light by Jay Asher. It’s just a really nice story, it’s very Christmas-y, and it’s very heartwarming! It’s one of those books that, by the time you turn the last page, you’re smiling, and just feeling emotional and happy.
Cat breeds: Your favorite book(s)?
Well, I’ve already listed 2: Anne of Green Gables and The Book Thief. I also love Matilda by Roald Dahl, the Christy Miller series by Robin Jones Gunn, and Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs, just to name a few.
Getting the cat: How did you find your favorite book(s)?
Anne of Green Gables: I discovered Anne when one of my assigned reading books was Anne of Green Gables. I really adored the book, and always planned on reading the rest of the series, but being 10 years old, I got distracted and kind of forgot. I rediscovered Anne in 2012, after I got my first Nook. They had 6 of the books in a bind-up for $0.99, and I thought that was amazing. So, I reread Anne, and fell completely back in love with the book and characters, and it’s been that way ever since.
The Book Thief: This was a book that I had had on my TBR for quite some time. My grandma finally gave it to me for Christmas, and so I read it, and it quickly became a favorite.
Matilda: I have always loved the movie for Matilda for as long as I can remember. So, when I was, I think 8 or 9, my grandparents gave me the book for my birthday, and it’s been a favorite ever since.
Christy Miller: The Christy Miller books were actually my sister’s. I started reading them when I was the same age as Christy in the first book, 14, and I really loved them. My older sister, who isn’t really a reader, knew how much I loved them, so she just let me take her books.
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children: I saw this book at the library, and the cover was so creepy and intriguing, that I decided to read it for Halloween one year. The book was so different and mysterious, and I ended up really, really loving the story.
Being in places they shouldn’t: Least favorite cliché?
I’m going to have to go with love triangles. At one time, I thought they were really exciting (i.e. when I read the Twilight Saga back in 2009 #TeamEdward), but now they’re just so over done, and most of them aren’t even done well. The only way I don’t mind a love triangle, is if it is done extremely well, and that very, very rarely happens.
The good old cardboard box: Most underrated book series?
I have to say the Angel Eyes by Shannon Dittemore. I read this series last year, and it was so good! There was action, mystery, ballet, and romance (and no love triangle!) – pretty much everything I love in a book. So few people have read this series, and it’s one of those book series that I just want to tell everyone about!
I hope you enjoyed reading this tag, because I had so much fun doing it! I’d love to hear your answers!
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Hello! Today I’m going to share with you all how I did for the #ReadersCrossing readathon hosted by Aentee from Read at Midnight! This was a super cute readathon based off of Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp, and it ran from December 10th – 31st. Unfortunately, just like during the Holiday Adventureathon, I didn’t complete all the challenges, nor did I keep track of my points like I had originally planned on doing. December was just a busy month for me, and I didn’t read a whole lot. I did enjoy all the books I read though, so I can’t complain!
I was working on the Natural row. I finally finished Gone with the Wind for the Classics challenge square.
Then, for the challenge to read a book set in my country, I read The Afterlife of Holly Chase.
I also finished one of the extra, bonus challenges! The one I completed was taking a picture of one of the animals in Pocket Camp, reading.
That about wraps up how I did on #ReadersCrossing! I look forward to doing more readathons in the future – especially when I have more time to actually read.
If you participated, let me know how you did during #ReadersCrossing.
Thanks for reading!
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Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature started by Breaking the Spine that puts the spotlight on upcoming releases!
Today’s pick is:
Zenith (The Androma Saga #1)
Releasing January 16th, 2018!
Most know Androma Racella as the Bloody Baroness, a powerful mercenary whose reign of terror stretches across the Mirabel Galaxy. To those aboard her glass starship, Marauder, however, she’s just Andi, their friend and fearless leader.
But when a routine mission goes awry, the Marauder’s all-girl crew is tested as they find themselves in a treacherous situation and at the mercy of a sadistic bounty hunter from Andi’s past.
Meanwhile, across the galaxy, a ruthless ruler waits in the shadows of the planet Xen Ptera, biding her time to exact revenge for the destruction of her people. The pieces of her deadly plan are about to fall into place, unleashing a plot that will tear Mirabel in two.
Andi and her crew embark on a dangerous, soul-testing journey that could restore order to their shipor just as easily start a war that will devour worlds. As the Marauder hurtles toward the unknown, and Mirabel hangs in the balance, the only certainty is that in a galaxy run on lies and illusion, no one can be trusted.
There has been so much hype about this book lately, and I am so excited to read it and see what I think! I’ve followed Sasha Alsberg and Lindsay Cummings for years, and they are both such sweet people. Zenith sounds like there is going to be so much action and adventure, and I can’t wait to pick this one up!
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It’s Top Ten Tuesday again! It’s a weekly bookish list created by The Broke and the Bookish. This week’s topic is:
TOP TEN NEW-TO-ME AUTHORS I READ IN 2017
I discovered so many new authors in 2017! So, here they are in order of their books I read:
Ellen Hopkins
I read her book The You I’ve Never Known, and I really loved it! I definitely plan on reading more of her books in 2018.
Ted Dekker
I read his book Black, and oh boy, what a wild ride! I look forward to continuing his Circle series, as well as reading some of his other books in 2018.
Jennifer Niven
I read Holding Up the Universe, and I absolutely adored it! I am very interested (and nervous, because I hear it’s a tearjerker!) to read All the Bright Places soon. I also just found out she wrote a historical fiction series, Velva Jean, which sounds super interesting too!
Nicola Yoon
Everything Everything was such an enjoyable book, and I’ve heard The Sun is Also a Star is even better. I’m really hoping to get to it in 2018!
Shannon Dittemore
Shannon Dittemore’s Angel Eyes series was so good! I’m very eagerly waiting for her to publish more books!
Fredrik Backman
I finally read a Fredrik Backman book in 2017, My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry and I really enjoyed it! I’m really looking forward to reading more of his books in 2018, especially A Man Called Ove, and Beartown!
Rupi Kaur
After so much hype over Milk and Honey, I finally read it, and the hype really is deserved. I am hoping to read The Sun and Her Flowers this year!
Livy Jarmusch
Her Regal Hearts series was so enjoyable! I’m very excited to read The Coronation this year!
Cynthia Hand
The Afterlife of Holly Chase was such an unexpected gem that I read at the end of 2017. I’d love to read her Unearthly series in 2018!
Margaret Mitchell
I finally finished Gone with the Wind, and I understand its hype! This book was such a journey, and I really loved. Now, I need to watch the movie!
Tell me about some new-to-you authors that you read in 2017!
Thanks for reading!
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the calico books 