Anne of Green Gables Read Along

Hey friends! It has been a while since we've hosted a read along. The wait is over!

Jenni has never read Anne of Green Gables, and we are going to fix that!

Schedule

Chapters 1-13: March 1-11

Chapters 14-26: March 12-22

Chapters 27-38: March 23-31

Discussion Posts

March 11 on Suey's Blog

March 22 on My Blog

March 31 on Jenni's Blog

Twitter

We will be having twitter chats! They will be announced later.

Please use #GreenGablesRAL for all your thoughts, questions, comments, Gilbert swooning, etc.

Movie Night

Yes, we will be watching the Anne of Green Gables miniseries after the read along!

More on this later!

We kick off on March 1! If interested, please sign up and tell your friends.

Little Women Read Along: Chapters 18 - 33 Discussion Post

Hey friends! How is the reading going?

Can you believe we're almost finished!?

Before we delve into the questions, let's take care of some housekeeping items.

Twitter Chat:

Tonight @ 7:00 PM (MST)

#LittleWomenRAL

Movie Watch Along:

March 4 @ 7:00 PM (MST)

If you live nearby, let us know, and we can guide you to Suey's house.

If you live far away, get a copy of the 1994 version and watch with us. We'll be using #LittleWomenRAL for comments during the movie.

Okay, enough chit chat, lets get to the good stuff!

Chapters 18 - 33 Discussion Questions:

1.    What would be your dream cast for the March sisters (Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy), Marmee, Laurie, and whoever else you'd like to cast.

2.    How do you feel about Meg and Mr. Brooke's relationship?

3.    How do you feel about Jo's reaction to Meg getting married?

4.    The girls are growing up and changing, do you feel differently towards them now than you did at the beginning?

5.    Two important men were introduced in these chapters. What are your impressions of Mr. March and Professor Bhaer?

6.    Do you think it was fair that Amy got to go to Europe instead of Jo?

7.    What are your thoughts on the time period and setting of the book? Do you like it? Why do you think a very important historical event like the Civil War is hardly mentioned in the story?

8.    Louisa May Alcott supposedly patterned the March sisters after herself and her own sisters. How accurate do you think she portrayed her family? Do you think a lot of the book is an idealized version of her and her sisters?

9.    Why do you think Louisa May Alcott later added Part 2 to the book?

10.    What is your favorite adaptation of Little Women and why?

I look forward to your answers and insights!

I'll be posting my answers later. It is late, and it took all my brain power to write this post.

Little Women Read Along: Chapters 1 - 17 Discussion Post

Are you having fun? I am!

Suey is hosting today's discussion post, so pop on over there for a fun recap of the story so far and the questions. She also has a linky where you can link up your answers posts.

I'm looking forward to reading everyone's thoughts!

We will also be having a twitter chat TONIGHT @ 5:00 PM (MST)!

1.    What's your opinions so far about each of the girls? Do you identify more with one or the other of them? Do you like them, or do they get on your nerves in a way? Which one do you think would be your friend?

I think I'm a combination of Jo and Beth. I've always wanted to be friends with the March sisters. They have so much fun together. Meg and Amy bug me sometimes. Meg can be smug and Amy is so whiny and vein. 

2.    What do you think of Mrs. March aka. Marmee? What's one of your favorite pieces of advice or lessons she's taught the girls so far?

I love Marmee's kind nature and wisdom. I wish there were more mothers like Marmee in the world today. I love this quote, "Have regular hours for work and play, make each day both useful and pleasant, and prove that you understand the worth of time by employing it well." In today's world, we want to be entertained all the time, and I think society as a whole is losing the value of working hard. I love that Marmee is trying to instill good work ethics in her girls, but she also wants them to balance their time with work and pleasure. 

3.    Do you think that the characterization of these girls and this family is realistic? Explain.

Yes and no, they live in a simpler time and rely on each other so much. They are a close knit family and have strong ties, but some of the pleasantness seems a bit too much. But then on the other hand, they do get on each other's nerves at times, and Amy did something horrid to Jo. I really like how nice and pleasant the family is. It is something ideal that I enjoy reading and admiring. 

4.    What's your favorite scene or incident so far? And why?

I really love the part where Jo and Laurie meet for the first time. Jo is seeking refuge and happens to hide where Laurie is hiding, and they immediately become friends. I also like the dance they share. Laurie doesn't judge these girls at all. He just wants to be included in their family. We also get to see Laurie's chivalry when he helps Meg.

5.    If this is your second (or third etc.) time reading this story, what stands out to you this time?

This is the 3rd or 4th time reading this. It has been AGES since I've read this book, and I've forgotten a lot of it. I remember the big moments and the general story, but I feel like I'm reading it for the first time still. 

6.    If this is your first time reading this story, is it meeting your expectations? Or is it different than expected? Explain.

Meeting and surpassing my expectations! I'm really enjoying it!

7.    How do you feel about Jo cutting off her hair? Was this incident surprising to you? Do you think it's symbolic of anything?

I wasn't surprised cause I knew it was coming, and I feel like it is something that is very inline with Jo's personality. She wants to be "the man" of the family and do her part. It was a spur of the moment decision, and that is how Jo rolls. 

8.    What's your feeling about the inclusion of poems, letters, stories, plays and etc. into the story?

I enjoy reading them. I feel like it includes the reader in the games and fun the girls are having. 

9.    Any thoughts in particular on the male characters in this story?

Well, none of them are a brooding Richard Armitage, but I like how chivalrous they are! Laurie is always willing to run errands or do anything. For some reason, I thought Laurie was older. He really is just a playful boy, but I still like him. Mr. Lawrence stole my heart by giving Beth the piano. I wish these types of manners and gentlemanly ways were still around.

10.    Are you liking this reading experience? If yes, why? If not, why?

Definitely! It is fun to re-read an old classic like this that I haven't read in such a long time, and I love reading them with friends! 

Little Women Read Along Sign Up

That is right! Jenni, Suey, and I (The Dream Team) are hosting another awesome read along. Jenni has been wanting to read Little Women for a while now, but she wanted some company while reading. I've read Little Women a couple times. It is one of those fun books from my younger years. I haven't read it in a while, so I'm excited to revisit some old friends. I'm not sure if Suey has read this, but I assume she has.

Anyhoo, you excited!? You should be!

Schedule:

Chapters 1 - 17
February 1 - 10

Discussion Post: Feb 10 @ Suey's Blog
Twitter Chat: Feb 10 @ 5:00 PM

Chapters 18 - 33
February 11 - 19

Discussion Post: Feb 19 @ My Blog
Twitter Chat: Feb 19 @ 7:00 PM

Chapters 34 - 47
February 20 - 29 (LEAP YEAR!)

Discussion Post: Feb 29 @ Jenni's Blog
Twitter Chat: Feb 29 @ 7:00 PM

We will using #LittleWomenRAL for all quotes, thoughts, chats, etc.

We will also be watching the movie during the first weekend of March. Details for this will also be announced later!

Woo! Spread the word! This is going to be fun!

Please fill out the linky below if you are awesome and want to join us!

Dune Read Along: Book 3 Discussion

Can you believe we finished? WAHOO!

Give yourself a pat on the back and do a happy dance!

Announcements:

Twitter chat TONIGHT @ 9:00 PM MDT

#DuneRAL

We will be hosting a Watch Along on May 29 @ 6:00 PM MDT.

We will be watching the Dune mini-series. Let us know if you'd like to come over, we'll get you info. If you live too far away, get the series and watch with us! We'll be tweeting along!

Questions:

1.  What are your overall thoughts? Did you like it?

It had a lot of slow parts, but there were a lot of interesting parts as well. As a whole, I think I liked it.

2.  Do you think you could ride a giant worm?

No! I would not be able to climb the rope onto one. I would be afraid of getting anywhere near a worm. I would get eaten. I also feel a little sad that they had to expose a wound to ride the worms. 

3.  Paul's relationship with his mom, Jessica, dramatically changed and evolved over the course of the book. How did their relationship change and why do you think it did?

At the beginning of the book, I think Paul looked towards Jessica for guidance, especially since she was teaching him the Bene Gesserit ways. After the Duke was killed, Paul stepped up and took the leadership role. Paul continued to develop into more leadership roles, and Jessica was more of a support. I think their relationship evolved out of necessity. 

4.  What do you think about Paul's lack of emotion?

He is like a zombie. He didn't cry for his father or any of the other Atreides people that died. He didn't even cry for his son! He even told Chani they could have more sons! That really bugged me. As a mom, I can have more kids, but no child could replace the one I already have. I would be devastated if my gnome was killed. I don't see how he can claim to cherish Chani when he has no emotions! 

5.  Now that I've finished, I feel like I'd pick up on a lot more of the details and things if I read it again. Do you think you'll reread Dune? If this is a reread, did you catch different things this time around?

I will probably read this again in a few years. I think it would interesting and fun to pick up on more things. 

6.  How do you feel about the political arrangement at the end? Do you feel bad for Princess Irulan or Chani?

I feel bad for the princess. She is basically a slave to her fate, and no one will care that she is going to be super lonely for the rest of her life. Maybe she'll get a male concubine?

I think Chani got the shaft as well. She is just going to be his play thing because I don't think Paul has the capacity to love. 

7.  Will you read the rest of the series?

I don't know. I'm undecided.

8.  Favorite character and why?

Kynes died and didn't do much in the end anyway, so I'd have to go with Stilgar. I liked how he was always concerned for the Fremen people. He was always looking for a better future.

9.  What did you think about the quotes at the beginning of each chapter? Did you read them? Were they interesting? Were they helpful?

I read them, but I didn't understand a lot of them. I don't know why they are there. 

10.  Did you have fun during the Read Along? Was there anything we could have done better? Would you have read this book if you hadn't joined?

I always fun with our read alongs. I admit, I probably wouldn't have read Dune if Jenni had pushed so hard for the read along and reading it for book club. I'm glad I read it though!

Dune Read Along: Book 1 Discussion

Jenni is hosting today's discussion, so pop on over there to link up!

Questions:

1.  Have you ever read a high sci-fi book before?

I've read a few sci-fi books, but I don't know how high or epic they were. I've read Ender's Game and the Ender's Shadow series. I think this is unique to other sci-fi books I've read. This one reads more like a high fantasy novel.

2.  Is this your first time reading Dune?

Yes, and I'm excited!

3.  If this is your first time reading Dune, is the book anything like you expected it to be? If this isn't your first time reading it, have you noticed anything different this time around?

I haven't had much exposure to what this book is about. I only saw the movie when I was really little, and I only remember blue eyes, sand, and giant worms. I don't think I have many expectations. I expect this to be pretty good though since Jenni has been pushing to read this for so long. 

4.  Were you surprised that you knew who the traitor was before everything went down at the end of this book? Did it help prepare you? Or, were you bugged by it?

I wouldn't say I was surprised. It made me anxious as to when the murder was going to happen, and it happened in a way I wasn't expecting. I think the author did a good job at giving away a little, but still surprising me. Even though I knew the Duke was going to die, it did not prepare me. I was still sad. 

5.  What do you think of the idea of recycling the water from your body to survive in such an arid climate?

They gotta do what they have to do to survive. I think it was a very smart way to preserve water, but it is kinda gross to think about.                                                                                                         
6.  What was your favorite part of this section? Why?                                                                                            
I loved the part when the Duke and Paul went out with Kynes and the worm came. It was when the book starting picking up for me, and I loved the way the Duke handled everything. I also like the description of the giant worm.

7.  Which character(s) do you find the most interesting? Why?

I really liked the Duke. I thought he was a great guy. I'm intrigued with Paul and Jessica. They have interesting "powers" and backgrounds. Kynes interested me too for some reason.

8.  Are there any revelations in this section that surprised you?

The whole ending of Book 1 surprised me. Dr. Yeuh's plan, Jessica's dad, Paul's "awakening" and other things were so fun. I'm SO happy the story picked up speed.

9.  What do you think of Dune so far? Are you having a hard time following what's going on? Is it engaging? Boring?

I was a little bored in the beginning. It was a lot of talking and politics, but then the action kicked in, and I'm excited to see what happens next. I'm hoping Book 1 was just a set up for the rest of the story. 

10.  Do you have any predictions about what's going to happen in the next section?

I'm thinking Paul is going to take the leadership position, and there will be an uprising and take over. I'm also hoping for more worm action.

Schedule:

Tweet Chat tonight @ 9:00 PM MDT!

We'll be using #DuneRAL

We are starting Book 2 tomorrow!

If you are reading the same edition as me, that is about 17 pages a day!

Not as much to read for this section!

Suey will be hosting the next Discussion Post on May 6!

Don't forget we are watching the Dune mini-series!

May 30 @ 6:00 PM

Let is know if you would like to come!

If you live too far away, or can't make it, find a copy and watch at the same time cause we'll be tweeting!

Dune Read-Along Sign Ups

Hey Friends and Sci-Fi Fans!

Jenni, Suey, and I are hosting another read along! This time we are tackling one of Jenni's favorite books! We had so much fun with our last read along, and I hope we can get the same participation!

Schedule:

Section 1: April 19 - 27

Section 2: April 28 - May 6

Section 3: May 7 - 16

Discussion Posts:

Section 1: April 27 on Jenni's Blog

Section 2: May 6 on Suey's Blog

Section 3: May 16 here on my blog

Twitter chats will be announced later! In the meantime, use #DuneRAL for quotes, thoughts, and other chatter.

We will also be watching the Dune mini-series! More info on that later!

Kick off post will be on April 19!!!

Tell you friends!!!

North and South Read Along Sign Ups

My love and admiration for Richard Armitage is no secret! I LOVE watching North and South over and over and over and over and over and over and over again. It never gets old!

Well, I've never read the book, and my friends want to remedy that! We are hosting a North and South Read Along for January! Are you excited? I am! Will you be picturing Mr. Thornton as Richard Armitage? I will!

Schedule:

Chapters 1-18

Discussion Post January 10 on Jenni's Blog

Chapters 19-35

Discussion Post January 20 here

Chapters 36-the end

Discussion Post January 31 on Suey's Blog

Twitter chats will be announced on discussion  posts! We'll be using #NorthSouthRAL for chats, thoughts, quotes, and anything else!

We'll also be having a movie night after the read along. 

Details will be announced later!

We plan on kicking this off on January 1st! I'm really excited! I hope you'll join us! It will be lots of fun! I love read alongs! Please spread the word! The more the merrier! 

And if this doesn't make you love Richard Armitage, I don't know what will! 

The Two Towers: Book 3 Discussion Post

Sorry again about the delay!

Random Thoughts:

-   How come Merry and Pippin were surprised to see Gandalf alive?

-    I love the Gimli and Legolas are friends. It took a lot of forgiving and forgetting to do that, especially since Legolas's dad imprisoned Gimli's dad for a while. 

Discussion Questions

Link up your answers below!

1.    Do you like how the book is split? Book 3 is all about Merry, Pippin, Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli, and book 4 is all about Frodo and Sam.

2.    What differences between the book and movie do you like?

3.    What differences between the book and movie do you dislike?

4.    Why do you think Grima Wormtongue threw the Palantir out the window?

5.    Have you noticed any differences in character from Gandalf the Grey to Gandalf the White?

6.    What was your favorite moment or scene in the book?

7.    Magic always has to have constraints. If it didn't, we'd want all the problems to be solved with magic. There is some powerful magic in Lord of the Rings. How do you think it works? What are the constraints? Why doesn't Gandalf just transport the ring to the Mount Doom or wipe out the armies with magic?

8.     I feel like Tolkien wasn't a fan of technology or machinery. Did you pick up on any of that?

No twitter chat this time, but you can still follow along with #LotRreadalong for quotes and thoughts on the book.

We'll be doing a Discussion Post on Book 4 with Jenni on June 30.

Fellowship of the Rings Starting Line

Let the reading begin!

This is the version I'm going to read!

Isn't it pretty!? I love the illustrations by Alan Lee! They inspired the movies.

My Lord of the Rings books were one of the best Christmas presents ever!

Anyway, for this read-along here is the page break down for my version or a similar one:

Book 1:    14.5 pages a day

Book 2:    About 12 pages a day

Doable right!?

Let's do this thing!!

Don't forget to follow and use #LotRreadalong

Discussion Post: Parts 7-10

It's the end of our Read Along, and I like to say thanks to everyone who participated in our adventure. We had some fun discussions and chats. I hope those of you who read it for the first time have fallen in love, and I hope those of you who re-read it fell in love all over again. 

I had a lot of fun hosting this with my friends!

Kathy from Read This Instead is hosting our last discussion post today.

Here are my answers to her questions:

1. How did you feel when Max had to leave the Hubermanns? What did you expect would happen to him?

I was really upset and scared. I really hoped that he would find a safe place or make it out of Germany somehow, but I also was scared he was going to be captured and killed.

2. Why do you think Liesel ran out to Max when they finally did cross paths, even after she had seen what happened to Hans earlier in the book?

How could she not!?!? Max and Liesel understood each other on a unique level. I don't think they could help look for each other. They were family to each other.

3. What did you think of Death spoiling the ending a couple chapters before it actually happened? Did the warning make it easier to handle?

I always think I'm prepared for the end, but I'm not. I always cry, and my heart always breaks. I think the foreshadowing and spoiler alerts were fitting, and it just felt right that Death said things when he did.

4. Which death impacted you the most?

Rudy and Hans usually kill me. I like and hate how Liesel find each character and mourns them. Rudy just kills me. I just want to yell at Liesel!!! Why couldn't she have given him a kiss before it was too late!?!?!? I think I cry hardest for Hans. He is the first person she cries out for, and Death knew Liesel loved her papa best. I actually mourned a lot for Rosa this time. She really stood out to me this read through. 

5. How did your view of Ilsa Herman change over the course of the book? 

She starts out as a pathetic creature, but she grows into a sort of silent hero. There were a few small victories at the end, and one of them was that Liesel would go live with the Hermans. She had someone familiar and understanding to take care of her. I love when Ilsa leaves cookies for Rudy and Liesel!

6. The power of words is such a big theme throughout the book. Which instances of powerful words stuck out to you? Or, which quotes from the book stuck out to you?

The part where Liesel is in Ilsa's library and destroys a book really stand out to me. She loves words so much, but she also realizes that word can be dangerous as well. I think an overall theme in the book is words are power!

7. In this post Markus Zusak says:
In many ways I felt that the book is about Liesel’s different kind of loves - for Hans, for Rosa, for Rudy and Max, and for books and living in general.
Which of those loves resonated with you most?

All of them really. This is one of the reasons the book is so beautiful. Liesel is so alone and scared when she comes to live with the Hubermanns, but she grows to love and trust different people in different ways. 

8. Thoughts on Liesel and Death finally meeting? 

It was like they already knew each other. I feel like they were greeting each other in a way that old friends would. I love that Death gave Liesel her book back. It would have been a hard thing to let go, but I think Death knew the book ultimately belonged to the author. 

9. If this was your first time reading The Book Thief, is it what you expected?
If it was a reread, what did you notice this time around?

Rosa and how much I like her stuck out a lot more this time around. This was my 3rd read through. The part where Rosa holds Hans' accordian all night, when Rosa comes to school to tell Liesel Max was awake, and the end when Death describes how much love Rosa had really stood out. 

10. Will you see the movie?

YES!!!! I can't wait!!! I know I will cry like a blubbering idiot though.

We have a surprise for you!!

It is giveaway time!

We are giving away 3 t-shirts! They each feature the quote "I am haunted by humans."

To enter, please fill out the form below.

For those of you who are going to attend the movie with us, we'd like to wear these for that event!

Good luck everyone!

Discussion Post: Parts 4-6

How is the reading going? I know some of you have finished the book already! Well done! For the rest of us, there is still time! I hope everyone is having fun.

Let us recap what we just read.

Part Four

• Max's father teaches Hans to play the accordion and saves his life.
• We finally meet Max.
• Max gives Liesel a present.

Part Five

• Max fights the Fuhrer.
• The Mayor fires Rosa.
• Liesel steals The Whistler.
• Rudy makes some stupid choices.

Part Six

• We learn more about Death.
• A snowman is built in the basement.
• Max becomes severely ill.
• Liesel leaves Max a series of gifts.
• Liesel steals another book.

Now for the discussion questions! I look forward to all of your answers! Feel free to answer them in the comments section or write your own blog post! Make sure to link up your post here so everyone can see! 

1.    What emotions have you felt while reading? Are they strong emotions?

2.    Several characters mention similarities between Max and Liesel. What similarities have you noticed, and why do you think the author made these characters relate to each other?

3.    What do you think of The Standover Man aka the book Max wrote for Liesel.

4.    How do you feel about knowing who is going to die in the end and what are some of your predictions?

5.    What do you think of Rudy's rebellious attitude? 

6.    Is Rosa growing on you?

7.    What do you think of the relationship between Max and Liesel?

8.    Why do you think Liesel is so determined to steal from the Mayor's library?

9.    What really stands out to you in the story and why?

10.    If you were in Hans' position, would you have helped/hid Max?

Twitter Chat!! Don't miss it!

Saturday, Sept 21 

@ 7:00 PM

#bookthief