King’s March- rereading The Stand

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This is the first week of King’s March, and I really haven’t been very successful in getting very far in my reread of The Stand.  The first time I read this book, I couldn’t put it down, but this time life is getting in the way.  A very sick boy was home for two days, three storms (which equal 3 migraines for me), computer issues, and a stolen wallet and the ensuing mayhem of canceling and replacing everything has done me in!

I have been successful in getting my husband to start the audio version of The Stand too, and he seems to be enjoying it- or at least being smart enough not to trash a book I love.  I am still in the early stages and am looking forward to getting away this weekend for some serious skiing and reading, with some wine thrown in too.

My favorite pastime while reading this book is imagining the cast for the new version that is supposed to be in the works.  I heard a rumor that has Matthew McConaughey as Randall Flagg.  What do you think?  Any other casting suggestions?

A Top Ten Freebie- My Favorite Couples

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Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke & the Bookish. It’s awesome. Every Tuesday, the lovely ladies over there give us book bloggers wonderful and fun topics to create our lists! Check out what others have posted by going over there!

http://brokeandbookish.blogspot.com

Today was a Freebie topic, so I looked over past topics that I missed and chose Top Ten Couples!

1.  Elizabeth Bennet & Mrs. Darcy– Pride & Prejudice

This is my absolute favorite literary couple.  I love the way their love story evolved.

 “But above all, above respect and esteem, there was a motive within her of good will which could not be overlooked. It was gratitude. — Gratitude, not merely for having once loved her, but for loving her still well enough to forgive all the petulance and acrimony of her manner in rejecting him and all the unjust accusations accompanying her rejection.”

2.  Kitty & Levin -Anna Karenina

This couple is the perfect balance against Anna and Vronsky

“He could not be mistaken. There were no other eyes like those in the world. There was only one creature in the world who could concentrate for him all the brightness and meaning of life. It was she. It was Kitty.” -Levin 

3.  Rhett Butler & Scarlett O’Hara– Gone With the Wind

The absolute passion and fireworks that come from theses two is breathtaking.  I have to believe that when tomorrow did come, they were together.

Rhett: Don’t start flirting with me. I’m not one of your plantation beauxs. I want more than flirting from you.
Scarlett: What do you want?
Rhett: I’ll tell you, Scarlett O’Hara, if you’ll take that Southern-belle simper off your face. Someday, I want you to say to me the words I heard you say to Ashley Wilkes: ‘I love you!’
Scarlett: That’s something you’ll never hear from me Captain Butler as long as you live.

4.  Stu Redman and Frannie Goldsmith – The Stand

“He held her and made her know it was all right without saying anything.  He didn’t tell her not to worry or that he would take care of everything, but he made love to her again and she thought that she had never been so happy.”

5.  Arwen & Aragorn The Lord of the Rings

“For I am the daughter of Elrond. I shall not go with him when he departs to the Havens: for mine is the choice of Luthien, and as she so have I chosen, both the sweet and the bitter.” 

6.  Peeta & Katniss– The Hunger Games

“Peeta, how come I never know when you’re having a nightmare?” I say.

“I don’t know. I don’t think I cry out or thrash around or anything. I just come to, paralyzed with terror,” he says.

“You should wake me,” I say, thinking about how I can interrupt his sleep two or three times on a bad night. About how long it can take to calm me down.

“It’s not necessary. My nightmares are usually about losing you,” he says. “I’m okay once I realize you’re here.

7-10.  Rounding it out with my favorite couples from the Harry Potter series-

Harry & Ginny

“And he knew that at that moment, they understood each other perfectly, and when he told her what he was going to do now, she would not say ‘be careful’ or ‘don’t do it’, but she would accept his decision because she would not have expected anything less of him.”

Ron & Hermione

Hermione came over and sat down in Parvati’s empty chair. She was a bit pink in the face from dancing.
‘Hi,’ said Harry. Ron didn’t say anything.
‘It’s hot, isn’t it?’ said Hermione, fanning herself with her hand. ‘Viktor’s just gone to get some drinks.’
Ron gave her a withering look. ‘Viktor?’ he said. ‘Hasn’t he asked you to call him Vicky yet?’
Hermione looked at him in surprise. ‘What’s up with you?’ she said.
‘If you don’t know,’ said Ron scathingly, ‘I’m not going to tell you.’ “

Lily Evans & Severus Snape

“Dumbledore watched her fly away, and as her silvery glow faded he turned back to Snape, and his eyes were full of tears.
“After all this time?”
“Always,” said Snape.”

Remus Lupin & Nymphadora Tonks

As Ginny and Hermione moved closer to the rest of the family, Harry had a clear view of the bodies lying next to Fred: Remus and Tonks, pale and still and peaceful-looking, apparently asleep beneath the dark, enchanted ceiling.”

Make them a STAR- Characters who should get their own book-a Top Ten list

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Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke & the Bookish. It’s awesome. Every Tuesday, the lovely ladies over there give us book bloggers wonderful and fun topics to create our lists! Check out what others have posted by going over there!

http://brokeandbookish.blogspot.com

This week’s topic is –

Top Ten Characters You Wish Would Get Their Own Book

1. & 2  from Harry Potter

Sirius Black and Albus Dumbledore

Wouldn’t you love to know more about when Sirius meets James, or gets kicked out of the house by his crazy mother?  And what was Albus like as a kid?  Was he a know it all?

3.  from Macbeth

The Weird Sisters

These ladies are awesome- and pretty funny.

4.  from Rebecca

Mrs. Danvers

How did old Danny get so attached to Rebecca and why?

5. & 6.  from Lord of the Rings

Tom Bombadil and Legolas

I can’t even explain who Bombadil is- he just always was. Legolas now looks like Orlando Bloom in my mind, so of course I want more.

7.  from To Kill a Mockingbird

 Miss Maudie Atkinson

Why is she so nice?  Why isn’t she married?  Will she marry Atticus?  Buy Scout a dress?

8.  from The Stand

Ralph Bretner

We know more about the others who head West, but not much about Ralph.  Who was he before the plague?

9.  from Gone With the Wind

Ellen Robiard O’Hara

How did this elegant woman marry Gerald O’Hara?  How did she produce a child like Scarlet?

10.  from Jane Eyre

Bertha Mason

I need to know more about this crazy beauty.  Was she ever sane?  Did she want to marry Edward?

Bookish (& Not So Bookish) Thoughts

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Bookish & Not So Bookish Thoughts

is a weekly meme hosted by Christine over at Bookishly Boisterous, where we post things that are on our minds.  Head over there and check it out!

1.  Spring is here!  I began running outside again (not pretty to see) and I made up a new playlist, which is pretty awesome.  It includes the oldie “Bat out of Hell” by Meatloaf.  As I was listening to it this morning, all I could think of was Stu Redman, from The Stand.  That would be the perfect song to play, as he is leaving Boulder and Frannie on his way out west.  And yes- I have too much time on my hands.

2.  She Reads announced that its April Book Club selection is The Storied Life of A.J Fikry, which excited me very much.  I requested it a while ago at my library, but had no luck so far, so I downloaded it from Amazon onto my iPad.  Within 5 hours, I got an email from the library that it was in.  Life’s a bitch.

3.  BookRiot ran a great article On The Perils of Feeling Dumb While Reading.  This has definitely happened to me- more than once.

4.  I grabbed the first Harry Potter while I waited for above mentioned book from library.  It was- so nice.  I missed the whole HP world so much, it was very difficult to not immediately pick up the next (then the next) book.

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5.  I am SO excited to go see Cabaret at Studio 54- with Alan Cumming and Michelle Williams this SUnday afternoon.  He is one of my FAV actors and I am sure he will be an amazing MC!

Here is a link to him singing Wilkommen.  

I tried to put the little you tube screen, like I have seen so many savvy bloggers do- then I realized I don’t know how to do that.

6.  I have been watching Glee since it started (even though this year was pretty meh).  My daughter (14) was home sick, and asked if we could watch a few episodes from the beginning.  Wow- this show was pretty amazing in the beginning. If you have a chance, watch some of the early episodes-though it is so sad to see Finn.

7.  The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon is not good for my health.  I am over 40-I can’t stay up so late.  But he is SO DAMN FUNNY.

8.  I finished The Green Mile last week and I loved it.  I am hoping to get the review posted within the week, but until then, know this- you should read it.

9.  This sucks.1924725_10152377522211757_398497141_n

10.  What’s going on with you??  Please leave a comment- I love hearing from you!

Bookish (& Not SO Bookish) Thoughts

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Bookish & Not So Bookish Thoughts

is a weekly meme hosted by Christine over at Bookishly Boisterous, where we post things that are on our minds.

1.  I finished The Stand by Stephen King.  I posted my review yesterday and also linked up with King’s March.  I was very excited to do this, which you might be able to tell if you read my review.  I sound so gushy and a little nuts.

I also found myself in that yucky place, where you finish a book you really love, with characters you don’t want to say good-bye to.  It ruins you for a little while for all other books.  The next book I picked up didn’t really have a chance.  I had to take a few days off, then found myself looking for other King books to read.  I picked The Green mile after some very helpful suggestions from you , dear readers.  I think it was the right choice, as I can’t put it down!!

Has it ever happened to you where a really good book ruins you for a while?

2.  Buzzfeed posted a list of 22 Strong Female Characters We all Wanted to Be.  Honestly- great list- I definitely wanted to be like Lizzy Bennet, Matilda, Lucy Pensieve, and Hermione Granger (why doesn’t she have any close friends that are girls??)  But I don’t think I really wanted to be Lizbeth Salander.  Or Charlotte of the Web fame.  She has to deal with a whiny pig.  Then dies before all of her babies are born.

What do you think of this list?

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3.  This is my view whenever I sit at the computer.  Jack soaking up the sun, sound asleep.  Sound being the optimal word.  About two minute after I took this picture, he started making a sound very much like a chainsaw, with intermittent little yelps thrown in for comic relief.  Of course, the whole body then started convulsing, paws trying to gain traction in the never ending pursuit of that damn squirrel.  No wonder I get nothing done.

4.  It is rumored to be warming up to the mid to high 50s around here soon.  You know what that means, right?  That it’s going to rain for the next month or two-straight.  Then it will get so blistering hot, we will think we live in Mars.  Or Hell.  But it’s just New Jersey.

5.  I am not really officially taking part in Bloggiesta this time around, but I am trying to look up the posts and challenges.  There was a great one over at River City Reading on using Pic MONKEY- go check it out.  Thank you SO much for the help!!  I went over there and played around a little, but then had to stop to cook dinner.  WHY do children insist on eating?  Everyday?

6.  I feel bad for my husband, who has been a NY Jets fan forever.  I had to sadly informed him that our house will no longer be watching or rooting for that team.  I am a book lover, and a dog lover.  Please don’t get me started.

Who should we root for this season?  I am personally a Cowboys fan, but I think hubby will root for the Falcons.  I will allow that.  Plus Matt Ryan is adorable.

1622644_10202719549542428_1179239359_n(love this)

7.  I don’t do Throwback Thursday for the simple reason that I don’t want to see how young  and unlined I used to be.  If I look in the mirror without my glasses, I think I still look like that.

8.  I have been very sporadic with posting lately, and it makes me feel very bad.  I am going to get myself into a real routine, now that we aren’t spending 3+ days away skiing every week.  I also need to detox from all the apres ski food.  It’s yummy and fun, but not conducive to wearing anything other than leggings and long sweaters.

How is everything with you?

Please leave a comment-I love hearing from you.

King’s March- The Stand by Stephen King

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The Stand

by Stephen King

published 2008

Random House

 

Summary

This is the way the world ends: with a nanosecond of computer error in a Defense Department laboratory and a million casual contacts that form the links in a chain letter of death.

And here is the bleak new world of the day after: a world stripped of its institutions and emptied of 99 percent of its people. A world in which a handful of panicky survivors choose sides — or are chosen. A world in which good rides on the frail shoulders of the 108-year-old Mother Abagail — and the worst nightmares of evil are embodied in a man with a lethal smile and unspeakable powers: Randall Flagg, the dark man.

In 1978 Stephen King published The Stand, the novel that is now considered to be one of his finest works. But as it was first published, The Stand was incomplete, since more than 150,000 words had been cut from the original manuscript.

Now Stephen King’s apocalyptic vision of a world blasted by plague and embroiled in an elemental struggle between good and evil has been restored to its entirety. The Stand : The Complete And Uncut Edition includes more than five hundred pages of material previously deleted, along with new material that King added as he reworked the manuscript for a new generation. It gives us new characters and endows familiar ones with new depths. It has a new beginning and a new ending. What emerges is a gripping work with the scope and moral complexity of a true epic.

For hundreds of thousands of fans who read The Stand in its original version and wanted more, this new edition is Stephen King’s gift. And those who are reading The Stand for the first time will discover a triumphant and eerily plausible work of the imagination that takes on the issues that will determine our survival.  (goodreads)

My Review

I consider myself a King newbie.  I read my first King book just a few months ago-The Shining-which I loved.  I proceeded to read Doctor Sleep  immediately after finishing, but then decided to take a King break.  I was so happy to sign up for King’s March with Fourth Street Review and Wensend,  and decided I would tackle The Stand.   This scared me because it is SO big, and I downloaded the newly (2008) published version, which is actually longer than the original at over 1,200 pages!  Put very simply, I loved it.  I thought The Shining would be my fav, since I enjoyed it so much, but it is now The Stand.  I couldn’t stop reading, and it was not scary at all, so if you are like me (a big baby) and don’t read horror- this is one you definitely can read.

When I first started, I was a little overwhelmed by the sheer number of characters that were constantly being introduced.  It was made worse by not having a large chunk of time to sit and read and I even stopped skiing to read in the lodge for a while just to stay in stride.

I honestly don’t even know how to go about giving a summary here, but would rather talk about the characters, so if you haven’t read it-go read it NOW-then come back here!  I loved all the characters- good and bad.  Frannie was awesome, but I really wanted her to be just a little more kick ass-even pregnant!  Stu Redman- do they really make them like that?  I had to keep reminding myself he wasn’t older- he seemed too kind to be that young.  Larry- becoming a better man that he originally was- and I will never forget his travels through the Lincoln Tunnel..  I could obviously go on, but I am sure it will all sound very annoying especially if you haven’t read it yet.  I would definitely recommend this book to absolutely anyone who enjoys to read.  And is there really going to be a movie?  Who should star in it?  Suggestions?

I couldn’t resist moving on to another King, even though I don’t want to let go of this one.  I just got The Green Mile and The Long Walk.  Not sure which I will grab first!

King’s March

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Kings-March

I am excited to join in  King’s March, hosted by the amazing Rory at Fourth Street Review and Wendy at Wensend.  I am a bit of a King newbie, having read my first by him just a few months ago.  My plan is to take on the large and daunting The Stand.  Then I will link up with the other bloggers  participating to share my reviews.

Here’s the run down on how it will work from Wendy-

THE EVENT

I guess you all know Stephen King; it doesn’t matter if you’ve read anything by him or not. I think he’s most famous for his horror novels like ItThe Shining and Misery, but he has also written non-fiction like On Writing and literary novels like The Green Mile and Under The Dome, which has recently been made into a tv show.
Rory, the King expert, and I, the King newbie, invite you to read anything King-related during the month March. This can be any of his novels, but also non-fiction work written about King, interviews, anything. You can check out Rory’s blog for Stephen King reviews or explore the King’s books yourself: anything is possible.

HOW TO PARTICIPATE

All you have to do to participate in this event is to read and post about at least one thing King-related. You are free to read as many King books as you want, but you can also stick with just one book (some of the books are real chunksters). You can already let us know you’re going to participate by signing up with the Mister Linky below, but you can also join in the fun halfway through the month. Every week during the event there will be a link-up on both our blogs where you can share your reviews, info posts and any other King-related posts.
You can already put up a post on your blog announcing that you’re going to participate and reflecting on which books you’d like to read. If you do so, please use the event button in the post or in your sidebar, link back to Rory’s blog and mine. You can also let us know you’ve put up a post by leaving a comment. Want to join in the fun on Twitter? Just add the hashtag #kingsmarch to your tweet.

GIVEAWAY

To make this event even more fun, everyone who’s participating in this event will get an entry for winning a book by Stephen King. If you write one post during the event, you get one entry; if you write five, you get five entries. I’ll host a giveaway on my blog and Rory will do the same. We’ll both be using the same linkups, so you don’t have to enter at both our blogs. More details will be announced at the beginning of the event.

The Stand

by Stephen King

This is the way the world ends: with a nanosecond of computer error in a Defense Department laboratory and a million casual contacts that form the links in a chain letter of death.

And here is the bleak new world of the day after: a world stripped of its institutions and emptied of 99 percent of its people. A world in which a handful of panicky survivors choose sides or are chosen. A world in which good rides on the frail shoulders of the 108-year-old Mother Abigail and the worst nightmares of evil are embodied in a man with a lethal smile and unspeakable powers: Randall Flagg, the dark man.

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What do you think go The Stand?  Do you have a favorite King book you would recommend?