5.22.2014
in which i talk of books, copious weeping, and pocket-sized wonders
(I never realize how fast I talk until I watch myself on camera... Goodness, calm down there, Speedy Gonzales.)
Now that you've heard me talk about books, I wanna hear you talk about books. Lemme have it... favourite books you've read this year, new ones you're looking forward to, all-time favourites. But please no spoilers. Readysetgo.
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REBECCA! I too. (Love it.) :-) I've heard really good things about My Cousin Rachel, The House on the Strand, and the Jamaica Inn, by the same author.
ReplyDeleteDon't you love the texture of gentle, beautiful writing against a Gothic backdrop? :-) Hitchcock made Rebecca into a film starring Laurence Olivier and Joan Fontaine. (Very good.)
I've not read David Copperfield either (yet), but I love Villette (more than Jane Eyre, which I also love) and have read half of War & Peace.
Awesome little Sense & Sensibility (my favorite Austen!)
... This is a stream of consciousness comment because I typed while listening, and responded as I would have if you were speaking live. :)
heeeeey, I know you... My literary soul-sister returns! ;)
DeleteGoodness, it's been weeks since I finished Rebecca and I'm still thinking about it. The copy in the video is my library's which I finally had to return, and I'm desperate for my own. I actually just watched the movie with my family! I found it on VHS at a garage sale for $.25. :) I really enjoyed it, even with the changes to the story they made. Laurence Olivier's performance was great.
Whew. Someone else who hasn't read David Copperfield. ;) Even my thirteen-year-old sister has read it, and I have felt quite alone...
(psssst, I really liked your stream of consciousness comment. :D)
Sherlock Holmes!!!! ahhh. I adore the stories. They are amazing- and your favorites are some of my favorites, too. (although I also really enjoyed The Copper Beeches, as well)
ReplyDeleteI've had Rebecca on my list forever, but haven't read it yet and didn't even know anyone who had read it...okay, now it jumped up on my list. A lot. :D
So, the best I've read so far... hmmm. Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens was very good. (and David Coppefield is one of my favorites...it took me FOREVER to get into it, but once I did, I loved it) Villette was all right, although not my favorite (but I'm not a huge fan of Charlotte Bronte, so that might be part of the reason) and War and Peace is on my to-read list. I just finished I WIll Repay (a Scarlet Pimpernel book that I am really ashamed to say I hadn't read before) and really liked that one, even if there wasn't a whole lot of Sir Percy in it (*disappointed sigh*) The Hidden Hand by E.D.E.N. Southworth was great....the writing style reminded me a bit of the Elsie Dinsmore series except with a MUCH better and more interesting plotline.
But it sounds like you read some absolutely great books...I'm getting ready to start the infamous "Mysteries of Udolpho," so we'll see how that goes ;)
Ohhh, yes, I forgot to list it but the Copper Beeches was another favourite. The Red-Headed League was fun, too!
Delete*waves hand excitedly* I'VE READ REBECCA. In case you missed that... ;) And now I'm going to shut up about it because I'm afraid if I keep talking I will give things away.... But if you want to know more about it before you dive in, you can definitely shoot me an email. I promise to be good and not spoil it for you. :)
I started Our Mutual Friend a long time ago but never had time to finish. It's still waiting on my bookshelves for me. Oh, I really like The Hidden Hand! It's so fun and adventurous, and Cap is hysterical. :D
Mmmmm, Udolpho... That one, too, is waiting on my shelves for me. Let me know what you think!
Okay, I lied, I'm still going to talk about Rebecca... ;) I think what I liked most about it is how unpredictable it is, and not in the way a typical "thriller" is... The conflict of emotions the reader goes through is quite fascinating. Rebecca will stun you, horrify you, amaze you, and cause you to think. You will not agree with everything the characters do, you will get frustrated and confused. But you keep reading because you think, "Surely redemption and clarification are just around the corner!" But are they? ;) For a reader, personally I think those are wonderful feelings. :)
DeleteOoh, I just finished "The Hound of the Baskervilles" today and I loved it! I think it is at least one of my favorites if not my top favorite of the stories I have read so far. Amy has the complete series too, and I am working my way through it. Next is "The Valley of Fear"!
ReplyDeleteI think I like Watson better too! Howbeit Sherlock has grown on me extremely!!!!!
I am so jealous of your mini Sense and Sensibility.
ReplyDeleteBasically this is adorable and you're adorable and BOOKS and have I introduced myself before? Hi, I'm Emily, and I give warm hugs. (And I'm going to assume you've seen Frozen as everyone has, or else that would appear to be a very creepy introduction.)
ReplyDeleteBasically I'm a reader too and a writer and I've followed your blog for quite some time and your words are beautiful. I haven't delved very deeply into classics, but I would like to. My suggestions would consist of well-known well-worn darlings like Little Women and Anne of Green Gables and (yes, you mentioned it, and yes, I'm infinitely jealous of that adorable copy) Sense and Sensibility.
And you're a kindred spirit. Because you like books for books. Like, you'll just stroke pretty hardcover copies and you'll buy a pretty hardcover copy of a book you already own. I like that. I'm like that.
Now my interest is piqued concerning Rebecca. If I ever read it, it's thanks to you, k? I actually read The Mysterious Benedict Society thanks to you, and I lurrrved it.
Now I sound like a stalker. Ho hum.
But keep doing book vlogs! I like long ramblings about books. They make me happy.
Have a happy day!
HI, Emily! It's nice to meet you! I understand you're a love expert- oh, wait. ;) Haha, spot-on Olaf reference, m'dear.
DeleteBasically, I like you. :D I like how happy and passionate and adorable you are. And I like that you don't judge me for stroking hardcover books, hahaha. It's nice to know someone who understands...
Oooh, yay. Glad to hear I piqued your interest. If you would ever like more info on Rebecca, just flick me an email and I'll fill you in. :) And you read Benedict because of me??? I am beyond flattered and pleased to pieces. Isn't it amazing?
Why, thank you, sweetheart! I wish I could do more vlogs, but they take more time to create than simply writing a post. But I'll see what I can do in the future. And hey, I definitely love any excuse to ramble about books.
Oh my gosh, Petie, you are too funny. I loved this video.
ReplyDeleteI have not read....any of the books you mentioned. BUT I have seen the Lawrence Oliver/Joan Fontaine version of Rebecca and really really love it. Ever since I've heard there's a book I've been interested in it, but hesitant since I really knew nothing about it. Now your "review" of it has piqued my interest even more, so if you could maybe tell me whether it's good for 15 years old or not I'd really appreciate it. But no rush. I'm still working my way through Les Miserables-more than half way through, yay! I'm really enjoying it! :)
Your Sense and Sensibility copy is adorable. I still have not read S&S, but it's waiting on my shelf.
I totally agree that it doesn't matter if you already have a copy of a book and you buy another. I own two copies of Anne of Green Gables. :)
Oh, and one more thing-your bookshelf. I LOVE IT! Is it an actual movable shelf, or is it embedded in your wall? I couldn't quite tell from the video. I'm seriously jealous of that bookshelf. :)
Of course! I'll send off an email to you about Rebecca here in just a few minutes. :)
DeleteI'm a firm believer in multiple copies of the same book. I have two copies each of To Kill A Mockingbird, Les Miserables, The Count of Monte Cristo, Pride & Prejudice, S&S, and others... ;)
Ahhh! My bookshelves! I'm so happy someone appreciates their gorgeousness. They are built in to my wall... twelve of them! And each one is packed full. :D
Thanks! Oh my goodness, 12?!? You're so lucky. I hope I can have bookshelves like that one day. :)
DeleteOne of my ALL TIME FAVORITE books is "Freefall" by Kristen Heitzmann. Its an amazing book about a girl who is hiking in Hawaii and gets amnesia, then begins to remember - that she is an actor. Its about Jesus' love, and romance, and Hawaii, and you should (NEED) to read it!! You will not be disappointed I'm sure!! :D :D I've read it 3 times!! haha
ReplyDeleteWords cannot describe how much I enjoyed this vlog. So much fun!! I love talking about books, too. ;) I have immediately added Rebecca to the Goodreads "want to read" list...can't wait to get into it! I have pocket-sized editions of Persuasion and Emma just like that, and they're pretty awesome. :D I see Ted Dekker books behind you--The Circle Trilogy is amazing.
ReplyDeleteMy top three favorites books (so far) from 2014 have been (in order from least to greatest):
3. "The Year of Miss Agnes" by Kirkpatrick Hill (A children's book...that was phenomenal. I sobbed over that story, truly.)
2. "Unseduced and Unshaken" by Rosalie de Rosset (Give it a look-see on Goodreads. It gives great, biblical insight for young Christian women.)
1. "A Tale of Two Cities" by Charles Dickens. (Ohmywoooooooord.)
Ohmywooooord, Ted Dekker. I could rave about that man's writing for hours. He's one of my biggest inspirations in the history of ever. I have read so many of his books, and I'm currently working through the Circle series; I'm on Red! My favourites of his are probably Blink, House, and Skin. Last year, I missed a chance to go hear him speak and give his testimony, and I was practically devastated. :P
DeleteOoooh, those all sound amazing! Thanks :) A Tale of Two Cities is another Dickens I'm ashamed to say I haven't read yet. :P How can I call myself a Dickens fan??
You must read A Tale of Two Cities! (Hello, literary soul sister.) :-) x
DeleteAh, yes!! I was late in getting to A Tale of Two Cities....but it is beyond-words-beautiful. Add it to that 2014 list!! *grin*
DeleteDon't worry, ladies, it's been on the list since the beginning of the year! :)
DeleteI love your accent! as an Australian I always find accents really interesting. Can I ask where in america are you from? :)
ReplyDeleteMuch bookly enthusiasum from Australia :D
also I love your enthusiasm for reading too. we are so alike in the way we describe books! :D I have a tiny copy of Anne of Green Gables. It is the size of your Sense and Sensibility :D it's so gorgeous!!!
also I would love it if you could stop by my blog sometime, as I LOVE yours! :)
Deletehttp://ramblingsfromaustralia.blogspot.com.au/
Why, thank you! It always pleases me to hear I actually do have an accent, haha. Yes, I make my home in the loverly, underrated Oklahoma. :)
DeleteI just left a comment on your blog, dear! It's adorable. :)
:D thanks so much!! and wow! Ooooooooooooooklahoma :D as you will probably see on my blog as I posted a lot on it, i just finished a run of the musical as the principal violist.
DeleteWelcome to the joy of Sherlock Holmes! I am so excited for you. I shouldn't be so excited but I am. The T.V. shows and some of the movies may be great, but I feel a little sinking inside when'ere I hear a Sherlock fan tell me that he/she has not read the originals. There is a lot of beauty, intrigue, and adventure in those volumes : )
ReplyDeletePetie, you are too stinkin' adorable! I loved how animated you were when discussing your love of those books! I'm just now beginning Crazy Love and it seems to be an amazing book.
ReplyDeleteI hope you don't think I'm a stalker but I love your blog! I've been reading it for about two years now.
I think I've only left one or two comments but your blog is one that is always a joy to read! I loved how, on your previous blog you did those interviews with all those different bloggers and now you've met Ellie B. and Jenn?1?!?! I just LOVE your blog!
and yes, you do have an accent! I'm from TN and sound like a major country bumpkin so I tend to shy away from doing videos and stuff but your accent is really, really cute!
-Morgan
You are so adorable. Really. Loved watching your video. ^_^
ReplyDeleteNow I'm scared to read Rebecca but also veeerrryyy intrigued.
I've been wanting to read Crazy Love for a while now. I suppose I shall give it a try.
Ok here are two of my favorite books ever-The Bool Thief and Hannah Coulter. LOVE THEM. Have you read them before?
*The BOOK Thief. Not Bool thief...what even is that. Hahaha
DeleteYou really should read Crazy Love. :) You won't regret it!
DeleteNo! I haven't read either of those. I've heard good things about both of them, though.
Watch The Book Thief (the movie). It will leave you feeling... feeling... I don't even know what I don't know and that's what I felt when it ended. O_o Death. Think lots of death and words. WORDS. And Max. Max is really good.
DeleteBe prepared to Not Cry. That's what I did. I ate a huge bowl of chocolate ice cream afterward. That and Letters to Juliet were the only things that helped me recover.
(Psssst, random thing but have you ever discovered that you start talking like the person you're talking to? Like, if I'm talking to a boring person I'd have a hard time livening up the conversation like this. Or if I was talking to an elegant person, I would semi-manage to speak elegantly. There you have my rant for the day. Goodnight.)
Oh, and I said to "watch it" because I haven't read it. I am a reader, really I am. Somehow the movie interested me more than the book this time, that's all. ^_^ (That's legal, right?)
Deleteyes, yes, yes! You MUST watch The Book Thief! It is one of the most amazing movies I've ever seen!
Deleteand the music is hauntingly beautiful!
"It just... fried my feels, and stomped on the ashes."
ReplyDeleteBWAHAHAHA.
Oh goodness. I burst out laughing at that and my dad (out in the kitchen) was like "Whaaaa?" :P
Anyway. Quite enjoyed watching this! You're a natural-born vlogger, m'dear. Pemberley Dig. should pick you up. ;)
And that S&S copy you have is actually missing the flyleaf cover... ahahaha. I have one exactly like that only it's Mansfield Park and I've seen a number of others. They're very nice, and always fit in one's purse unless the purse is super tiny, so... yeah.
Of course it doesn't matter that you already had a copy. Duhhhh. :D
Hope to hear from you soon! I want to know about plaaans if you catch my meaning. :D (Seriously, if you ever feel like dropping me an email just about Random Stuff and not having to sit down and answer the main thread... I totally accept those. ;) )
I KNEW I was forgetting to say something-- I also have the Exact Same Sherlock Holmes book. Well, not the same copy. Obviously. But it looks just like yours. :P I'm currently working my way through The Adventures... weeeell, I don't know if that's entirely accurate. I WAS, semi-recently, like in March, haha, and intend to get back to them soon. ;)
Delete*bows dramatically* Whyyy, thank you, m'dear. Glad I could give you a laugh. ;)
DeleteNope. My S&S copy is *not* missing the flyleaf cover, for it is indeed in my possession. I simply chose to remove it because the red cover is infinitely prettier. ;)
I've actually been thinking about doing just that! But I'm also currently working on our Main Thread as well, haha. Well, be it a small one or the main, rest assured you will be getting *some* form of an email veddddy soon. ;)
Hey Petie! I'm loving your blog! I'm a hopeless bookworm,sooo... are you sure you want to get me talking about books?:-) Best Book of the Year so far goes to Les Miserables. I can't describe how much I love it. It is the most gorgeous book, and it broke my heart, literally! I've also been reading more Dickens lately. Nicholas Nickleby and a Tale of Two Cities, which have been really, really good. I've just started The Scarlet Pimpernel. I love it already.
ReplyDeleteI'm reading Sense and Sensibility (again), I usually have several books going at once. I am so jealous of that little copy. It is unbelievably cute!! My enjoyment of a book normally has a lot to do with the cover. That's shallow, I know.
And, as always, the Bible. It's so important to read it all through, over and over, top to bottom. :-)
As for what I'm hoping to read, I'm thinking very carefully about trying The Hunger Games as well as the Book Thief.
Keep posting!:-)
A high-five goes to you for loving Les Mis. :D Mmmm, TSP is such an adventurous book! I quite enjoy it.
DeleteYes yes yes! So many people think they can just pick up the Bible, open it at random, and expect it to make sense. :P It's just like any other book, it needs to be read from cover to cover, multiple times. I like the way you think. :)
Well, like I said in an above comment, I haven't read The Book Thief, buuut I must confess I do love The Hunger Games trilogy. They're so intricate and thought-provoking. The last book is my favourite.
I've heard a lot about THG, both good and bad, so I should just read them! I'm slightly confused about TSP, is it just one book or a series? Because I finished it in like two days and it seemed kind of short.Feel free to check out my blog at http://bethcreative.blogspot.co.nz/ :-)
DeleteThe Scarlet Pimpernel is a series of books, but the first book is called The Scarlet Pimpernel. :) So it's both a book and a series! I've only read the first book, though, but I've heard great things about the others!
DeleteOkay...gotta get the rest of the series now! By the way I'm halfway through Mockingjay at the moment. I literally scoffed down the first two books. They're gruesome, tearjerking, tragic and utterly epic. Thanks for the recommendation!
DeletePETIE!!! You look so pretty! Can I just say I really love your short hair? And those curls! Is that really completely natural? You lucky girl. I also love your eye make up in this video. I'm jealous.
ReplyDeleteOkay... now on to books. I have read Rebecca too! Those last..... 150 pages maybe? I couldn't put it down. I finished the whole book in about two days. And yes, I had a MAJOR book hangover. It was so surprising I didn't even know what to think. It was late at night and I was having way too many thoughts and feels. So yes, that was an amazing book.
And Sherlock Holmes. At my local bookstore I saw A S.H. Vol. I collection for $4.99 and had to have it. It is my go to when I am out of books. The little short stories keep me quite happy. :)
Crazy Love, huh? Surprisingly I have never even heard of that book. I will have to check it out.
GIRL YOUR COPY OF SENSE AND SENSIBILITY IS GORGEOUS. You are so lucky. I want one. :)
So books I have been enjoying lately..... actually it was by your recommendation that I started reading this author, so I have you to thank Petie. It is Francine Rivers. I am LOVING her books right now, The Last Sin Eater, Leota's Garden, the Scarlet Thread, Lineage of Grace, and the Mark of the Lion series. Did I mention the Mark of the Lion series?! Yeah, I really love those. So thanks.
Thanks for making me smile today Petie. I also love a good book talk, so this video was great.
Hey there friend! Awww, thanks! I love it too, it is so easy to take care of. Yup, they are definitely natural, though sometimes I like to define them a bit with a curling wand. Oh thanks! Makeup is kind of a hobby of mine, and that look has been my go-to for the past few weeks. :)
DeleteOkay, talking about Rebecca with all you lovely people is making me want to read it again already. I desperately need my own copy...
So can I just say how happy it makes me that you read Francine Rivers because of me? :D Isn't she great? The Last Sin Eater is by far my favourite of her books, in fact it's quite possibly my favourite book of all time, period. I've read the first book of Mark of the Lion, but not the rest! I need to finish those...
YEAH THANKS VERY MUCH FOR MAKING ME READ REBECCA. THANKS A LOT. ahhhh love sherlock holmes soooo gooooood. and I really should get a copy of 'crazy love'! definitely need to read it. BUT HOW CAN ANYONE READ ANYTHING AFTER REBECCA TELL ME THAT WOMAN.
ReplyDeleteYOU KNOW YOU LOVED IT DON'T TYPE TO ME IN THAT TONE.
DeleteLove the video Petie! Fried my feels and stomped on the ashes...hehehe I'll have to bookmark that one for future use. Your taste in books is fantastic. I have a copy of Crazy Love which I haven't read through yet. I guess I have to finish it now though! I haven't finished all the Sherlock Holmes stories, but very much enjoyed the ones I have read. (P.S. BBC Sherlock series - have you seen it? I can't remember.) And Rebecca is on my to-read-one-day-maybe-someday-rainy-day book list. It might have just been shunted up a bit.
ReplyDeleteI've just started reading The Last Sin Eater - I saw the movie a couple of months ago and it blew me away, so I decided to try the book.
Ooh ooh ooh....that Sense and Sensibility copy? I have the whole set of Jane Austen's novels in that edition, and also Jane Eyre and Around The World in 80 Days. Aren't they the cutest???
I've just packed up my room so it can get repaired. My bookshelf is bare...I'm so used to having a wall of books and now it looks naked. So often in the last few days I've thought "oh, I'll just pull out that book...nooo wait. Sad face." You don't realise how big a part books play till they ain't there anymore!
More book videos! Ha I'm such a geek. I enjoyed this one Petie :-)
This is kind of a late comment. But I had to tell you, this is actually the first vlog I've ever watched, and I loved it! I love how you can talk about books—you bubble over with enthusiasm and still manage to be wonderfully articulate. :)
ReplyDeleteI read Rebecca a number of years back, and it was a huge revelation to me. I remember thinking at the bottom of the first page, "I'm going to enjoy this..." and then further into the book, "THIS is what a NOVEL is supposed to be like." I too am just blown away by du Maurier's writing, and the almost painfully vivid way she brings her characters' emotions to life.
I've read a few more of hers—My Cousin Rachel is good, though it left me with mixed feelings because there are so many unanswered questions left hanging! I also really liked The Glassblowers, which is a little different: a family saga set during the French Revolution. (I sat down one night determined to read only a few chapters...finished it the next day.) Also read The Flight of the Falcon; the writing is just as beautiful but I didn't like the story so much. (My review.) I haven't caught up with Jamaica Inn yet; it's on my to-read list.
My, you certainly are fearless, tearing into Villette and David Copperfield and War and Peace all at once! I first read Copperfield when I was quite young, and in an abridged version (which I didn't realize at the time), so even though I enjoyed it, I had no clue what was going on most of the time. When I re-read it years later it was just full of "aha" moments. :)
My favorite books so far this year? The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer and Thorofare by Christopher Morley.
Oh, and when you were showing your little Sense and Sensibility, all I could think of was Willoughby's "pocket sonnets"!
ReplyDeleteMeh. You're adorable, friend. This video made me miss you even more! :-) I loooved hearing about your favorite books so far. HEY. I'M reading War and Peace for the first year so far. *holds up my huge, formidable copy*
ReplyDeleteI think I may have tried the Mysterious Benedict Society from your other blog . . . and then I realized my little sisters read them. I should try some more of their recommendations too, oops!
ReplyDeleteI want to have several copies of books too. Some to be pretty (Barnes and Nobles classics) and some to read. Then other I have several covers/illustrators that I want.
I read Sherlock Holmes last year because I had gotten hooked on Sherlock and felt like a cheat.
I guess I am going to have to try Rebecca. One of my sister's friends likes it and keep seeing on the blog world. I have seen the movies . . . and it scared me. I think I know some of the story, but that isn't the same, I know.
I read all of Charlotte Brontë's other novels (and some of her melodramatic, somewhat questionable juvenile writings). If you like North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell then I recommend Shirley. I did like Villette also though.
I am need to finish David Copperfield. I have skipped through (a heinous crime I know) and started it at least once.
Every book should be made in mini form so we can have mini-libraries to take everywhere!
I love these book posts with all the comments full of ideas for more reading . . . even though I am already behind on my reading.
I second those that recommend the Book Thief. A warning: there is language, but the book is BRILLIANTLY written (definitely read it before watching the movie, the movie is cute and sooo, sooo sweet, but the composition of the book is perfection).