Still on my Mind: How the Grinch Stole Chistmas

 

Still on my Mind is a meme created by YA-Aholic to feature a book that you read months or even YEARS ago that was so good (or so scary/unique/funny..etc) that it is 'Still on my (your) Mind!'

This week the book that is still on my mind is...

How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss

Goodreads Synopsis:

"The Grinch hated Christmas! The whole Christmas season! / Now, please don't ask why. No one quite knows the reason." Dr. Seuss's small-hearted Grinch ranks right up there with Scrooge when it comes to the crankiest, scowling holiday grumps of all time. For 53 years, the Grinch has lived in a cave on the side of a mountain, looming above the Whos in Whoville. The noisy holiday preparations and infernal singing of the happy little citizens below annoy him to no end. The Grinch decides this frivolous merriment must stop. His "wonderful, awful" idea is to don a Santa outfit, strap heavy antlers on his poor, quivering dog Max, construct a makeshift sleigh, head down to Whoville, and strip the chafingly cheerful Whos of their Yuletide glee once and for all. Looking quite out of place and very disturbing in his makeshift Santa get-up, the Grinch slithers down chimneys with empty bags and stealing the Whos' presents, their food, even the logs from their humble Who-fires. He takes the ramshackle sleigh to Mt. Crumpit to dump it and waits to hear the sobs of the Whos when they wake up and discover the trappings of Christmas have disappeared. Imagine the Whos' dismay when they discover the evil-doings of Grinch in his anti-Santa guise. But what is that sound? It's not sobbing, but singing! Children simultaneously adore and fear this triumphant, twisted Seussian testimonial to the undaunted cheerfulness of the Whos, the transcendent nature of joy, and of course, the growth potential of a heart that's two sizes too small. This holiday classic is perfect for reading aloud to your favorite little Whos. (Ages 4 to 8)

Why this is still on my mind?

BECAUSE IT IS AWESOME! and a holiday classic :)

What's still on your mind?!

 

Still on My Mind: The 13.5 Lives of Captain Bluebear

 

Still on my Mind is a meme created by YA-Aholic to feature a book that you read months or even YEARS ago that was so good (or so scary/unique/funny..etc) that it is 'Still on my (your) Mind!'

This week the book that is still on my mind is...

The 13.5 Lives of Captain Bluebear by Walter Moers

Goodreads Synopsis:

Captain Bluebear tells the story of his first 13-1/2 lives spent on the mysterious continent of Zamonia, where intelligence is an infectious disease, water flows uphill, and dangers lie in wait for him around every corner.

"A bluebear has twenty-seven lives. I shall recount thirteen and a half of them in this book but keep quiet about the rest," says the narrator of Walter Moers’s epic adventure. "What about the Minipirates? What about the Hobgoblins, the Spiderwitch, the Babbling Billows, the Troglotroll, the Mountain Maggot… Mine is a tale of mortal danger and eternal love, of hair’s breadth, last-minute escapes." Welcome to the fantastic world of Zamonia, populated by all manner of extraordinary characters. It’s a land of imaginative lunacy and supreme adventure, wicked satire and epic fantasy, all mixed together, turned on its head, and lavishly illustrated by the author.

Why this is still on my mind?

This book got very mixed reviews on Goodreads, it was either a hit or a complete miss it seems, but I loved it. Bluebear was an awesome character. I think the downfall for most was the length-- it is over 700 pages. The story was great, broken up into smaller tales so you could read casually or you could read it all together. It was an adventure! and a grand one at that! Fun summer time read if you have the time to put toward it.

What's still on your mind?!

Still on my Mind #5

 

Still on my Mind is a meme created by YA-Aholic to feature a book that you read months or even YEARS ago that was so good (or so scary/unique/funny..etc) that it is 'Still on my (your) Mind!'

This week the book that is still on my mind is...

Goodreads Synopsis:

In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort.Written for J.R.R. Tolkien’s own children, The Hobbit met with instant critical acclaim when it was first published in 1937. Now recognized as a timeless classic, this introduction to the hobbit Bilbo Baggins, the wizard Gandalf, Gollum, and the spectacular world of Middle-earth recounts of the adventures of a reluctant hero, a powerful and dangerous ring, and the cruel dragon Smaug the Magnificent. The text in this 372-page paperback edition is based on that first published in Great Britain by Collins Modern Classics (1998), and includes a note on the text by Douglas A. Anderson (2001). Unforgettable!

Why this is still on my mind?

This probably shows how nerdy I am, but I love the Hobbit. It was one of the only summer reading books that I actually adored when I was younger. At that point I did not know if was a Prequel, I was just reading an awesome adventure. Biblo is adorable and there are wizards and dragons. I was amazed that such a wonderful fantasy could be on a school summer reading list. <3 this book.

What's still on your mind?!

Still on My Mind #4

 

Still on my Mind is a meme created by YA-Aholic to feature a book that you read months or even YEARS ago that was so good (or so scary/unique/funny..etc) that it is 'Still on my (your) Mind!'

This week the book that is still on my mind is...

Goodreads Synopsis:

"Many, many adults name this book as their favorite Little Golden Book. Generations of kids have interacted with lovable, furry old Grover as he begs the reader not to turn the page—for fear of a monster at the end of the book. “Oh, I am so embarrassed,” he says on the last page . . . for, of course, the monster is Grover himself! This all-time favorite is now available as a Big Little Golden Book—perfect for lap-time reading."

Why this is still on my mind?

So... I know this is a little funny. But I  LOVE this book! I have the greatest memories of sitting on my grandfather's lap while he read it to me in 'Grover's voice,' the suspense he created before turning each page is part of the reason that I love books so much today. I just can't wait to find out what happens next! I hope that all parents and grandparents share these types of experiences because this one means the world to me.

What's still on your mind?!

Still on my Mind #3

 

Still on my Mind is a meme created by YA-Aholic to feature a book that you read months or even YEARS ago that was so good (or so scary/unique/funny..etc) that it is 'Still on my (your) Mind!'

This week the book that is still on my mind is...

Goodreads Synopsis:

"The classic supernatural thriller by an author who helped define the genre. First published in 1959, Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House has been hailed as a perfect work of unnerving terror. It is the story of four seekers who arrive at a notoriously unfriendly pile called Hill House: Dr. Montague, an occult scholar looking for solid evidence of a "haunting"; Theodora, his lighthearted assistant; Eleanor, a friendless, fragile young woman well acquainted with poltergeists; and Luke, the future heir of Hill House. At first, their stay seems destined to be merely a spooky encounter with inexplicable phenomena. But Hill House is gathering its powers-and soon it will choose one of them to make its own."

Why this is still on my mind?

This was a wonderful book, I rated it at 3 stars though since it isn't one of my favorites, just one I remember a lot. I read this a long time ago, I would say middle school and it has held with me. Shirley Jackson writes beautifully adding suspense to any tale. The Hunting of Hill House was very eerie, especially when you read under the covers with a flashlight, like most of us readers have.

I actually really like The Lottery more than this story and I think I read them in a compilation... The Lottery was very macabre.

What's still on your mind?!

Still on my Mind #2

 

Still on my Mind is a meme created by YA-Aholic to feature a book that you read months or even YEARS ago that was so good (or so scary/unique/funny..etc) that it is 'Still on my (your) Mind!'

This week the book that is still on my mind is...

 

Goodreads Synopysis: 

"Choose: A quick death…Or slow poison…

About to be executed for murder, Yelena is offered an extraordinary reprieve. She'll eat the best meals, have rooms in the palace—and risk assassination by anyone trying to kill the Commander of Ixia.

And so Yelena chooses to become a food taster. But the chief of security, leaving nothing to chance, deliberately feeds her Butterfly's Dust—and only by appearing for her daily antidote will she delay an agonizing death from the poison.

As Yelena tries to escape her new dilemma, disasters keep mounting. Rebels plot to seize Ixia and Yelena develops magical powers she can't control. Her life is threatened again and choices must be made. But this time the outcomes aren't so clear…"

Why this is still on my mind?

I still find this book so interesting. The concept is very cool. I read this series and tried to start her Glass series but this one by FAR was so much better. The characters were emotional and mysterious and the subject of the book was pretty cool-- who would think to put a female protagonist as a poison tester??!! I mean that is so cool. I really enjoyed this series and how Yelena finds herself and her true background throughout the series. However, my advice is to read them all back to back. Otherwise the amount of characters and places can be confusing. 

My review from when I read it in 2010: This was a great book, I read it for a Young Adult book club month, I am so glad that I picked it up.  The book is about a girl living the life of a criminal who has the choice between being executed or living and  testing food for poisons. The book chronicles her time in the Commanders palace and her adventures in studying poisons, tasting them, and actually making more enemies than friends. Yelena is challenged with not only her new job but also the facet that she has a mysterious background and identity. Through finding out more about herself she also finds that she cares for the man in charge of her poison studies and their unspoken affection for one another is captivating.Yelena is such a well formed character and her point of view in the book only makes it better. This was a great story and from here I look forward to reading the rest of the series.

What's still on your mind?!