I wish I could recommend this book about the Countess

So while I can't get enough of The Countess, I have to say that Charlie Courtland's THE HIDDEN WILL OF THE DRAGON, 2nd

in her series about The Countess (see my previous post on DANDELIONS IN THE GARDEN) is not one that I enjoyed reading.  Yes, I'm still fascinated by the story of the Countess, her legend, and the speculations about her legends about what is real and what isn't.  From that perspective, I wanted to read every word of THE HIDDEN WILL.  

But the story here just is not well written.  I'm sorry Charlie.  I don't know what happened or where your editor went, but he/she was NO help to you.  The grammatical errors stood out like sore thumbs and took away my enjoyment of reading such a fascinating story.  I tried very hard, Charlie, not to pay attention to the grammatical/spelling/punctuation errors, but some of them were so simplistic that even a 4th grader would know better.  For example there were several incorrect uses of the word "too" when "to" was meant.  

With a little more editing and clean-up in that respect, THE HIDDEN WILL OF THE DRAGON would be well worth the read and I would recommend it with high stars.  As I say, I am absolutely fascinated, morbidly so, with the Countess, so regardless of grammatical/spelling/punctuation errors, I am going to continue reading any and everything about her that I can get my hands on.

There's no reason why you can't make those corrections, Charlie Courtland, and put your book in the class of literature [about the Countess] not to be missed.  (Please, please, please don't be offended by my comments!!!)

Just keeps getting better and better

This was probably really about my 5th time read THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER by Stephen Chobsky rather than my 3rd.  I read it last year in May (2013).  Then I read it again over the summer with my English 111 students.  I also listened to it on audio CD.  I have read it on my Nook and I have read the actual book, myself.  And then I read it again this summer to my students.

And it just keeps getting better and better.  I see things each and every time that I never saw before.  For example, it just hit me during this read that Sam has long hair in the book, but in the movie, Emma Watson's hair is very short (and very cute).  While it's not a big deal that the hair is changed so much, it's still something that stands out when reading the book and then watching the movie!  My students and I spend quite a bit of time talking about the differences between the book and the movie, you know.

I relate so much to Charlie.  I haven't been through the same experiences as Charlie, but I understand the "bad place" Charlie goes to.  I get how things get "bad" and difficult to handle.  I have been in counseling and

I also have had to take various medications as a result of the trials I've been through.  I have never taken drugs or drunk alcohol in an attempt to deal with the problems in my life, but I have tried other coping mechanisms that, like Charlie's, Sam's, and Patrick's methods, simply don't work.

I cry every time I read this book and watch the movie.  It is a wonderful, powerful story and those who think it should be banned need to read it and see beyond the language, drinking, drugs, etc. to the point, the themes, the book deals with.  Everyone should read it at least once, but personally, I think that in order to get to the true essence of the book, it needs to be read more than once.

First read:  May 16, 2013 to May 19, 2013
Again:  May 16, 2014 to July 17, 2014

Charlie Finds Himself...

I had heard about THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER from a student/friend last year when the movie was coming out.  We were both excited about its release because Emma Watson was in it!  (You know; the young woman who played Hermoine in all the HARRY POTTER movies!!!)  I didn't get a chance to see it in theaters nor have I had a chance to watch it since it came out on video....until last week.  We were on a Humanities (English and Spanish) school trip to Florida and someone had the movie put in the bus' DVD player.  At first, I wasn't too terribly interested in watching it because I hadn't read the book yet--I knew the movie was based on a book.  But of course, I was quickly and easily drawn into the movie.

I loved it.

And not because it made me cry, but because it really is a very good story of a young man "finding himself."  The story has some scenes/parts in it that can be considered questionable, so be forewarned.  (In reading the book, I always do research on any book I read, so I found out that the book is on the list of "most challenged" recent books.  I think it's even been "banned" in some schools/areas.) 

So within an hour of the movie being over (it was really a lot sooner than that), I had downloaded to book to my Nook. 

I couldn't put the book down.  There are quite a few parts that are very difficult to read, but this boy is 15/16 years old and dealing with things no young man should have to deal with--but, sadly, more young men (and women) deal with than statistics can possibly reveal since most boys (and girls) don't/won't tell anyone.  Or, as in Charlie's case, they've repressed/blocked the memory(ies).  Charlie's story is one of love, friendship, brokenness, healing, sadness and depression, family, and so much more. 

It's written in epistolary format--Charlie writes letter addressed to "Dear friend."  We never find out who this mysterious friend is.  I thought that this friend was like Anne Frank's way of calling her diary "Kitty," but apparently, according to one of Charlie's letters, the "friend" is someone real he'd heard about being a good person, so he just chose him/her to share his thoughts/feelings with.  He actually mails the letters to this friend.....

I am considering the possibility of using THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER in my English 111 classroom.  I would love to know what you all think of that idea.  I'd also love to hear any ideas you might have for:  1.  how I should handle the more "sensitive" parts of the story--I don't want to offend anyone and 2.  any ideas you might have for writing topics I could use with this book as the base.

If you haven't read the book, you really should read it.  Please wait to watch the movie until after you've read the book, but regardless, the movie is pretty good, too and follows the book quite well.  In other words, yes, the movie does the book justice.