Choose a time of your life--childhood, middle school, high school, college, etc--and create a time-capsule post to share with your readers. Include anything you like--favorite books, favorite authors, favorite series, favorite genres, favorite songs, favorite albums, favorite musicians, favorite movies, favorite tv shows, favorite toys, favorite games, favorite styles, etc. You can make it as general--or as personal--as you like. If you're brave, you might even include personal pictures! (Though that is NOT a requirement!)
If your focus is on books, on reading, perhaps you'd like to mention if you've ever reread any of your 'favorite' books from this time. And if you have, what did you think? Have you out-grown any favorites? Or do you love them still? What do you think makes a book timeless or dated? Perhaps your favorites are out of print, which ones would you love to see brought back into print?
This week's Booking Through Thursday is all of these questions!
1. Favorite childhood book? Lily's Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes was my favorite picture book. Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery was my favorite chapter bok.
2. What are you reading right now? In Cold Blood by Truman Capote, The Best American Essays 2008, and The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger.
3. What books do you have on request at the library? Slouching Towards Bethlehem by Joan Didion.
4. Bad book habit? Putting them down on the table with the spine up.
5. What do you currently have checked out at the library? The Catcher in the Rye, About a Mountain by John D'Agata, Sleeping Naked is Green by Vanessa Farguharson, and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith.
6. Do you have an e-reader? Yes, I have a nook.
7. Do you prefer to read one book at a time, or several at once? Several, although lately I've been focusing more on one at a time.
8. Have your reading habits changed since starting a blog? Oh yeah, I read a lot more and I'm more conscious about what I think while I'm reading.
9. Least favorite book you read this year (so far?) The Secret History of the Pink Carnation.
10. Favorite book you’ve read this year? Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides.
11. How often do you read out of your comfort zone? Not very often.
12. What is your reading comfort zone? Genres I know I can count on like literary nonfiction, graphic novels, young adult series, and classics.
13. Can you read on the bus? Yeah I do it all the time.
14. Favorite place to read? Outside as long as I don't have the sun to my back.
15. What is your policy on book lending? I'll lend to anyone I'm friends with.
16. Do you ever dog-ear books? I used to but now I use bookmarks and sticky notes.
17. Do you ever write in the margins of your books? Often.
18. Not even with text books? Still do it here.
19. What is your favorite language to read in? English though I can read some French.
20. What makes you love a book? Strong female characters, strong characters of any kind, detailed description but not flowery language.
21. What will inspire you to recommend a book? If I come away from a book thinking it either changed the way I look at something or helped me learn a lot about a subject or life.
22. Favorite genre? Literary nonfiction.
23. Genre you rarely read (but wish you did?) Current literary fiction.
24. Favorite biography? Wild Child: Life with Jim Morrison by Linda Ashcroft.
25. Have you ever read a self-help book? I've read fitness walking books and study books.
26. Favorite cookbook? Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook.
27. Most inspirational book you’ve read this year (fiction or non-fiction)? To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.
28. Favorite reading snack? Popcorn or oranges.
29. Name a case in which hype ruined your reading experience. The Secret History of the Pink Carnation. I think I expected too much from it.
30. How often do you agree with critics about a book? Depends on the critic. I usually agree with book reviews from the Believer. Bookmarks is more touch and go.
31. How do you feel about giving bad/negative reviews? I feel that I always give reasons for why I don't like a book so I don't mind giving negative reviews. I try to find something good even in books I dont like.
32. If you could read in a foreign language, which language would you chose? Dutch.
33. Most intimidating book you’ve ever read? Middlemarch by George Eliot.
34. Most intimidating book you’re too nervous to begin? Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy.
35. Favorite Poet? Emily Dickinson.
36. How many books do you usually have checked out of the library at any given time? I didn't have a library card until last week (I know, I know!) but including the university library I would say about 3 or 4.
37. How often have you returned book to the library unread? Frequently when I was younger, which is why I didn't get a library card again until last week.
38. Favorite fictional character? I have way too many! One I always remember fondly is Marcus in About a Boy by Nick Hornby.
39. Favorite fictional villain? Lydia Gwilt from Armadale by Wilkie Collins.
40. Books I’m most likely to bring on vacation? Some literary nonfiction and historical fiction.
41. The longest I’ve gone without reading. Three or four months probably.
42. Name a book that you could/would not finish. Most recently I have been very challenged by Surviving Paradise. Not sure if I'll finish it or not.
43. What distracts you easily when you’re reading? Noise, other conversations, my own nagging thoughts.
44. Favorite film adaptation of a novel? Jane Eyre! The PBS version.
45. Most disappointing film adaptation? I wasn't too fond of The Lightning Thief.
46. The most money I’ve ever spent in the bookstore at one time? Oh boy, no clue. Definitely upwards $150 dollars.
47. How often do you skim a book before reading it? Not that often, surprisingly.
48. What would cause you to stop reading a book half-way through? Boring plot.
49. Do you like to keep your books organized? I like to keep them on shelves, but in no particular order.
50. Do you prefer to keep books or give them away once you’ve read them? I prefer to keep them.
51. Are there any books you’ve been avoiding? Gone With the Wind, even though I said I'd read it by the end of the summer.
52. Name a book that made you angry. I can name an essay that made me angry. Ticket to the Fair by David Foster Wallace.
53. A book you didn’t expect to like but did? I wasn't sure if I'd like Candy Girl by Diablo Cody and really enjoyed it.
54. A book that you expected to like but didn’t? Trieste and the Meaning of Nowhere by Jan Morris.
55. Favorite guilt-free, pleasure reading? The Luxe series.
I know I already did a post at the end of my one hour, but I didn't include any stats so I figured I'd just include them here.
But first, mini challenges! I couldn't resist I Just Wanna Sit Here and Read's mini-challenge to make a soundtrack for a chapter of the book you are reading. I just finished Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury and I wanted to pick a song to be playing during the scenes where Guy Montag and Clarisse McClellan are talking and Montag starts to realize that something is really wrong with the world. The song I chose is Something to Talk About by Badly Drawn Boy, which was actually mad for the soundtrack of the movie About A Boy which is a great book by British author Nick Hornby. So I got very literary on this one.
This song might sound a little too peppy to be on a soundtrack for Fahrenheit 451, but can imagine it being really cool in a movie for the scene, especially since I see Clarisse as being a soft but strong character.
And I'm also going to do 'Til We Read Again's And The Nominees Are challenge.
Favorite Female Character in a book: Marian Halcombe from the Woman in White by Wilkie Collins Favorite Male Character in a book: Henry DeTamble from The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger Favorite Side Kick in a book: I really like Dick in High Fidelity by Nick Hornby, is he a sidekick? Favorite Couple in a Book: Jane and Rochester in Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte Favorite Book Series: Right now probably The Luxe series by Anna Godbersen Favorite Author: As far as authors I have read multiple books by... I'd probably have to say Virginia Woolf Favorite Book Cover: I really like the cover of The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova Favorite Book of 2009: Middlemarch by George Eliot, which is a book I read in 2009
And lastly, I'll do a kick rundown: Title of book(s) read since last update: Fahrentheit 451 by Ray Bradbury Number of books read since you started: 1 Pages read since last update: 179 Running total of pages read since you started: 179 Amount of time spent reading since last update: 3.5 Running total of time spent reading since you started: 3.5 Mini-challenges completed: Miss Remmers' Kick-off Challenge, I Just Wanna Sit Here and Read's Soundtrack Challenge, and 'Til We Read Again's And The Nominees Are challenge.
Ah I feel like whenever I put this list in writing I want to go back and change something. So perhaps this isn't a perfected list of all-time favorite books but I will try my best.
1. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. I just really love this book and every time I read it I find something new. The main reason I love Jane Eyre is that it's a book that grows with you. Every time I've read it's been a different experience, my focus changes and I read a different story. 2. On the Road by Jack Kerouc. This was my favorite book through most of high school. I have wanderlust and I was always attracted to Kerouac's free, uncaring attitude. 3. Notes From No Man's Land by Eula Biss. Okay, I'm really going to shut up about this book soon, but I just love these essays. It's a wonderful collection and I remember reading the essays in it multiple times and still not wanting to put the book down. 4. Middlemarch by George Eliot. I read this last year for class and one look at the size of it made me want to run away. It's actually a really engaging multiplot Victorian novel that made me experience an array of emotions. 5. Moments of Being by Virginia Woolf. Woolf's personal essays and stories. I think this was actually the first book I read for my Virginia Woolf class and I loved learning about this famous author in such a personal way. 6. A Long Way Down by Nick Hornby. I read a ton of Nick Hornby in high school but this book has always been the one that stood out to me. It chronicles a group of people who met on the top of a building, all intending to kill themselves. They decide to wait a year and then see if they still want to die. 7. Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi. Every time I sit down with this graphic novel I want to read it from cover-to-cover. I love the simple images because they say so much about what the characters feel and it's amazing how many actions she can show in just a few panels. 8. Killing Yourself to Live by Chuck Klosterman. Chuck Klosterman is another author I was really into in high school and I just recently got a newer book by him since I haven't been keeping up since I got out of high school. Not really sure why that was because Killing Yourself to Live is a fantastic book about rock stars and how they are more successful in death. He talks about a ton of music I hate in this book and I still loved it. So there you go. 9. Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery. This was a childhood favorite of mine. Anne was weird and kind of magical almost. Not that she had magical powers but she just had a special personality. This is one of the few books that has really stuck with me through my whole life. I need to reread it soon. 10. Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides. I'll be honest, I still have 100 pages left in this book but I honestly think it is one of my favorite books of all-time. I would move it higher up on the list but I feel that would be unfair since I still haven't finished it. When I picked up Middlesex I thought it was going to be a bit of a chore, but I've been surprised by how excited I got with this book.
Honestly though, I don't think some of these books are my favorite books of all-time because I just haven't read ten books that made me go WOW! yet. There are a lot of books I love but when I think of favorite books of all-time I think of books that made a serious imprint on my life and that I really enjoyed. I think maybe I've read six books like that. Time will tell what my favorites really are. What are some of your favorites? You can join the conversation at The Broke and the Bookish!
Hello blogging world! I am officially back in my own house in Iowa City. I'm still not freshened up from my trip, there is laundry and unpacking to do, but I couldn't wait another day to write a blog post. I had every intention of posting more while I was absent, but if I'm being totally honest I loved the break from blogging. I think I really needed it. And now I'm back to bombard with you with pictures from my trip. Jason and I hit up four countries and five cities in seventeen days. It was crazy.
We landed in Amsterdam first, and that was the only place I blogged from. It was also my favorite place we visited. I loved biking around the city and how Amsterdam is a city yet really feels more like a small town.
Favorite Amsterdam moment: Absolutely everything was closed on New Year's Day, so we ended up renting bikes and just riding around all day. It was frustrating at the time because none of our plans worked out, but now that I know we got to do everything we wanted (pretty much) I look back on that day with a great fondness.
From Amsterdam we took a short day trip to Brussels where there is a comic strip museum. Count me excited! Brussels also has a ton of amazing food and was probably the best food we had over the course of our trip.
Favorite Brussels moment: My mouth is still watering over the mulled wine and scalloped potatoes with ham and cheese. What a delicious snack. The comic strip museum was a lot of fun as well, although their gift shop was a huge letdown. Their English selection was one shelf. So yeah, the food wins.
Our next stop was Berlin, which is must say is one of the strangest cities I have ever visited. There is so much street art and punk culture there, which I really loved, but I found that the people were very abrupt. Not rude, just a little harsh. The way Berlin exists today is also about as old as I am, which was weird. You can really see the history of WWII and Communism there, which only makes the city feel harsher.
Favorite Berlin moment: I really loved this particular section of the Berlin Wall, but it's not my favorite moment. I'd have to say the best thing we did in Berlin was visit this bar called Kaufbar. You could buy the vintage furniture in there and they played awesome music. It was a very relaxing environment and felt more like a normal coffeeshop in the United States than a bar.
We took a day trip to Prague from Berlin. All we really had time for was a tour of the city and then some time at bars that evening. This is where we met one thousand Australians because they are all on summer holiday right now. I've met one Australian my whole life and I go to Europe and meet all of them. Crazy.
Favorite Prague moment: We stayed a night in Prague and after having a crazy day where we tried to see everything it was really nice to wake up the next morning and just wander around. Prague is a really beautiful place and the train ride there was even more beautiful.
Our final stop was Munich. We were getting fairly tired at this point but we still did quite a bit. We visited Hofbrauhaus, Dachau, Neuschwanstein, and did some shopping. They love their beer in Munich, so it was a pretty fun place to turn 21 for an American.
Favorite Munich moment: Even though it's not in Munich, the best day we had was my birthday (at least I think it was the best day). I was super hungover but visiting Neuschwanstein was so much fun. Pictures really don't do justice to the beauty of the snow covered forest on the walk up to the castle. It was a fairy tale birthday.
So that's my trip in a tiny nutshell. I had an amazing time and got just the break I needed. Jason and I are already talking about where we want to visit next!
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So, I'm actually doing a winners post!! I know, right?! I'm terrible at actually getting these things up.: P
First, I had a giveaway from Jill Alexander for a signed copy of her book The Sweetheart of Prosper County. I read and (mostly) enjoyed Paradise, so I'm jealous of this winner! And — it is:
MARY!! I've already heard back from Mary and will get her book mailed as soon as I hear back from the read-a-thon winners! (So be fast peeps!)
Alright — So... This contest was WAY harder to judge than I thought! I thought I was being all awesome, deciding to pick my favorite recommendation as a winner, but it was hard!! Like, really hard!! So... I'm really sorry if I didn't pick you. There were just WAY too many!
Also, I think random.org is MAGICAL!! I SWEAR!! Because while I was struggling to pick one favorite, random.org picked the recommendation that had my favorite line. That's pretty awesome!
So — The random winner is: UPDATED
Nikki @ Wicked Awesome Books actually already owns each of the books I was offering, so the new random winner is:
Raelena @ Through the Haze She has been emailed!:)
My favorite rec winner is:
Momo @ Books Over Boys Why did I pick this one? Because Momo took two books that I didn't previously have any interest in reading and made me WANT to read them. Which is unusual for me. And, really, isn't that the point of a book recommendation?! To match a reader with something they might have overlooked? So, yay for Momo! I'll have to see about finding copies soon!:) Rather than put full recommendations in this post, I do want to give a shout-out to some of my favorites by including my favorite lines from their recs so here are my top favorite lines: All names will link to their posts.
Nikki @ Wicked Awesome Books said of The Near Witch:
It's like a bedtime story come to life... Ya'll know how I feel about fairy tales, yes?
Usagi @ Birth of a New Witch said of Wasteland:
I emotionally connected with the characters and I’m sure you will, too. And I have the heart of a Vulcan. Or maybe no heart at all, I’m not sure. But I felt like I had one while reading this book. Hahaha! This seriously had me laughing. And it made me want to give Francesca Lia Block another try even though I was so not impressed with the one I've read.
Jenna @ Jenna's Blog said of The Book Thief, regarding Death (the narrator):
Any author who can make me feel emotion for a personified abstract noun writes extremely well. Umm. This is truth. Plus I also just really love that book!
Zoe @ A Corner of My Bookshelf said of One Night that Changes Everything: It was a quick, fun read that was cute and catchy. (Kinda like a Disney movie, but who's asking anyway;) ) Because who doesn't love Disney movies!?: P
Rachel @ Endless Reading said of Les Miserables and The Counte of Monte Cristo: Les Mis is all about redemption and love and war. Just phenomenal. Monte Cristo is about betrayal and revenge being best served cold. These are two of my very favorite classics and I love that her recs for them are short, to the point and definitely peak my interest.
There were SO many more that I could have chosen quotes from and tons that came close to be favorites! I have tons of new books to add to my tbr now! Thank you to everyone who participated!!: D
So the other day I was looking back at past blog posts of mine and I came across an old meme that made the rounds through the book blogs years ago. I thought it looked fun enough to do again and figured it would make a good Weekly Geek idea for us this week.
You know how when someone asks you who your favorite author is? And you feel a bit crazy coming up with just one? Now is your chance to come up with 26 (at least) favorite authors by making a list of them ABC style. (See my above link from the past for an example.) There are no rules, list a couple per letter if you feel the need. Skip a letter if you draw a blank. Make it be categories if you want to. For instance, a favorite YA author list. A favorite classic author list. A favorite "new to me" author list. A favorite mystery author list.
Or simply an all time favorite author list... from A to Z!
Be sure to come back and add your link, and then visit the links of other participants. Have fun!
I felt like posting today, but really had nothing to post since I'm a bit defunct right now and I'm trying to save up reviews for when I get back in school. I saw this post at Books and Movies this week and decided to do this myself!
Book next to your bed right now:Shortcomings by Adrian Tomine, Armadale by Wilki Collins, and I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou. Favorite series: Recently my favorite series is probably The Luxe series by Anna Godbersen. Otherwise probably Harry Potter. Favorite book:Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, Middlemarch by George Eliot, On the Road by Jack Kerouac, and A Long Way Down by Nick Hornby. The one book you would have with you if stranded on a desert island: Right now I'd say Shirley by Charlotte Bronte as it is quite long and I have yet to read it. Book/series you would take with you on a long flight: Well I just went on a fairly short flight and I took The Creation of Eve by Lynn Cullen on my flight in (great plane reading!) and I took The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath (not so great plane reading, but still enjoyable). If I were going on another flight tomorrow I would take Just Kids by Patti Smith. I just got it and after listening to her on Bookworm with Michael Silverblatt I'm really excited to read it. Worst book you were made to read in school: No contest: Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell. That book made me question my love of reading. Book that everyone should be made to read in school:The Stranger by Albert Camus. Book that everyone should read, period:The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky. Favorite character: Mr. Rochester. Best villain: Count Fosco in The Woman in White. Favorite concept series: I'll tell you as soon as you tell me what a concept series is. Favorite invented world: I'm not sure if it's really an invented world but it's definitely a different world. A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore. Most beautifully written book:The Awakening by Kate Chopin. Funniest book:Ophelia Joined the Group Maidens Who Don't Float was hilarious.
This week Becky opened things up and let participants decide on posting from two options:
Option 1: Write a post (or leave a comment) with suggestions for future weekly geek topics! Share as many ideas as you'd like! Be as creative as you want. Or if you can't think of any "new" topics of your own, consider listing your top five topics from the past, from our archives.
Option 2: Write a post about your genre prejudices or your genre allergies. (I tend to be allergic to westerns, for example.) Are there genres that you haven't read that you avoid at all costs? Are there genres that you don't take seriously? Would you be willing to try something new? (Or someone new!) Consider asking for recommendations and challenge yourself to get outside your comfort zone a bit. Alternatively, you may want to write a post about one of your favorite genres and recommend titles to newbies. Which books would you recommend to those readers who are new to that genre?
Seven geekers took up the challenge this week...and choosing both options was a popular choice:
Gautami provided some great ideas for future posts, including a poetry-focused challenge, and creating a book-related collage (go to her post to see all her terrific ideas). She also shared that her book allergy is YA fiction, and she would like to read science fiction.
Serena also picked both options. Her ideas for future posts included several focused on poetry (I especially liked this one: "Video yourself reciting a poem and post it or find a YouTube video of a poem being read and post that.") - again, visiting her post will let you see all of her suggestions. Serena's book prejudices include westerns, self-help books and nonfiction written like textbooks...
Bookworm's post suggestions were fantastic - one of my favorites: Play Matchmaker and get two of your favorite literary characters together on a date. Her biggest book allergy? Harlequin Romance, followed by Self-help books.
Kimberly shared some of her top favorite Geek posts which included literary tatoos, romancing the tome, and Christmas wish lists. She has a few allergies too: romances, westerns, and mystery novels. She'd like suggestions in these genres which might change her mind. And, she also shared her favorite genres which include fairy tale re-tellings and YA dystopian novels.
Bibliophile talked about "red flag subjects" in her reading...I found her discussion about pirate protagonists interesting (she writes: "I enjoy reading about the lives of real pirates, and will pick up a book where pirates are the bad guys without a second thought, but to me pirates and privateers always invoke the image of violent murderers and robbers and therefore I have never been able to suspend my disbelief sufficiently in order to enjoy a tale in which a pirate is the hero."). Read all her thoughts here.
Becky also chose to address both options. She would love weekly topics that include lists ("lists, lists, more lists. I like topics that give me an opportunity to write and share lists with readers.")...and she listed several other really good ideas, which can be found here. She admits she used to have an allergy to mysteries - but now it is her favorite genre! Becky also gave recommendations for other readers who might want to cure their allergy to mysteries.
Finally, Corey played Weekly Geeks this week by addressing not only her literary allergies (boy fantasy, stream-of-consciousness, and poetry), but gave plenty of recommendations for her favorite genres (Historical Fiction, Books about Books, and Classic Literature). Don't miss her post - it is full of wonderful stuff!
This week's top ten list at The Broke and Bookish is favorite book characters. I think this is incredibly challenging to think about. It's easy to think of books I love but to remember specific characters is a little harder for me.
1. Mr. Slinger from Lily's Purple Plastic Purse. This is probably my favorite children's book and I just love Lily, the little mouse the book is about. Even though Lily is adorable and cute no one is better than her teacher Mr. Slinger. Mr. Slinger is kind of a hippie, he makes yummy cheesy snacks, and he loves to teach. When Lily has some problems in class Mr. Slinger tucks a note in her purse that says, "Today was hard. Tomorrow will be better" (I'm paraphrasing because my books are all packed right now). Every time I read that page I get a little choked up, at 20 it's still one of my favorite books to read on a bad day. 2. Charlie from The Perks of Being a Wallflower. I really identified with Charlie when I read this book. He was a freshman in high school, kind of weird, loved to read, and was just trying to figure life out. I was a about a year younger than him when I read this book but I felt like I was having all the same experiences, which made the book extra special for me. Charlie was also so honest about his thoughts and since he was a "wallflower" he noticed really specific things about the world. When I finished this book I felt like I took a little bit of Charlie with me. 3. Hagrid from Harry Potter. I immediately took to Hagrid when I read Harry Potter. I loved how he was so big and frightening, but was such a nice guy. He's so idealistic and I'm always amazed by the things he does know and the the things he doesn't know. And Hagrid always had Harry, Ron, and Hermoine's best interests at heart. 4. Scout from To Kill a Mockingbird. She is tough and super smart. When Scout stands up to the members of the Klu Klux Klan my heart swoons because she has no idea what she really did. And she loves her dad unconditionally and worries about him like a parent does about a child. Scout is a great role model for young girls. 5. Jane Eyre and Mr. Rochester from Jane Eyre. These two go together for me, you can't have one without the other. I feel like they both change every time I read the book and their relationship becomes increasingly more complicated. From an initial viewing I love how simple their love appears and how sweet it is, but Mr. Rochester is abrasive and Jane is needy, which makes the relationship more difficult than I thought when I first read the book. 6. Marcus from About a Boy. I love Marcus! He is definitely one of my favorite book characters and movie characters. He is so young but has such a realistic view of the world, probably because he's mom is a little messed up. I feel for him because I was a little weirdo too, but I admire him because he works so hard to make his mom feel better even though he really has no control over her. 7. Katniss from The Hunger Games. Katniss is kind of like Scout for me. She is so tough and badass. She never complains about the horrible situation she is put in, she just goes with it and thinks about ways to make everything work for her and those she cares about. 8. Dumbledore from Harry Potter. When Dumbledore died I cried for hours. I wore a RIP Dumbledore bracelet for months. It was a horrible experience, but that just shows what a huge effect he had on me. I grieved over him like I would any person I know in real life. 9. Henry De Tamble for The Time Traveler's Wife. When I read The Time Traveler's Wife I was at a place in my life where I felt like nothing was in my control so I really identified with Henry. He works in a library, listens to punk rock, and wears sweaters, which makes him more like me. Similar to Katniss, Henry makes the situation work for him even though it's horrible and he loves Clare so much he does everything he can to protect her. I find him to be very admirable. 10. Diana from The Luxe Series. Oh, Diana. I just love her more as the series goes on. She is so unafraid of being outside of the norm, outside of society. She lives her life for herself and no one else. Sure, she's a bit annoying sometimes over her boy problems but I don't think she reacts any differently than I would. I just love her.
With us today we have Janette Rallison, author of My Fair Godmother and My Unfair Godmother, among many others. She has five children who keep her well supplied with plot ideas, sometimes even making cameo appearances in her novels. She likes to write romantic comedy because there is enough angst in real life, but theres a drastic shortage on both humor and romance. You can find her online here: Blog | Goodreads | Twitter | Website Stick around to find out how you can win some Awesome, courtesy of Janette!
~In the Fair Godmother books, bumbling “fair” godmother Chrysanthemum (Chrissy) inevitably seems to send her charges off into the past, into fairy tale settings (Savannah gets sent to the Middle Ages as Cinderella and Snow White; Tansy finds herself dealing with Robin Hood and Rumpelstiltskin): are there plans for this to be a long-running series, tackling many different stories? Series are always tentative things. They depend on how well the books do, but yes, there is at least one more Chrissy misadventure in the works. I mean, she’s got to get into fairy godmother school sometime. What I need to figure out is whether there will be just one more book, or a few more.
~Follow up: where did the idea for the series (and Chrissy) come from? Authors get asked to write a lot of things for friends and family members. I’ve done my share of school talent show skits, camp skits, etc. My Fair Godmother started out as a half an hour skit for my daughter’s church group. In fact, my daughter was the original Chrysanthemum Everstar. I had imagined the fairy as a no-nonsense, cynical, over-worked person. (Think Florence the sassy maid on the Jeffersons) But my daughter played the part as a dingy shopping diva, and Chrissy has been that way ever since.
~Why fairy tales? What is it that calls to you, personally, as a writer, and why do you think readers connect to them the way they do? Writing about fairy tales is great for a lot of reasons. We’ve all heard them, so we have a common frame of reference, but also, many of us wanted to be those fairy tale heroines. When I was little and people asked me what I was going to be when I grew up, I told them I wanted to be a princess. Alas, the whole royalty thing didn’t work out, but perhaps that’s for the best. When you think about Cinderella and Snow White, they had to do a whole lot of cleaning and cooking before they got to put on a tiara. I’ll stick with my dishwasher, washing machine, microwave, and hunky electrical engineer.
~What’s your favorite scene you’ve ever written? That’s hard to choose, because I’ve written a lot of books. My Unfair Godmother is number 17, I have a dragon book that’s coming out this fall, and I have two other books I’m working on right now. The Snow White scene in My Fair Godmother is one of my favorites though. I actually laughed out loud when I wrote it, and that usually doesn’t happen. The trailer scene from Just One Wish is also a favorite. Not only do Steve and Annika square off in a very creative way, but I also get to insult writers in the process.
~Can you tell us about anything you’re working on now? I have a dragon slayer book coming out in the fall, I’m polishing up a time travel/dystopia book, and I have about fifty pages left to write on a paranormal romance. The climax takes place in Egypt and so I had finally convinced my husband that we needed to go to Egypt for research. Yeah, I guess with all the political strife over there right now, that’s one trip we won’t be making.
Quickfire, Silly and Random stuff:
~Rapunzel is named after lettuce; what odd thing would you be named after if you were in a fairy tale? Did they have pizza in fairy tales? (maybe only the Italian ones...) I’ll go with strawberries. I love them.
~ Using that name, give us a line from your life as a fairy tale: Strawberry was teased mercilessly as a child. “What sort of stupid name is Strawberry?” The other village children asked. Strawberry ran off to find a tower to hide in. After all, it had worked out pretty well for Rapunzel.
~Best fairy tale villain and why? The evil queen from Snow White. She had power, riches, and fame—yet all she cared about was beauty. That’s devotion to an ideal. The cosmetic industry would have loved this woman.
~Favorite tale from childhood? Favorite tale as an adult? Least favorites? Cinderella has always been my favorite fairy tale. Rags to riches, handsome prince, a ball where you get to wear poofy evening gowns—what’s not to love about that? Rumpelstiltskin is probably my least favorite fairy tale. What sort of woman trades her firstborn child for a roomful of gold? What sort of King threatens to kill a woman twice if she can’t spin straw into gold and then says, “Hey, I’ll marry you if you can do it a third time”? Is that a match that is going to live happily ever after? I think not. And why in the world does Rumpelstiltskin ask the queen to guess his name, and then stand around a campfire singing it out loud? Would that ever really happen? I guess that’s one of the reasons I used Rumpelstiltskin in My Unfair Godmother. It was a challenge to make the fairy tale make sense. I think I did a fair job. (Pun intended)
~If you could be any fairy tale character, or live through any fairy tale "happening," who/what would it be? I’d choose to be Beauty from Beauty and the Beast. She had cute little magical servants to do the hard work, and all she had to do was fall in love with a hairy guy.
~Would you rather: - — live under a bridge with a troll, or all alone in a high tower? A high tower—they have a better view. Besides, it’s hard to write with trolls around.
- — ride everywhere in a pumpkin carriage (messy) or walk everywhere in glass shoes (uncomfortable)? I can’t walk in high heels, let alone glass heels, so I’ll have to go for the pumpkin.
- — be forced to spin straw into gold for hours on end, or dance every night until your shoes are worn through? Dance, definitely. That’s my definition of a good night.
Thanks so much for stopping by and being a part of Fairy Tale Fortnight, Janette!
***GIVEAWAY***
Janette has offered a Prize Pack for 1 lucky winner, consisting of a signed ARC of her latest book, My Unfair Godmother, as well as a signed copy of How To Take the Ex Out of Ex-Boyfriend, which starts with the FTF-appropriate line "I bet you Cinderella didn't get along with Prince Charming's friends... ";)
To enter: leave a comment with some love for Janette, and let us know why you want to read these books. Make sure we have a way to contact you! +1 for spreading the word US/CAN only Ends May 5th! May 8th!
Today's guest is Sierra of Yearning to Read ! Recognize her name? You should! She is none other than the author of this awesome review on A Kiss in Time that we recently saw on Misty's blog and she is also the very generous donor of both My Fair Godmother and the Jessica Day George prize pack ! So be sure you leave her some love! ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Johnny is a pretty normal guy. He lives in Florida and fixes shoes for a living. Or really, he fixes shoes not just as a living but to pay rent, phone bills, electricity bills, for food, etc. You know, all the every day things your father usually manages to pay for. Johnny's father would pay for theses things — but he disappeared when Johnny was a toddler. Ever since, Johnny's been the man of the house, working to feed and care for his sweet mother who in turn works hard to provide for him. Johnny would love to become a shoe designer, make millions of dollars, and give his mother the life of ease. But, how likely is that to happen? Unless you meet the princess of Aloria, who is filthy rich, thinks you're a good boy, and consequently wants you to find the Prince of Aloria who has been turned into a frog by an evil witch... in return for her hand in marriage and millions of dollars and a life of ease. Yeah... that can be a hard one to pass up. ___________________________________________ My thoughts - Once again, Alex Flinn knocks us all out with a fantastical fairytale that makes you feel like you've never read a fairytale before in your life. Talk about original. I mean, this book was so original it was almost strange. It was neat, though! From the ear-piece that lets you talk to animals, to the cloak that transports you to wherever you want to go; from the princess who (apparently) wants to marry the boy from South Beach, to the witch who has a grudge and a slightly evil but really predictable plan. It was awesome, on all levels. For a while I thought the Cloak would be like the one from 12 Dancing Princesses, one that makes you invisible. But no, it was totally different. And the ear piece was a neat idea and added a "technological" magic twist to the story. There were a few other fairytales thrown in there that only added, built, and made the story more enjoyable. The animals that Johnny meets give him quests to test his loyalty and to make sure he's really going to save the prince, which made everything feel a bit more "old fashioned". This all played in to create an atmosphere that was highly original and definitely Alex Flinn. I was hooked from the first pages. Favorite character (character thoughts) - Meg is such a great character that I just have to say that she's my favorite. She was strong, honest, and just lovely. She was deserving and totally inspired me. She and Johnny's relationship was hilarious at times and sweet at others. Everything about her made the story all the more lovable. And while she's my favorite, I can't move on without pointing out my honorable mention, Johnny. He was quite a character as well. He compliments Meg perfectly. He's a klutz (hilarious!), a doubter, and he doesn't follow instructions well. I found that these things, on top of the fact that he's honest, reliable, and loving, made him a great character. I loved that he couldn't always see what was right in front of him. I love a good, teasing love story where you just want to yell at the guy — "SHE'S RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU, STUPID!" Also, raise your glass to Alex Flinn herself for creating a character like Johnny who is, specifically, a completely different person than his competitors, Kyle from Beastly and Jack from A Kiss in Time. I found this extremely refreshing, as I'm sure you will. Pretty much the only downer in this book for me: I found that I didn't really, at all, like Victoriana, the Alorian princess. She was funny in parts, but I thought she was ubelievable. I couldn't picture her as clearly as the other characters, even her brother Philippe, and I couldn't hear the accent in the way that Alex Flinn typed it up. It just didn't click for me... but maybe that's just me. Favorite aspects/scenes - There are too many aspects of this story to choose from, so I will name as many as I can without spoiling anything for you. The love story was soooo amazing and much more passionate than that of A Kiss in Time. It was believable and well-developed and gave me strong, gutsy butterflies so many times I lost count. The tests Johnny has to go through to gain information are also a favorite part. The lessons Johnny learns... the twist that involves the animals... the amazing shoe quotes that easily become a lovable part of the story. And the perfect ending to a great story. Some favorite scenes: The sunset scenes with Johnny and Meg... And I was totally taken by the perfectly smooth scene in the beginning during which Johnny realizes that the Cloak and the ear-piece are really magic. It was amazingly well-told and Johnny's reaction to the magic was normal and hilarious and pretty much perfect. Bravo to Alex Flinn! One phrase to sum up this book (final thoughts) - Wonderfully original are the words that come to mind when I think of Cloaked. I could not help but fall in love with this book — and I hope you will, too! I recommend this book highly! For the parents: A few kisses, with little or no description. A handful of underhand jokes directed toward girls, and a couple of direct comments. None are explicit. A pretty darn clean book. Definitely can be read by a younger audience than Alex Flinn's previous fairytales. I'd say 14 years old is a good age to start.:)
Bonnie from A Backwards Story has graciously brought us another fantastic interview, as always combining her great questions with our fun silly ones! Today she chats with debut author Victoria Schwab! Enjoy!
Victoria Schwab’s debut novel, The Near Witch, is gorgeously descriptive and brimming with original folklore. It reads like a fairy tale, but is full of ideas out of Schwab’s own imagination. The novel tells the story of the Near Witch, a woman who supposedly lived and died centuries earlier. When children go missing in the village after a stranger arrives, a girl named Lexi must figure out what’s happening before it’s too late... For a teaser of The Near Witch and to learn more about the novel, please visit A Backwards Story. A full review is scheduled to post on ABS July 26 (my birthday!), one week before the launch of The Near Witch on August 2, 2011. Please add it to Goodreads and your TBR now!
1) What were your favorite fairy tales growing up? What drew you to them? I grew up with Grimm. Well, I grew up with the toned-down versions of Grimm, and then later discovered the originals in all their morbid glory. But what's always drawn me to them, and why I decided to write one, was the FEEL. Fairy tales have this archetypal quality. They SEEM simple, but there's so much at play, and we as readers are only glimpsing a small portion. We never get full lives, only moments, only days. But those glimpses are so chock full of culture and character, and usually magic, that I was and still am captivated by them. It's as much to me about what we don't see, what's already there, as what we do see.
2) Can you tell us more about your upcoming novel, The Near Witch? The Near Witch is a fairy tale. It's also a ghost story. And a mystery. It is a glimpse into a world where there are no strangers, where there are shadows of past magic. It's a world that's asleep until a set of events--the appearance of a stranger, the disappearance of children--begins to wake it.
3) I would love to know more about how you came up with the story of The Near Witch. What gave you the idea? It actually all came about from two sentences thought up about six months apart. One was "There are no strangers in the town of Near" and the other was "The wind on the moors is a tricky thing." I knew immediately I wanted to put them together. My first thought was, "Where's Near?" I started to ask questions and explore the village in my head. It was very exploratory at first, organic, just getting to know the place, as told through this girl's voice. Then the mystery began to form from those two sentences.
4) How did you come up with the nursery rhymes and all the back story told in bedtime tales? Much of it came out of that early exploration. I love, love oral history, the way stories are passed down, so I knew that this would be a part of my fairy tale world. That's how people learn, and truths can be so relative and warped when passed down that way. There is no objectivity, and that was key to this story.
5) What, if any, lore did you use as a model/starting ground when weaving together your own tale? I didn't really have a model, but I knew the world had to be small. The only way I was going to get the level of detail and believability I needed was if the physical size was confined. Doing that made it so the reader could really (hopefully) visualize, even with less description. Then, there was the issue of the magic. I needed to create a very intuitive system for it, something that felt natural in the truest sense but still had order, rules. So these were the guiding principles of Near--small, tightly woven, natural, intuitive. I knew if I could pull off that foundation, it would help the reader stay in the world, and hopefully, after finishing, cause the world to stay with them.
6) What other ideas are you working on right now? Right now I'm getting ready to send the draft of my next book, The Archived, off to my editor! It's currently scheduled for next fall, and it is not set in Near. It is Buffy meets The Shining meets a library: p
7) Was it hard coming up with your own lore when you began world-building? How did you bring everything together? YES. That was single-handedly the most difficult and the most exciting part of this project. I wanted to create a world that would read like it had decades, centuries, of folklore. Everything had to be nuanced and intuitive, and believable, and I wanted it to read like a fairy tale as opposed to a fantasy, which largely came down to tone and execution. It was very messy at first, with scribbled timelines alongside scribbled nursery rhymes, but in the end I hope it feels right and real to the readers. It feels real to me.
8) What are some of your favorite fairy tale inspired novels and/or authors? The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly. One of my favorite novels of ALL TIME.
9) If you could live out any fairy tale, what would it be and why? Little Red Riding Hood, without a doubt. I just love the idea of the big bad wolf (and apparently readers do too, just look at trends in YA), and, in many of the early versions, Little Red is pretty fierce herself. I wrote a short story once, about how MY Little Red would go.
Time for some fun, quirky questions!
~Best fairy tale villain and why? Villains are my favorite archetypes. I'm going to say Maleficent, for sheer epicness of name.
~Favorite tale from childhood? Favorite tale as an adult? Again, Little Red. I can't help it.
~Rapunzel is named after lettuce; what odd thing would you be named after if you were in a fairy tale? I think I would be named after a cloud formation, or the sky, or the stars, because I'm always looking up.
~ Using that name, give us a line from your life as a fairy tale: Sky goes for a walk while watching clouds and accidentally stumbles off a cliff into a land of magic and evil and magically evil unicorns.
~Would you rather: - — eat magic beans or golden eggs? Beans. I'm not really an egg person. Something about the texture. I wonder if golden eggs have a different texture than regular ones. I wonder if they taste expensive. But now I'm also wondering if magic beans cause gas, or if I'm going to end up with some trippy hallucinations or something...
- — style 50ft long hair or polish 100 pairs of glass slippers? I'll polish those slippers. I can't even keep my own hair styled, and it only comes to my shoulders.
- — have a fairy godmother or a Prince Charming? Ohhhhhh. Yeah, I am going to have to go with the fairy godmother, because she can help me get Prince Charming, and all that other stuff I probably want.
Thanks Bonnie and Victoria for another awesome interview! Victoria's debut, The Near Witch, hits stores in August, but reviewers can read it and help spread the word now by checking it out on Netgalley! You can find Victoria online here: Blog | Goodreads | Twitter | Website | Youtube
April 2nd was International Children's Book Day. And April is National Poetry Month. In celebration, I have two lovely options for you this week:
Option A: Be a kid!
You could read a picture book (or two or three) and share what you read. Write up a post sharing your favorite books from childhood Write up a post about reading together with your child(ren)
Option B: Be a poet!
Write your own poem and share with us! Write bookish ABC poems--ABC's of favorite authors, favorite books, favorite characters, favorite book blogs, or any combination of the above. Maybe even an ABC's of a bibliophile or book addict. (A is for...B is for...etc.)(For example, ABC's of Dr. Seuss) Review a book you've read recently in haiku. (It doesn't need to be a poetry book you're reviewing, any book will do.) See Emilyreads for an idea of what I mean. Read a poetry book and review it Participate in Poetry Friday (This week's host will be Carol's Corner.)
In honor of Valentine's weekend, let's talk about romantic literature. By that, I don't necessarily mean the modern romance genre, but books that you find particularly romantic.
Feel free to explore any or all of these prompts:
What literary couple is your favorite?
How do you define romantic literature? Does it always involve sex? or the hint of sex?
What author/s do you think writes romantic scenes particularly well?
Do you have a favorite romantic scene in a book?
Do you find you read romantic literature at certain times of the year?
Tell us your favorite romantic quote.
Do you have some favorite romantic poetry?
Share any other thoughts you have about books and romance or love or eroticism.
And beyond books: If you celebrate Valentine's Day, what's your favorite way to do it? A romantic dinner? Chocolate? Do you send cards to people you love?
What ever way you do - or don't - celebrate, have a wonderful week! Be sure to link directly to your blog post below in Mr. Linky, and leave Valentines for your fellow WG bloggers.
Alright guys — Seriously. Today's Memory Monday blogger is one of my favorite people to chat with. Shannon blogs at Books Devoured and I love reading her posts. She's made of win. Like, for realz folks. If you don't already talk to her or follow her, you should (link to her Twitter) . She has an awesome post today!
Bio:
I read and I blog about it. My Life motto... What would Jackie O do?
My name is Shannon and I am the one to blame for Books Devoured. I am a pretty eclectic reader but I have been reading a lot of YA lately. I'm 32 & a Home Schooling Mom to 2 children. Post:
I was excited to be asked to guest post for Memory Monday. There is only one problem, my memory is awful! I had an idea to change it up a bit so I hope you will indulge me.
I had a great childhood mostly because I had an amazing Mom. She indulged my love of reading with tons of books! I do at least remember having tons of Babysitters club books! They were my favorite. Besides buying me books, I remember seeing my mother read throughout my childhood. It was always ingrained in me that reading was important. Now that I am a mother, I do whatever I can to form those book memories for my children. I make sure that they see me reading. Not only that but they see that I make it my free time priority. I don't just read by myself though, I read to them and with them as well.
When each of my children were really little, their favorite book was But Not the Hippopotamus by Sandra Boynton. I read that book so many times that I can still recite it. I never minded because I knew at the end of the book when I got to their favorite part (But, YES the hippopotamus! But not the Armadillo) I would be rewarded with their laughter. There is no sweeter sound to a Mother than her child's laughter. The more we read that story the more of it they remembered and before long they could recite it too. Their favorite book series for me to read to them now is Skippyjon Jones by Jufy Schachner. Though I have a suspicion they only like it because I do my best to use lots of funny accents when I read them!
I value the time that I get to read to them because I know that soon they will be able to do it on their own. I try to find books that I can read to them that they will both enjoy. Sometimes that means that I might not be as much of a fan of it as they are. There has been one book that I liked more than the others and I think it made an impression on them as well. It is The Bake Shop Ghost by Jacqueline K. Ogburn. I picked that book up because it was on sale, I knew nothing about it. I might have had it in the house for a while before I even ended up choosing to read it to them. The first time I read them that book was incredibly memorable for me. It started out a bit funny, a ghost who was not leaving her bake shop and causing chaos for anyone who tried to take her place. By the end of that story I was in tears and not the funny kind; the sad, surprised, heartbreaking and sweet kind. It was probably the first time that my children had seen me cry over a book. I am truly grateful for this experience. It opened up a dialogue with my children that was priceless, both about the themes of the book and about why a book could make mommy cry. If you have children I can not recommend this book highly enough. I do suggest reading it first just to make sure your children are ready for it's contents though.
I have tried to make sure that they always have books that they like to read more than worry about what they should be reading. I homeschool them so I have complete control over their reading lives. I learned early that forcing my son to read something he does not like is not helpful. I hated seeing a book he wasn't into take away his joy of reading. Once he gets a little older that might change some but if he is not ready for The Giver by Lois Lowry then we will put it away for now and read James Patterson's The Gift Instead! My daughter picked up reading very quickly so I do hope that she loves it as much as I do. One thing is for sure, she will inherit quite a collection of books from her mother if she does!
Thank you SO much for sharing with us Shannon! I LOVE that you are so involved in reading with your kids! I think it's awesome! I'm definitely going to be looking up those two favorites of your kids!
This week we are going to continue with the theme started last week and go even further exploring our favorite book characters.
Many of us have had an opportunity to interview an author, mostly through email, but perhaps even on the phone or in person. In fact, many of you have become experts at author interviews. So this week, let's pretend that we can get in contact with one of our favorite characters and interview them. What would you ask Mr. Darcy if you could send him an email. What would his answers be like? What would you say if you could just call up Liesel or Rudy from The Book Thief and ask them anything? How would they answer your questions? What if you could invite Jo March or Anne Shirley to lunch, what would the conversation be like?
So blog about that imagined conversation, or phone discussion, or email exchange. Of course, there may be lots of things we'll have to make up or imagine them saying. But many things we should be able to figure out their answers just from what we know of them in their respective books.
If you need help with what questions to ask them, look around the blogosphere at all the memes we see. Borrow some of those questions. Re-use some of the questions you've asked authors in interviews you've already done. You can really have fun with some questions. For example, ask Elinor from Inkheart what's her favorite book. Ask Heathcliff how he spends his leisure time. Ask Gilbert what he looks for in a girl. Ask Crusoe where he would like to go on his ideal vacation.
You get the idea, right? You can really have some fun with it and get a little silly, or you can be straightforward and serious. But either way, show us how well you know (or maybe don't know) your character and perhaps in the end, we'll all have a whole new perspective about some of our favorite characters! I think that even if we end up with several interviews of the same person, it will be fun to see how differently we each view and perceive them.
Now, have at it and get making those calls and sending those emails to your favorite characters!
Be sure to come back and sign Mr. Linky (that is if I can figure it out since I've never done a Mr. Linky before!) once you've completed your interview, and later let us know about some of the fun interviews you come across on other Weekly Geek blogs.
Today I got the Honest Scrap award from one of my favorite blogs, Sasha & the Silverfish. This my first time with the Honest Scrap (or any award/meme) so I am very excited! There are a few rules for this award, they are as follows:
1. The Honest Scrap Blogger Award must be shared. 2. The recipient has to tell 10 (true) things about themselves that no one else knows. 3. The recipient has to pass on the award to 7 more bloggers. 4. Those 7 bloggers should link back to the blog that awarded them.
Okay so ten true things about myself. Hmm, I'm sorry to say that I am not very interesting but I will do my very best to wow you with tales of my exciting life.
1. My Grandma taught me how to read and therefore jump started my entire life. She is my idol and we share the same birthday. She also got me started on a couple of my other obsessions: baking and crossword puzzles. One of my favorite books she read to me when I was a kid was The Three Little Pigs. She read to me first and eventually when I caught on I would read it to her while she made breakfast. 2. My favorite part about elementary school was book borders. My parents gave me a limit and I would go insane trying to figure out which books I wanted. Not much has changed since then, except now they're not called bookorders they're called BarnesandNoble.com and Amazon.com. Yeah... 3. When Harry Potter came out I swore it was a crappy book. I read the first ten pages and didn't like it. A couple years later I started the first one again and became addicted to it. I then became a bigger Harry Potter fan than any of my friends. Just another tidbit, I was in Europe when the last book came out, so I have the British copy. Very exciting. 4. The scenario in #3 was repeated with Jane Austen. I spent all of high school hating Jane Austen, then I read Sense and Sensibility last year and now I am obsessed with her. 5. I have read On The Road by Jack Kerouac seven times. It's the first book I've ever read that mentions Iowa, and I think this might contribute to my obsession with it. Somehow seeing the name in print makes the place I live seem more legitimate. Kind of like the movie Adventureland and the six summers I worked at an amusement park called Adventureland (but that is a story for another day). 6. Last year I lived in this community at Iowa called the Iowa Writers Learning Community. It was basically two floors of freshman who qualified themselves as writers or did lots of drugs. It was pretty fun, but I didn't do that much writing until I took my first writing class second semester. It's kind of amazing how many different kinds of people lived there. 7. I thought I wanted to be an English teacher until my senior year in high school when I realized that I couldn't spend every day in a high school since I'd spent all of high school waiting to get out. Still, people like me were generally my favorite teachers in high school. But still... no. 8. The books I gave my boyfriend to read so he could understand me were On the Road, Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky, A Long Way Down by Nick Hornby, How to Be Good by Nick Hornby, and Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs by Chuck Klosterman. 9. Chuck Klosterman was the speaker during Iowa's welcome week last year and he signed my copy of Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs. He told me he liked my shirt, but I don't remember which shirt I was wearing. 10. Iowa City is a UNESCO City of Literature, and that's where I live if you didn't know. Because of this we have lots of readings every week. My favorite reading I have ever been to was a woman named Eula Biss. If you haven't read her essay collection Notes From No Man's Land you really should. It's fabulous.
So now I'm going to pass this on to seven other blogs. Helen Loves Books Stop Me If You've Heard This One Before Chasing Empty Pavements A Bookshelf Monstrosity Laura's Reviews Bookishly Fabulous Jenny Loves To Read
This week at the Broke and Bookish we're talking about our top ten favorite book blogs. Since I was listed on their top ten I will definitely have to share the love! These are in no particular order.
1. The Broke and Bookish. I love the idea for this blog! It's great that they have multiple bloggers because each one has a different way of reviewing and reads different books. Lots of variety here! 2. Reading on a Rainy Day. Quite a few reviews of books dealing with India, which is different from other blogs out there. She really has eclectic taste and has reviewed some great books this year, including The Bell Jar which I love. I always come away with something I want to read. 3. 1330V. You can always count on this blog for really thoughtful posts about reading and great reviews on an assortment of books. Quite a few graphic novel reviews and lots of books I've never heard of before! 4. Sophisticated Dorkiness. A journalist and book lover blogs about mostly nonfiction. This is the only book review blog I can think of that focuses on nonfiction and that is part of the reason I love it. Since I found Sophisticated Dorkiness I have started to review more nonfiction myself because it's my favorite genre as well! 5. Sasha & the Silverfish. Sasha was one of the first blogs I read when I started blogging. Her posts are long but wonderful. It's like discussion in an English class, except you don't have to worry about getting a grade! Lots of great books here. 6. A Literary Odyssey. This blog attempts to read 250 classics and does multiple posts on quite a few of them. I like that about this blog because you get to hear so much more about her thoughts on a book than you would with just one post. With classics I think that works really well. 7. Drunk Literature. On a bit of a hiatus right now but still one of my favorite book blogs. Rebecca blogs about more than books, that includes art, music, and just what's she into at the moment. She has great taste! 8. A Guy's Moleskine Notebook. He reviews quite a few classics but also a lot of newer books so there is a lot of variety. The reviews are very thoughtful and specific, and he is great at starting discussions. 9. The Displaced English Major. Similarly to A Literary Odyssey this blog is trying to read a list of 100 books. I've been amazed at how patient she can be with books she doesn't really care for. She's read some fairly obscure titles so be sure to check out her thoughts! 10. Iris on Books. I didn't find Iris until this summer but it's quickly become one of my favorite book blogs. She reviews mostly literature and classics, but I really enjoy her posts about reading. She's funny too!
There are a lot more I'd like to list. Basically, check out any blog in my blogroll and know that I love what they do!
On Monday it's Valentines Day here in the US, which means love is in the air! Many of us have been talking about love all month, but I thought it would make a perfect Weekly Geek-ish type assignment to suggest a post that included anything about love that moves you.
Some ideas:
- favorite love stories. - favorite romantic movie. - favorite love songs. - favorite romantic get away. - a personal loves story you'd like to share. - favorite couple in books, movies, TV or real life. - things you like or don't like about romance. - anything love related you can think of!
Hopefully you get the idea here. Have fun! I look forward to seeing what LOVE stuff you come up with!
