Hello Friday! Hello Follow Friday with book bloggers! Today let's meet Julie. You need to keep on reading to see those shelfies! :D

Follow JL's Bibliomania on BookLikes: http://jlsbibliomania.booklikes.com/

What are you reading right now? How do you like it?

I’m reading three things as I write these responses:

Heaven's Queen by Rachel Bach, which is the concluding volume of a lighthearted romp of a Space Opera featuring a girl and her big gun.

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr, which is the story of how Marie- Laure, a blind French Girl, and Werner, a German Orphan, converge in the French town of San-Malo near the end of the 2^nd World War.  Slower moving, especially as an audiobook.

The Inner Life of Cats: The Science and Secrets of Our Mysterious Feline Companions by Thomas McNamee, which is the current selection for the Flat Book Society.  OK so far, but recently I’ve been struggling with sustained attention to non-fiction.

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However, I expect that by the time this is published, I will have finished Heaven’s Queen and moved on to another piece of fiction

When have you discovered you’re a book lover?

If this question is asking when did I (first) discover I was a book lover the answer is: When books were replacing my non-existent friends in Elementary and Middle School and I was devouring a book an afternoon.

Why reading is important to you?

Because I like how reading fills the spaces in my head. Because I crave the escape it offers.

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Which books are you most excited recommending to your followers?

I’m currently excited about The Hate U Give, which is getting a lot of buzz, and does a great job personalizing the questions behind the Black Lives Matter (Movie due to release in October)

I discovered Maggie Stiefvater relatively recently and loved The Raven Boys and the sequels as an audiobook.  

I read them a long time ago and the details have faded, but I think Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay is essential reading.  

I also love CJ Cherryh’s work.While a bit older, I particularly like how the Faded Sun Trilogy and Forty Thousand in Gehenna wrestle with the idea of being the “Other” and of becoming the bridge between human and alien.

In your bio you write: “Daughter of a Bookaholic. Wife of a Bibliovore.  Mother of 2 Bibliophiles” Did your family had an influence on your reading passion, and how do you encourage your kids to keep on reading?

My parents really didn’t watch television much and were always reading, particularly my Dad who always has a book or 3 going, typically Space Opera or military SF.  My parents definitely had an influence on my reading passion by always having books around, and nurtured my love of SF by handing me Anne McCaffrey’s Dragonsong when I was in Jr. High and complaining that I was bored and out of things to read.

This is going to sound trite (or like stock advice), but when my kids were little my husband and I read to our sons, always had a rotating stock of library books around that were age and reading-level appropriate geared towards their passion of the moment, and modeled reading because we often had a book of our own with us. We were lucky. My older son dove into Richard Scarry partway through kindergarten, my younger son got lost in the Warriors series in 3^rd grade and we really haven’t had to do much to encouraging since.  

Do you read one book or several at a time?

As you can see by the answer to question 1, I typically read several books at a time.

- 1 fiction in print or ebook,

- 1 audiobook for the car,

- and sometimes a non-fiction. 

But the print book and the audiobook have to be different genres for me to keep track, which is fine because I like to mix things up.

BookLikes Shelf

Do you review all books you read? How does your review process look like?

I don’t review everything I read.  I write when I have something to say and when time permits (and as you can see by the fewer and shorter reviews recently, time has recently been in short supply so I haven’t been as active). 

I’m more of a book diarist than a book reviewer.  I started tracking on Goodreads and blogging about books to help myself remember what I’ve read.  I consider what I write to be book reactions rather than truly reviews, which is why many of my entries are a short paragraph or less, and I almost never include a synopsis of the plot. I try not to look at too many reviews before I read a book, but often look at the book page here and at other book-review sites after I finish.  I typically dash off a draft over the weekend, ask my husband to copy edit it, then post the following day.  

Your Shelf presents many audiobooks. Do you experience the book differently while listening to it instead of reading?

I do experience stories differently when I listen to them. Listening to an audiobook forces you to move at the narrator’s pace, which means that you can’t read too fast and miss details.  Sometimes that’s an advantage, and sometimes that leads to tedium.

I’m also not one who easily builds a concrete picture of what the characters look like, or imagines what they sound like.  The audiobook narrator often fills in that gap for me, especially the recent productions that turn books almost into audio plays by using multiple readers.

The experience of reading an audiobook is also different for me because I mostly listen to them in the car, while I’m driving. A story is different when experienced in 15-30 minute chunks, and with distractions.

2018 Reading Challenge Page

A library or a bookstore?

Definitely a library!

While my husband and I spent many pleasant hours in used book stores as a teen and young adult (hence the collection in the basement), we almost entirely stopped buying books as part of the financial adjustment after buying our first house. We are lucky to live in an area with good libraries and I get more than 90% of what I read from the local county library consortium. 

Your favorite genres are fantasy and sci-fi. Why are they so special?

SF and fantasy were initially appealing to me because of the escapism. If you’re not happy in mundane reality, SF and fantasy provide ample opportunities to imagine being a heroine elsewhere. 

Now I find that SF and fantasy are special in the way that they pose questions about what makes us human.

What are your three favorite book covers?

I'll admit that I hate the share 3 book-covers question since doing most of my book “shopping” in the online library catalog, the cover isn't really something I pay much attention to. However, there’s a strong tradition of SF-related artwork. So instead of book covers I’d like to share 3 of the signed, numbered SF-related prints that I’ve bought at conventions over the years. 

Menolly by Robin Wood, originally included in The People of Pern http://www.robinwood.com/Catalog/Prints/PrintPages/Menolly.html

The Forgotten Beasts of Eld by Virginia Poyser.  Victoria is currently working under her married name of Virginia Lisi and no longer focusing on SF-related art.  I couldn’t find a good copy of this picture online, but her website is https://victoria-lisi.pixels.com/

A Stitch in Time by David Cherry (brother of  CJ Cherryh)

https://davidcherryart.com/prints/a-stitch-in-time/  I don’t believe this piece is connected to a specific book, but it appealed to me as someone who occasionally stitches.

A paper book or an e-book?

When I’m home, I’m a traditionalist and prefer paper.  When I’m travelling, or when the library only has the ebook, I’ll happily reach for the e-reader for novels. I dislike non-fiction and graphic novels as e-books. 

Three titles for a holiday break?

Did I say that I hate giving recommendations?

Fortune's Pawn by Rachel Bach  and the sequels (though it looks like others who tried it here on BL haven’t liked it much)

When Dimple Met Rishi – light realistic fiction YA – definitely recommend the audiobook.

The Rook by Daniel O'Malley. Suggested in honor of the Summer of Spies.

Favorite quote?

My absolutely favorite quote is

Life is uncertain, eat dessert first.

(Often misremembered as – Life is short, Eat dessert first)

And when I was in college I spent several years doing just that.

Despite coming late to canine ownership, my favorite bookish quote is

Outside of a book, a dog is man’s best friend

Inside of a dog, it’s too dark to read

Shelfie time! Please share your home library photos :)

The first two pictures are of the two bookcases in the living-room, which contain cookbooks, religion reference works and library books. Life has been so much easier, with many fewer desperate searches for the overdue or missing books since we cleared off shelves a shelf for me and a shelf for my sons to keep our library book in the right hand case.

The last picture is of a few of the 13 bookcases in the basement library.  We’re in the middle of re-sorting/re-shelving/trimming the collection as we recently decided to store all fiction alphabetically by author and to stop trying to sort by genre.  And while the basement is mostly fiction, there are 2 ceiling high cases full of my husband’s history references.

Thank you! 

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Have you missed previous Follow Friday talks? Use ffwithbookbloggers tag or click the interviews catch up links below: 

It's summer time! If you plan an intriguing trip, a long flight, a dangerous adventure, an escape to a silent and quiet place, like a desert island here's your survival kit. BOOKS. 

For the last year we've been interviewing BookLikes book bloggers and gathering reading recommendations. Have a look at 35 reads picked by an amazing group of readers and reviewers, and stay tuned, more is coming!

You can also read the interviews with the readers - interview links are attached between the book recommendations. All 46 interviews can be viewed here:

Follow Friday with book bloggers: interviews with book lovers

 

35 BOOKS FOR A DESERT ISLAND

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - J.K. Rowling  

Burdened with the dark, dangerous, and seemingly impossible task of locating and destroying Voldemort's remaining Horcruxes, Harry, feeling alone and uncertain about his future, struggles to find the inner strength he needs to follow the path set out before him.

And Then There Were None - Agatha Christie  

Ten strangers, apparently with little in common, are lured to an island mansion off the coast of Devon by the mysterious U.N.Owen. Over dinner, a record begins to play, and the voice of an unseen host accuses each person of hiding a guilty secret. That evening, former reckless driver Tony Marston is found murdered by a deadly dose of cyanide.

The tension escalates as the survivors realise the killer is not only among them but is preparing to strike again… and again…

Lessons From a Scarlet Lady - Emma Wildes  

The Duke of Rolthven's new wife, Brianna, is the perfect aristocratic bride. So what would society say if they saw her with a copy of Lady Rothburg's Advice--a courtesan's lessons for the boudoir? When his innocent wife suddenly becomes a vixen in the bedroom, the proper Duke is truly astounded by her seductive powers. Following a courtesan's advice might lead to trouble-but will it lead to Brianna's ultimate desire: winning her husband's love?

Read a full interview: #1 Follow Friday with book bloggers: Jennifer's Books

Dreaming of You - Lisa Kleypas  

She stood at danger′s threshold-- then love beckoned her in. In the shelter of her country cottage, Sara Feilding puts pen to paper to create dreams. But curiosity has enticed the prim, well-bred gentlewoman out of her safe haven--and into Derek Craven′s dangerous world. A handsome, tough and tenacious Cockney, he rose from, poverty to become lord of London′s most exclusive gambling house--a struggle that has left Derek Craven fabulously wealthy, but hardened and suspicious. And now duty demands he allow Sara Fielding into his world...

Branded - Scottie Barrett  

Slade Dalton's partner has just dispatched their latest quarry, a member of the notorious Purdy clan. Slade's certain there will be retribution and he's certain that he's damn tired of the bounty hunting business. Returning to the family's cattle spread in the Colorado Territory, he's relieved to find his brother Grady has not claimed ownership of the ranch in his absence. But there is a troubling, new addition to the Lazy Heart Ranch, an irresistible, raven-haired English beauty.

Beau Crusoe - Carla Kelly  

Stranded alone on a desert island, he had lived to tell the tale. A triumphant return to the ton saw James Trevenen hailed as Beau Crusoe—a gentleman of spirit, verve and action. But only he knew the true cost of his survival! Scandalous! Susannah Park had been shunned by Society. She lived content with her calm existence—until Beau Crusoe determinedly cut up her peace! The beautiful widow wanted to help him heal the wounds of the past—but what secrets was this glorious man hiding?

Read a full interview: #2 Follow Friday with book bloggers: Punya Reviews…

The Count of Monte Christo - Alexandre Dumas  

Young, honest and loyal, Edmund Dantes, about to be promoted as captain of his ship, is accused of treason, and condemned to imprisonment in the isolated Chateau d'If. He endures years of suffering before making a dramatic escape. Newly liberated, he discovers the identities of his accusers, and intent on revenge he assumes a new identity for himself.

The Anubis Gates (Ace Science Fiction) - Tim Powers  

Brendan Doyle, a specialist in the work of the early-nineteenth century poet William Ashbless, reluctantly accepts an invitation from a millionaire to act as a guide to time-travelling tourists. But while attending a lecture given by Samuel Taylor Coleridge in 1810, he becomes marooned in Regency London, where dark and dangerous forces know about the gates in time.

Quick Service - P.G. Wodehouse  

When rich and imperious American widow Beatrice Chavender eats a forkful of inferior ham at her sister's country house near London, it affects the lives of everyone around her - her sister, her brother-in-law, her sister's butler, her sister's poor relation Sally, Sally's fiance Lord Holberton, and, most of all, Mrs Chavender's own one-time fiance, 'Ham King' J. B. Duff, whose rotten product spoils her breakfast.

Read a full interview: #3 Follow Friday with book bloggers: Tigus 

Kitchen - Banana Yoshimoto

Kitchen is an enchantingly original book that juxtaposes two tales about mothers, love, tragedy, and the power of the kitchen and home in the lives of a pair of free-spirited young women in contemporary Japan. Mikage, the heroine, is an orphan raised by her grandmother, who has passed away. Grieving, Mikage is taken in by her friend Yoichi and his mother (who is really his cross-dressing father) Eriko. 

Harry Potter and the philosopher's stone - J.K. Rowling  

Harry Potter has never even heard of Hogwarts when the letters start dropping on the doormat at number four, Privet Drive. Addressed in green ink on yellowish parchment with a purple seal, they are swiftly confiscated by his grisly aunt and uncle. Then, on Harry's eleventh birthday, a great beetle-eyed giant of a man called Rubeus Hagrid bursts in with some astonishing news: Harry Potter is a wizard, and he has a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. An incredible adventure is about to begin!

Read a full interview: #4 Follow Friday with book bloggers: Nicole Reads

 

Spectred Isle - KJ Charles  

Archaeologist Saul Lazenby has been all but unemployable since his disgrace during the War. Now he scrapes a living working for a rich eccentric who believes in magic. Saul knows it’s a lot of nonsense...except that he begins to find himself in increasingly strange and frightening situations. And at every turn he runs into the sardonic, mysterious Randolph Glyde.

The Princess Bride - William Goldman  

Beautiful, flaxen-haired Buttercup has fallen for Westley, the farm boy, and when he departs to make his fortune, she vows never to love another. So when she hears that his ship has been captured by the Dread Pirate Roberts - who never leaves survivors - her heart is broken. But her charms draw the attention of the relentless Prince Humperdinck who wants a wife and will go to any lengths to have Buttercup. So starts a fairytale like no other, of fencing, fighting, torture, poison, true love, hate, revenge, giants, hunters, bad men, good men, beautifulest ladies, snakes, spiders, beasts, chases, escapes, lies, truths, passion and miracles.

Are You Dave Gorman? - Dave Gorman,Danny Wallace  

After a heavy night of tequila, flatmates Dave and Danny set off on what turns out to be a 24,000-mile journey to meet all the other Dave Gormans in the world. They visit Scotland, Israel, America, France and Ireland. They even hold a party in London where 50 Dave Gormans attend, including two women who have kindly changed their name via deed-poll. Silly, but engrossing, fascinating and addictive - and a touching, funny story of two friends who grow to share a mutual obsession.

Read a full interview: #5 Follow Friday with book bloggers: Silence in the library

Magic Bites - Ilona Andrews  

The world has suffered a magic apocalypse. We pushed the technological progress too far, and now magic returned with a vengeance. It comes in waves, without warning, and vanishes as suddenly as it appears. When magic is up, planes drop out of the sky, cars stall, electricity dies. When magic is down, guns work and spells fail.

Read a full interview: #6 Follow Friday with book bloggers: That's What I'm Talking About ->

 

The Hound of the Baskervilles - Arthur Conan Doyle  

Sherlock Holmes and his companion Dr. Watson investigate the case. This was the first appearance of Holmes since his intended death in "The Final Problem", and the success of The Hound of the Baskervilles led to the character's eventual revival. In 2003, the book was listed as number 128 of 200 on the BBC's The Big Read poll of the UK's "best-loved novel." In 1999, it was listed as the top Holmes novel, with a perfect rating from Sherlockian scholars of 100.

Arcadia Falls - Carol Goodman  

Financial straits and a desire for a fresh start take recently widowed Meg Rosenthal and her aloof teenage daughter, Sally, to Arcadia Falls, a tucked-away hamlet in upstate New York where Meg has accepted a teaching position at a boarding school. The creaky, neglected cottage they’ll be calling home feels like an ill omen, but Meg is determined to make the best of it. Then a shocking crisis strikes: During Arcadia’s First Night bonfire, one of Meg’s folklore students plunges to her death in a campus gorge. Sheriff Callum Reade finds the presumed accident suspicious, but then, he is a man with a dark past himself. 

Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen

Mr and Mrs Bennet live with their five daughters at Longbourn in Hertfordshire. Jane, the eldest, falls in love with Charles Bingley, a rich bachelor who takes a house nearby with his two sisters and friend Fitzwilliam Darcy. Darcy is attracted to the second daughter, Elizabeth.

Read a full interview: #7 Follow Friday with book bloggers: Sailing in a Sea of Words ->

 

Exes and Goals: A Slapshot Novel - Heather C. Myers  

Harper Crawford is a big fan of the Newport Beach Seagulls, despite their abysmal previous season. It's been a year since Ken Brown's murder and Seraphina Hanson, Ken's youngest granddaughter, just survived her first year as the new owner and manager of the national hockey team. Barely. The last year was dismal to the point where Seraphina is making drastic changes. Like hiring Harper as their official blogger. Harper gets to travel with the team, write character pieces, critiques, game summaries, and the like. It's her dream job.

Rules Of Prey - John Sandford  

The "maddog" murderer who is terrorizing the Twin Cities is two things: insane and extremely intelligent. He kills for the pleasure of it and thoroughly enjoys placing elaborate obstacles to keep police befuddled. Each clever move he makes is another point of pride. But when the brilliant Lieutenant Lucas Davenport--a dedicated cop and a serial killer's worst nightmare--is brought in to take up the investigation, the maddog suddenly has an adversary worthy of his genius.

Dark Lover - J.R. Ward  

In the shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, there's a deadly turf war going on between vampires and their slayers. There exists a secret band of brothers like no other-six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. Yet none of them relishes killing more than Wrath, the leader of The Black Dagger Brotherhood.

Read a full interview: #8 Follow Friday with book bloggers: Momma Says to Read

Frankenstein - Mary Shelley

At once a Gothic thriller, a passionate romance, and a cautionary tale about the dangers of science, Frankenstein tells the story of committed science student Victor Frankenstein. Obsessed with discovering the cause of generation and life and bestowing animation upon lifeless matter, Frankenstein assembles a human being from stolen body parts but; upon bringing it to life, he recoils in horror at the creature's hideousness. Tormented by isolation and loneliness, the once-innocent creature turns to evil and unleashes a campaign of murderous revenge against his creator, Frankenstein.

Arabella - Georgette Heyer

To Arabella Tallant, the eldest daughter of a penniless country clergyman, the invitation to stay with her London godmother was like the key to heaven, for in addition to living in the glamorous city, Arabella might even find a suitable husband there. Armed with beauty, virtue and a benevolent godmother, the impetuous but impoverished Arabella embarked on her first London season with her mother's wish in mind: snare a rich husband. 

Gardens of the Moon - Steven Erikson  

The Malazan Empire simmers with discontent, bled dry by interminable warfare, bitter infighting, and bloody confrontations. Even the imperial legions, long inured to the bloodshed, yearn for some respite. Yet Empress Laseen's rule remains absolute, enforced by her dread Claw assassins.

Read a full interview: #9 Follow Friday with book bloggers: Midu Reads [Nominated]

 

Immortal in Death - J.D. Robb  

When Police Lieutenant Eve Dallas investigates the murder of a top model, she is putting her career on the line, because the prime suspect is her best friend. Eve's investigations lead her into the glamorous world of high fashion.

Read a full interview: #10 Follow Friday with book bloggers: The Book Gourmet

The Terror - Dan Simmons  

The bestselling author of Ilium and Olympos transforms the true story of a legendary Arctic expedition into a thriller worthy of Stephen King or Patrick O'Brian. Their captain's insane vision of a Northwest Passage has kept the crewmen of The Terror trapped in Arctic ice for two years without a thaw. But the real threat to their survival isn't the ever-shifting landscape of white, the provisions that have turned to poison before they open them, or the ship slowly buckling in the grip of the frozen ocean. 

Read a full interview: #11 Follow Friday with book bloggers: Book Cupidity [Nominated]

Sleeping Beauties - Stephen King, Owen King  

In a future so real and near it might be now, something happens when women go to sleep; they become shrouded in a cocoon-like gauze. If they are awakened, and the gauze wrapping their bodies is disturbed or violated, the women become feral and spectacularly violent; and while they sleep they go to another place. 

Darkhouse - Karina Halle  

There’s always been something a bit off about Perry Palomino. Though she’s been dealing with a quarter-life crisis and post-college syndrome like any other twenty-something, she’s still not what you would call “ordinary.” For one thing, there’s her past which she likes to pretend never happened, and then there’s the fact that she sees ghosts. 

Read a full interview: #12 Follow Friday with book bloggers: 99 problems, and a book ain't one 

 

The Tokyo Zodiac Murders - Soji Shimada

Astrologer, fortuneteller, and self-styled detective Kiyoshi Mitarai must in one week solve a macabre murder mystery that has baffled Japan for 40 years. Who murdered the artist Umezawa, raped and killed his daughter, and then chopped up the bodies of six others to create Azoth, the supreme woman? With maps, charts, and other illustrations, this story of magic and illusion, pieced together like a great stage tragedy, challenges the reader to unravel the mystery before the final curtain.

The Changeling - Victor LaValle

When Apollo Kagwa was just a child, his father disappeared, leaving him with recurring nightmares and a box labelled 'Improbabilia'. Now a successful book dealer, Kagwa has a family of his own after meeting and falling in love with Emma, a librarian. The two marry and have a baby: so far so happy-ever-after. However, as the pair settle into their new lives as parents, exhaustion and anxiety start to take their toll. Emma's behaviour becomes increasingly erratic, until one day she commits an unthinkable act, setting Apollo on a wild and fantastical quest through a suddenly otherworldly New York, in search of a wife and child he no longer recognises. 

Read a full interview: #13 Follow Friday with book bloggers: Obsidian Blue

 

The Valancourt Book of Horror Stories

Spanning two hundred years of horror, this new collection features seventeen macabre gems, including two original tales and many others that have never or seldom been reprinted. 

Blackwater - Michael McDowell, Matt Godfrey  

Blackwater is the saga of a small town, Perdido, Alabama, and Elinor Dammert, the stranger who arrives there under mysterious circumstances on Easter Sunday, 1919. On the surface, Elinor is gracious, charming, anxious to belong in Perdido, and eager to marry Oscar Caskey, the eldest son of Perdido’s first family. But her beautiful exterior hides a shocking secret. Beneath the waters of the Perdido River, she turns into something terrifying, a creature whispered about in stories that have chilled the residents of Perdido for generations. Some of those who observe her rituals in the river will never be seen again ...

Read a full interview: #14 Follow Friday with book bloggers: Char's Horror Corner [Nominated]

 

The Best We Could Do - Thi Bui

This beautifully illustrated and emotional story is an evocative memoir about the search for a better future and a longing for the past. Exploring the anguish of immigration and the lasting effects that displacement has on a child and her family, Bui documents the story of her family’s daring escape after the fall of South Vietnam in the 1970s, and the difficulties they faced building new lives for themselves.

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine - Gail Honeyman  

Meet Eleanor Oliphant: She struggles with appropriate social skills and tends to say exactly what she’s thinking. Nothing is missing in her carefully timetabled life of avoiding social interactions, where weekends are punctuated by frozen pizza, vodka, and phone chats with Mummy. But everything changes when Eleanor meets Raymond, the bumbling and deeply unhygienic IT guy from her office.

Read a full interview: #15 Follow Friday with book bloggers: Bookish thoughts!!! ->

See you next Friday! 

Hello Friday! Hello Follow Friday with book bloggers! Meet Alicea, an avid reader and blogger who lover the non-fiction literature.

Follow Reading For The Heck Of It blog: readingfortheheckofit.booklikes.com

What are you reading right now? How do you like it?

I’m currently reading Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison   and while I’m enjoying it it’s quite a heavy read and I don’t always want to pick it back up. :-/ It’s actually one of the 100 titles from the Great American Read list (I’m using it for inspiration to read books I might not necessarily pick up on my own.). 

When have you discovered you’re a book lover?

I think it was pretty clear by the time I was in middle school that I was a big book lover. I would always carry books around with me and when everyone else was watching TV I’d have a book ready to read during the commercial breaks. Also, I was the only kid in my high school that continued the Accelerated Reader quizzes just because I enjoyed taking the tests. That’s when you know you’re a book nerd!

readingfortheheckofit.booklikes.com

Why reading is important to you?

I love learning about new things so nonfiction books are especially interesting to me. And I don’t think I’m unique in saying that reading is a great escape from reality so if you need to de-stress what better way than picking up a book and losing yourself in a character’s life?

Which books are you most excited recommending to your followers?

This answer changes quite frequently but right now there are 2 that immediately come to mind. The first is The American Way of Death by Jessica Mitford  which is all about the death industry in the United States. Funeral industry practices as well as the stigma surrounding death in our culture are extensively discussed. It totally blew me away. 

The second book I’m excited to review and recommend is The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Annie Barrows & Mary Ann Shaffer. Told entirely through correspondence the protagonist of the story, a female writer, is immediately drawn into the story of a small town ravaged by the effects of WWII and the book club that came into being as a result. Utterly captivating, heart-wrenching, and hilarious this is a book that I think anyone would love. 

I actually just thought of another one right before I finished these questions. This one came across my desk to be shelved and I couldn’t stop myself from taking it home to read. I am SO glad that I did. The book is called The Read-Aloud Handbook: Seventh Edition by Jim Trelease and it’s the perfect resource for anyone with kids, around kids, or working with kids. It talks about best practices and procedures for nurturing lifelong learners plus includes an extensive treasury of books at the back. 

You’re a Librarian this means you have unlimited access to all kind of books! WOW  Is that intimidating or encouraging to pick different titles?

It’s completely overwhelming! Hahaha Because I have access to so many titles I often bite off more than I can chew. If I sent you a picture of my desk right now you’d be absolutely horrified. I have 5 piles of books and a postage stamp sized space for my laptop. At the same time, if I’m ever in a book rut I can just go to the shelves and pick a random book to read which more often than not draws me right back into gobbling up a zillion books at once. My co-workers are always laughing at me because 4 out of 5 days in the week I have titles on request coming in for me to pick up.

Do you read one book or several at a time?

I generally stick to one book at a time because with the amount of books I have to look through at work and as a book blogger I get a bit scatterbrained. As it is, I keep a notebook handy to make notes about what I’ve read so that when I get set to review the book I actually remember details even if it’s weeks later. (I’m always backlogged.) The exception is when I read a book at work and then take another one to read during my commute (usually a graphic novel or audiobook since they’re faster).

Do you review all books you read? How does your review process look like?

The only ones I don’t review are the picture books that I read for storytime here at work and that’s because it would take me FOREVER to review all of those. Otherwise, yes, I review every single one that I read. I generally jot down page numbers as I’m reading so that I can reference back when I’m taking down notes later. Because I don’t review the books immediately after reading them I tend to take rather detailed notes so that I can reference back and get a well-rounded picture of what I thought of the book like its tone, characters, etc. I try to post every Mon/Tues & Fri to keep a consistent schedule. It can be hectic with my full-time job and the long commute that I have (2 hrs each way) but I’m passionate about it so I try my best to stick with it.

A library or a bookstore?

This is an impossible question! I love them both for very different reasons. Libraries to me are magical places and I have very fond memories of visiting my town’s public library as a child. Bookstores like the Strand in NYC are equally amazing because they not only have new titles but used books which might be out of print. (I tend to favor used books over new ones these days.) I love out of the way bookstores especially if they have a lot of ratty books lining every conceivable space. There’s a bookstore in Carnforth, UK which is absolutely BANANAS. Here’s their website because you’ll definitely want to go if you’re into unique bookstore experiences: http://www.carnforthbooks.co.uk/

Your favorite genre is nonfiction (especially science). Why non-fiction books are so special?

If you had asked me 5 years ago what my favorite genre of book was without hesitation I would have said sci-fi. I have a fascination with the future of science and how it could be used to either further our species or utterly destroy it. It was only natural that my interests in that topic navigate to the real deal of nonfiction science. I’m especially intrigued by Artificial Intelligence (I’m terrified of it) and Environmental Sciences (SO fascinating that I’ve thought about getting a Master’s in the field).

What are your three favorite book covers?

I don’t know if these are my favorites of all time but I really, really like them right now so…

 I preferred the UK cover to such a degree that I bought it from a UK distributor. So simple but so perfect…not sure why I love it so much but I really do.

 I liked this cover so much that I went to the illustrator’s website to see if it was available as a print. (In case you’re wondering here’s the site: http://peahart.tumblr.com/post/158472539301/hey-guys-i-had-the-opportunity-to-paint-the

I saw this book cover and chose it almost entirely because I thought it was beautiful. This was right around the time I was getting into Cosmology and Astrophysics so it checked those boxes as well.

A paper book or an e-book?

Paper although if an e-book is the only available option I’ll suck it up.

Three titles for a holiday break?

My first choice is a book that I read over a Thanksgiving break and so I’ll forever remember the experience as being associated with a trip to Disney. It’s Russell Brand’s second nonfiction book, Revolution, and much like his first book the writing is excellent and the points he makes are solid and thought provoking. Highly recommend. 

The Gigantic Beard That Was Evil by Stephen Collins is a graphic novel with a really powerful message. It’s meatier than the majority of graphic novels that I’ve read and I was so impressed by it that after I checked it back in at the library I bought myself a copy. The illustrations are DELIGHTFUL. 

My final choice might be a tad unconventional but for those wanting to know more about philosophy or who want a book they can really sink their teeth into on long-haul journeys Sophie's World by Jostein Gaarder an excellent choice. It’s a middle grade novel that follows a girl who receives philosophical lessons from an anonymous source in her mailbox. This book is one of the reasons I fell in love with Swedish authors. 

Favorite quote?

I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain. - Bene Gesserit Litany Against Fear, Dune by Frank Herbert

If you could pair a book with a drink, what would you prepare to sip while reading?

I don’t generally drink while I’m reading but when I do it’s usually a hot beverage like tea or coffee.

Shelfie time! Please share your home library photos :)

I’m including all but one of my shelves because it’s an absolute mess and I couldn’t be bothered to clean it. Hahaha

#1 is less of a shelf and more of a semi-organized pile that sits in my living room.

#2 is a shelf that runs along one side of my bedroom and holds a lot of hardcovers and books sent to me by publishers and authors for review.

#3 contains my Harry Potter collection, Doctor Who/Torchwood books, and some oversized hardcovers. The messy piles on top of the shelves are mostly review copies sent to me by publishers (which is why there are so many hardcovers).

#4 and my final contribution contains my C.S. Lewis, Jane Austen, & Charles Dickens books. Also, my little Pop figurines from Charlie and The Chocolate Factory, Sherlock, Fantastic Beasts, and Doctor Who.

Thanks again for including me in the bloggers that you interview. I really enjoyed the experience! :)

Thank you!

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Hello Friday! Hello Follow Friday with book bloggers. Meet Kathleen, an avid reader and blogger behind the Celticlady's Reading Room blog. 

Follow Kathleen on BookLikes: http://kathleenkelly.booklikes.com/

What are you reading right now? How do you like it?

When have you discovered you’re a book lover?

Why reading is important to you?

 

Reading has always been an escape for me but I love sharing my love of reading with others.

 

 

Which books are you most excited recommending to your followers?

 

Anything by B.A.Paris , The Haunted Queen by Alison Weir and too many to mention. I am a fan of historical fiction.

 

 

 

Your blog name indicates Irish roots. Does the Irish history influence your book picks?

 

I would have to say yes it does when I see a book's description and it takes place in Ireland  or it is an Irish author, I always take a look at it.

 

 

What’s your reading plan for 2018?

 

In past years I read 150 books a year but since I had open heart surgery in December, I have had to cut down on the reading, my mind has not been able to focus as much. They tell me that is temporary.

 

 

Do you read one book or several at a time?

 

I used to have two or three going at the same time but now it is usually one

 

Shelf

 

Do you review all books you read? How does your review process look like?

 

I usually do review all of the books as I participate in a few book tours. I really don't have a process, I finish a book and just write the review, pretty simple.

 

 

A library or a bookstore?

 

Since I review books, I get most of my reading material from author's or publishers so it is rare that I go to either.

 

 

Your Shelf presents various types of books. Do you have a favorite genre or you simply don’t limit yourself only to one?

 

I love a good psychological thriller and historical fiction

 

 

What are your three favorite book covers?

 

I love all the covers...lol

 

 

A paper book or an e-book?

 

I am comfortable with both.

 

 

Three titles for a holiday break?

 

Usually whatever book I happen to be reading at the time

 

 

Favorite quote?

 

"Love lights more fires than hate extinguishes - Ella Wheeler Wilcox

 

 

If you could pair a book with a drink, what would you prepare to sip while reading?

 

I can't drink alcohol anymore but if I did it would be wine, now it is coffee or hot chocolate or iced tea, depending on the weather.

 

 

Shelfie time! Please share your home library photos :)

 

I have bookcases all over the house!

 

Thank you!

 

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Hello Friday! Hello Follow Friday with book bloggers! Today we gonna meet Deb, a true book lover who has collected an impressive amount of 600 signed books on her shelves, not counting those without an autograph!

Follow debbiekrenzer http://debbiekrenzer.booklikes.com/

What are you reading now and how do you like it?

I just finished reading “Jar of Hearts” by Jennifer Hillier (creepy and cray cray) and started on "Something in the Water by" Catherine Steadman, which I was so lucky to get before Reese Witherspoon named it her “book of the month” for June.  Everyone is going to want to read it now and as I’m about half way through, I understand why she did so.  It’s starts out with someone digging a grave and telling all about it.  Then it moves on to a couple who are about to be wed.  Starting out with this plot twist is killing me.  Who dies or gets killed?  It’s really good and I am enjoying it immensely. 

When have you discovered you’re a book lover? 

I started reading while very young.  I remember one of my earlier books was “Magic Elizabeth”  by Norma Kassirer published in 1966.  (Yes, I looked this up to find author’s name.  I was so surprised to find it on Goodreads.  All I remembered was the name of the book and that it was a brown book with a picture of a doll on the front.)  I also read V.C. Andrews (Flowers in the Attic series); Little House on the Prairie books, a lot of the Bobbsey Twins books and whatever basically I could get my hands on.  I remember every time we would get those Scholastic Book Fair brochures with the new books sitting down with my mother and showing her the many books I had marked.  Of course, I didn’t get all the ones that I wanted, but I was happy with what I did get.

During the 1980’s and 1990’s I was working, married and raising kids.  However, that didn’t stop me from reading, although it wasn’t as much as I liked.  I read Sidney Sheldon, Jackie Collins, Sophie Kinsella, Jen Lancaster, and others.  I couldn’t wait for their new books to come out!  Of course, I had to wait for the paperback edition as I could not see paying for a hardcover that I would finish in just a few days.  I simply did not have that kind of money back then.

In 2008, I retired from a 22 year career in the natural gas industry.  Alas, my industry had been desecrated by the likes of Enron, Dynegy and others and the jobs were few and far between.  Plus, I was considered old by then.  Had I been a male though, I’m sure my career would have went further. 

After I retired, I was pretty bored and started reading again.  This time though, I was buying the hard covers and I went to many, many author signings at my local independent bookstore, Murder By the Book.  I have over 600 hard covers signed by authors to show for these years.  I enjoyed meeting the authors and talking with them, discovering where, why and how they wrote their books.

Unfortunately, the trek to MBTB was 28 miles one way going to downtown Houston.  My night vision kept getting worse and my anxiety levels of driving in traffic (something that I spent 2 to 3 hours a day sitting in) was getting to me.

In 2013 I found Net Galley.  This was a godsend for me.  Free books just for reading and saying what I thought of those books?  I could certainly do that and have done so since that time.  It also cut down on my finances and allowed me to read even more books.

debbiekrenzer.booklikes.com

Why reading is important to you? 

I love to read!!  I love being someplace else while just sitting in my chair or lounging back in my adjustable bed (purchased just so I could sit up in bed and read)  and shutting out the rest of the world.  You can learn so many things and live vicariously through the characters.  Reading has definitely added to my trivia knowledge! 

Which books are you most excited recommending to your followers? 

I love to promote any book that makes me feel something.  Whether it’s a racing heartbeat or tears of joy or sympathy.  I especially love to recommend books that are well written and leave me wanting more.

Three books that come to mind?  Ugh, that’s hard.  However, one certainly made it to my mind first.  That would be Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate.  The story was remarkable made only that much more so due to the fact it was based off a true story/event that was going on in our country.

I think the second book I would recommend would be a true story written by Anthony Ray Hinton, a prison inmate on death row, which I saw was recently picked up by Oprah for her book club.  The Sun Does Shine: How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Row, for me, was an excellent 5 star read.

My third choice is a series written by Justin Cronin, a professor at Rice University, “The Passage ” series which is about vampires.  However, they are not the main characters in most of the books.  It’s also a dystopian novel which I definitely  loved about it.

Your book reviews are often for ARC and new releases/upcoming titles. How do you manage to keep a track and keep on reading the new titles? 

Spreadsheets.  The only way I can keep track.  I’m a sucker for a good blurb.  I always request more books than I can read and it sometimes gets me into trouble.  During 2017, I was sick for quite a while and had requested all these books.  I have been behind ever since.  I’m trying as best as I can to stay up to date by skipping a lot of books that I should have read.  Ugh!  I just hate that.  I feel bad for the author as well as Net Galley for this happening.  However, I have decided that one day, I will go back and read those books I missed.  I know I missed some really good ones and it kills me knowing they are just sitting on my Kindle.

Your short bio says you like Netflix. Is movie watching your second passion next to the reading? 

Netflix.   OMG, what a wonderful thing!!  I don’t binge as much as I like due to my being behind on reading, but there are some days when I say WTH and I binge.  I watched Gilmore Girls nonstop for like 4 or 5 days.  All the seasons including the newer one that was just recently released.  You really can’t help yourself.  I mean the next episode is just sitting there waiting for you.  Why wouldn’t you watch another and another and another.  HA!!

Your BookLikes shelf reveals books in many different genres: mystery, fantasy, thriller, chick lit. How do you pick a next book to read - according to your TBR list, your mood, publishing dates? 

Picking books.  Of course, the first prerogative is if I like the author, I will request that book without even reading the blurb.  They are tried and true and I know I can’t go wrong.  I also receive a lot of emails from places like Shelf Awareness, Book Reporter, Book Riot, Epic Reads First, Read it First (which is where I was turned on to Julia Keller’s “A Killing in the Hills” – one of the first books I found from emails.) and many other sites.  Of course, now I can’t tell you which site recommended or even told me about the books today.

Covers of books are also a red arrow for me saying “pick me, pick me”.  I also used to get recommendations from friends in the early part of my retirement.  I got hooked on the “Twilight” series after it was recommended that way.  I read that series in less than a week.  I tore through those pages.  Then I discovered YA through that series and went on to read “Hunger Games” and “Divergent”.  Anymore, I am telling friends what to read since I usually get them before they come out.

As to genre, I was mostly mystery and suspense, some horror and of course, chick lit before I found Net Galley.  Then I discovered a whole new set of genres and I took advantage of that factor.  I like to move around genre’s.  I can’t just keep reading murder and suspense novels – that can be morbid after a while and I read other genres to alleviate all that.  Women’s fiction or chick lit is usually my go to after so many murder books. 

I find that if I like the description given for the book, I will give it a chance.  Of course, it helps that the pricing is good for me.  I doubt that I would read so many books or genres if I didn’t have that factor.

It is also based on my mood.  A lot of times I have started a book and found that I just wasn’t in the mood for it.  So, I will put it aside and go back to it.  Unfortunately, there are times that when I do go back to them, I realize it just wasn’t my mood that was putting me off.  However, that is definitely not the norm.

I also have to go by publishing dates in order to stay current.  My spreadsheets list the name of the book, date published, author and number of pages.  A lot of times, I will use that number of pages to knock out a lot of the shorter books and then gleefully sit back and read the longer ones that usually stay with me longer.

Reviewed Shelf

Do you read one book or several at a time? 

I usually read one book at a time.  However, there are times when I do have actual ARC’s and may be away from them or away from my Kindle and have to go back and forth.  If I’m somewhere out and I don’t have my current book, I will start another one.  I can usually be found reading at any number of places near my home that have outdoor patios (in good weather) or a nice quiet bar.  And, of course, I am always reading while eating.  I never leave the house without my Kindle.  It used to be my Ipad, but that thing was really weighing down on my purses.  I like the fact that with Kindle I can totally get lost in a book.  With the Ipad, I was always getting some kind of news or email alert or Words with Friends telling me it was my turn to play.  It was definitely worth it to me to buy the Kindle which is less cumbersome and fits a lot better in my purse.

A library or a bookstore? 

Well as to library, the only times I go there is to drop off books for donations.  I have donated a LOT of books over the years as I used to frequent the sales by one of these bookstores that was selling hard covers for $1.00.  You can bet I bought a lot of books at those prices.

As to bookstores, I have already stated how I attended book signings at MBTB.  I do try to keep them in mind and order a few books a year that I really liked or wanted with the author’s signature.  There is also a bookstore, BookPeople, in Austin that I have ordered signed books from.

We’ve read you love attending book signing events. How many signed books can we find on your bookshelf? 

Over  600 books in my front room (basically most of the books in there) that should be a dining room, however, I made it a library.  I am enclosing pictures of my library wherein I have added a musical theme to keep up with that media.  I also have many items I’ve received from authors on my shelves.

What are your three favorite book covers?

Three favorite book covers?  Well, I can tell you two right off the top of my head.  I have a framed 20 x 30 marketing poster from MBTB of Lisa Unger’s book “Heartbroken” that is signed and dated by her in my bedroom that matches the colors of my bedroom perfectly.  And, unfortunately sum up the demise of my marriage.  Of course, that’s my secret that no one knows.

I also have framed the cover of Amber Brock’s book “A Fine Ambition” in a plastic frame that I painted to match that beautiful dress on the cover, shadowed with black cardstock.

I also have several other book posters from MBTB that are located throughout my home with two in my library.

For my number 3 cover, I am going to say it’s a toss-up because I am including all their covers.  First, I would say Carolyn Haines, the Sarah Booth Delaney books which always have the word “Bones” in the title and absolutely wonderful covers.  And the second would be Mary Kay Andrews.  All her beach reads have awesome covers and she is VERY special to me as she was my very first author signing.  I was on a beach family reunion with my roommate’s family in Duck, North Carolina in this awesome house that rents for $15,000 a week in Corolla, North Carolina.  There were like 26 of us there ranging in ages from 2 to 60 and I could not get anyone to go with me.  Nevertheless, I went alone.  It was also special for MKA because she had just found out that she got some special award for her book “Summer Rental” back in 2011.  She had just flown in from Houston to attend the Duck signing and I was upset because I had like 5 books of hers at home in Houston.  HA!!

A paper book or an e-book?

I addressed my love of my Kindle in question number 7.  However, I did not address paper book.  I’m spoiled.  I love e-books!  They are so easy to read and you can have all of them with you at once.  With the paper books, you only have one with you.  There is also finding space for them.  Together I have over 1000 books in my house.  The signed ones are in my library and then I have a glass doored bookcase in my family room and 3 bookcases in my bedroom.  Thankfully, my roommate gave me the master!  HA!!  At one time, I had more than that and did the right thing and donated them to my local library. 

Three titles for a holiday break? 

Three titles for a holiday break?  For me, that would certainly be beach reads and picking “A” title would be like asking me “who is your favorite kid?”  It just would not be fair.  I am just going to have to name authors for this question.  Those would be, of course, Mary Kay Andrews, and Mary Alice Monroe, Elin Hildebrand, Nancy Thayer, Mariah Stewart, Viola Shipman, Amy E. Reichert, Fiona Davis, Jill Mansell, oh I could go on forever.

Favorite quote? 

I have many favorite quotes and I keep them on my Ipad on my Notes app.  I will just say this one that was the latest that said something to me. 

“You are most critical of the flaws in others that you have in yourself” “The Optimist’s Guide to Letting Go” by Amy E. Reichert. 

And now, I am going to add this one

“You cannot find peace by avoiding life” by Virginia Woolf. 

This quote definitely spoke to me as I tend to stay at home too much.

If you could pair a book with a drink, what would you prepare to sip while reading? 

I don’t usually drink when I’m reading.  However, when I do drink it’s either a margarita, Makers Mark and Diet Coke or a nice pinot noir or grigio depending on the weather.

Shelfie time! Please share your home library photos :)

Thank you!

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