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Archives for September 2017

September 30, 2017

Literary Linking: September 25 – 29

This week’s article topics include: epic libraries, a book-themed show on People TV, and more!

The best bookish links the week of September 25 – 29:

 

The National Book Foundation’s 2017 5 Under 35 Honorees
Reading lists like this make me feel a little down on myself — what do I have to show for my 34 years here on this earth??? — but I love reading fresh voices, so I’ll put my feelings of inadequacy aside.

How a Piece of Popcorn Inspired a Hit Children’s Book
The Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler is such a fantastic book and learning the inspiration behind it makes it even better.

14 Epic Libraries around the World
Get ready to  make some additions to your travel bucket list. National Geographic has rounded up photos of 14 unique and gorgeous libraries. At the top of my list are the Oxford Bodleian Library in the U.K.  and Soneva Kiri children’s library in Thailand (it has suspended reading rooms!).

6 Classic Books Retold through Their Iconic Melas
I think I have to go for Jay Gatsby’s party food over Holden Caufield’s Swiss cheese sandwich…

People TV Has a Show about Books!
And I thought People only covered shallow stuff like the Kardashians! The show is about 25 minutes and covers recent bookish news, gives recommendations on new releases, interviews famous authors, and more. I can’t seem to find how often they’ll post the show, but I’ll be tuning in for sure.

Filed Under: Literary Linking Kristen Leave a Comment

September 27, 2017

Worth the Read? – One of Us Is Lying

Welcome to “Worth the Read?” where I give you my honest opinion on whether you should spend your precious time reading a super-hyped New York Times Bestseller.

Today’s book is:

One of Us Is Lying, by Karen M. McManus

On New York Times Best Sellers list (Young Adult Hardcover) for 13 weeks

The Hype:

Before its end-of-May publication date, One of Us Is Lying was very well publicized and marketed, which resulted in its inclusion on a bunch of “most anticipated books of 2017” lists. One such list was from Entertainment Weekly, which called the book, “Pretty Little Liars meets The Breakfast Club.” Personally, I think a description like that makes the book irresistible to today’s young readers as well as to those who grew up on John Hughes films, thus reaching a pretty wide audience.

Plot Summary:

From the publisher

On Monday afternoon, five students at Bayview High walk into detention.

Bronwyn, the brain, is Yale-bound and never breaks a rule.

Addy, the beauty, is the picture-perfect homecoming princess.

Nate, the criminal, is already on probation for dealing.

Cooper, the athlete, is the all-star baseball pitcher.

And Simon, the outcast, is the creator of Bayview High’s notorious gossip app.

Only, Simon never makes it out of that classroom. Before the end of detention Simon’s dead. And according to investigators, his death wasn’t an accident. On Monday, he died. But on Tuesday, he’d planned to post juicy reveals about all four of his high-profile classmates, which makes all four of them suspects in his murder. Or are they the perfect patsies for a killer who’s still on the loose?

 

Thoughts:

As I mentioned above, the EW blurb for the book, “Pretty Little Liars meets The Breakfast Club,” was very compelling and it got me to pick up One of Us Is Lying. I was definitely in it for the The Breakfast Club aspect of the story, but was curious to see how McManus weaved a mysterious death into the picture.

The book follows a rotating-narrator structure and we hear from all the students who were in detention that day (except the dead one, of course). Like The Breakfast Club, each student seems like a stereotype, but as the story unfolds, we learn there’s more to each of them. I liked that they weren’t super one-dimensional, but the revelation of the other facets of their personalities was a bit predictable.

I’m a huge Agatha Christie fan, so McManus’ use of the locked-room-mystery-inspired plotline appealed to me off the bat.  The pacing of the book leading up to the end was fast-paced and kept me engaged. I read it as an audiobook, and I found that I actually looked forward to getting in my car or doing chores because it gave me the opportunity to hear a bit more of the story. I didn’t predict the ending, and even though it was a little farfetched, the solution to the mystery was still surprising and satisfying.

Since The Breakfast Club reference is what drew me to read One of Us Is Lying, I wish there had been more nods to the ‘80s, but I’m still glad I read it. I’m not sure how accurate McManus was of her portrayal of high-school life today, but if her depiction is on point,  it made me very glad that I’m not a teen in today’s social-media obsessed world!

Rating:

85% worth it

Rating Key

80% – 100% – the book lives up to the hype. Go read it now!
60% – 79% – the book is good, but there’s no rush to read it
40% – 59% – the book has some degree of merit, but has flaws and probably isn’t worth your time
0% – 39% – the book stinks and isn’t worth the read

Have you read One of Us Is Lying  What were your thoughts? Share in the comments below!

Filed Under: Worth the Read? Kristen Leave a Comment

September 23, 2017

Literary Linking: September 18 – 22

This week’s article topics include: an Agatha Christie quiz, the new Jane Austen £10 note and more!

The best bookish links the week of September 18 – 22:

Quiz: Whodunnit? Marple vs. Poirot
Test your Agatha Christie knowledge with this fun quiz put together by the NY Public Library in celebration of her birthday on September 15.

Literary Home Decor Ideas from 8 Famous Writers’ Bedrooms
Not sure about decorating with red textured wall paper as Victor Hugo did, but I’m all about Virginia Woolf’s room full of books and meaningful trinkets.

The Best Bars in NYC Where You Can Read in Peace
The only bar on this list that I’ve been to is Library at the NoMad Hotel, and it was lovely. I can’t wait to visit the others someday.

Jane Austen Polymer £10 Note Enters Circulation
If I got my hands on one of these bills, I think I’d end up keeping it as a bookmark. If I have any readers across the pond, feel free to send one my way!

Filed Under: Literary Linking Kristen Leave a Comment

September 19, 2017

Top 10 Books on my Fall TBR List

Top Ten Tuesday is an original blog meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish and this week’s topic is Top 10 Books on My Fall TBR List.

I have a love-hate relationship with fall. The foliage is beautiful, the temperature is a lot more manageable than summer, and I get to wear jeggings and boots again. However, fall also means that winter is right around the corner and I am very cold averse. I should probably just get over it, though. Life’s too short to be worrying about the inevitable. Plus, with the incredible number of amazing books coming out this fall, I know I’ll be backed up on my reading once winter rolls around. I’ll have the prefect excuse for staying inside and reading the frigid months away.

To get me started on my fall reading, here is my Top 10 Books on My Fall TBR List:

Little Fires Everywhere, by Celeste Ng

Ng’s new book is one of the most talked about recent releases, and I was lucky enough to get an advanced reader copy of it a few months ago. However, I got caught up in a bunch of other reading for the summer and didn’t fulfill the “advanced” aspect of reading the book, but a new season is here and Little Fires Everywhere is at the top of my TBR list. I was completely drawn into Ng’s debut, Everything Never Told You, and from what I’ve heard, Little Fires Everywhere is even better. Can’t wait to dig in!

Kindred, by Octavia Butler

Kindred is the November read for my faculty book club, and I’m really looking forward to both the reading experience and the forthcoming discussion. First of all, it’s considered the first science fiction novel written by a black woman. Huge points for that! Second, the publisher describes it as a “combination of slave memoir, fantasy, and historical fiction.” I can’t think of anything that sounds more intriguing.

 

The Lying Game, by Ruth Ware

I like breaking up my literary fiction reading with psychological suspense and thrillers and Ruth Ware is one of my favorite authors for the genre. I devoured In a Dark Dark Wood and The Woman in Cabin 10, so I had to put her newest title on my fall reading menu. It didn’t hurt that The Book of the Month Club was selling it as an add-on for only $9.99! I’m a huge fan of boarding school stories, and this one is all about four girls who had an intricate lying game that might have lead to the death of one of their teachers. Sold!

Sip, by Brian Allen Carr

Sip was on my New Releases I Can’t Wait To Read in 2017 list and it finally came out at the end of August. Carr has created a world where sipping shadows gets you high, and eventually shadow-sipping becomes an epidemic that causes the demise of society. Whaaaat?!! This premise is so unbelievably creative!

 

 

Hex, by Thomas Olde Heauvelt

Every October, I make sure to read something creepy to get in the Halloween spirit. Last year it was Shirley Jackson’s, The Haunting of Hill House and the year before was Bird Box, by John Malerman. This year, I’m going to try Hex and see if I can handle reading about a “17th-century woman whose eyes and mouth are sewn shut,” who “walks the streets and enters homes at will” and whose “eyes may never be opened or the consequences will be too terrible to bear.” Sounds like a walk in the park… (eek!)

Patina (Track Book 2), by Jason Reynolds

Jason Reynolds is one of the best children’s/YA authors writing today and I always look forward to reading his new releases. I read Ghost, book one of the Track series, last year and considered it one of the best books for young people in 2016. It provided an approachable window into the life of a poor, urban African American teen and was full of heart, humor and action. With Reynolds’ track record (pun intended!), I am very confident Patina will be just as good.

Tenth of December, by George Saunders

I’ve always wanted to read George Saunders, and with Lincoln in the Bardo as one of the titles shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize, he has moved up my TBR big time. You might be asking: why don’t you read Lincoln in the Bardo? I will, I promise! But since Saunders is known for his short story collections, I want to start with those and then move into his novel. I recently found Tenth of December for $1 at my public library’s book sale, so I’m ready to rock.

 

Emily of New Moon, by L. M. Montgomery

If you’ve read my blog for more than five seconds, you’ll know that I LOVE Anne of Green Gables. Therefore, I LOVE L.M. Montgomery. I’ve read some of her other books, but have never gotten around to Emily of New Moon. Thankfully, it’s our November selection for the Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club. I doubt it will beat Anne of Green Gables, but I have a feeling it’s going to be a favorite.

 

Artemis, by Andy Weir

The Martian is one of the most enjoyable sci-fi books I’ve ever read/listened to. (The movie is also dope – I mean, who doesn’t love Matt Damon as an astronaut?) And even though Artemis seems to be very different from The Martian, I trust Andy Weir and his writing prowess. I just hope it’s as funny.

 

 

The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage, by Philip Pullman

Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy is hands down one of my all-time favorite series (okay, I have a few qualms with the The Amber Spyglass, but still), so when I heard about this new companion series I actually made one of those gleeful “Eeeeeeeeeeee!” sounds out loud. Pullman considers it an “equel” — neither sequel nor prequel — that “stands beside His Dark Materials.” I don’t care what he calls it, I’m reading it as soon ast it’s out. It’s release date, October 19, can’t come soon enough!

 

What’s on your fall TBR? Share in the comments below!

Filed Under: Reviews and Recommendations Kristen 7 Comments

September 16, 2017

Literary Linking: September 11 – 15

This week’s article topics include: Harry Potter gifts galore, racism in Dr. Seuss’ books, The Princess Bride, and more!

The best bookish links the week of September 11 – 15:

Is the Cat in the Hat Racist?
It’s disheartening to read about some of the racist elements of Dr. Seuss’ work, but we have to acknowledge these facts to improve children’s publishing now and in the future.

17 Harry Potter Kitchen Gadgets for Muggles Who Want To Be Cooking Wizards
Keep this list for the holidays because it has awesome gift ideas for the Harry Potter-loving home chefs in your life. I’m not sure what I like more, the Hogwarts Express toast rack or the Hedwig & Pigwidgeon salt shakers… I guess both will have to end up on my wish list!

PB Teen’s Harry Potter Collection Has Everything Your Nerdy Adult Bedroom Needs
It’s a big Harry Potter merchandise week. My husband might be surprised one of these days to come home to a bedroom completely decked out in golden snitches and Hogwarts-themed pillows 🙂

As You Wish: The Princess Bride Deluxe Edition
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the movie version of The Princess Bride, but for some reason they can’t re-release the film, so they’re releasing a beautiful hardcover edition of the book. With 50 full-page illustrations, it looks absolutely gorgeous.

Hippos, Birdies, T-Rexes, Pigs: How Sandra Boynton Built an Empire and Won Your Child’s Heart
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the publication of Sandra Boynton’s first book, “Hippos Go Berserk!” and she has been churning out uplifting, humorous and downright cute books ever since. If you’ve never picked up a Boynton book, you’re missing out.

Filed Under: Literary Linking Kristen Leave a Comment

September 14, 2017

What I’ve Been Reading: September Edition

Welcome to the September edition of Quick Lit, where we share short and sweet reviews of what we’ve been reading lately. Brought to you by Anne at Modern Mrs. Darcy, we link up on her blog to see what others are reading!

 

School is in full swing and my commute is back with a vengeance. On average, my travel time to and from work is three hours. What do I do with myself for that chunk of time? Listen to audio books, of course!

So, even though getting back to work might seem like it would result in less reading time, the opposite is true for me. The five books listed below are my favorites since my last What I’ve Been Reading post. Out of those five, I listened to three of them. Thank goodness for my library’s audio book collection and for Audible!

What I’ve Been Reading in September:

Emma in the Night, by Wendy Walker

This was my Book of the Month pick for September and it was a good, solid psychological suspense novel. It’s the story of two sisters, Cass and Emma, who disappear mysteriously in the night. A few years later, Cass shows up back home, but Emma does not. Cass is desperate for the police to find Emma, but some things just aren’t adding up. Throw in a completely dysfunctional family and the stage is set. I’d never read a book with characters with narcissistic personality disorder before, so that was enlightening. And even though I predicted the twist at the end, it was still a satisfying read.

 

 

I Can’t Make This Up: Life Lessons, by Kevin Hart

I read this one for my Worth the Read series. Check it out here!

 

 

 

 

 

Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, by Winifred Watson

I’d seen the movie but had heard from multiple sources that the book was worth reading, and it was perfectly delectable. The writing was a bit more old-fashioned than I’d expected, but that’s my own ignorance going into it. The book was written in 1938 for Pete’s sake! Once I got into the book, the tale of a down-on-her-luck nanny experiencing a whirlwind day of extravagance, men, and booze, then ultimately finding her voice and the bravery to change her life, lifted my spirits and left a smile on my face.

 

Mistborn: The Final Empire, by Brandon Sanderson

Mistborn was my first Brandon Sanderson (I like fantasy, but don’t read too much of it) but it definitely will not be my last. Even after reading just one of his books, I am convinced that he is one of the most masterful world-builders out there. The intricacies of Sanderson’s Mistborn reality are incredibly rich and wildly creative. It also doesn’t hurt that the protagonist in Mistborn is a kick-ass girl with kick-ass powers!

 

 

Our Souls at Night, by Kent Haruf

Our Souls at Night may be only 193 pages, but it has an emotional poignancy I haven’t encountered in a book in a long time. It grabs you from the very start. A woman in her golden years visits her next door neighbor and asks him if he’d come over at night and sleep with her. Not that kind of sleep-with-her, but to chat, get to know each other, and have someone to sleep next to. From this premise builds a story that explores aging, human connection, second chances, family, friendship, and more. Do yourself a favor: read this book!

 

 

What are have you read lately? Share in the comments below!

Filed Under: Reviews and Recommendations Kristen 2 Comments

September 9, 2017

Literary Linking: September 4 – 8

This week’s article topics include: literary destinations, Billy bookcases, Snowy Day stamps, and more!

The best bookish links the week of September 4 – 8:

Ten Audible Classics Narrated by Celebs
An audiobook narrator can make or break a book. Luckily there are many classic novels (which are fantastic anyway) that are being read by celebrities with great narrative skills. From this list, I particularly love Stephen Fry reading Sherlock Holmes and Rachel McAdams reading Anne of Green Gables.

The Ultimate Preview: Most Recommended Books of Fall
Ultimate lists are the best. This one lists the most popular book releases of the fall based on how many times they’ve been mentioned in the press.

On the Ubiquitous, Economy-Shaping, Library-Defining Billy Bookcase
I feel like everyone has owned a Billy bookcase at some point in their life. Enjoy learning the history of this ubiquitous everyday object!

U.S. Postal Service Unveils Series of Stamps Honoring Children’s Book ‘The Snowy Day’
I can’t wait to put these stamps on my cards this holiday season. Ezra Jack Keats’ art is absolutely beautiful – it’ll be great to have it all over our mail.

11 Literary Destinations Every Book Lover Should Visit in the Fall
Number one on the list is the American Writers Museum in Chicago and I am dying to go. It might not be this fall, but I’m definitely there!

 

Filed Under: Literary Linking Kristen Leave a Comment

September 5, 2017

Worth the Read?: I Can’t Make This Up – Life Lessons, by Kevin Hart

 

Welcome to “Worth the Read?” where I give you my honest opinion on whether you should spend your precious time reading a super-hyped New York Times Bestseller.

Today’s book is:

I Can’t Make This Up: Life Lessons, by Kevin Hart

Funny thing…I took a little too long getting through I Can’t Make This Up. It was on the bestseller list when I started, but wasn’t anymore once I finished. Regardless, it’s still one of Amazon’s top sellers, so I’m still going to write about it 🙂

On bestsellers list for 10 weeks

The Hype:

Comedian and actor Kevin Hart has blown up in the last five years, selling out football stadiums and bringing in serious cash for his movies. Basically, everything he touches recently turns to gold, so it’s no surprise his book would be a bestseller.

Plot Summary:

Seeing as I Can’t Make This Up is a memoir/self-helpish book, there isn’t a traditional plot, but it chronicles Kevin Hart’s life from his early years growing up with a super strict mom in the rough parts of Philadelphia all the way to his present, very successful life as a celebrity. He covers the time in his 20s as he was working his way up the comedy stand-up ladder, his tumultuous relationship with the mother of his children, backstage time playing video games with his crew of friends (the Plastic Cup Boyz), and much more, along with doses of advice throughout.

Thoughts:

I am a sucker for comedian memoirs, especially in the audiobook format, and I Can’t Make This Up was a thoroughly enjoyable listen. Learning about Kevin Hart’s tough upbringing and the incredible amount of effort he put into honing his craft and promoting his career made me see him a very different light. He’s not just a super-rich celebrity in my mind, but a real person.

And while the book allowed me to understand the more serious sides of Kevin Hart, the writing itself is hilarious and uplifting. It could have been trimmed down a little — at 401 pages, it’s a bit long — but it is entertaining and moves along well. I was particularly impressed with Hart’s use of vocabulary. Most comedian memoirs I’ve read keep the text pretty simple, but Hart throws in a bunch of great SAT-worthy words throughout the book.

Hart also did a really good job at striking a balance between being proud of his success but being humble and thankful. He is honest about both the highs and the lows of his life, and has insightful advice to impart. One of my favorite lessons is:

“Your life today is the sum total of your choices. So if you’re not happy with it, look back at your choices and start making different ones. Even if you are struck by lighting and injured, you made choices that led you to that spot at a particular time – and you get to choose how you feel about it afterward.”

I would definitely recommend reading I Can’t Make This Up as an audiobook. I haven’t looked at a hard copy of the book, but I’m pretty sure Kevin Hart throws in a bunch of extra funny commentary that isn’t in the original text. One thing to note: there is a good deal of cursing, so don’t listen to the book with young ears around!

Rating:

85% worth it, especially if you already like Kevin Hart’s stand-up and acting

 

Rating Key

80% – 100% – the book lives up to the hype. Go read it now!

60% – 79% – the book is good, but there’s no rush to read it

40% – 59% – the book has some degree of merit, but has flaws and probably isn’t worth your time

0% – 39% – the book stinks and isn’t worth the read

 

Have you read I Can’t Make This Up: Life Lessons?  What were your thoughts? Share in the comments below!

 

Filed Under: Worth the Read? Kristen Leave a Comment

September 3, 2017

Literary Linking: August 28 – September 1

This week’s article topics include: bookish world records, reader fatigue, tech in fiction and more!

The best bookish links the week of August 28 – September 1:

6 Best Bookish World Records
A short and sweet list of fun bookish world records. Sadly, I don’t think I can break any of them.

50 of the Most Essential High School Stories
As much as I disliked high school, I really enjoy reading books about the high school experience. Barnes and Noble has pulled together an impressive solid list of them here.

Back-to-School Wisdom From the Creators of Your Favorite Children’s Books
Some great words of advice from authors like Dav Pilkey, Peter Reynolds, and Booki Vivat.

When Your Reader Is Broken
Before reading this, I thought it was going to be about a broken Kindle, but it’s actually about reading fatigue and what to do about it! The piece of advice I’m going to try and use more is “Read what you want to read instead of what you *should* be reading.”

Text Me: On New Technology in Fiction
I always find it interesting to read contemporary novels that don’t incorporate texting. On one hand, it’s a little strange for characters not to text, but mentioning technology can end up making a novel seem dated later on.

Filed Under: Literary Linking Kristen Leave a Comment

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