Thursday Quotables: A Curious Beginning

Posted in Thursday Quotables by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Welcome back to Thursday Quotables! This weekly feature is the place to highlight a great quote, line, or passage discovered during your reading each week. Whether it’s something funny, startling, gut-wrenching, or just really beautifully written, Thursday Quotables is where my favorite lines of the week will be, and you’re invited to join in!

NEW! Thursday Quotables is now using a Linky tool! Be sure to add your link if you have a Thursday Quotables post to share.

A Curious Beginning by Deanna Raybourn
(released September 1, 2015)

I’ve just started this new book by Deanna Raybourn, and I’m pretty amused so far. Set in Victorian England, A Curious Beginning centers on Veronica Speedwell, an assertive, independent young woman (and a successful lepidopterist), whose mysterious past seems to be catching up with her. Her tart statements and unwillingness to be pushed around remind me a lot of Alexia Tarabotti of The Parasol Protectorate, and that’s very good indeed.

He shook his head. “I cannot seem to formulate a clear thought in the face of such original thinking, Miss Speedwell. You have a high opinion of your sex.”

I pursed my lips. “Not all of it. We are, as a gender, undereducated and infantalized to the point of idiocy. but those of us who have been given the benefit of learning and useful occupation, well, we are proof that the traditional notions of feminine delicacy and helplessness are the purest poppycock.”

A little confidence goes a long way:

“The moonlight has addled your brain, Miss Speedwell. I have no intention of arming you, much less facing off in a duel.”

I did not take the opportunity to instruct him on the lethal properties of a cunningly wielded hatpin.

What lines made you laugh, cry, or gasp this week? Do tell!

If you’d like to participate in Thursday Quotables, it’s really simple:

Write a Thursday Quotables post on your blog. Try to pick something from whatever you’re reading now. And please be sure to include a link back to Bookshelf Fantasies in your post (http://www.bookshelffantasies.com), if you’d be so kind!
Click on the linky button (look for the cute froggie face) below to add your link.
After you link up, I’d love it if you’d leave a comment about my quote for this week.
Be sure to visit other linked blogs to view their Thursday Quotables, and have fun!

15Sep2015

Shelf Control: Kicking off a new weekly feature!

Posted in Shelf Control by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Welcome to my new weekly feature here at Bookshelf Fantasies… Shelf Control!

Instead of always looking ahead to upcoming new releases, I thought I’d start a weekly feature focusing on already released books that I want to read. Consider this a variation of a Wishing & Waiting post… but looking at books already available, and in most cases, books that are either on my shelves or on my Kindle!

If you’re like me…

… simply drowning in books you’ve yet to read, then join me for Shelf Control! See the guidelines and linky at the bottom of the post, and jump on board!

For my inaugural post, this week’s Shelf Control pick is:

Title: My Name is Mary Sutter
Author: Robin Oliveira
Published: 2010
Length: 364 pages

What it’s about (synopsis via Goodreads):

A New York Times bestseller and a moving Civil War novel about a young midwife who dreams of becoming a surgeon

Fans of Caleb’s Crossing by Geraldine Brooks, Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier, and Mrs. Lincoln’s Dressmaker by Jennifer Chiaverini will love this New York Times bestselling tale of the Civil War. Mary Sutter is a brilliant young midwife who dreams of becoming a surgeon. Eager to run away from recent heartbreak, Mary travels to Washington, D.C., to help tend the legions of Civil War wounded. Under the guidance of two surgeons, who both fall unwittingly in love with her, and resisting her mother’s pleas to return home to help with the difficult birth of her twin sister’s baby, Mary pursues her medical career against all odds. Rich with historical detail-including cameo appearances by Abraham Lincoln and Dorothea Dix, among others-My Name Is Mary Sutter is certain to be recognized as one of the great novels about the Civil War.

How I got it:

I picked it up at the big annual book sale sponsored by our public library, which is always a ton of fun. You never know what you’ll find!

When I got it:

Last year.

Why I want to read it:

I love historical fiction, and Civil War-era US history fascinates me. Add in a strong female lead character pursuing a non-traditional path, and it sounds just perfect for me.

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Want to participate in Shelf Control? Here’s how:

Write a blog post about a book that you own that you haven’t read yet.
Add your link below!
And if you’d be so kind, I’d appreciate a link back from your own post.
Check out other posts, and have fun!

Let me know what you think of Shelf Control! I’m looking forward to sharing more goodies from my shelves… and I’m hoping this will give me the added motivation to start focusing on reading books I already have!

For more on why I’ve started Shelf Control, check out my introductory post here, or read all about my out-of-control book inventory, here.

And if you’d like to post a Shelf Control button on your own blog, here’s an image to download (with my gratitude, of course!):

14Sep2015

Top Ten Tuesday: Ten books over 1,000 pages… and yes, I’ve read them!

Posted in Top Ten Tuesday by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, featuring a different top 10 theme each week. This week is a FREEBIE week, meaning we can choose our own Top Ten topic, whatever strikes our fancy.

I came up with a bunch of ideas, but then thought I’d keep it simple and go by the numbers — in this case, page numbers. I can’t say for sure that these are absolutely the ten longest books I’ve ever read, since it was hard to be certain if I was always comparing similar editions. For consistency’s sake, whenever possible, I’m using the page count from the mass market paperback edition, just to get an apples-to-apples comparison — but I can’t be 100% sure that I’ve always picked the right version. So let’s just say that my figures are using the *close enough* standard…

Without further ado, here are (according to Goodreads) ten of the longest books I’ve ever read:

1. Les Miserables by Victor Hugo (1,463 pages)

2. The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon (1, 443 pages)

3. A Breath of Snow and Ashes by Diana Gabaldon (1,439 pages)

4. A Storm of Swords by George R. R. Martin (1,177 pages)

5. The Stand by Stephen King (1,167 pages)

6. Shogun by James Clavell (1,210 pages)

7. War and Remembrance by Herman Wouk (1,056 pages)

8. The Witching Hour by Anne Rice (1,038 pages)

9. Hawaii by James Michener (1,036 pages)

10. Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell (1,011 pages)

Honorable mention: In some cases, it was really too close to call. Depending on the edition, I could also easily have included:

A Dance with Dragons by George R. R. Martin
Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke
An Echo in the Bone by Diana Gabaldon
It or Under the Dome by Stephen King
Alaska by James Michener
The Autobiography of Henry VIII by Margaret George
The Far Pavilions by M. M. Kaye

What’s the longest book you’ve ever read? Let me know if we have any of these HUGE books in common.

And hey — what was your freebie topic this week? Share your links, please, and I’ll come check out your top 10!

NEW THIS WEEK! I’m starting a new Wednesday Feature… please come back tomorrow and check it out!

If you enjoyed this post, please consider following Bookshelf Fantasies! And don’t forget to check out my regular weekly feature, Thursday Quotables. Happy reading!

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Do you host a book blog meme? Do you participate in a meme that you really, really love? I host a Book Blog Meme Directory, and I’m always looking for new additions! If you know of a great meme to include — or if you host one yourself — please drop me a note on my Contact page and I’ll be sure to add your info!

14Sep2015

The Monday Check-In ~ 9/14/2015

Posted in The Monday Check-In by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

My Monday tradition, including a look back and a look ahead — what I read last week, what new books came my way, and what books are keeping me busy right now. Plus a smattering of other stuff too.

Today is Rosh HaShanah! Wishing all who celebrate a sweet and happy New Year!

What did I read last week?

I read three terrific YA novels this past week:

Another Day by David Levithan
Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between by Jennifer E. Smith
Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

My review post for all three is here.

In graphic novels, I read Fables, volume 22: Farewell which wraps up the amazing Fables series after 150 comic issues. Fables features a vast cast of characters and intricate world-building, and is simply a marvelous read, start to finish. As to volume 22, it’s a good-bye piece — so on the one hand, it’s a bit underwhelming story-wise, but it’s still a great opportunity to revisit all the favorite characters and see where each ends up. (Let’s face, if you’re a Fables fan and you’ve read the series up to this point, you’ll read this one as well.)

Fresh Catch:

My copy of The Hummingbird by Stephen P. Kiernan arrived this week! I’ll be participating in the blog tour for this book next week. I really enjoyed the author’s previous novel, The Curiosity (review), and I’m so looking forward to this one!

What will I be reading during the coming week?

Currently in my hands:

I have a book group discussion of Euphoria by Lily King coming up next week, but my library copy is due back by Friday. Better get cracking!

Now playing via audiobook:

I finished the audiobook of A Fatal Thaw by Dana Stabenow, the 2nd in her Kate Shugak mystery series. I love the Alaska setting and the character of Kate herself, and the audiobooks move quickly and hold my attention. The narrator, Marguerite Gavin, does a great job of capturing the unusual and quirky characters through their voices, and I especially love her portrayal of Kate. I’m looking forward to continuing this series!

I’ve just started Trigger Warnings, a story collection by Neil Gaiman, who also narrates the audiobook. I’m a terrible short story reader — I always feel impatient, like I’m just wasting time until I get back to reading a “real” novel. But, I’ve found that listening to audiobooks of short stories doesn’t irritate me the same way, so I’m hoping for success with Trigger Warnings!

Ongoing reads:

Moving right along! Two chapters per week for each book, as part of discussions with the Outlander Book Club. We’ll wrap up both in December!

So many book, so little time…

12Sep2015

YA new releases: A trio of mini-reviews!

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

I read three new young adult fiction releases this past week, and thought a three-fer review post would be fun! Here’s a quick look at what I read and what I thought.

Title: Another Day
Author: David Levithan
Release date: August 25, 2015
Length: 327 pages

In 2012, David Levithan published his remarkable novel Every Day (review), about a teen named A who awakens each day in a different body. A carries A’s consciousness into each body, but experiences life as a series of “day in the life” moments belonging to whoever the body’s owner is. This is normal for A, until A meets and falls in love with Rhiannon. This seemingly impossible and complicated set-up makes for an amazing read, complete in itself.

But here we are in 2015 with Another Day, which tells the same story and presents the same set of events, but as experienced by Rhiannon. I was skeptical at first: Do we really need another version of the same tale? Short answer: Yes. Another Day is much more engrossing and moving than I would have expected. Rhiannon ponders the dynamics between body and self, questions her own motivations and feelings, her own sense of attraction and repulsion in regard to each of A’s appearances, and finds herself forced into decisions that have no right answer.

I love David Levithan’s writing, pretty much always, and Another Day is no exception. The story is wonderful, and the writing is beautiful in its rhythms and use of language, yet also feels true to teen hearts and minds. The ending seems to beg for a follow up, and I do hope that the author is planning another installment in this fascinating story.

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Title: Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between
Author: Jennifer E. Smith
Release date: September 1, 2015
Length: 256 pages

If you like your YA light and airy, then Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between might be the book for you! This is actually a fitting choice for this time of year, a quintessential back-to-school reading selection. Hello tells the story of Clare and Aidan as a “one magical night” type of tale: We spend the night, from early evening until the next morning, watching Clare and Aidan’s final night together after a two-year high school relationship, as each prepares to leave for college in the morning. Clare and Aidan live near Chicago, but Clare will attend an East Coast college and Aidan will be at UCLA.

All summer long, they’ve been debating whether to stay together or break up before leaving for school, with Aidan wanting option 1 and Clare advocating for option 2. It’s not that they don’t love each other; they do. But neither can be sure that staying together is the right thing to do. Is it better to end things now, on their own terms, than risk a slow fizzling out as they become involved in their own, separate college lives? What if they meet other people? What if they don’t, but miss out on key college experiences because their minds are too wrapped up in their long-distance romance?

Clare and Aidan spend the night visiting old hang-outs, best friends, scenes of memorable firsts, and “everything in between”, looking to both capture memories and come to an agreement before the sun rises and they go their separate ways. Even though the couple is dealing with heart-ache and sadness, there’s still an element of excitement and looking forward — plus family drama, as each character’s relationship with parents has an impact on their choices and how they feel about their chances as a couple.

I liked Hello, but thought it was a little too simplistic in presenting the options available to Clare and Aidan. They’re fun characters with good hearts, but I’m not sure the situation warrants quite as much drama as they infuse into it. This is a nice, light read, super quick and easily digestible. It didn’t make much of a deep impression on me, but it did keep me entertained all the way through.

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Title: Everything, Everything
Author: Nicola Yoon
Release date: September 1, 2015
Length: 320 pages

Wow. This book left me reeling, in ways I didn’t even imagine. Everything, Everything is the story of Maddy, a teen girl with the rare immune disease SCID who’s lived her entire life in the hyper-protected, safe environment of her completely sterilized and filtered home. She never goes out, never sees anyone in person except her mother and her nurse, spends her time attending school via Skype and reading tons of books. And then one day, Olly and his family move next door, and Maddy’s world is rocked. What if she could make a friend? What if she did want something besides what she has? From waving window to window to email and IM chats, Maddy and Olly become friends, and then more, until Maddy feels ready to risk everything, even her life, to really take a chance at living.

I thought I knew what to expect, more or less, when I started this book, but I was wrong. First of all, the narrative voice is completely charming. Told in the first person by Maddy, the narrative strikes the exactly right chord of cleverness, humor, and curiosity tinged with innocence. Maddy has literally done nothing and been nowhere, so everything she sees and experiences is a first for her. The author captures the wonder of all of Maddy’s firsts, as well as the suffocation of being alive without really living her own life. While the Maddy/Olly romance develops quickly, it’s not insta-love. They get to know each other as people first. Each has baggage and fears, but they find a way to connect that’s touching and feels real and deserved.

The ending (or, the last 20%, according to my Kindle) absolutely threw me for a loop and was not what I expected at all. It’s powerful and emotional (okay, yes, there were even tears), and went in unexpected directions. I’m sure readers will have some heated debates about how things turn out, and I have a feeling this will be a love it or hate it situation — but either way, there’s plenty to discuss!

Throughout the book, I thought the writing was terrific, and I loved the little drawings and diagrams that enliven Maddy’s story, as well as all the email exchanges, messages drawn on windows, and other whimsical visual touches. Maddy is a smart and funny character, and I loved seeing her think about her life, her family, and her future. This book pulls off the tricky task of piling on the emotional impact while keeping a sense of quirkiness and laughter. Everything, Everything is a book that should really appeal to teen readers, and adults will love it too!

10Sep2015

Fire Touched has a cover!

Posted in Bookish Thoughts by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

I was so excited to see this on Facebook today! As a big fan of the Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs, I feel totally justified in having a blog post dedicated to the joy of this cover:

Fire Touched is book #9 in the series. The expected publication date is March 8, 2016… which can’t possibly get here soon enough!

Find Fire Touched at:

Goodreads
Amazon
Barnes & Noble

And PS – If you haven’t read any of the Mercy books, start with Moon Called and then keep going! Such an amazing series.

9Sep2015

Thursday Quotables: Another Day

Posted in Thursday Quotables by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Welcome back to Thursday Quotables! This weekly feature is the place to highlight a great quote, line, or passage discovered during your reading each week. Whether it’s something funny, startling, gut-wrenching, or just really beautifully written, Thursday Quotables is where my favorite lines of the week will be, and you’re invited to join in!

NEW! Thursday Quotables is now using a Linky tool! Be sure to add your link if you have a Thursday Quotables post to share.

Another Day by David Levithan
(released August 25, 2015)

This lovely book is a companion to Every Day, and offers a peek inside the head of a thoughtful teen girl who finds herself in a unique situation.

Contemplating how much of self is defined by the body:

If I were a stranger in my body, what would I think of it? I open my eyes and I’m not sure. A stranger wouldn’t know any of the stories behind any of the small scars — the tricycle fall, the lightbulb smash. A stranger might not care if my boobs aren’t identical, or if the mole on my arm has more hair than the rest of my arm. Why bother judging if you’re a stranger in a body? It’s almost like driving a car. Yes, you don’t want the car to be a shitheap, but pretty much a car is a car. It doesn’t matter what it looks like as long as it gets you where you need to go.

I know I am not a car. But as I walk through school, I imagine this smaller Rhiannon driving my body. She is my real self. The body is just a car. And I wonder. When Preston talks to me, it feel like he’s talking to the driver. But when a guy I don’t know looks at me in the hall, he’s staring at the car. When my teacher looks out at the class as he’s droning on about history, he’s not seeing the drivers, he’s seeing the parked cars. And when Justin kisses me — I don’t know. Sometimes it feels like he’s trying to kiss the driver. Other times, he’s just kissing the car.

I love David Levithan’s writing and how he captures the meaning in small moments:

There are still people looking at us. Imagining we’re having a fight. Or imagining we’re a couple. Or imagining this is a first date that’s been a total bust.

Fact: It is none of these things.

Feeling: It is all of these things.

I really enjoyed this book… and plan to write up a review as soon as I have time to sit down for more than 10 minutes at a time.

What lines made you laugh, cry, or gasp this week? Do tell!

If you’d like to participate in Thursday Quotables, it’s really simple:

Write a Thursday Quotables post on your blog. Try to pick something from whatever you’re reading now. And please be sure to include a link back to Bookshelf Fantasies in your post (http://www.bookshelffantasies.com), if you’d be so kind!
Click on the linky button (look for the cute froggie face) below to add your link.
After you link up, I’d love it if you’d leave a comment about my quote for this week.
Be sure to visit other linked blogs to view their Thursday Quotables, and have fun!

8Sep2015

Coming soon… Shelf Control!

Posted in The Reading Life by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Thank you to one and all who voted in my poll over the weekend to help me choose a title for my new weekly feature here at Bookshelf Fantasies.

Drumroll, please…

We have a name!

I’m excited to introduce you to…

Up to now, my Wednesday posts (Wishing & Waiting on Wednesday) — inspired by Waiting on Wednesday and Wishlist Wednesday — have been focused on upcoming new releases, highlighting not-yet-published books that I want to read. And while I’ll never run out of those, I’m realizing more and more that I need to regroup and focus on the books I already have. (Want to know more? Check out my recent post, Counting up the books).

With that in mind, I’m bouncing with joy as I introduce Shelf Control. My Shelf Control feature will run each Wednesday (starting next week) — and much like my Wishing & Waiting posts, will focus on a book that I really want to read. But with a catch!

What’s the catch? Quite simple. My Shelf Control picks will be books that I already own — either physical copies from my overflowing shelves, or one of the many unread titles elbowing each other out of the way on my Kindle.

I was originally thinking of this as something I’d do myself each week, but based on some comments received, it sounds like there might be interest out there for others to join in! So, I’ll be adding in a linky tool, and would love to share the love!

I’m looking forward to highlighting some of the goodies from my shelves… and I’m hoping this will give me the added motivation to start focusing on reading books I already have!

Because some days, when I look at my shelves, I worry that I’ll end up like this:

See you next week for Shelf Control!

7Sep2015

Top Ten Tuesday: Ten completed series that I never finished reading

Posted in Top Ten Tuesday by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, featuring a different top 10 theme each week. This week’s topic is Ten Finished Series I Have YET to Finish.

Well, I have plenty of those. And this is why I’m trying not to start new series, at least not while they’re still in progress. Because I lose interest between books, or just never care enough in the first place to continue — or by the time the next book comes out, I’d have to go back and re-read the earlier ones to remember what’s happened, and who has time for that?

My top ten didn’t-finish-’em series (with pictures of the book I’d need to read next, if I ever ended up reading further):

1. Locke & Key by Joe Hill: This one is a crying shame, and I swear I will finish! I absolutely adored this scary, creepy graphic novel series, and I’ve read five of the six volumes. But when #6 came out, I thought I should read #1 – 5 again first so that I’d fully appreciate the grand finale… and then I just didn’t make time for it. So, I do intend to finish reading this series. This year, maybe?

2. The Dark Tower series by Stephen King. I read the first three books in the series and thought they were great, then decided to take a little break — and I’ve just never gone back. No particular reason, except that every time I picked up the 4th book, I’d always find something else I was more in the mood to read at that moment. Someday, perhaps.

3. Birthright series by Gabrielle Zevin: I liked the first two books well enough, but by the time the third came out, I just didn’t have the story on my mind any more, and didn’t feel a need to go back to it.

4. Mara Dyer series by Michelle Hodkin: This was a weird one for me. I really liked the first book, started the 2nd, and just didn’t feel at all drawn into the story. I ended up DNFing the 2nd book, and haven’t been curious enough to give it another try.

5. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo series by Stieg Larsson: I finished the first book, but hated it, and had no interest at all in reading any further.

6. The Finishing School series by Gail Carriger: This one isn’t a perfect fit for the topic, since the final book doesn’t come out until November. I adored the Parasol Protectorate series, but after reading the 1st book in this YA series (Etiquette and Espionage), I decided I’d pass. I didn’t particularly enjoy the main character or the younger tone, and I haven’t heard anything yet about the rest of the series that’s been enough to make me want to give it another try.

7. Inheritance Cycle by Chris Paolini: I read Eragon as a joint reading project with my son, and I thought we’d continue with the rest of the books. But as he doesn’t seem interested in the 2nd book, Eldest, I’m not going to bother either. I didn’t really enjoy Eragon all that much, and I’d only continue if I had my kiddo to share the experience with.

8.Sally Lockhart Quartet by Philip Pullman: This one was not intentional. I read The Ruby in the Smoke after picking it up at a used book sale and really liked it, but since I didn’t have the next book, I forgot about it for a while. I would like to finish the series, but I’d have to start over again from the beginning.

9. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams: I read three (or perhaps four?) of these books way back when, and I know I have at least one more to go. Maybe I just didn’t have the remaining one(s) at that time? I have no idea why I never finished, because I adore these books!

10. The Last Werewolf trilogy by Glen Duncan: I really liked the first two (ultra violent and bloody) books in this trilogy, and I do have the 3rd… but just haven’t felt like reading it yet. To be honest, I’m not sure I care enough anymore to go back to this story, and I’m not sure why. Still, I do own the book, so I’m not ruling it out!

Do we have any unfinished series in common? Or can you convince me to give any on my list another try?

Share your links, please, and I’ll come check out your top 10!

NEW THIS WEEK! I’m starting a new Wednesday Feature… please come back tomorrow and check it out!

If you enjoyed this post, please consider following Bookshelf Fantasies! And don’t forget to check out my regular weekly feature, Thursday Quotables. Happy reading!

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

7Sep2015

The Monday Check-In ~ 9/7/2015

Posted in The Monday Check-In by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Happy Labor Day! Does this mean summer is finally over? It feels like it’s barely started…

What did I read last week?

Secondhand Souls by Christopher Moore: Done! My review is here.

A Little in Love by Susan Fletcher: Done! My review is here.

In graphic novels, I read The Good Neighbors trilogy (Kin, Kith, and Kind) by Holly Black, and loved it. My review is here.

Fresh Catch:

I picked up a used copy of The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd. After really loving The Invention of Wings (review), I thought I’d give this one a try, despite some not-so-stellar reviews on Goodreads.

What will I be reading during the coming week?

Currently in my hands:

I’ve just started Another Day by David Levithan. Given how much I loved Every Day (review), is it any wonder that I’m thrilled?

Now playing via audiobook:

I finished listening to the Stardust audiobook over the weekend. Such a treat! Even if you’ve read the story before (as I had), I encourage you to give the audiobook a listen. Neil Gaiman is a great narrator and makes the whole story just so… adorable! Plus, the audiobook concludes with an author Q&A that’s funny and informative and just terrific to hear.

Switching gears completely, I started listening to A Fatal Thaw by Dana Stabenow, the 2nd in her Kate Shugak mystery series. I love the Alaska setting and the character of Kate herself, and these audiobooks seem to move quickly and hold my attention. I’m only in the opening chapters, but I like it a lot already!