Wishing & Waiting on Wednesday: Another Day

Posted in Wishlist Wednesday by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

There’s nothing like a Wednesday for thinking about the books we want to read! My Wishing & Waiting on Wednesday post is linking up with two fabulous book memes, Wishlist Wednesday (hosted by Pen to Paper) and Waiting on Wednesday (hosted by Breaking the Spine).

This week’s pick:

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

Eeeeeeep! It’s a sequel (companion?) to Every Day! The only information I’ve seen so far is that “The new book is told from the perspective of A’s love interest, Rhiannon.” (Goodreads)

Good enough for me! August is a long way away, but I’ve already placed my preorder.

What are you wishing for this Wednesday?

Looking for some bookish fun on Thursdays? Come join me for my regular weekly feature, Thursday Quotables. You can find out more here — come play!

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Do you host a book blog meme? Do you participate in a meme that you really, really love? I’m building a Book Blog Meme Directory, and need your help! 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!

22Dec2014

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books I’d Love To Get As Gifts (New & Improved for 2014!)

Posted in Top Ten Tuesday by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Note from your friendly Bookshelf Fantasies host: When I looked back at my 2013 post for this topic, I realized that about 80% of it still holds true a year later! So, with a few minor changes and updates, here’s my list from last year — since I still want ’em all!

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 Top Ten Books I Wouldn’t Mind Santa Bringing Me.

Sadly, my house is not on Santa’s route (and I promise, it’s not because I’ve been naughty this year!) Still, if some magical bearer of gifts happened to drop by, these are the books I’d be hoping for! As I did last year when this topic came up, I’m filling up my list with books that I’d love to receive, but for whatever reason — high price, feeling like too big an indulgence, a “nice to have” but not really a necessary book — I just most likely wouldn’t buy these for myself. (Ahem, secret gift givers — are you paying attention??)

1) Firefly: A Celebration by Joss Whedon

Description: Titan’s three bestselling Firefly titles collected together at last, just in time for the 10th anniversary of Joss Whedon’s beloved series. This huge, 544 page full colour volume is simply one of the most lavish books ever produced for a TV show, and is presented in a foil-stamped leather-effect binding. Plus, as an exclusive bonus for this edition, a pocket at the back of the book contains 9 frameable photo prints of the cast, featuring rare and previously unseen images, and a facsimile of one of the prop banknotes used in the show.

2)Bone: Full Color One Volume Edition by Jeff Smith

Bone is one of my very favorite things ever. I love the artwork, the story, and the ridiculous stupid rat creatures. We have the 9 individual books, but I’m sure lusting after this all-in-one version. However… at about $100, this isn’t an edition I’m likely to buy unless I’m suddenly discovered by some long-lost wealthy relative… I can dream, can’t I?

3) Harry Potter stuff:

This gorgeous Harry Potter collection:

Do I need another set of Harry Potter in my house? Well, no. But I’m so enchanted by the cover artwork by Kazu Kibuishi… and this boxed set would look so pretty on my shelf…

I’d also be happy with some cool HP memorabilia like, oh, a deluminator or something… or if someone really wants to splurge, there’s also this amazing movie collector’s set:

4) The Hobbit: Illustrated Edition by J. R. R. Tolkien; Illustrated by Jemima Catlin

Have you seen the images from this illustrated edition of The Hobbit? Just gorgeous. This may be one book that I’ll end up treating myself to. Want, want, want.

5) I would be tickled pink to receive pretty much any book from the Barnes and Noble Collectible Editions library. Here are few that I especially covet… but really, I’d take ’em all if I could:

Dracula and Other Horror Classics (Barnes & Noble Collectible Editions) The Bronte Sisters: Three Novels (Barnes & Noble Collectible Editions) Anne of Green Gables (Barnes & Noble Collectible Editions)

And now, new for 2014:

6 & 7) My comic fixations:

Image via http://www.billwillingham.com

I have the trade paperback editions of all Fables volumes published so far — but now I wish I had the deluxe edition hardcovers. And those Fables bookends are pretty sweet too…

Image via pinterest; source unknown.

And while I’m on the subject of deluxe editions of my favorite graphic novels series, the same goes for Y: The Last Man. I have all of the volumes in paper, but those deluxe edition hardcovers look amazing.

8) I can’t see buying this for myself, but I think a great gift would be The World of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin:

Aegon_on_Black_Dread_J.Gonzalez-1024x683

Image from The World of Ice and Fire, via http://www.georgerrmartin.com

9, 10, and a bit more) There are a whole bunch of books that I’ve read over the years, borrowed from friends or from the library or read on my Kindle. that I’d really like to have my very own hard copy of on my bookshelves. I can’t quite justify paying full price for these, but if a holiday elf wanted to drop one off, I’d be grateful!
Life The Snow Child Wonderstruck

And a bonus pick:

This isn’t a book, but it’s certainly bookish. Two years ago, I used a holiday gift card to treat myself to My Ideal Bookshelf by Thessaly La Force and Jane Mount. It’s an absolutely beautiful book, and I’ve had so much fun leafing through it and picking out all of my favorites. But now, what I really covet is one of the prints available through the Ideal Bookshelf website. My only difficulty is in picking just one: Do I want:

Ideal Bookshelf 660: Girl Stars

or perhaps:

Ideal Bookshelf 629: Fantasy

If I had unlimited dollars and unlimited wall space, I think I’d want them all! Or maybe totally splurge, and get a custom painting! (Check out the options here.)

So that’s my little holiday cheer list for whatever extra-special pixies are circling my house bearing gifts!

What are you hoping to find under your tree, in your stocking, or in the UPS driver’s hands this year? Whatever you’re wishing for, I wish you good health, good friends, lots of laughter, and amazing reading!

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!

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

22Dec2014

New! The Monday Check-In ~ 12/22/2014

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

Shaking things up here at Bookshelf Fantasies! Don’t worry, I’m not getting too crazy — but I am reintroducing my regular Monday feature with a new name and slightly different focus. When I started blogging, I created a weekly Monday feature with a “back to the workweek” theme, and cutely (or not) called it The Monday Agenda. You know, setting out the agenda for my reading week… identifying the 3 or 4 books I planned to read each week, and then giving an update the following Monday on how far I’d come with my previous week’s agenda.

Lately, though, I’ve been trying to move away from over-planning, and want to continue working on not getting ahead of myself when it comes to deciding what to read. So,with my shiny new title, The Monday Check-In, I’m resetting my course. And – ta da! – here’s my new weekly feature, with thanks to all who offered me their opinions on what to call the darn thing.

The Monday Check-in: 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.

What did I read last week?

Jinn and Juice by Nicole Peeler: So much fun. My review is here.

Cinder by Marissa Meyer: And now I’m hooked. My review is here.

Pop culture goodness:

I saw The Hobbit with the fam this weekend. Um, it was long? The super-special high-def made me feel like I was watching my son play video games, and I was amused by how long the battle was, when it gets only five pages in the book. Oh well. New Zealand did look spectacular, didn’t it? I did love the Billy Boyd song at the end, and overall, having seen all three Hobbit movies makes me yearn even more for a LOTR movie marathon.

Fresh Catch:

New this week:

One hard copy of a book I’ve wanted for a few months now… plus, did you see all the Kindle price-drop madness over on Amazon this past week? I went a little bit crazy, snatching up copies of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, two Patrick Rothfuss books, the Mistborn trilogy, and a whole bunch more.

What will I be reading during the coming week?

Currently in my hands:

Continuing onward with The Lunar Chronicles — I’m about halfway through Scarlet, and have a copy of Cress ready to go.

Meanwhile, I was about 35 pages into Glory O’Brien’s History of the Future when I got sucked into the Lunar world… and I hope to get back to it this week, because I really liked what I’d read so far!

Now playing via audiobook:

The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey: I loved this book when I read it last year. I bought a copy of the sequel, The Infinite Sea, but I’ve been holding off on starting it until I could squeeze in a re-read. A refresher via audio seems like the way to go!

Reading with my kiddo:

Talking to Dragons (Enchanted Forest Chronicles #4) by Patricia C. Wrede: Still slogging our way through this one. What with all the holiday excitement and general busy-ness, we’ve barely made any progress this past week. Still pressing forward!

Book club reading:

Fields & Fantasies Book Club pick for December: Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh. We’ll have discussion posts up at the very end of the month, and you’re welcome to join in! Post your own piece about the book, or just come share your thoughts here. The more, the merrier!

Classic read: The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Emmuska Orczy. (One chapter per week)

A Breath of Snow and Ashes by Diana Gabaldon: Reading and discussing two chapters per week, from now through the end of 2015!

Want to join any of the group reads? Let me know and I’ll provide the links!

So many book, so little time…

20Dec2014

Take A Peek Book Review: Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

“Take a Peek” book reviews are short and (possibly) sweet, keeping the commentary brief and providing a little peek at what the book’s about and what I thought. This week’s “take a peek” book:

Synopsis:

(via Goodreads)

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl.

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

My Thoughts:

Ever since this book came out in 2012, I’ve seen all of my blogger peeps raving about it and drooling over the sequels. I hadn’t gotten on the bandwagon, and thought that this was one YA series that I could sit out.

Color me silly. I was wrong.

I finally picked up Cinder when I was looking for a new audiobook to keep me company during my daily drives, and thought this would be a low commitment choice. And I quickly found myself completely hooked.

The idea of a Cinderella retelling didn’t really appeal to me. Most Cinderella stories I’ve read ended up feeling kind of sappy to me, and the idea of a poor girl saved from an awful life by fancy party clothes and a handsome prince doesn’t typically sit well with my inner feminist. Cinder manages to stick to the basic themes of the Cinderella story, but with a heroine who’s strong, empowered, and more likely to to be the rescuer than the one in need of rescue.

Cinder is a cyborg, which in this society means an outcast, less than human. Her wicked stepmother and stepsister are exactly as you’d expect, although the younger stepsister, Peony, is adorable and lovable. Cinder is a talented mechanic with a dry, take-no-bull-from-anyone demeanor. She wears heavy workgloves to cover up her mechanical hand, is often seen with oil stains all over her face and clothes, and dreams of freedom and escape, not of balls and princes.

Prince Kai falls for Cinder as herself, oil stains and all. He’s not just a pretty face either; as the heir to the imperial throne, it’s up to Kai to continue negotiating a peace treaty with the fearsome Lunar queen, Levana. Kai is smart and keenly aware of his responsibilities — and knows that his own personal desires must take second place to the welfare of his people and all of Earth.

The action is quick and the story is quite compelling. I found myself frustrated by the slower pace demanded by listening to the audiobook, so after listening to quite a bit of it at 1.25x speed (not recommended!), I finally switched over to a hard copy so I could devour the rest. The audiobook narrator, Rebecca Soler, is fabulous, by the way. She captures the personalities and intonations of each character and makes them all distinct. I loved the ironic humor in Cinder’s voice, Peony’s girlish good nature, and the android Iko, among others. Just to be clear that my switch to printed format was not at all caused by dissatisfaction with the audiobook — it was more about how I read and the fact that I have a hard time with audiobooks unless I’m driving or working out… and in this case, I wasn’t doing either often enough to let me advance through Cinder as quickly as I wanted to.

Summing it all up: Cinder is pretty terrific! The story is inspired by the classic fairy tale, but with generous amounts of originality shaping it into something new and different. The climactic ball scene and the aftermath caught me completely by surprise, as the author takes the familiar elements of the story and turns them on their head. If I’d read Cinder when it first came out, I might have been frustrated by the cliffhanger ending, but at this point, I know there are two more books available to me before I join the crowd of avid fans dying for the next release.

Excuse me, please, while I run to the library. Scarlet and Cress are calling my name!

_________________________________________

The details:

Title: Cinder
Author: Marissa Meyer
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Publication date: 2012
Length: 390 pages
Genre: Young adult/science fiction
Source: Library

19Dec2014

Book Review: Jinn and Juice by Nicole Peeler

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

With Jinn and Juice, Nicole Peeler launches a new urban fantasy series — and that’s very good news for fans of her hilarious and awesome Jane True series and for fans of paranormal fictional shenanigans in general.

In Jinn and Juice, we meet Leila — burlesque belly dancer, Pittsburgh resident… and 1,000-year-old jinni (genie). Leila was a young woman cursed by her family’s jinni, the evil Kouros, to live as a jinni for one thousand years. As a jinni, Leila has super magical powers, but she’s also subject to the will and whims of whoever happens to be her Master. Jinni can be either Bound or unBound — meaning that they can be Called and then basically owned by whatever Magi happens to find them. Once Bound to a Magi, jinni must be obedient and carry out their Magi’s orders. On the plus side, though, Bound jinni have access to all sorts of tremendous powers that they can’t access unBound, so there’s that.

For Leila, this jinni business basically sucks. She does not want to be a jinni. She’d love to be human again, and can be — so long as she is unBound when her 1,000 year curse ends. If she’s Bound at that time, then she’ll be cursed for another 1,000 years. Like I said, it sucks.

Leila lives in Pittsburgh, whose steel-soaked grounds provide a weird kind of magical current that Leila can plug into, although most supernaturals find Pittsburgh magic tainted and poisonous. Surrounding Leila are a Peeler-esque cast of unusual characters, including a psychic drag queen, an oracle, a will-o-the-wisp, and a pair of icky-creepy spider wraiths. This odd community works together in a paranormal burlesque club and forms a family of sorts — and they all band together to protect Leila when she is Called and Bound by a new Magi, the kinda-hot Ozan (known as Oz).

Together, Leila and Oz and company set out to locate a missing girl and figure out what the heck is causing all sorts of magical havoc in Pittsburgh. And meanwhile, Leila finds herself drawn to Oz more and more… but is that just the power of the Master-Jinni relationship, or is there actually a there there?

Okay, explanations aside, let me tell you about Jinn and Juice. First of all, it’s fun. If you’ve never read anything by Nicole Peeler, the main thing to know is that she’s hilarious. Her writing rocks, even when the storyline turns dangerous or tragic. Serious and often deadly things do happen, but the author gives her characters amazing lines that are eminently quote-worthy:

“While French fries on salads is pretty magical, that’s not what makes Pittsburgh special,” I said…

Nowadays magic was something for Dungeons and Dragons. In books, vampires sparkled and really wanted to marry teenagers who tripped a lot. Hollywood only dreamed about jinn. And none of these creatures or powers really existed in the same universe as chaos theory, or particle accelerators, or atomic bombs… except they did.

“Hit it with the bench!” shouted Ozan, and I had to obey. I reached for what had been one of the picnic table’s benches, hefting it with ease in one of my hamlike hands. Raising it above my head, I brought it down with all my strength on the bugbear’s head.
“Hulk smash!” I shouted, just for the fun of it.

“Are we ready?” Charlie asked, eyeballing our ragtag bunch with a worried expression. We didn’t exactly look professional… in fact, we looked exactly as you’d imagine a gothic burlesque would look, if it decided to do a SWAT team number.

Second thing to know: Love and sex matter in Peeler’s books. Attraction is hot. Sparks fly. Knees go weak with desire. The sexy factor in Jinn and Juice is top notch. Which is not to say that it’s all easy: One really interesting aspect of this story is how the power dynamics affect the sexual and emotional relationships. Leila’s master can order her to have sex with him if he chooses (although, hilariously, jinni seem to have all sorts of work-arounds when dealing with not-terribly-precise commands for acts that don’t suit them); he could even order her to enjoy it, I suppose. The fact that Leila’s new master is too decent to indulge is noteworthy — and later, even when the attraction is mutual and Leila is very into it, he declines — because how can either of them be sure that it’s real and not just a result of the Magi-Jinni bond?

Fangirl aside: This reminded me of the sire bond issues during the last season of The Vampire Diaries. I’m a big geeky nerd, I know.

The plot of Jinn and Juice is fueled by action, but it’s the people that really make it a treat. Leila herself is pretty awesome (especially how she’s the biggest, baddest thing in the room, despite her seemingly petite human frame), and I love her gang of eccentric, magical friends. Oz is just the right combination of smart, sexy, and sensitive, and the growing emotions and desire between Leila and Oz give off sparks.

Fans of the Jane True series will absolutely want to give Jinn and Juice a whirl — and really, this is a great choice for any one who enjoys urban fantasy that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Fun, magic, snark, along with dangerous, malevolent, volatile bad guys, make for quite an enjoyable and fast-paced adventure. Here’s hoping that the next installment in the series comes along soon!

Want. More. Now.

_________________________________________

The details:

Title: Jinn and Juice
Author: Nicole Peeler
Publisher: Orbit
Publication date: November 25, 2014
Length: 384 pages
Genre: Contemporary fiction
Source: Purchased

18Dec2014

Thursday Quotables: The Hanukkah edition!

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!

Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins by Eric Kimmel
Illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman
(published 1989)

Getting into the holiday spirit with an old favorite!

The king of the goblins roared with fury. The earth trembled and a mighty wind arose. It ripped off the synagogue roof and blew down the walls. It splintered the great timbers and scattered them like matchsticks. Around the menorah the whirlwind howled, but the candles never flickered. They burned with clear, steady flames. The king of the goblins had no power over them. The spirit of Hanukkah had triumphed.

Wishing all who celebrate a joyous festival of lights!

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!
Leave your link in the comments — or, if you have a quote to share but not a blog post, you can leave your quote in the comments too!
Visit other linked blogs to view their Thursday Quotables, and have fun!

16Dec2014

Wishing & Waiting on Wednesday: At the Water’s Edge

Posted in Wishlist Wednesday by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

This week’s pick:

At the Water’s Edge by Sara Gruen
(to be released June 2, 2015 )

In her stunning new novel, Gruen returns to the kind of storytelling she excelled at in Water for Elephants: a historical timeframe in an unusual setting with a moving love story. Think Scottish Downton Abbey.

After embarrassing themselves at the social event of the year in high society Philadelphia on New Year’s Eve of 1942, Maddie and Ellis Hyde are cut off financially by Ellis’s father, a former army Colonel who is already embarrassed by his son’s inability to serve in WWII due to his being colorblind. To Maddie’s horror, Ellis decides that the only way to regain his father’s favor is to succeed in a venture his father attempted and very publicly failed at: he will hunt the famous Loch Ness monster and when he finds it he will restore his father’s name and return to his father’s good graces (and pocketbook). Joined by their friend Hank, a wealthy socialite, the three make their way to Scotland in the midst of war. Each day the two men go off to hunt the monster, while another monster, Hitler, is devastating Europe. And Maddie, now alone in a foreign country, must begin to figure out who she is and what she wants. The novel tells of Maddie’s social awakening: to the harsh realities of life, to the beauties of nature, to a connection with forces larger than herself, to female friendship, and finally, to love.

I loved Water For Elephants, and this novel set in war-time Scotland sounds wonderful.

What are you wishing for this Wednesday?

Looking for some bookish fun on Thursdays? Come join me for my regular weekly feature, Thursday Quotables. You can find out more here — come play!

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

15Dec2014

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books I Read in 2014

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 Top Ten Books I Read in 2014. I read so many great books this past year, and I’ve already raved about quite a few of them. In no particular order, here are the best of the bunch:

Note: If you want to know more about any of the books mentioned here, click on the links to see my reviews.

1) I Shall Be Near To You by Erin Lindsay McCabe

IShallBeNear

2) The Martian by Andy Weir

3) Written in My Own Heart’s Blood by Diana Gabaldon

4) The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin

5) Midwinterblood by Marcus Sedgwick

6) Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

7) We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson

8) The Girl With All The Gifts by M. R. Carey

9) Archetype and Prototype by M. D. Waters

10) Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

What were you favorite books from 2014? Share your links, and I’ll come check out your top 10!

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

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

15Dec2014

The Monday Agenda 12/15/2014

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 everything else I’m hoping to squeeze in among the nooks and crannies.*

*I’m thinking of changing the theme/title of these Monday posts. Please take my poll — see below!

How did I do with last week’s reading agenda?

The Rosie Effect by Graeme Simsion: Done! My review is here.

The Perfect Mother by Nina Darnton: I’d have to classify this one as an “it was fine” book. I read it; I wanted to see it through to the end; I finished it. But I never got particularly involved with the characters, I found the writing style inconsistent, and I didn’t feel any sense of suspense while reading it. And when I sat down to write a review, I just couldn’t find enough of interest to actually say. So, yeah: Fine.

Ms. Marvel by G. Willow Wilson: Loved it! I’m by no means an expert on the Marvel universe, but this is one comic series that I’ll want to stick with.

Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand: One word response? Magnificent. You can read my reaction here.

Fresh Catch:

New this week:

What’s on my reading agenda for the coming week?

I’m changing my approach for this section of my Monday Agenda posts. Up to now, I’ve been listing the 2 – 4 books that I’ve been intending to read next. The problem is, it often feels like unwanted pressure to keep on track. One of my new goals is to read according to my mood, not according to a list or schedule. With that in mind, I’m going to start focusing on one book at a time — so my reading agenda for the week will show what’s current, but not what’s on tap for later in the week. Here we go…

Currently in my hands:

I’ve just started Jinn and Juice, the first book in a new urban fantasy series by Nicole Peeler.

Now playing via audiobook:

Cinder by Marissa Meyer: After hearing so much about this series (from so many fans!), I decided to finally give it a try.

Reading with my kiddo:

Talking to Dragons (Enchanted Forest Chronicles #4) by Patricia C. Wrede: My son and I are enjoying the final installment in this series, although I’m not crazy yet about the new main character and wish we’d spend more time with characters from the previous installments. But we’ve only read about a quarter of the book so far, so there’s still hope!

Book club reading:

Classic read: The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Emmuska Orczy. (One chapter per week)

A Breath of Snow and Ashes by Diana Gabaldon: Reading and discussing two chapters per week, from now through the end of 2015!

Landline by Rainbow Rowell: Outlander Book Club’s book-of-the-month for December.

Want to join any of the group reads? Let me know and I’ll provide the links!

POLL: Share your thoughts!

I’m not sure that I love the “agenda” concept any more, since I want to shift my focus a bit. As I mentioned above, I’m trying to do more of my reading to suit my mood, book by book, rather than planning the next several books in advance. I think these posts will become more of an update/review, rather than setting a course for the coming week. With that in mind, what do you think of my title options?

So many book, so little time…

That’s my agenda. What’s yours? Add your comments to share your bookish agenda for the week.

Happy reading!

14Dec2014

Mood Rings & Mood Reading

Posted in The Reading Life by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Remember these from ye olden days?

Mood rings! Gah, we were obsessed with these (briefly) in my middle school days. Every girl had to have one — and we took them seriously. Blue means you’re happy! Orange was… angry, I think? Red was supposedly in love. I don’t even remember any more, except that we loved them, we teased each other over what our rings said about our moods, and then the fad faded away, as such things do.

What does this have to do with reading?

Well, I’m having one of THOSE kind of days, stuck in the reading doldrums. Perhaps it’s a result of the reading week I’ve just had. I read a highly anticipated sequel that was mostly a disappointment, and then read another book that really fell flat for me. And now I look around at all the stacks of books waiting to be read, and I just don’t know what to read next.

Nothing is particularly calling my name. Choices abound. On the tops of my piles are a history book, some YA contemporary, a few random ARCs, and a classic or two. I want to read them all… but I don’t know what I want to read right now.

I need a reading mood ring!

Wouldn’t that be awesome? Instead of starting a book and reading a few pages, then sighing and looking for something else, wouldn’t it be great to have a magical mood ring that could identify exactly what the perfect next choice would be?

Blue ring? Pick up some epic fantasy, like Mistborn or The Lies of Locke Lamora!

Red? How about something with battles and blood, like a war epic or a history book or historical fiction? Maybe even some war-themed sci-fi, like Old Man’s War by John Scalzi?

Green? I’m thinking hints of magic, like a fairy tale retelling (Bitter Greens, perhaps) or some new urban fantasy, like Nicole Peeler’s Jinn and Juice.

Yellow? Hmm, I don’t know, perhaps some contemporary dramatic novels?

Purple? I’d go with YA, anything current and fun and bestselling, of course.

Think of the possibilities! How about a Magic 8 ball that picks a genre for you? Or maybe a cootie catcher with eight different book titles inside?

For now, though, I’m kind of stuck. I have no magical devices or cheesy 70s artifacts to pick my next book for me! I guess I’ll have to do it the old-fashioned way… and just dive in, start a few books, and hope something clicks in a big way.

If not, I’ll be wandering the streets looking for a palm-reader to help me figure it all out.