So my friend Mikaley has a vlog that she does about books. If you know me, you probably know that the greatest love of my life is books. On Pinterest I have a board called "Books: The True Love of My Life, A Novel" so I can pin wonderful libraries, quotes, books I want to read, etc. If I were to ever get a tattoo, it would probably be book themed. When looking at houses or apartments, my main question is: will it fit all my books and can I create a Beauty and the Beast level library in it? You get the point. Back to Mikaley. She recently did a video called the Book Courtship Tag, and since I don't Vlog but I sometimes Blog, I thought I could just adapt it here. (If you're interested to see how this works before reading my long post, Click Here to watch Mikaley's Book Courtship Unfold)
*I'm posting with pictures of the covers I own.
Initial Attraction: What Book Have You Bought Based On The Cover?
Love By The Book - Melissa Pementel
So here I am, mid-20's, very single while most of my friends are not, and a new FB engagement everyday. This book called to me. The cover was intriguing and I just wanted to know more.
Love by the Book charts a year in the life of Lauren Cunningham, a beautiful, intelligent, and unlucky-in-love twenty-eight-year-old American. Feeling old before her time, Lauren moves to London in search of the fab single life replete with sexy Englishmen. But why can’t she convince the men she’s seeing that she really isn’t after anything more serious than seriously good sex? Determined to break the curse, Lauren turns her love life into an experiment: each month she will follow a different dating guide until she discovers the science behind being a siren. Lauren will follow The Rules, she’ll play The Game, and along the way she’ll journal her (mis)adventures and maybe even find someone worth holding on to. Witty, gritty, and very true to life, Love by the Book will have you in stitches.
I was not misled. This book was SO FUNNY and could easily fall into many other categories of this post. I laughed so hard, out loud, and in public that I am sure I seemed crazy to any passer-by. Lauren was a lovable character that you just want to root for. One of my favorite parts of the book comes very early on. She is attending a work function and is also following the advice from the dating book The Rules where she is not supposed to make eye-contact with anyone, talk only when spoken to, and basically be aloof at all times.
"I decided to try another Rules-approved tack: act removed and vaguely entitled. With the "dance like no one's watching" mantra quoted so much on Facebook posts running through my head, I staked out a spot in the middle of the dance floor, closed my eyes and went nuts to "Jump Around." I mean, I really got into it. By the end of the song, the people around me had cleared away, leaving me in the middle of an empty circle. I'm not sure how refined I looked, but no one could say I was on the prowl for a man.
I stayed the course, doing a low-key, interpretive dance-style performance to "Gin and Juice" before throwing everything I had at Missy Elliot. It was strangely liberating, the whole dancing-like-no-one-was-watching thing. Just as I was about to get to the finale of "Hot Boyz," I felt a tap on my shoulder."
I can't tell you enough how much I loved this book. Seriously, if you want a funny, quick read, look no further. Even when she does things that I am like "Girl, what are you doing?" I still wanted her to succeed.
First Impression: What Book Got You Based On The Summary?
Moby-Duck - Donovan Hohn
When the writer Donovan Hohn heard of the mysterious loss of thousands of bath toys at sea, he figured he would interview a few oceanographers, talk to a few beachcombers, and read up on Arctic science and geography. But questions can be like ocean currents: wade in too far, and they carry you away. Hohn's accidental odyssey pulls him into the secretive arena of shipping conglomerates, the daring work of Arctic researchers, the lunatic risks of maverick sailors, and the shadowy world of Chinese toy factories. Moby-Duck is a journey into the heart of the sea and an adventure through science, myth, the global economy, and some of the worst weather imaginable.
If the writing in the book had been as good as the back cover, maybe I would have finished the book. It is still part of history that I think is interesting, and would be cool to read about. However, this book was not the way for me to do so. I don't even remember how far I got before I called it quits. Not all stories are love stories, and that was definitely the case for me and this book.
Sweet Talk: What Book Has Really Great Writing?
Night Circus - Erin Morgenstern
If you grew up on Harry Potter, and are looking for a little bit of magic in the next stage of reading, this book will deliver. It is long, but the imagery that Morgenstern creates will make you anxiously wait for the circus that Opens at Midnight and Closes at Dawn.
The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night.
But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway: a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them both, this is a game in which only one can be left standing. Despite the high stakes, Celia and Marco soon tumble headfirst into love, setting off a domino effect of dangerous consequences, and leaving the lives of everyone, from the performers to the patrons, hanging in the balance.
I have only read this once, but I can tell you it was a choice to put some time between readings. Some chapters are just descriptions of different tents within the circus grounds and they are unlike anything else. It's a book that you read once and you just know that you missed 800 things and you need to go back and reread it to find them. Like Love By the Book, this one could easily fall into another slot on this list.
I'd Listen To You Talk All Day: What Authors Do You Automatically Pick Up When See Something By Them?
(This was not in Mikaley's post, but I'm adding it. Here is just a list of great authors that you should check out.)
Scott Westerfeld
Elizabeth Chandler
Rachel Gibson
Jill Shalvis
First Date: What Book Did You Read That Made You Want To Read The Rest Of The Series?
Private - Kate Brian
If you love Pretty Little Liars, you will love this series. If PLL took place at a boarding school, this would be the result. There are…14?..books in this series. (plus 2 prequels that I admit I will probably never read. Also, you definitely shouldn't read them until they pop up in chronological date of released publication. I'm sure they're great. In fact, I think I did read one of them and it was slightly terrifying so I stopped or finished and forgot the ending. Either way…) They are pretty short, but definitely action packed. What I love most about them is that every single time I was almost done with a book, Kate Brian got me. No lie, about 20 pages from the end you think "This is it. What else could possibly happen to make me want to read the next one? Nothing. Nothing could happen. This is wrapped up." Then like 5-10 pages later you start thinking "Oh wait…" and then in the last second, it's like a complete mindf***. Every. Single. Time. Every time I was like "Alright, give me the next book. What happens? What is going on?"
Tradition, Honor, Excellence...and secrets so dark they're almost invisible
Fifteen-year-old Reed Brennan wins a scholarship to Easton Academy -- the golden ticket away from her pill-popping mother and run-of-the-mill suburban life. But when she arrives on the beautiful, tradition-steeped campus of Easton, everyone is just a bit more sophisticated, a bit more gorgeous, and a lot wealthier than she ever thought possible. Reed realizes that even though she has been accepted to Easton, Easton has not accepted her. She feels like she's on the outside, looking in.
Until she meets the Billings Girls.
They are the most beautiful, intelligent, and intensely confident girls on campus. And they know it. They hold all the power in a world where power is fleeting but means everything. Reed vows to do whatever it takes to be accepted into their inner circle.
Reed uses every part of herself -- the good, the bad, the beautiful -- to get closer to the Billings Girls. She quickly discovers that inside their secret parties and mountains of attitude, hanging in their designer clothing-packed closets the Billings Girls have skeletons. And they'll do anything to keep their secrets private.
Late Night Phone Call: What Book Kept You Up All Night?
Old Magic - Marianne Curley
Ok, so I read this forever ago. As in, for sure high school, possibly middle school. So I will admit that I don't remember if I stayed up all night reading it the first time. But since almost all books can keep me up past my bedtime, I couldn't pick just one. I have reread this book perhaps 10-15 times over the years and there are times when I have stayed up just to reread some favorite passages from this book. This was one of my, if not the overall, favorite books.
Jarrod Thornton is mesmerizing, but Kate Warren doesn't know why.
The moment the new guy walks into the room, Kate senses something strange and intense about him. Something supernatural. Her instincts are proven correct a few minutes later when, bullied by his classmates, Jarrod unknowingly conjures up a freak thunderstorm insidetheir classroom.
Jarrod doesn't believe in the paranormal. When Kate tries to convince him that he has extraordinary powers that need to be harnessed, he only puts up with her "hocus pocus" notions because he finds her captivating. However, the dangerous, uncontrolled strengthening of his gift finally convinces Jarrod that he must take Kate's theories seriously. Together, they embark on a remarkable journey -- one which will unravel the mystery that has haunted Jarrod's family for generations and pit the teens against immense forces in a battle to undo the past and reshape the future.
Always On My Mind: What Book Can You Not Stop Thinking About?
Salvation on Sand Mountain: Snake-Handling and Redemption in Southern Appalachia - Dennis Covington
So a lesser known fact about me is that I am fascinated by religion. I have my own personal beliefs, but other religions mystify me. I read this book in college for a class (World Religions?) and I was blown away.
For New York Times reporter Dennis Covington, what began as a journalistic assignment—covering the trial of an Alabama pastor convicted of attempting to murder his wife with poisonous snakes—would evolve into a headlong plunge into a bizarre, mysterious, and ultimately irresistible world of unshakable faith: the world of holiness snake handling.
Set in the heart of Appalachia, Salvation on Sand Mountain is Covington’s unsurpassed and chillingly captivating exploration of the nature, power, and extremity of faith—an exploration that gradually turns inward, until Covington finds himself taking up the snakes.
So snakes and myself will never be a thing. I think it's for the best for both myself and the snakes. That being said…did you know that this was an actual religion? There are people who worship and pray, and then in the middle of all that they pull out crates with poisonous snakes and take them out! Their belief is that if they believe hard enough that the snakes won't bite them. (I don't believe hard enough, nor will I ever believe hard enough, to even be in that room.) This man, while researching, ended up partaking a couple times and his recall of the events was mesmerizing. It has been years since I read this book, but I still think about it more often that you would imagine.
Getting Physical: Name A Book That You Just Love The Way It Feels
The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry - Gabrielle Zevin
First off, I love this question because as a bibliophile, I love the feel of books. Second of all, I love that my choice for this question is a book about books.
A. J. Fikry’s life is not at all what he expected it to be. He lives alone, his bookstore is experiencing the worst sales in its history, and now his prized possession, a rare collection of Poe poems, has been stolen. But when a mysterious package appears at the bookstore, its unexpected arrival gives Fikry the chance to make his life over--and see everything anew.
This is a book about books and a man who owns a bookstore and loves and hates books. Then he writes about books and what books to read or what he was reading when certain life events happen. Books. Can I say books anymore? Anyway, the cover of the book I have has a soft leathery feel that just makes you want to hold it in your hands and discover what is inside.
Meeting The Parents: A Book That You Can't Stop Recommending To Friends and Family
(Ok, well it used to be The Fault In Our Stars by John Green, but then everyone read it and it became a movie. Then it was Divergent by Veronica Roth, but after I finished the trilogy, I said "Eff this! I hate this ending!" So I stopped giving that out, too. So now…)
This is probably the hardest question of the group. In true bibliophile fashion, how do you just give one suggestion? Also, I usually have to know what kind of books the person likes to read. Alright, I'll pick something.
Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore - Robin Sloan
The Great Recession has shuffled Clay Jannon away from life as a San Francisco web-design drone and into the aisles of Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore. But after a few days on the job, Clay discovers that the store is more curious than either its name or its gnomic owner might suggest. The customers are few, and they never seem to buy anything--instead, they "check out" large, obscure volumes from strange corners of the store. Suspicious, Clay engineers an analysis of the clientele's behavior, seeking help from his variously talented friends. But when they bring their findings to Mr. Penumbra, they discover the bookstore's secrets extend far beyond its walls. Rendered with irresistible brio and dazzling intelligence, Robin Sloan's Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore is exactly what it sounds like: an establishment you have to enter and will never want to leave.
This is another book about books. And technology and modernizing things. Without giving too much away, this book circles around a group that believes that if they solve a massive code and puzzle they will be able to live forever. It's cloak and dagger meets your local bookstore. I want to say so much, but I also want to leave the mystery there. If I remember correctly, there was a stretch that dragged a bit, but you have to know what is in those books.
Thinking About The Future: What Book Series Have You Read That You Will Read Over and Over Again?
SO MANY OPTIONS! I actually had to make a point in my book buying to not buy series. I was at a point where I needed to be able to drop into a world for a little bit but not linger on for 4 or 5 or 10 books. I'm going to throw back to another series that I read when I was in maybe middle school…
1-800-WHERE-R-YOU - Jenny Carroll/Meg Cabot
(She originally published under the pen name Jenny Carroll, and then reprinted under Meg Cabot)
Just because her best friend wants to exercise, Jessica Mastriani agrees to walk the two miles home from their high school. Straight into a huge Indiana thunderstorm.
And straight into trouble.
Not that Jess has never been in trouble before. Her extracurricular activities, instead of cheerleading or 4-H, include fistfights with the football team and monthlong stints in detention -- luckily, sitting right next to Rob, the sexiest senior around.
But this trouble is serious.
Because somehow on that long walk home, Jessica acquired a newfound talent. An amazing power that can be used for good...or for evil.
Run, Jessica. Run.
So in the first installment of this series, Jess gets struck by lightning (this happens on like page 5, it's not a spoiler, calm down) and all of a sudden can find missing people. Once she sees a picture, she wakes up the next day knowing where there are. Sounds great, right? Yea, until the first few locations don't go as planned. The next couple books follows her into some very messy situations including a white supremacist camp and a possible serial killer's lair. She has some wit to her though that just makes you love her. I don't know when the final book came out, but I read it significantly later in life and it was a great conclusion to the story. She's older, has lost her power, but when Rob needs her help she has to do something. The last book is the one I go back to most, but all are great reads.
This was probably the quickest blog post I have ever written. What is life without books, though? Tell me your answers to these questions. I want to know. I want all the book recommendations. You don't have to go into details if you don't want to. Just tell me all of your answers.
Quick list of the questions so you don't have to scroll all around:
- Initial Attraction: What Book Have You Bought Based On The Cover?
- First Impression: What Book Got You Based On The Summary?
- Sweet Talk: What Book Has Really Great Writing?
- I'd Listen To You Talk All Day: What Authors Do You Automatically Pick Up When See Something By Them?
- First Date: What Book Did You Read That Made You Want To Read The Rest Of The Series?
- Late Night Phone Call: What Book Kept You Up All Night?
- Always On My Mind: What Book Can You Not Stop Thinking About?
- Getting Physical: Name A Book That You Just Love The Way It Feels
- Meeting The Parents: A Book That You Can't Stop Recommending To Friends and Family
- Thinking About The Future: What Book Series Have You Read That You Will Read Over and Over Again?
