My blog is about the books I'm reading, the independent bookstores I visit, the author and book events I attend, and any bookish related things I come across in the months and years to come!
Wow, time for another quarterly reading update... Where has the time gone?? It seems like the older you grow the faster it goes!! Lots of stuff has been going on this year for me including a big move from the Santa Barbara, California area earlier this year to San Ramon, California with my husband in mid-May. Four and a half months later, we've pretty much settled in, but are still growing use to our new environment. Of course, reading books and listening to audiobooks has continued to play a big part of my life as always. Here's a quick recap of the past three months. I've read or listened to a total of 24 books this quarter!! This puts me at a total of 80 reads for 2014 so far. My favorite reads during the past quarter are as follows: The Selkie Spell by Sophie Moss Pure Sex by Lucinda Betts, Bonnie Edwards, & Sasha White Loser by Jerry Spinelli The Pluto Files by Neil deGrasse Tyson Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson Larger Than Life by Jodi Picoult How is your year in reading going?
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This feature was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!
Each week we will post a new Top Ten list that one of our bloggers here at The Broke and the Bookish will answer. Everyone is welcome to join. All we ask is that you link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND add your name to the Linky widget so that everyone can check out other bloggers lists! If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment. Have fun with it! It's a fun way to get to know your fellow bloggers. This weeks books were difficult ones for me select.... But the following is my list of ten! 1. The Son by Philipp Meyer I'm not a HUGE western genre fan... This novel is set mainly in Texas. It's long, well written enough, but just not that interesting enough of a novel for me. This was a selection made by the book club I belong to currently. 2. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams This is one of those books everyone seems to read and love... Well, unfortunately, I wasn't one of those readers. I read this novel as it was a book group selection and just didn't love it. I'm not quite sure the reason for the appeal of this novel. 3. The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle This was my first experience reading anything written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and I wasn't impressed. The story was okay, but Sherlock Holmes & Watson were not what I expected them to be like. 4. The Island by Jen Minkman This dystopian novella started out well enough, but little did I know it would turn out so cheesy, so quickly!! Elements/concepts from 'Star Wars' made this read seem plain silly. 5. Petectives by Robert J. Smith I thought the concept of having animals as crime solving detectives was cool. The story was told through the eyes of animals as crime fighters, BUT the writing fell flat for me and was uninteresting overall. 6. Worth the Wait by Cindy A. Christiansen Annoying leading character ruined this novella for me. I don't want to give any spoilers, so will leave it at that. 7. The House of Sand & Fog by Andre Dubus III Most of the characters and the actions they undertook in this novel were annoying. I didn't like reading this novel at all. I read it when it was an Oprah Book Club Selection. 8. Grace, Jack & Magical Cats Cozy boxed set by Mary Matthews I didn't like the author's writing style. Ugh, It was difficult to get this collection because I didn't like the writing. 9. An O'Brien Family Christmas by Sherryl Woods Meddling/irritating characters and predictable storyline are two qualities I don't like when I read a book. 10. The Prodigal Daughter by Jeffrey Archer Since I'd already read Kane & Abel by Jeffrey Archer, I wanted to read the follow up novel The Prodigal Daughter by Jeffrey Archer as well. It's not that this book wasn't well written, it's just that it contained too much overlap in terms of storyline from Kane & Abel for my liking. This made The Prodigal Daughte feel like deja vu in parts (to me) as it recapped some of the things already mentioned in Kane & Abel. Which books have you found that make for difficult reading??
Larger Than Life by Jodi Picoult is a novella approximately 78 pages in length and is the first written work by Ms. Picoult that I can recall ever reading! I THOROUGHLY ENJOYED READING Larger Than Life and highly recommend this novella to other readers. I happen to absolutely L-O-V-E elephants and I enjoyed that elephants were prominently featured in Larger Than Life's storyline. The writing is exquisite in Larger Than Life! I enjoyed the story, characters, and plot development immensely... Jodi Picoult has a wonderful way of telling a story and weaving in details that keeps the reader captivated from start to finish. The following is the plot summary for Larger Than Life from Amazon's website:
A researcher studying memory in elephants, Alice is fascinated by the bonds between mother and calf—the mother’s powerful protective instincts and her newborn’s unwavering loyalty. Living on a game reserve in Botswana, Alice is able to view the animals in their natural habitat—while following an important rule: She must only observe and never interfere. Then she finds an orphaned young elephant in the bush and cannot bear to leave the helpless baby behind. Thinking back on her own childhood, and on her shifting relationship with her mother, Alice risks her career to care for the calf. Yet what she comes to understand is the depth of a parent’s love.
I am giving Larger Than Life a rating of nine stars out of ten stars! I now look forward to reading Jodi Picoult's novel Leaving Time as it will feature the main character of Alice from Larger Than Life once again! Until my next post, happy reading!!
Dr. Nightingale Rides the Elephant by Lydia Adamson is the second cozy mystery novel in the Dr. Deirdre Quinn Nightingale Mystery Series. I selected this novel because I like cozy mystery novels and also because it was on sale for 50 cents at a local used bookstore. I also happen to love elephants, so couldn't resist buying and reading this book for that reason as well. Dr. Nightingale Rides the Elephant is the first novel I've ever read by Lydia Adamson and I wasn't impressed with this book at all. The main character, Dr. Didi Quinn Nightingale DVM, is annoying... She's easily ruffled and rude/impatient at times that seemed uncalled for during a particular scene or certain situation. I also thought that Dr. Nightingale leapt to conclusions when she decided the 'accidents' at the circus were actually murders. She also draws conclusions without much evidence at times that makes it difficult to believe that can and does solve this murder. Also, the ending of Dr. Nightingale Rides the Elephant was a let down and disappointment. The ending of this novel had so much potential to be much more appealing to the reader. I don't plan on reading any other books in the Dr. Deirdre Quinn Nightingale Mystery Series. I am giving Dr. Nightingale Rides the Elephant by Lydia Adamson a rating of two stars out of ten stars. Until my next post, happy reading!
I'm becoming totally addicted in participating in read-a-thons!! They're so much fun to participate in because not only can you have fun reading (always a perk), but you can also have fun socializing with other readers/bloggers and participate in various challenges.
I've decided to join the Wicked Wildfire Read-A-Thon hosted by My Shelf Confessions. I'm not sure yet what I'll be reading during this read-a-thon, but deciding which books to read is half the fun! The following is more information about the Wicked Wildfire Read-A-Thon:
The Wicked Wildfire Read-A-Thon is a time when we all get together to dedicate the days of October 17-27 to as much reading as possible. You read as much as you can in order to get yourself a little further through that huge to-read pile! We know real life gets in the way and even if you can’t participate more than one day, you’re welcome to join in on the fun!
Click on the link above to grab the Wicked Wildfire Read-A-Thon button and to sign up. I hope to see you there!! Until my next post, happy reading!!
Friday Finds is a book meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. Friday Finds is a chance to share and show off the books you discovered during the week and would like to add to your reading list...
Or a place to simply feature the books you've actually purchased throughout the week and have added to your to be read pile! I came away with the following three books this week: Lovebirds by Trevor Silvester The Magician's Elephant by Kate DiCamillo How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents by Julia Alvarez
Which books did you add to your reading pile/list this week?
I love reading banned/challenged books and promoting Banned Books Week! I found an enlightening article through the Huffington Post website titled Banned Books By The Numbers by Maddie Crum. The article highlights which books are banned/challenged the most and also mentiones which US States ban/challenge books the most + more!!
In the article, Crum writes the following:
Banned Books Week, an annual event organized by the American Library Association (ALA), grants readers, parents, teachers and librarians an opportunity to discuss the value of unhindered expression.
Throughout the week, The Huffington Post will highlight voices from various communities impacted by censorship, including LGBT readers, religious writers and Latino bibliophiles. We will share an excerpt from a frequently challenged graphic novel, and examine the effect book banning has had on literature historically. We've also invited our readers -- especially those in the education field -- to share photos of the banned books they teach or admire.
We've also taken a look at data provided by the ALA* about which books and authors have been challenged recently, where those challenges occur, and what the cited reasons are for said challenges.
Click on the top link to see the infographics provided in Maddie Crum's article! Until my next post, happy reading!!
I am so excited about participating in the Ho-Ho-Ho Holiday Read-A-Thon again this year as I enjoy reading holiday themed books!! The Ho-Ho-Ho Holiday Read-A-Thon runs from November 6th through 11th, 2014 and is hosted by Caffeinated Book Reviewer & The Book Shelfery!! In case you're interested in participating in the Ho-Ho-Ho Read-A-Thon (and I seriously hope you are!!), please read the following blurb about it from the hosts' blogs:
So break out the cocoa, the coffee, and cookies! Grab those holiday theme books and bring your holiday spirit. Prepare to enter challenges, win prizes, meet new friends and Twitter chat with us. You can join for a day or sit by the fire and hang out every day. The more you participate the more entries you will earn for the Participant Giveaway.
We love holiday themed reads from the covers to the warm & fuzzy tales on the inside. For this read-a-thon you must read holiday themed or winter setting reads. For bloggers, we have spoken to most of the main publishing houses and for ARCS of holiday books released in Sept/Oct, they are fine with you posting a review in November and December since that is when folks look to buy them. Below are the rules. Read them, grab the button and link up. For our non-blogger friends you can join too. Just link your Goodreads, Tumblr or Facebook account.
Click on one of the above links to read the official rules for the Ho-Ho-Ho Read-A-Thon!! I hope you decide to participate!
My holiday themed reading goals are all eBooks this season and are as follows: 1. The Christmas Lamp by Lori Copeland 2. Home For Christmas by Patricia Kay 3. Christmas Diamond by Hallee Bridgeman 4. Sara In Montana by Morris Fenris 5. The Christmas Catch by Ginny Baird 6. Big Girls Do It On Christmas by Jasinda Wilder 7. The Night Collection: Silent Night & All Through The Night by Carol Higgins Clark Most of these holiday reads are pretty short ones, so I am hoping to finish one of them per day. Until my next post, happy reading!!
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This feature was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!
Each week we will post a new Top Ten list that one of our bloggers here at The Broke and the Bookish will answer. Everyone is welcome to join. All we ask is that you link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND add your name to the Linky widget so that everyone can check out other bloggers lists! If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment. Have fun with it! It's a fun way to get to know your fellow bloggers.
Take the Banned Book Quiz on the PlayBuzz website and find out for yourself!!! I took the Banned Book Quiz and discovered that I am the following banned/challenged book: PERSEPOLIS: THE STORY OF A CHILDHOOD BY MARJANE SATRAPI (2000).
You know that you would be able to right all wrongs in the world if only you were a prophet. In public, you must obey the rules, but in the safety of your home, you can embrace your rebellious side. Sometimes you feel trapped between the traditions of the past and a more modern future.
As if we need a reason to celebrate Banned Books Week, right?? But just in case you do need a few reasons to celebrate Banned Books Week, check out the following article titled 7 Reasons to Celebrate Banned Books Week by Kelly Konrad. 'Subversity Rocks' and 'Down with the Thought Police" are great slogans!! I don't want anyone telling me what I can or cannot read!! In the mean time, don't forget to read a banned book now through September 27th! Better yet read banned/challenged books year round. Happy reading!
Well, the Tackle Your TBR Read-A-Thon has officially come and gone!! I had fun with this read-a-thon. I did a lot of reading, which was wonderful, but I veered of course and read some novellas and short stories that weren't on my original list of books I wanted to read during this read-a-thon.... But that's okay, right?? As long as I completed reading books along the way, then life is good in my book! Here's a list of what I read as follows: Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson (novel) Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman (audio dramatization) Her Mad Hatter by Marie Hall (novella) Snow Dance by Alice & Roy Street (short story) Poison Dance by Livia Blackburne (novella) Larger Than Life by Jodi Picoult (novella) The Jester by Michael J. Sullivan (short story) I am completely behind on writing reviews of what I've recently read. I now feel like I now need to participate in a mini "book review write-a-thon"!! The crazy part is I normally enjoy writing brief book reviews of what I've read. But for some reason, I have simply not felt up to doing so this past week... Nothing like a writing slump! I will state for the record that Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson and Larger Than Life by Jodi Picoult were my favorite reads during the Tackle Your TBR Read-A-Thon. Which books did you MOST enjoy reading?
Are you looking for a creative literary name for your canine?? Yesterday morning, I discovered the following article on Buzzfeed titled 22 Literary Pun Names For Your Dog by Jarry Lee that you might find helpful in naming your new pooch!!
Friday Finds is a book meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. Friday Finds is a chance to share and show off the books you discovered during the week and would like to add to your reading list...
Or a place to simply feature the books you've actually purchased throughout the week and have added to your to be read pile!
This week, I came away with the following five eBooks on Amazon: 1. The Unearthly by Laura Thalasssa 2. The Guardians by K. L. Penington 3. Steel Lily by Megan Curd 4. Cold by Sha Jones 5. Christmans in Greektown by Suzanne Jenkins Which books did you buy or add to your wishlist this week?
I love dogs!! So, when I came across an article post on The Guardian titled Top dogs: 10 literary canines by Mikita Brottman, I couldn't resist reading and sharing this article on my book blog!! So check out everything "From Lord Byron and his much-loved Newfoundland to the Hardys and their attention-seeking terrier, Mikita Brottman on her favourite bookish hounds."
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This feature was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!
Each week we will post a new Top Ten list that one of our bloggers here at The Broke and the Bookish will answer. Everyone is welcome to join. All we ask is that you link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND add your name to the Linky widget so that everyone can check out other bloggers lists! If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment. Have fun with it! It's a fun way to get to know your fellow bloggers.
I'm looking forward to reading more books by the following authors!
1. Robin LaFevers
2. Jules Verne
3. Lynne Cox
4. Roxie Rivera
5. Lewis Buzbee
6. John Green
7. Garth Stein
8. J. D. Robb
9. Diane Ackerman
10. Sherman Alexie Until my next post, happy reading!!
I've been reading all week for the Tackle Your TBR Read-A-Thon, but am finally making my first update on Day 6 of this read-a-thon!! So, far I've managed to read three books as follows: 1. Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson 2. Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman 3. Her Mad Hatter by Marie Hall I think I'll try to tackle The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer next!
Friday Finds is a book meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. Friday Finds is a chance to share and show off the books you discovered during the week and would like to add to your reading list...
Or a place to simply feature the books you've actually purchased throughout the week and have added to your to be read pile!
This week, I came away with the following three eBooks on Amazon: 1. A Latent Dark by Martin Kee 2. Low Tide Bikini by Lyla Dune 3. Lip Reading by Harry Kraus So, which books have you added to your list this week?
I've never actually read anything by Neil Gaiman before, but it seems like he is a very popular author. So, when I came across the BBC Radio Full-Cast Dramatization of Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman on Audible for a $1.95, I decided to purchase a copy of it right then and there. I usually don't listen to radio dramatizations of books. Normally, I prefer to read the book itself or listen to the unabridged audio version of a book instead. So, listening to the BBC Radio Full-Cast Dramatization of Neverwhereby Neil Gaiman made for a unique listening experience. I thought the BBC Radio Full-Cast Dramatization of Neverwhere was really well done. I enjoyed listening to an all star cast bring this book to life. One of the best features was listening to the bloopers and extended scenes at the end of the production. I also enjoyed listening to the special effects. As much as I enjoyed, listening to the radio dramatization of Neverwhere, I found it difficult to get into the rhythm and flow of the plot/storyline. I also feel that I would have probably enjoyed reading the novel or listening to the unabridged version of Neverwhere more than listening to the radio dramatization. Publisher's summary as follows:
A BBC Radio six-part adaptation of Neil Gaiman's best-selling novel, starring James McAvoy as Richard and Natalie Dormer as Door.
Beneath the streets of London there is another London. A subterranean labyrinth of sewers and abandoned tube stations. A somewhere that is Neverwhere....
An act of kindness sees Richard Mayhew catapulted from his ordinary life into the strange world of London Below. There he meets the Earl of Earl's Court, faces a life-threatening ordeal at the hands of the Black Friars, comes face to face with the Great Beast of London, and encounters an Angel called Islington.
Adapted for radio by the award-winning Dirk Maggs, this captivating dramatisation features a stellar cast including David Harewood, Sophie Okonedo, Benedict Cumberbatch, Christopher Lee, Anthony Head and David Schofield.
Contains over 25 minutes of additional unbroadcast material, including extended scenes, bloopers and outtakes.
Playing time for the BBC Radio Full-Cast Dramatization of Neverwhere is approximately 3 hours, 48 minutes.
I am giving Neverwhere a rating of 6.5 stars out of 10 stars. Until my next post, happy reading!!
I purchased a copy of Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, a young adult novel, to read for Banned Books Week. However, I was too curious about Speak to wait until Banned Books Week (September 21st -27th, 2014) to read it! I enjoyed reading Speak quite a bit despite the sad and tragic event of rape that happens to the leading character, Melinda, during the summer between middle school and high school and how this rape negatively effects Melinda long term. Melinda is raped by an older high school student... The rape scene isn't overly graphic. Nor is it mentioned until much later in the novel. But the rape scene itself definitely explains Melinda's withdrawn behavior, negative thoughts, and isolation. Speak is written in the first person narrative and is told through Melinda's perspective. The novel is moved forward in a manner that almost reads like a series of diary entries. The following is an overview of Speak from the Barnes & Noble website:
"Speak up for yourself—we want to know what you have to say." From the first moment of her freshman year at Merryweather High, Melinda knows this is a big fat lie, part of the nonsense of high school. She is friendless, outcast, because she busted an end-of-summer party by calling the cops, so now nobody will talk to her, let alone listen to her. As time passes, she becomes increasingly isolated and practically stops talking altogether. Only her art class offers any solace, and it is through her work on an art project that she is finally able to face what really happened at that terrible party: she was raped by an upperclassman, a guy who still attends Merryweather and is still a threat to her. Her healing process has just begun when she has another violent encounter with him. But this time Melinda fights back, refuses to be silent, and thereby achieves a measure of vindication. In Laurie Halse Anderson's powerful novel, an utterly believable heroine with a bitterly ironic voice delivers a blow to the hypocritical world of high school. She speaks for many a disenfranchised teenager while demonstrating the importance of speaking up for oneself.
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson has been censored. According to Wikipedia, I learned the following information regarding the censorship of Speak:
Speak's difficult subject matter has led to censorship of the novel.[6] Speak is ranked 60th on the ALA's list of Top 100 Banned/Challenged Books for 2000-2009.[25] In September 2010, Wesley Scroggins, a professor at Missouri State University, wrote an article, "Filthy books demeaning to Republic education", in which he claimed that Speak, along with Slaughterhouse Five and Twenty Boy Summer, should be banned for "exposing children to immorality".[26] Scroggins claimed that Speak should be "classified as soft pornography" and, therefore, removed from high school English curriculum.[26] In its 2010-2011 bibliography, "Books Challenged or Banned", the Newsletter of Intellectual Freedom lists Speak as having been challenged in Missouri schools because of its "soft-pornography" and "glorification of drinking, cursing, and premarital sex."[27]
I don't think Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson should be censored at all. It doesn't glorify cursing, drinking, and premarital sex at all in my opinion. I think young adult readers should be able to read Speak as it does deal with real life issues, like rape, and gives a plausible real life scenario of the emotional and physical aftermath of rape.
The following is a You Tube Video of Laurie Halse Anderson talking about Speak. I found the video to be very informative and educational. I always enjoy hearing why and/or how an author comes to write the books they do.
I am giving Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson a rating of 8 stars out of 10 stars. Until my next post, happy reading!
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This feature was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!
Each week we will post a new Top Ten list that one of our bloggers here at The Broke and the Bookish will answer. Everyone is welcome to join. All we ask is that you link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND add your name to the Linky widget so that everyone can check out other bloggers lists! If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment. Have fun with it! It's a fun way to get to know your fellow bloggers.
I've read erotica novels/novellas off and on the past few years. Most of what I've read from the erotica genre isn't to my liking or isn't very good in my opinion... But there are a few hidden gems out there. Below is a list of erotica novels/novellas that are pretty good. The Maestro's Butterfly is the only novel I didn't enjoy reading, but included it on this list to make an even top ten list and because some people like this style of erotica. 1. Pure Sex by Lucinda Betts, Bonnie Edwards, & Sasha White 2. Ivan (Her Russian Protector #1) by Roxie Rivera 3. Mind Games by Cecilia Tan 4. Whisper Something Sweet by Deatri King-Bey 5. Sheriff in Her Stocking by Cheryl Gorman 6. Big Girls Do It series by Jasinda Wilder 7. Christmas Kismet by Jemma Gray 8. Vampire for Christmas by Felicity Heaton 9. The MILF Anthology: Twenty-One Steamy Stories by Cecelia Tan & Lori Perkins 10. The Maestro's Butterfly by Rhonda Leigh Jones Until my next post, happy reading!!
What if you walked into your school library and found it completely devoid of books?
That’s what students at Florida Polytechnic University in Lakeland, Fla. found when the school’s brand new library opened its doors last week.
While you won’t find a single physical book in the building, the library does have an assortment of 135,000 electronic books available to students.
“Since we are a new university, we had the option to open totally digital,” says Dr. Kathryn Miller, director of libraries. “The digital resources are part of the university’s mission.”
This is the second time I've read about a library without physical books. It seems strange to me to have a library without physical books inside of it. But maybe the future of libraries is to be entirely book-less. What are your thoughts? Is the trend for modern libraries to be without physical books? Personally, I think a combination of digital, physical, and audio books are a must for all libraries. Going completely digital seems kind of extreme to me.
I'm kind of in a reading slump right now... What better way to get me out of my reading funk than my participating in a read-a-thon?So, with that in mind, I decided to sign-up and participate in the Tackle Your TBR Read-A-Thon, which runs from Monday, September 8th through Saturday, September 20th, 2014 and is hosted by Wishful Endings! My reading goals for this 13 day read-a-thon are as follows: 1. Finish reading Instant Temptation by Jill Shalvis 2. The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer 3. Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman 4. Finish reading Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson 5. Her Mad Hatter by Marie Hall
Want to participate in this read-a-thon? It's not too late to SIGN UP!
I haven't taken a vacation yet this year and yes, I do love to travel!! Hopefully, I'll take a vacation before the year is up. If not, then reading travel books (even ones that make you laugh) are a great way to be taken away on a journey of a lifetime! Check out the the following article from CNN titled 15 funniest travel books ever written (in English) by Chuck Thompson.... Maybe you'll have a laugh or two while reading one of the funniest travel books ever written. Until my next post, happy reading!
Friday Finds is a book meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. Friday Finds is a chance to share and show off the books you discovered during the week and would like to add to your reading list...
Or a place to simply feature the books you've actually purchased throughout the week and have added to your to be read pile!
I enjoy visiting indie bookstores, don't you?!?! Earlier this week, I discovered a new (to me) independent bookstore in Danville, California called Rakestraw Books. I have fallen in love with the Rakestraw Books for several reasons... I love its location in downtown Danville, its size and layout, and their awesome selection of books on hand!
Additionally, Rakestraw Books offers many wonderful author signing events and as well as book groups for adults as well as kids. There's nothing like a well rounded indie bookstore. I even enjoyed learning more about Rakestraw Books from their about page as follows:
Founded in 1973, Rakestraw Books is a small, independent bookshop that remains dedicated to the principles espoused by its founders: to sell a variety of books of merit; to help readers discover those books; to sponsor events that bring a diverse range of writers and artists to our community; and to accomplish these tasks in a manner that is both professional and friendly.
Our particular strengths are contemporary fiction -- although we maintain a strong showing in British writers from fifty years ago; literary essays; biographies; and literature of travel. Each month a number of authors visit Rakestraw Books – as part of our successful Writers and Readers at Rakestraw program -- to share their latest works with our audience of readers. These events allow us, and our community, to take part in the larger literary conversation of our day. Past guests have included Jon Meacham, Salman Rushdie, Jeannette Walls, Calvin Trillin, and Elinor Lipman. This list, and a glance at this month’s calendar of events, should prove the dynamism of this popular program. We also have an unusually strong selection of children’s books – both contemporary titles and classic works. Moreover, we support our young readers with specialty book groups and a lively program of author and illustrator visits. Some of the best children’s writers and illustrators have visited Rakestraw Books over the years. From Peter Sis to Philip Pullman, from Jean Craighead George to Jamie Lee Curtis, our children’s events program is a lively and successful one. We are generally thought of as a "literary bookstore," and with writers such as Russell Banks, Marilynne Robinson, and Michael Chabon dominating our bestseller list, it is easy to see why. We make no apologies for purchasing decisions motivated by our sense of quality and by our enthusiasms rather than by a cynical perception of what “will sell.” It has always been our aim to be a general bookstore, a refuge for the wide-ranging mind, a place where everyone will find something to her taste – original, first-rate, and somewhat out of the ordinary. This is not the direction in which the big chain bookstores or the big websites are heading. Nonetheless, it is the one towards which we strive. This is the reason we exist and why we continue to thrive.
It's so awesome to see an indie bookstore still thriving after 40 years of business!! Gotta love the positive message Rakestraw Books shares on their about page with their customers/readers. I wish them continued success in the years to come and look forward to visiting their store in the months and years ahead.
I enjoyed sitting at this sunny spot to peruse books!
So, which indie bookstores have you visited lately?
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This feature was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!
Each week we will post a new Top Ten list that one of our bloggers here at The Broke and the Bookish will answer. Everyone is welcome to join. All we ask is that you link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND add your name to the Linky widget so that everyone can check out other bloggers lists! If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment. Have fun with it! It's a fun way to get to know your fellow bloggers.
The following characters are the ones that I'd want sitting with me at my lunch table at school!!
1. Susan "Stargirl" Caraway from Jerry Spinelli's novel Stargirl 2. Donald Zinkoff from Jerry Spinelli's novel Loser 3.Palmer LaRue from Jerry Spinelli's novel Wringer 4. Scout Finch from Harper Lee's novel To Kill A Mockingbird 5. Hermione Granger from J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter Series 6. Harry Potter -- Same as above! 7. Ismae from Grave Mercy by Robin Lafevers 8. Augustus Waters from John Green's novel The Fault in Our Stars 9. Hazel Grace Lancaster --- Same as above! 10. Arnold Spirit Jr. from The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie Which characters would you want sitting with you at the lunch table at school?
