Bookish Quote of the Day!!

20 Tips On How To Read A Book In A Day!

I enjoyed reading this entertaining article on Bustle titled Lifehack: How To Read A Book In A Day by Joanna Novak. In her article, Joanna Novak wrote the following:

How does one go about devouring literature? Say what you will about the allures of binge watching, but I'll take binges by book, any day. If there's one key to reading a lot, it's reading efficiently. For me, that means reading a book in a day. Sometimes (oh, hey, poets), even a sitting. 

The ability to read a book in a day might not be a trick you can trot out at your next birthday bash, but its merits will long outlast a frosting-and-cake sugar buzz. Think about seeing a movie in the theater — there's something totally pleasurable about sitting in the dark, knowing you can't press pause. Believe it or not, sometimes your favorite books will be happier when they never find themselves spine up on your nightstand. They want to be read, read quickly, and loved.

Check out the 20 tips on how to read a book in a day by clicking on the very top link! Happy reading!! 

Which Books Gloria Steinem Would Bring To A Desert Island?

I read an article on Bustle's website titled 10 Books Gloria Steinem Would Bring To A Desert Island by Emma Oulton. I was intrigued by the article's title as I am interested to know which books Gloria Steinem would bring to a desert island. I now have a few new titles to add to my ever growing reading wishlist! Click on the above link to read the full article.

Top Ten Tuesday --- 10 Favorite Indie Bookstores I've Visited Since I've Started Blogging

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 love visiting indie bookstores and have visited several over the years. It's very difficult to narrow down a top ten list of favorite indie bookstore because every one of them is special in its own unique way. Click on the links below to read my review of each indie bookstore I have visited.

The Last Bookstore in downtown, Los Angeles, California

Fabulous bookstore with many discount books, records, various events, and coffee/tea bar!

Bart's Books in Ojai, California

Fabulous indoor and outdoor bookstore the winds and meanders in various nooks and crannies. I love this place!

Alexander Book Company in San Francisco, California

Fabulous three story bookstore in downtown San Francisco that is an easy walk from the Montgomery Bart Station. 

The Book Mark Paperback Book Exchange in Escondido, California

Large used bookstore in downtown Escondido. 

Vroman's Bookstore in Pasadena, California

Fabulous bookstore in bookstore with large interior and great selection of books on hand for purchase.

Bookshop Santa Cruz in Santa Cruz, California

Another lovely bookstore filled with new, used, and bargain priced new books.

Chaucer's Books in Santa Barbara, California

One of my favorite bookstores in Santa Barbara. They have nice author signing events.

Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore in San Diego, California

I love specialty bookstores and the Mysterious Galaxy specializes in mysterious, science fiction, and horror books. They also have plenty of author signing events as well as some amazing looking t-shirts for sale.

FOL Used Bookstore in Carpinteria, California

I've bought more used books here that I can recall. I love this bookstore and its location within Carpinteria. This bookstore id run by a group of friendly volunteers. Lots of used books, audiobooks, etc. are on hand.

Vedanta Bookstore in Santa Barbara, California

This is an out of the way bookstore located in the beautiful hills of Santa Barbara. Want to get away from the rat race, enjoy nature, and visit a specialty bookstore?? Then the Vedanta Bookstore in Santa Barbara is for you!

Bookish Quote of the Day!!

20 Books to Read on the 43rd Anniversary of Roe Vs. Wade

I read the following article on Bustle titled 20 Books To Read On The Anniversary Of Roe v. Wade by Kristian Wilson. In her article, Kristian Wilson writes the following:

January 22, 2016 marks the 43rd anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the landmark Supreme Court case that guaranteed women's rights to safe, legal abortion. It has not gone unchallenged. Since 1973, lawmakers have passed more than 1,000 restrictions to abortion access, including laws that require women to wait days between consultation and procedure, and those that leave some states with only a few clinics — spaced hundreds of miles apart.

Although we're still standing with Planned Parenthood in opposition to harmful anti-choice propaganda, that's a small price to protect one of the most important moments in women's history. In 1973, only four states had post-Roe-like abortion laws: Alaska, Hawaii, New York, and Washington. According to Freakonomics, Roe helped cut crime rates in the 1990s, because it made abortion available to impoverished women facing unwanted pregnancies.

Today, women shout their abortions to fight social stigma and remind us that one in three women will terminate a pregnancy by the age of 45. They go public with their stories of pre-Roe terminations to show younger women how important it is that we are never forced to go back to back alleys and coat hangers. It's a great start, but we need more.

We need more accurate abortion stories. Films and television portray abortion as a deadly procedure. Nine percent of fictional women who receive a legal abortion will die from a complication, but the statistical likelihood of that actually happening is zero.

I'm a woman, a feminist, and I believe in pro-choice.

The Most Read Books In American Prisons

Once yet again, I came across an interesting article on Bustle's website titled 9 Of The Most Read Books In American Prisons by E. Ce Miller. Some of the book titles weren't so surprising to see on this list, but other book titles were. Check out which books made the list by clicking on the link above.

Friday Finds #108

Friday Finds is a book meme hosted by Jenn at A Daily Rhythm. 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!

1. Graveyard Shift by Angela Roquet
2. New Order by Fay Wolf (ARC)
3. She's Not There by Joy Fielding (ARC)
4. Charlotte Bronte: A Fiery Heart by Claire Harman (ARC)
5. All Is Not Forgotten by Wendy Walker (ARC)

What books have you added to your TBR or reading wishlist this week?

Only Time Will Tell by Jeffrey Archer

I download the unabridged audio version of Only Time Will Tell by Jeffrey Archer and narrated by Roger Allam and Emilia Fox from Audible for FREE. Playing time for Only Time Will Tell is 12 hours, 41 minutes.

The following is my unbiased review of Only Time Will Tell by Jeffrey Archer.

Only Time Will Tell is the first novel in 'The Clifton Chronicles' and I thought it was well narrated by both Roger Allam and Emilia Fox. 

There are things I really enjoyed about Only Time Will Tell and things that I didn't really enjoy about listening to this novel. For instance, I think that Jeffrey Archer is a good storyteller. I enjoyed how he wrote this novel as he divided it into, not only individual chapters, but also in sections. Each section is told from the point of view of one of the main characters. Archer easily moves the narrative from the first person narrative to third person narrative easily for each of the characters. The continuity is fabulous, showing Archer's skill in keeping the story cohesive as he transitions from different points of view and each character's own narrative.

I enjoyed the gripping plot details and wanted to know how events would turn out in the end. I found myself cheering for Harry Clifton (the leading character) and booing the bad guy Hugo Barrington throughout Only Time Will Tell.

Certain plot details in Only Time Will Tell contained predictable outcomes. Yet there were also some wonderful plot surprises as well that I didn't see coming at all.

I didn't like the cliffhanger ending for Only Time Will Tell though. But I suppose it was inevitable that it would end the way it did considering that Only Time Will Tell is the first novel in 'The Clifton Chronicles'. It leaves the reader wondering what will happening next in Harry's journey.

I also thought that the last part of Harry's journey in Time Will Only Tell was a bit boring. I still don't see why he felt the need to work on a ship when he had better opportunities presented to him. I also don't agree with his reason for taking on the identity of another person and the predictable outcome that it lead to at the end of the novel.

One of the wonderful features of listening to the unabridged version of Only Time Will Tell was to hear Jeffery Archer being interviewed at the end of his novel. I enjoy listening to authors speak about their writing and their inspiration for writing their books.

The following is the publisher's summary for Only Time Will Tell by Jeffery Archer from Audible:

From the internationally best-selling author of Kane and Abel and A Prisoner of Birth comes Only Time Will Tell, the first in an ambitious new series that tells the story of one family across generations, across oceans, from heartbreak to triumph.

The epic tale of Harry Clifton’s life begins in 1920, with the words "I was told that my father was killed in the war." A dock worker in Bristol, Harry never knew his father, but he learns about life on the docks from his uncle, who expects Harry to join him at the shipyard once he's left school. But then an unexpected gift wins him a scholarship to an exclusive boys' school, and his life is never the same. 

As he enters into adulthood, Harry finally learns how his father really died, but the awful truth only leads him to a question: was he even his father? Is he the son of Arthur Clifton, a stevedore who spent his whole life on the docks, or the firstborn son of a scion of West Country society, whose family owns a shipping line? 

This introductory novel in Archer’s ambitious series The Clifton Chronicles includes a cast of colorful characters and takes us from the ravages of the Great War to the outbreak of the Second World War, when Harry must decide whether to take up a place at Oxford or join the navy and go to war with Hitler’s Germany. 

From the docks of working-class England to the bustling streets of 1940 New York City, Only Time Will Tell takes listeners on a journey through to future volumes, which will bring to life 100 years of recent history to reveal a family story that neither the listener nor Harry Clifton himself could ever have imagined.

The following is a video of Jeffrey Archer discussing

'The Clifton Chronicles'. Enjoy!!

I am giving Only Time Will Tell by Jeffrey Archer a rating of 3 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading to you!!

7 Best Sex-Positive Books From 2015

Okay, I couldn't resist checking out an article found on Bustle's website titled 7 Best Sex-Positive Books From 2015 by Kristen Sollee. In her article, Sollee writes the following:

Although feminism is a central talking point on everyone's lips these days, sex-positive feminism tends to take a backseat because prudery and stigma still reign supreme when it comes to the intersection of sexuality and female bodies. We have a long way to go to dispel the myths about sex-positive feminists (no, you don't have to have untold sexual partners to be one), so it's on those of us who feel moved to spread the message of sexual liberation in its many diverse incarnations to do so. Literature and non-fiction are both excellent vehicles to indoctrinate the world with sex-positivity, and in 2015, these seven authors did just that.

Click on the above link to view which books made the list of best sex-positive books from 2015. 

Bookish Quote of the Day!!

Top Ten Books I've Recently Added To My TBR

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 haven't been adding many books lately to my TBR, so my TTT list is short this week:

1. Go Set A Watchman by Harper Lee
2. Only Time Will Tell by Jeffery Archer
3. Graveyard Shift by Angela Roquet
4. New Order by Fay Wolf (ARC)
5. She's Not There by Joy Fielding (ARC)
6. Charlotte Bronte: A Fiery Heart by Claire Harman (ARC)
7. The Martian by Andy Weir

What have you added to your TBR recently?

David Bowie's 100 Favorite Books

In my teenage years, I became a fan of David Bowie's music. So, when I came across an interesting article in LA Times titled Remembering David Bowie through his 100 favorite books by Michael Schaub, I was curious to see which books were Bowie's favorites. In the article, Schaub writes the following:

Although David Bowie was best known for his music, he also made countless contributions to the worlds of art, fashion and film. 

But the singer, who died Sunday, was also devoted to literature. In 2013, Bowie left the world something other than his groundbreaking albums to remember him by — a list of his 100 favorite books. Bowie's favorite books list was featured in an exhibit honoring the musician at the Art Gallery of Ontario in Toronto.

Click on the above link to read which books were David Bowie's favorite books.

2016 Love-A-Thon

I am really excited about participating in the 2016 Love-A-Thon once again!! The 2016 Love-A-Thon is hosted by Alexa of Alexa Loves Books, Cee of The Novel Hermit, Hazel of Stay Bookish & Mel of The Daily Prophecy. You can sign up any one of their websites to participate in the 2016 Love-A-Thon.

So, what's the 2016 Love-A-Thon all about you ask? Good question!! The following information about the 2016 Love-A-Thon comes from Alexa Loves Books's blog site:

The Love-a-Thon is an event dedicated to spreading positivity and love. It’s time dedicated to visiting other bloggers/Instagrammers/BookTubers, leaving a comment or two, making new friends and fostering positivity among the members of our amazing community. As in the previous years, the event will include mini challenges, Twitter chats and giveaways galore! The full schedule will be sent to you when you’ve signed up, so you can start preparing your posts.

So, what are you waiting for?!?! It's time to spread the love of reading, blogging, and celebrating the online community at large... Go sign up for this wonderful online event!!

Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer by Katie Alender

I purchased Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer by Katie Alender in November 2014 at a local independent bookstore. I was enchanted with this novel's title and its beautiful book cover. After reading the plot summary on the back cover, I knew I had to read this young adult novel... And finally, a year plus later, I read Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer over a three day period.

There's both good and bad about this novel... But let me preface that overall, I really enjoyed reading Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer by Katie Alender. I liked the premise of this novel in which Marie Antoinette's ghost is a serial killer in modern day Paris, France! I also enjoyed that this novel is about a group of high school girls visiting Paris, France with their French teacher during the time in which the serial killings are taking place. Leading character, Colette Iselin, senses that her class trip to Paris, France will change her life and believe me, it does change her life in more ways than one. Colette discovers that her family is related to the French royal family. I enjoyed the mystery, drama, budding romance, and the ghostly figure of Marie Antoinette in Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer. Besides, who can resist a novel set in Paris, France??

What I didn't like about Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer was Colette's friendship with the uber popular, mean girl, Hannah. Colette is only friends with Hannah because she wanted to be friends with the popular girl in school, so that she'll become popular too. Hannah is downright shallow, mean, and not a true friend to Colette or anyone else for that matter. Colette is unable to share her true self with Hannah without feeling like she won't be accepted for simply being herself. You can tell that it's only a matter of time before Colette stands up to Hannah and walks away from their relationship for good. I only wish that Colette ditched Hannah sooner than she did instead of dragging out their relationship for most of the novel. It was really annoying that Colette let Hannah be such a weenie to her for most of the novel. So much of their relationship seemed to be based on peer pressure and Colette's need to fit in.

The other thing that I wished could have been showcased/explored in more detail in Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer was the relationship between Colette and Jules (the cute French tour guide), but alas it didn't happen.

The following is a plot summary for Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer by Katie Alender from Amazon:

21st century girl. 18th century ghost. Heads will roll!

The city of light just got a little darker. . . .

Colette Iselin is excited to go to Paris on a class trip. She'll get to soak up the beauty and culture, and maybe even learn something about her family's French roots.

But a series of gruesome murders are taking place across the city, putting everyone on edge. And as she tours museums and palaces, Colette keeps seeing a strange vision: a pale woman in a ball gown and powdered wig, who looks suspiciously like Marie Antoinette.

Colette knows her popular, status-obsessed friends won't believe her, so she seeks out the help of a charming French boy. Together, they uncover a shocking secret involving a dark, hidden history. When Colette realizes she herself may hold the key to the mystery, her own life is in danger. . . .
Acclaimed author Katie Alender brings heart-stopping suspense to this tale of revenge, betrayal, intrigue -- and one killer queen.

I am giving Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer by Katie Alender a rating of 3.5 stars out of 5 stars!! 

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Bookish Quote of the Day!!

Here's 10 Books To Read If You're Obsessed With The Internet

I wouldn't say that I'm obsessed with the internet, but I do find myself on the internet quite between writing blog posts and replying to comments to my blog posts, shopping online, bill paying online, general surfing, writing emails, spending time on Facebook and other social media sites, etc.

However, I was curious about an article on Bustle titled 10 Books To Read If You're Obsessed With The Internet by Julia Seales. So, I decided to check it out for myself and see which books made the list. A few of the titles mentioned were ones I'd heard of before and others were completely new to me. Click on the above link to read the full article.

Go Set A Watchman by Harper Lee

Unabridged Audio Version

Ever since I'd heard that Go Set A Watchman by Harper Lee was going to be released last year, I've wanted to read it out of sheer curiosity.

However, after Go Set A Watchman was released last year, it was received with mixed reviews... So, I postponed reading Go Set A Watchman as I was having doubts as to whether I still wanted to read it or not. 

Long story short, I decided to finally download and listen to the unabridged audio version of Go Set A Watchman by Harper Lee and narrated by Reese Witherspoon from Audible.

I listened to Go Set A Watchman off and on over the course of a 48 hour period. And all I can say is, WOW!! I'm still trying to fully digest/absorb the message contained within Go Set A Watchman. All that I can relay for sure is that I am glad that I listened to this novel. I enjoyed Go Set A Watchman for the most part. 

As a side note, I must add that I enjoyed reading To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee so much more than Go Set A Watchman though. Additionally, I'd love to reread To Kill A Mockingbird as it's been a number of years since I've read it.

Go Set A Watchman is definitely a stand alone novel. I kind of feel like it is just a different version/retelling of To Kill A Mockingbird from the point of view of Louise Finch/Scout as an adult along with other differences as well. 

I'd also like to add that Reese Witherspoon does a phenomenal job narrating Go Set A Watchman. 

The following is a plot summary for Go Set A Watchman by Harper Lee from Audible:

An historic literary event: the publication of a newly discovered novel, the earliest known work from Harper Lee, the beloved, best-selling author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning classic To Kill a Mockingbird.

Originally written in the mid-1950s, Go Set a Watchman was the novel Harper Lee first submitted to her publishers before To Kill a Mockingbird. Assumed to have been lost, the manuscript was discovered in late 2014.

Go Set a Watchman features many of the characters from To Kill a Mockingbird some 20 years later. Returning home to Maycomb to visit her father, Jean Louise Finch - Scout - struggles with issues both personal and political, involving Atticus, society, and the small Alabama town that shaped her.

Exploring how the characters from To Kill a Mockingbird are adjusting to the turbulent events transforming mid-1950s America, Go Set a Watchman casts a fascinating new light on Harper Lee's enduring classic. Moving, funny, and compelling, it stands as a magnificent novel in its own right.

I am giving Go Set A Watchman by Harper Lee a rating of 4 stars out of 5 stars.

If you've read both Go Set A Watchman and To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper, how did you feel about each novel?

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Friday Finds #107

Friday Finds is a book meme hosted by Jenn at A Daily Rhythm. 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!

Well, one of my New Year's resolutions for 2016 WAS not to purchase any books this year to add to my already ginormous 'to be read' stack. I already have sooooo many worthy books awaiting to be read by yours truly. 

However, with that said, I did receive an Audible 12-month membership for Christmas in 2015 from my husband. So, I will be purchasing a few audiobooks this year to add to my reading stack.

The following two audiobooks are ones that I've added this week. I downloaded both of them from Audible:

1. Go Set A Watchman by Harper Lee

I listened this unabridged earlier this week and enjoyed it very much. A book review is soon to come.

2. Only Time Will Tell by Jeffrey Archer

Which books have you added to your wishlist or reading pile this week?

Most of the Best Picture Oscar-Nominated Films This Year Were Based On Books!!

I read an article on Bustle titled 7 Out Of 8 Best Picture Oscar-Nominated Films This Year Were Based On Books by Emma Oulton. In her article, Oulton writes:

Book-lovers can sometimes feel totally alone among all our movie-obsessed friends — so the fact that seven out of the eight Best Picture Oscar nominees are (at least partly) based on books has me more than a little excited. At last, we can all talk about the same thing! You want to chat about The Martian? I got your back, buddy. You thought Brooklyn was great? Totally agree. For the first time, I can actually talk about the Oscar noms for hours.

It's always fun to see books made into movies and see how Hollywood interprets them for the world wide audience at large. 

I'm personally rooting for 'The Martian' and hope it wins the Oscar Award for Best Picture this year. Which movie do you hope will win the Oscar Award for Best Picture this year?

Reading Pet Peeves Avid Readers Understand!!

As an avid reader, I have pet peeves when it comes to reading. I thought the following article from Bustle titled 15 Reading Pet Peeves Every Book-Lover Understands by Stephanie Topacio Long hit the mark on many of the pet peeves I have. Click on above link to see which pet peeves made the list!

Top Ten Tuesday -- Top Ten 2015 Releases I Meant To Get To But Didn't

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.

Here's a list of books I meant to read in 2015!!

Go Set A Watchman by Harper Lee (Listening to this now!!)
Girl Waits With Gun by Amy Stewart
The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
The Fear Cure by Lissa Rankin M.D.
Effortless Healing by Dr. Joseph Mercola
My Life On The Road by Gloria Steinem
Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
The Secret Chord by Geraldine Brooks
The Heart Goes Last by Margaret Atwood
Front Roe by Louise Roe 

Which books released in 2015 did you mean to read?

6 Reasons To Read Gloria Steinem's Book 'Life On The Road'

I'm a feminist. I already have Gloria Steinem's latest book Life On The Road on my ever growing reading wishlist and I'm look forward to reading this book (hopefully) sometime later this year. I don't need any more reasons to convince myself to read a book by feminist icon, Gloria Steinem.

But, just in case anyone else needs any convincing to read Life On The Read by Gloria Steinem, then please check out the following article titled 6 Reasons Why Gloria Steinem’s ‘My Life On The Road’ Is The ONE Book Every Woman Should Add To Her Reading List by E. Ce Miller.

Are There Germs In Library Books?

I came across an article on Bustle's website titled Are There Germs In Library Books? Here's What You're Bringing Home With You by Lily Feinn. In her article, Feinn writes the following:

Worrying about the dangers of library book contamination is nothing new. Over a century ago, a 1911 article titled “The Disinfection of Books”, fanned the flames of hystria. Author L.B. Nice wrote in the Bulletin of the Medical Library Association, "Books seem well adapted for carrying small-pox, measles, scarlet fever, trachoma, diphtheria, erysipelas, dysentery, typhoid, and tuberculosis. Yet so far as I have been able to find, no satisfactory method for the disinfection of books is being used anywhere in this country. Books are a particular diversion of invalids and convalescents, therefore they are in much danger of becoming infected." Sorry invalids, time to look for a new hobby. Perhaps counting ceiling tiles would be safer?

Nice also warned that people could contract and spread disease through books with the "uncleanly habit of moistening their fingers in their mouths when turning the leaves." To prove the theory, one scientist cut out the dirtiest parts of well-used library books, mixed the paper with a saline solution, centrifuged the liquid, and injected it into guinea pigs. Many of those poor guinea pigs died of strep, tuberculosis, and sepsis.

I'm already a bit of a germophobe and wash my hands a lot anyway, but after reading this article in full... I'm like, ewww! 

The upshot of the article though is "A 1994 study found bacteria on books belonging to libraries and family households alike. However, they were both deemed safe as neither was 'a potential source of transmission.'"

Thankless In Death by J. D. Robb

Unabridged Audio Version

I've been sick with a cold since shortly after the new began... What a way to start the new year!! I decided that listening to an audiobook would be better than reading a book.

Yesterday, I finished listening to the unabridged audio version of Thankless In Death by J. D. Robb and narrated by Susan Ericksen. This is the first book I've started and finished in 2016... Thankless In Death is also the third or fourth book in the 'In Death' series by J. D. Robb that I've read so far. 

I thought that Thankless In Death was an overall good read, but there were a few things I didn't like about it.

The Pros:

* Nice, tight storyline.
* Plot flows nicely from scene to scene.
* Holiday themed read.
* Susan Ericksen is a good narrator.

The Cons:

* Jerry Reinhold, the criminal in this novel, is complete asshole and one dimensional, which made for a boring perpetrator. 
* Normally I enjoy the character of Eve Dallas and that of her hubby, Roarke... But in this novel, I found Eve to be too work motivated/workaholic always after the bad guy... I think she needs to be a bit more well rounded and have other interests.
* This murder case seemed to be wrapped up too quickly. Could a perpetrator really be apprehended that quickly??
* After listening to this audiobook, I am not so sure I want to continue reading or listening to the 'In Death' series.

The following is a plot summary for Thankless In Death by J. D. Robb from Audible:

The year 2060 is drawing to a close, and Thanksgiving is just around the corner. It's a time for loved ones to come together. But sometimes the deepest hatreds seethe within the closest relationships, and blood flows faster than water....

For Lieutenant Eve Dallas of the NYPSD, the job is a useful reminder of what she has to be grateful for this season. Hosting Roarke's big Irish family for the holiday may be challenging, but it's a joyful improvement on her own dark childhood.

Other couples aren't as lucky as Eve and Roarke. The Reinholds, for example, are lying on the floor of their Downing Street apartment, stabbed and bludgeoned almost beyond recognition. Those who knew them are stunned - and even more heartbroken by the overwhelming evidence that they were murdered by their own son. Twenty-six-year-old Jerry hadn't exactly made a good impression on all the bosses who fired him or the girlfriend who dumped him - but they didn't think he was capable of this.

Turns out Jerry is not only capable of brutality but taking a liking to it. With the money he's stolen from his parents, and a long list of grievances, he intends to finally make his mark on the world. Eve and her team already know the who, how, and why of this murder. What they need to pinpoint is where Jerry's going to strike next.

I am giving Thankless in Death by J. D. Robb a rating of 3 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

7 Podcasts For Bookworms!

I've recently started listening to podcasts... I'm currently listening to the second season of Serial.

I recently discovered an article on Bustle's website titled 7 Podcasts Every Bookworm Needs In Their Lives by Amy Sachs. In her article, Sachs writes:

If you're addicted to books, when you think of popping in your headphones while you run, clean, or work out, chances are, you already have an audiobook or two lined up for every occasion. You can knock out another book from your ever-growing TBR pile, finish the book everyone's been talking about, and check another title off your reading challenge list, all from the comfort of, well, anywhere!

But since it's a brand new year, and we're currently all about resolutions, trying new things, and in general bettering ourselves, why not try something new? Audiobooks are amazing, for sure, but they can be pretty long. Instead, why not give a listen to one of the many bookish podcasts out there? It's like a book club you can attend in your pajamas, or from your desk at work. Trust me, you'll love it. 

Or, maybe the time between new Serial updates is too long for you, and you need a new podcast to pass the time. No matter what the reason, there's a literary podcast out there for you. From sc-fi readers to self-help diehards, here are seven podcasts bookworms will love.

The podcasts showcased Amy Sach's article look/sound awesome!! Click on the top link to see which podcasts made the list!!

Top Ten Tuesday --- Top Ten Resolutions I Have For 2015

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.

1. Return to school this year and complete the paralegal certificate program through UC Berkeley before the year is up. New career here I come!!

2. Last year my goal was to read 100 books... This was a really ambitious goal. I read a lot of great books in 2015, but far too many of the books weren't that great to be quite frank about it. So, I'd rather focus on quality reads in 2016 as I may not have a lot of time to devote to reading for pleasure once I start the paralegal certificate program. So, I'd like to focus my attention on my 'to be read' pile and select the books that I've been really wanting to read for the past couple of years.

3. Continue to improve my knitting skills this year. My goal is to knit my very first sweater in 2016! I have already selected the pattern, the yarn and knitting tools already to make a sweater... So, here's to knitting my very 1st sweater this year.

4. Continue to strive for optimal health. I've been dealing with leaky gut syndrome for the past couple of years. I'm committed to healing my gut completely asap.

5. Implement the tools/techniques I learned while listening to The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business by Charles Duhigg and Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity by David Allen.

6. Find a part-time job or volunteer position while attending school.

7. Visit the San Francisco Center for the Book in 2016. This was on my list of places to visit in 2015, but never made it to the San Francisco Center for the Book for a visit.

8. Buy no more books in 2016!! I have way to many books in my personal collection that I've yet to read. If I receive books as a gift that's another issue. I will gladly accept books into my reading repertoire. I made the resolutions of not buying anymore books as one of my resolutions in the past couple of years, but have yet to be able to keep my resolution. So, I am hoping that this year I can refrain from buying any more books or downloading freebies from Amazon until I've read more of books I currently have on hand.

9. Find new bookcases to house my permanent collection of books.

10. Start journaling again on a regular basis.

First Book of the Year ~ 2016!!

Happy New Year to You!! May you have a happy, healthy, joyous, and prosperous 2016!!

Join Shelia from Book Journey and other fellow book bloggers as we feature our first book read in 2016.

My first book of 2016 is:

The Fortune Cookie Chronicles: Adventures in the World of Chinese Food by Jennifer 8. Lee. I had this book title on my reading wishlist for quite some time before I purchased a hardback copy of it for $2 at a library book sale about 2+ years ago now?!? I finally decided to dig this book out and start reading it this year. I enjoy eating CHINESE FOOD and most other Asian cuisines. I also enjoy reading nonfiction books about food, so this book seemed like a good choice for me to read at the start of 2016. Especially with the Chinese New Year right around the corner!!

I'm also hoping to read other books I've had for a year or longer in my ever growing 'to be read' pile. Happy reading to you all this year!!