tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86528864666594021802024-03-18T18:35:11.033-07:00Captivated ReaderMy 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!Captivated Readerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15789205839634527219noreply@blogger.comBlogger3277125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8652886466659402180.post-56997987771360293272024-03-18T12:50:00.000-07:002024-03-18T12:51:17.295-07:00UMBERTO ECO: WHY YOUR UNREAD BOOKS DEFINE YOU... DO YOU AGREE?<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="290" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eH3ZCwbkytg" width="320" youtube-src-id="eH3ZCwbkytg"></iframe></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I came across this short video on YouTube over the weekend.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I watched this video with some interest.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Do you think your unread books define you?</span></p>Captivated Readerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15789205839634527219noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8652886466659402180.post-31147367670504908402024-03-17T07:46:00.000-07:002024-03-17T07:46:00.135-07:00The Haunting of Blackwood House by Darcy Coates<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIzgmeeF5Tx48d1o95_4vDRGMs2pSjJrGx6KCsXCbe8-Q9XGzPWHLW_LjCi22Aqqeo0bhQj81ObhzkhFoLx4KNyoFoH4ANZwI61CBm-kGar0kTZFHgPrr9FM8ZpeD-dt0mijAqwYavUu8QgDD299cO9aVAwXA_CQpe_5hZlc-8e548qroHaBwkzOssshs/s660/darcy.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="660" data-original-width="660" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIzgmeeF5Tx48d1o95_4vDRGMs2pSjJrGx6KCsXCbe8-Q9XGzPWHLW_LjCi22Aqqeo0bhQj81ObhzkhFoLx4KNyoFoH4ANZwI61CBm-kGar0kTZFHgPrr9FM8ZpeD-dt0mijAqwYavUu8QgDD299cO9aVAwXA_CQpe_5hZlc-8e548qroHaBwkzOssshs/w640-h640/darcy.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div><span style="font-size: large;">I had read a review of one of Darcy Coates's other novels on </span><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://larkwrites.blogspot.com/">Lark Writes...on books and life</a>'</span><span style="font-size: large;">s blog. I was intrigued, so I decided to read one of Darcy Coates's novel myself.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">I ended up listen to the unabridged audio version of <i><a href="https://www.chirpbooks.com/audiobooks/the-haunting-of-blackwood-house-by-darcy-coates">The Haunting of Blackwood House</a></i> by <a href="https://darcycoates.com/">Darcy Coates</a> and narrated by <a href="https://www.pipergoodeve.com/">Piper Goodeve</a>. Listening time for <i>The Haunting of Blackwood House</i> by Darcy Coates is 8 hours, 24 minutes and is well narrated by Piper Goodeve.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">If you enjoy horror stories which feature a haunted house filled with paranormal activities, then <i>The Haunting of Blackwood House</i> may be just the novel for you. I was drawn to <i>The Haunting of Blackwood House </i>because of the haunted house/paranormal activity themes in this novel! </span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">I think Darcy Coates does a nice job building suspense and writing about the haunted house itself and the paranormal activities. What I did not enjoy were the two main characters, Mara & Neil. Mara's repeated refrains became annoying. Plus, I felt both Mara and Neil were two dimensional and needed an additional pop to make them more engaging. The minor characters were acceptable. This novel was a mixed bag for me.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Below is the plot summary for <i>The Haunting of Blackwood House</i> by Darcy Coates from <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Haunting-Blackwood-House-Darcy-Coates/dp/1728220149/ref=sr_1_1?crid=20M4FEPHG7DI8&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.-aIS9i89TTRSj8mN3TF7tF2Wfvge7yKcqmRsD6y6oCfFQ6DShXGcizeP55VmfI60eoXRskvgxRoduemOUw2KfSpjGLBsnxvqykBa2FiilxHUfUFY1QxrWB-Q7yj8TsZ8gfvkvwsW3pgJVdHX0c_YlkmyBsISoILv66na3G83Zqw.8Xnsd0HYQDHDLeNQCh9fdFwMLcaWiqKn3vk-MJeQqSQ&dib_tag=se&keywords=The+Haunting+of+Blackwood+House+by+Darcy+Coates&qid=1710544583&sprefix=the+haunting+of+blackwood+house+by+darcy+coates%2Caps%2C146&sr=8-1">Amazon's website</a>:</span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><blockquote>From bestselling horror author and queen of gothic mysteries Darcy Coates comes a chilling story about the shadows of dead things―and how they haunt the living. How long could you survive?<br /><br />As the daughter of spiritualists, Mara's childhood was filled with séances and scam mediums. Now she's ready to start over with her fiancé, Neil, far away from the superstitions she's learned to loathe...but her past isn't willing to let her go so easily.<br /><br />And neither is Blackwood House.<br /><br />When Mara and Neil purchased the derelict property, they were warned that ever since the murder of its original owner, things have changed. Strange shadows stalk the halls. Doors creak open by themselves. Voices whisper in the night. And watchful eyes follow her every move. But Mara's convinced she can't possibly be in danger. She doesn't believe in ghost stories, and she didn't buy a haunted house―it's just not possible.<br /><br />Because ghosts aren't real... are they?</blockquote></span><div><span style="font-size: large;">I'm giving <i>The Haunting of Blackwood House</i> by Darcy Coates a rating of 3 stars out of 5 stars.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Until my next post, happy reading!!</span></div>Captivated Readerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15789205839634527219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8652886466659402180.post-61233220872599200702024-03-16T06:27:00.000-07:002024-03-16T06:27:00.200-07:00A Frozen Woman by Annie Ernaux<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL2awHNuptBmajbQJtBKWYJ6EsxtzWbigu7pwM8B_rgoeVuR12P5eEsU7kBZCn1ikB5LzTaK9WwIEobnmx3KTMDMcu3vdAGthI-bRcqAmfCBQ_ccLLHWFERuM3MifiVyUn8qc-uwH8UIN42qmbV3HXOLZZqrawL6fDud1m438uTcNPXn9AlTy9uiMveDQ/s1000/annie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="669" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL2awHNuptBmajbQJtBKWYJ6EsxtzWbigu7pwM8B_rgoeVuR12P5eEsU7kBZCn1ikB5LzTaK9WwIEobnmx3KTMDMcu3vdAGthI-bRcqAmfCBQ_ccLLHWFERuM3MifiVyUn8qc-uwH8UIN42qmbV3HXOLZZqrawL6fDud1m438uTcNPXn9AlTy9uiMveDQ/w428-h640/annie.jpg" width="428" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I'd never even heard of French writer, Annie Ernaux, before... That is until she won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2022. I decided to give one of Ernaux's books a try to see what her writing was like.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I ended up listening to the unabridged audio version of <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/A-Frozen-Woman/dp/B081TL173R/ref=tmm_aud_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&dib_tag=se&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.lhxQqacoAlmqtRuRABX190oRChQKURCi6JTNw3ynuSEyyxncWdMK2d7qUWxTZXcS4j9nthsOyLfdzOFBMRduH7kHb3K7OBOkusbQ27ergQ9EWK0j5HOYZ4Yp-wjLW-_phooDzfWoweXK5DV-L-Vh7rRZ4Cjx7D4kYsoK2u4lA0AIWuf0oLEeDJjSriFxU_apmEU4MZstDvJp7g-W8lBeQIRivaN7WzKYALS2j9s5pAHI3zzWLgG0r9gzuEMTJVRVYsvmrBQ32eCqHPx6EKOemM9diXwncUOB5-DO3d7SWc0.x9SFMObiddeVSP2WER6o17abEvCFHwtr_XDTZy8LzLk&qid=1710369096&sr=8-11">A Frozen Woman</a></i> by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annie_Ernaux">Annie Ernaux</a> and narrated by <a href="https://taviagilbert.com/">Tavia Gilbert</a>. This is an early work by the author, which was published in 1995. It's a short read at approximately 145 pages. <i>A Frozen Woman</i> is categorized as both a memoir and as historical literary fiction on Amazon's website... So, I can only assume this book is a work of creative nonfiction?</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I enjoyed <i>A Frozen Woman</i> and the writing style of the author. <i>A Frozen Woman</i> is definitely a feminist read, which presents a cultural history/snapshot of women in society. Topics touched upon included how women are viewed in society, societal norms/expectations of women, trying to have a different sort of lifestyle as a woman than the one society expects from you, and trying to have it all/juggle it all. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I think Ernaux presents the material well. In my opinion, <i>A Frozen Woman</i> is a great book to read during Women's History Month. Tavia Gilbert narrated <i>A Frozen Woman</i> very well.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Below is the publisher's summary for<i> A Frozen Woman</i> by Annie Ernaux from <a href="https://www.amazon.com/A-Frozen-Woman/dp/B081TL173R/ref=tmm_aud_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&dib_tag=se&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.lhxQqacoAlmqtRuRABX190oRChQKURCi6JTNw3ynuSEyyxncWdMK2d7qUWxTZXcS4j9nthsOyLfdzOFBMRduH7kHb3K7OBOkusbQ27ergQ9EWK0j5HOYZ4Yp-wjLW-_phooDzfWoweXK5DV-L-Vh7rRZ4Cjx7D4kYsoK2u4lA0AIWuf0oLEeDJjSriFxU_apmEU4MZstDvJp7g-W8lBeQIRivaN7WzKYALS2j9s5pAHI3zzWLgG0r9gzuEMTJVRVYsvmrBQ32eCqHPx6EKOemM9diXwncUOB5-DO3d7SWc0.x9SFMObiddeVSP2WER6o17abEvCFHwtr_XDTZy8LzLk&qid=1710369096&sr=8-11">Amazon's website</a>:</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><blockquote><span style="font-size: large;">A Frozen Woman charts Ernaux's teenage awakening, and then the parallel progression of her desire to be desirable and her ambition to fulfill herself in her chosen profession - with the inevitable conflict between the two.<br /><br />And then she is 30 years old, a teacher married to an executive, mother of two infant sons. She looks after their nice apartment, raises her children. And yet, like millions of other women, she has felt her enthusiasm and curiosity, her strength and her happiness, slowly ebb under the weight of her daily routine. The very condition that everyone around her seems to consider normal and admirable for a woman is killing her.<br /><br />While each of Ernaux's books contain an autobiographical element, A Frozen Woman, one of Ernaux's early works, concentrates the spotlight piercingly on Annie herself. Mixing affection, rage and bitterness, A Frozen Woman shows us Ernaux's developing art when she still relied on traditional narrative, before the shortened form emerged that has since become her trademark.</span></blockquote><span style="font-size: large;">I am giving <i>A Frozen Woman </i>by Annie Ernaux a rating of 4 stars out of 5 stars.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Until my next post, happy reading!!</span></p>Captivated Readerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15789205839634527219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8652886466659402180.post-80597871630706319242024-03-15T07:24:00.000-07:002024-03-15T07:24:00.244-07:00Bookish Quote of the Day!!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXAowGlRTKTRo9FAqAIwJF9opFWwn2lCBZcea6HvdAVlfVK5tr3pU4INz8pnTXKrM68ZYDTUpnm6TlunOX1mEuONpT8qvvLtqgXoM03QikOU7e23nn8EnQoXTKSQa19UTKeu52WWR4ifzapwygyPxJ-ngMPFmVt_GLIaZ4esJ2tXEF54iZ7Bs-aPwdyus/s681/IMG_2264.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="681" data-original-width="526" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXAowGlRTKTRo9FAqAIwJF9opFWwn2lCBZcea6HvdAVlfVK5tr3pU4INz8pnTXKrM68ZYDTUpnm6TlunOX1mEuONpT8qvvLtqgXoM03QikOU7e23nn8EnQoXTKSQa19UTKeu52WWR4ifzapwygyPxJ-ngMPFmVt_GLIaZ4esJ2tXEF54iZ7Bs-aPwdyus/w494-h640/IMG_2264.JPG" width="494" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Captivated Readerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15789205839634527219noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8652886466659402180.post-35060597354625705012024-03-14T03:34:00.000-07:002024-03-14T03:34:00.133-07:00360 Flip Books from Japan! (Video)<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/F9DrzsNPPVo" width="320" youtube-src-id="F9DrzsNPPVo"></iframe></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Wow, these books look amazing!</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I wonder how many other styles this book comes in?</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I think these books would make the perfect coffee table book.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">What do you think of them?</span></p>Captivated Readerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15789205839634527219noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8652886466659402180.post-54744496784494946022024-03-13T13:19:00.000-07:002024-03-13T13:19:42.621-07:00The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpl0ly-rslmDBlWJyE4RaG9rP6vyhd7hQ_atsLKKY-JEFu9WyAeKN-8PjLhuvtVlojVP389Gd4zFz1_x0BSY082xjBMHVLf27Xp49zGYsKVrawM0wePyoec5Ib-AoIAs5T81Vl4ENA7Uq9PRe908Iho5xnUnQ7hycRKhRUy0M7C7zftYac64bXaD9x8PA/s450/IMG_0130.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="450" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpl0ly-rslmDBlWJyE4RaG9rP6vyhd7hQ_atsLKKY-JEFu9WyAeKN-8PjLhuvtVlojVP389Gd4zFz1_x0BSY082xjBMHVLf27Xp49zGYsKVrawM0wePyoec5Ib-AoIAs5T81Vl4ENA7Uq9PRe908Iho5xnUnQ7hycRKhRUy0M7C7zftYac64bXaD9x8PA/w640-h640/IMG_0130.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I've been meaning to read something by Liane Moriarty for a number of years now. I finally listened to the unabridged audio version of <i><a href="https://www.chirpbooks.com/audiobooks/the-husband-s-secret-by-liane-moriarty-81f71cdd42#logged-out-audiobook-reviews-app">The Husband's Secret</a></i> by <a href="https://lianemoriarty.com.au/">Liane Moriarty</a> and narrated by <a href="https://www.hastybooklist.com/blog/caroline-lee-audiobook-narrator">Caroline Lee</a> earlier this year. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Listening time for <i>The Husband's Secret</i> by Liane Moriarty is 13 hours, 45 minutes.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I am glad I listened to <i>The Husband's Secret </i>as it's well narrated by Caroline Lee. I liked the storyline and plot details/twists for this novel as well.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><i>The Husband's Secret</i> is told through the viewpoint of three different women: Cecilia, Rachel, and Tess. It's Cecilia's husband that has a deep, dark secret he's hidden from everyone for decades... His secret finally comes to light in an unopened letter Cecilia discovers while he's away on travel. Cecilia debates whether or not to open and read the letter. But eventually Cecilia decides toopen the letter and wow, what a bombshell of a confession she learns from her husband through his letter. The information sets off a chain reaction like no other.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Rachel and Tess barely know Cecilia or each other, but the lives of all three women collide in an unimaginable way because of Cecilia's husband's secret.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I enjoyed the writing for <i>The Husband's Secret</i> by Liane Moriarty and look forward to reading another novel written by the author.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Below is the publisher's plot summary for <i>The Husband's Secret</i> by Liane Moriarty I discovered on <a href="https://www.chirpbooks.com/audiobooks/the-husband-s-secret-by-liane-moriarty-81f71cdd42#logged-out-audiobook-reviews-app">Chirp's website</a>:</span></p><span style="font-size: large;"><blockquote>Imagine that your husband wrote you a letter, to be opened after his death. Imagine, too, that the letter contains his deepest, darkest secret - something with the potential to destroy not just the life you built together, but the lives of others as well. Imagine, then, that you stumble across that letter while your husband is still very much alive… Cecilia Fitzpatrick has achieved it all - she’s an incredibly successful businesswoman, a pillar of her small community, and a devoted wife and mother. Her life is as orderly and spotless as her home. But that letter is about to change everything, and not just for her: Rachel and Tess barely know Cecilia - or each other - but they too are about to feel the earth-shattering repercussions of her husband’s secret.</blockquote></span><p><span style="font-size: large;">I am giving <i>The Husband's Secret</i> by Liane Moriarty a rating of 4 stars out of 5 stars.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Until my next post, happy reading!!</span></p>Captivated Readerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15789205839634527219noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8652886466659402180.post-23821995562122235572024-03-08T18:02:00.000-08:002024-03-08T18:02:00.310-08:00Bookish Quote of the Day!!!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6chDLtqE3zTRu3z9dd_J5PFU2OWi7cNoMvzbe0Gor-PwAdk6nNRQo11Y0cPaeCWDFxvGCtheACSn2ApRdTpqP80VwqvK_et8ATXH5PdA46Jxf72ISV4Wi1CcEvdV75nEKGHRiu1vgk0Ja4lwYZXMAI1kC3TrOO-awY8kdepzk6CFkPdPwn88Op-8z9DI/s679/IMG_2192.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="679" data-original-width="526" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6chDLtqE3zTRu3z9dd_J5PFU2OWi7cNoMvzbe0Gor-PwAdk6nNRQo11Y0cPaeCWDFxvGCtheACSn2ApRdTpqP80VwqvK_et8ATXH5PdA46Jxf72ISV4Wi1CcEvdV75nEKGHRiu1vgk0Ja4lwYZXMAI1kC3TrOO-awY8kdepzk6CFkPdPwn88Op-8z9DI/w496-h640/IMG_2192.JPG" width="496" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>Captivated Readerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15789205839634527219noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8652886466659402180.post-28813044374277072942024-03-06T04:30:00.000-08:002024-03-06T04:30:00.136-08:00West Virginia House Passed a Bill Allowing Prosecution of Librarians!!!<p><span style="font-size: large;">I came across another disturbing news article recently published in The Parkersburg News and Sentinel titled, <i><a href="https://www.newsandsentinel.com/news/local-news/2024/02/west-virginia-house-passes-bill-allowing-prosecution-of-librarians/">West Virginia House passes bill allowing prosecution of librarians</a></i> by Steven Allen Adams. In the article, Steven Allen Adams wrote the following:</span></p><span style="font-size: large;"><blockquote>CHARLESTON — The West Virginia House of Delegates debated the merits of removing protections for public librarians and school librarians from criminal prosecution in the off chance a minor encounters books and content some consider to be obscene.<br /><br />The House passed House Bill 4654 – removing bona fide schools, public libraries, and museums from the list of exemptions from criminal liability relating to distribution and display to a minor of obscene matter – in a 85-12 vote Friday, sending the bill to the state Senate.<br /><br />HB 4654 would lift criminal liability exemptions from schools in the presentation of local or state-approved curriculum, and public libraries and museums displaying obscene matter to a minor when the child is not accompanied by a parent/guardian.<br /><br />State Code defines obscene matter as anything an average person believes depicts or describes sexually explicit conduct, nudity, sex or certain bodily functions; or anything a reasonable person would find lacks serious literary, artistic, political or scientific value. According to State Code 61-8A-2, any adult who knowingly and intentionally displays obscene matter to a minor could be charged with a felony, fined up to $25,000 and face up to five years in prison if convicted.</blockquote><p>Seriously, what the ever living F**K? Librarians are going be persecuted for doing their jobs?</p><p>I find it difficult to believe that librarians would not know their audience or how to do their jobs correctly... AND that the state of West Virginia needed to pass a bill to spell out what librarians cannot do. </p><p>Do the people of West Virginia think librarians are going to put up a display of pornographic magazines for children to see? Get real!! Trust the professionals and let librarians do their jobs without fear of prosecution.</p></span><h2 style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: #f7f7f7; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 1.6em; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: -5px 0px 10px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"></h2><aside id="article_details" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: #f7f7f7; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; float: left; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px 20px 0px 0px; text-align: center; text-size-adjust: 100%; width: 217px;"></aside>Captivated Readerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15789205839634527219noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8652886466659402180.post-36429160606265500282024-03-05T10:14:00.000-08:002024-03-05T10:14:54.766-08:00Beaufort, SC, Bans Five Books From School Shelves!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JNaw_ZPsg7E" width="320" youtube-src-id="JNaw_ZPsg7E"></iframe></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I admit that I don't understand the reasoning behind the majority of school/library book banning that parents (or the community at large) want to impose. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I am against book banning. Students, or the rest of population for that matter, should be able to access to and be able to read all sorts of material any time they want.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I understand that not everyone agrees with my opinion and that's okay. Parents have the right to decide how to raise their own children and what their children have access to (ie books, etc.). I strongly advocate for parental rights. However, I DO NOT AGREE with the idea that a single parent or a small, select group of parents decide what is best for all children to read. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">If a parent doesn't want their children to read certain books from their school or public library, then they ave a right to limit what their child has access to from the school or public library. BUT don't ruin it for someone else's child by having the book banned because you don't agree that the book should be available to all children. That's what I mostly have issue with.</span></p>Captivated Readerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15789205839634527219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8652886466659402180.post-23010226568248912262024-03-04T11:21:00.000-08:002024-03-04T11:21:00.322-08:00Book Talk with Drew Gilpin Faust - Necessary Trouble<p style="text-align: center;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoPLCiXUP5aAgpmmiB1WFA3zYz9hywsn4JhR1RoZVhpRKYreXVxkcXfkVXrWOtjqDJwbOT12FZwuqZeRdQ3Tu4X2agMx3EnKQUgnks9m8W_4eCARABu7H-kuL3KSlVVL3yCqAnQtW4rAlywT3Mhzmxh5y9HTBljDTfFUDxhKVtKOlafD_kumBnr7gsbEs/s2160/IMG_0121.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1620" data-original-width="2160" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoPLCiXUP5aAgpmmiB1WFA3zYz9hywsn4JhR1RoZVhpRKYreXVxkcXfkVXrWOtjqDJwbOT12FZwuqZeRdQ3Tu4X2agMx3EnKQUgnks9m8W_4eCARABu7H-kuL3KSlVVL3yCqAnQtW4rAlywT3Mhzmxh5y9HTBljDTfFUDxhKVtKOlafD_kumBnr7gsbEs/w640-h480/IMG_0121.PNG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Last month, on February 27th to be exact, I attended my second virtual author event of 2024! The following is a description of the event from the <a href="https://www.radcliffe.harvard.edu/event/2024-book-talk-with-drew-gilpin-faust-virtual">Harvard Radcliffe Institute</a>'s website:</span></p><span style="font-size: large;"><blockquote>Harvard Radcliffe Institute and the Harvard Alumni Association welcome <a href="https://history.fas.harvard.edu/people/drew-faust">Drew Gilpin Faust</a>, Harvard University president emerita; Arthur Kingsley Porter University Professor; and founding dean of the Radcliffe Institute, to discuss her book, <a href="https://us.macmillan.com/books/9780374601805/necessarytrouble">Necessary Trouble: Growing Up at Midcentury</a> (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2023).<br /><br />Faust’s reading will be followed by a conversation with <a href="https://www.radcliffe.harvard.edu/people/tomiko-brown-nagin-dean">Tomiko Brown-Nagin</a>, dean, Harvard Radcliffe Institute; Daniel P.S. Paul Professor of Constitutional Law, Harvard Law School; and professor of history, Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences.</blockquote></span><p><span style="font-size: large;">I'm so glad I attended this virtual. It was amazing! After Drew Gilpin Faust gave a short reading of her memoir, she and Tomiko Brown-Nagin spoke in conversation about Faust's book. After hearing them in conversation, </span><span style="font-size: large;">I'm now excited to read this book!<br /><br />The summary for Drew Gilpin Faust's book</span><span style="font-size: x-large;">, </span><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Necessary Trouble: Growing Up at Midcentury</i>, is as follows from the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0374601801/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1">Amazon website</a>:</span></p><span style="font-size: large;"><blockquote>A memoir of coming of age in a conservative Southern family in postwar America.<br /><br />To grow up in the 1950s was to enter a world of polarized national alliances, nuclear threat, and destabilized social hierarchies. Two world wars and the depression that connected them had unleashed a torrent of expectations and dissatisfactions―not only in global affairs but in American society and Americans’ lives.<br /><br />A privileged white girl in conservative, segregated Virginia was expected to adopt a willful blindness to the inequities of race and the constraints of gender. For Drew Gilpin, the acceptance of both female subordination and racial hierarchy proved intolerable and galvanizing. Urged to become “well adjusted” and to fill the role of a poised young lady that her upbringing imposed, she found resistance was necessary for her survival. During the 1960s, through her love of learning and her active engagement in the civil rights, student, and antiwar movements, Drew forged a path of her own―one that would eventually lead her to become a historian of the very conflicts that were instrumental in shaping the world she grew up in.<br /><br />Culminating in the upheavals of 1968, Necessary Trouble captures a time of rapid change and fierce reaction in one young woman’s life, tracing the transformations and aftershocks that we continue to grapple with today.</blockquote><p>I loved hearing Drew Gilpin Faust speak candidly about her early life and how her early life shaped who she became. </p></span>Captivated Readerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15789205839634527219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8652886466659402180.post-43822491220454069572024-03-01T14:01:00.000-08:002024-03-01T14:01:00.330-08:00Bookish Quote of the Day!!!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_qoe3OItrqRR95NUsatURPCgvr3vigIIFnnrDS2LqMruAKxqXLyzkdnF0E-woR9D0LB31JRoD-uglp1-WnaXPrWyo3NbyHzrwyxhTFLsvHjxn6Wm6M6M7mr25nodwmBV1FCF86JO5brGtPsTtghh-zdD0IKGCz7dDDvZaZ0yQB83N8LxsZ5lY_INULH8/s808/IMG_2217.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="769" data-original-width="808" height="610" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_qoe3OItrqRR95NUsatURPCgvr3vigIIFnnrDS2LqMruAKxqXLyzkdnF0E-woR9D0LB31JRoD-uglp1-WnaXPrWyo3NbyHzrwyxhTFLsvHjxn6Wm6M6M7mr25nodwmBV1FCF86JO5brGtPsTtghh-zdD0IKGCz7dDDvZaZ0yQB83N8LxsZ5lY_INULH8/w640-h610/IMG_2217.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Captivated Readerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15789205839634527219noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8652886466659402180.post-31254199839770109442024-02-23T01:59:00.000-08:002024-02-23T01:59:00.141-08:00Bookish Quote of the Day!!!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVYlqnA-JOvV9rcGCmg2y4Sp5Iev8I0nv26ihbDDgt_ybNLdHlX8pH5kKLLnSEByBFEw0ORpGlcrJaqbypDdObw-_IS1vFIxUs5c4IP0k-6tTEui6u3XGPXwjmAvqwOMPoBS79tleZOeYzuJx7FFDbYpDAE6tGADw6ZzcILsh1VjFkXq8SWcfOG2f94BM/s563/IMG_2219.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="460" data-original-width="563" height="522" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVYlqnA-JOvV9rcGCmg2y4Sp5Iev8I0nv26ihbDDgt_ybNLdHlX8pH5kKLLnSEByBFEw0ORpGlcrJaqbypDdObw-_IS1vFIxUs5c4IP0k-6tTEui6u3XGPXwjmAvqwOMPoBS79tleZOeYzuJx7FFDbYpDAE6tGADw6ZzcILsh1VjFkXq8SWcfOG2f94BM/w640-h522/IMG_2219.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Captivated Readerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15789205839634527219noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8652886466659402180.post-29432608536456331952024-02-18T01:51:00.000-08:002024-02-18T01:51:00.299-08:00The Treasure in the Forest by HG Wells <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XuxmB7RENrg" width="320" youtube-src-id="XuxmB7RENrg"></iframe></div><br /><p></p><div><span style="font-size: large;">I stumbled upon the audio version of <i>The Treasure in the Forest</i> by H. G. Wells on YouTube. So, I decided to listen to this short story after listening to the previous H. G. Wells short story last week.</span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">I enjoyed listening to <i>The Treasure in the Forest</i> by H. G. Wells. It's a short, fun listen and also well narrated. It's a combination horror/adventure read, imo. Since this is a short story, I will resist giving a summary, so that I don't spoil the plot.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">I am giving <i>The Treasure in the Forest</i> by H. G. Wells a rating of 3 stars out of 5 stars. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Until my next post, happy reading!!</span></div></div>Captivated Readerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15789205839634527219noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8652886466659402180.post-27176732309391386582024-02-17T06:04:00.000-08:002024-02-17T06:04:00.151-08:00New to Me Little Free Library in Walnut Creek, California!!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6x_1On6SEtvoHe_C5R5f0FuAjNnAg984NYW_1x_HxNUX7cHnYxXQmAzBjRbxqEf031S5pvqjWwoCEgpmV8cF-aRi_GNu9hQW4lVi9ai-lVuWRURALa3M5vxPDrJCc8hf20r3cYOzx1fHvzlX4PSnbAWaFhK2vpL81bz9xfaY0Nf8YTBtkaJyrOmT8HNE/s4032/IMG_2382.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6x_1On6SEtvoHe_C5R5f0FuAjNnAg984NYW_1x_HxNUX7cHnYxXQmAzBjRbxqEf031S5pvqjWwoCEgpmV8cF-aRi_GNu9hQW4lVi9ai-lVuWRURALa3M5vxPDrJCc8hf20r3cYOzx1fHvzlX4PSnbAWaFhK2vpL81bz9xfaY0Nf8YTBtkaJyrOmT8HNE/w480-h640/IMG_2382.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">My husband and I are not football fans... So, on Super Bowl Sunday, we didn't watch the Super Bowl Game - Surprise, surprise!!</span><br style="font-size: x-large;" /><br style="font-size: x-large;" /><span style="font-size: x-large;">Instead, we found two different new to us Little Free Libraries in nearby cities north of where we live.</span><br style="font-size: x-large;" /><br style="font-size: x-large;" /><span style="font-size: x-large;">The above Little Free Library is a totally cute one with a floral design painted on its exterior like the previous LFL we found in Pleasant Hill. I left two books at this particular Little Free Library. However, I didn't take any books home with me to read in the future.</span><br style="font-size: x-large;" /><br style="font-size: x-large;" /><span style="font-size: x-large;">Have you visited any new to you Little Free Libraries?</span></div>Captivated Readerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15789205839634527219noreply@blogger.com4222 Vía Del Sol, Walnut Creek, CA 94597, USA37.930372000000013 -122.06780739.6201381638211672 -157.2240573 66.240605836178858 -86.9115573tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8652886466659402180.post-6298410645969011502024-02-17T05:59:00.000-08:002024-02-17T05:59:00.137-08:00New to Me Little Free Library in Pleasant Hill, California!!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDVU9HE9kAVhToQUWWZQEr-Dbxr1y9a0Qe3T_ws3EJfTSgCks1Z1Ibm-FV7N7gTurRY2ggHdlKJm7P6NtrnvazceOMoPfAtOnTKvRYKJNTj3VGsmVvj2zHZqb0J9IThqMkdF6g-XNcbBlnD7O7fu0JCWoH7gA-BOZvPHGYNXG92G8sU5vvXiL4837Y7wc/s4032/IMG_2380.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDVU9HE9kAVhToQUWWZQEr-Dbxr1y9a0Qe3T_ws3EJfTSgCks1Z1Ibm-FV7N7gTurRY2ggHdlKJm7P6NtrnvazceOMoPfAtOnTKvRYKJNTj3VGsmVvj2zHZqb0J9IThqMkdF6g-XNcbBlnD7O7fu0JCWoH7gA-BOZvPHGYNXG92G8sU5vvXiL4837Y7wc/w480-h640/IMG_2380.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p></p><span style="font-size: large;">My husband and I are not football fans... So, on Super Bowl Sunday, we didn't watch the Super Bowl Game - Surprise, surprise!! <br /><br />Instead, we found two different new to us Little Free Libraries in nearby cities.<br /><br />The above Little Free Library is a totally cute one with a floral design painted on its exterior. I left three books at this particular Little Free Library. However, I didn't take any books home with me to read in the future.<br /><br />Have you visited any new to you Little Free Libraries?</span>Captivated Readerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15789205839634527219noreply@blogger.com2413 Beatrice Rd, Pleasant Hill, CA 94523, USA37.9397619 -122.06807539.6295280638211551 -157.2243253 66.249995736178846 -86.9118253tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8652886466659402180.post-22996417422250222072024-02-16T04:03:00.000-08:002024-02-16T04:03:00.391-08:00Bookish Quote of the Day!!!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOK_nnGLiBab9Lczi-iSnoKNf7ZG5dzjxdBsvbcsGqveWzYg8atwVHyJxvTvWXXUX-hocb8Az6-zorGDkRv3axYihX2nsfKX6jhtQ6ZTHzXGmYN2jlLG1RulBn44ruzA8IHVSw_PURuhuPoT4byGv19UCbkVm2t4MDHIaGyv7AuttC9YSW33oWJbtvQdw/s1080/IMG_2210.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOK_nnGLiBab9Lczi-iSnoKNf7ZG5dzjxdBsvbcsGqveWzYg8atwVHyJxvTvWXXUX-hocb8Az6-zorGDkRv3axYihX2nsfKX6jhtQ6ZTHzXGmYN2jlLG1RulBn44ruzA8IHVSw_PURuhuPoT4byGv19UCbkVm2t4MDHIaGyv7AuttC9YSW33oWJbtvQdw/w640-h640/IMG_2210.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Captivated Readerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15789205839634527219noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8652886466659402180.post-32428250502924754692024-02-15T09:59:00.000-08:002024-02-15T09:59:00.147-08:00The Strange Orchid by H. G. Wells <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ch20y_uZVP4" width="320" youtube-src-id="ch20y_uZVP4"></iframe></div><br /><p></p><span style="font-size: large;">I absolutely love orchids! So, when I stumbled upon the audio version of <i>The Strange Orchid</i> by H. G. Wells on YouTube, I happily decided to listen to this short story... After all, how could I resist listening to a short story about an orchid?!</span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">I enjoyed listening to <i>The Strange Orchid</i> by H. G. Wells. It's a short, fun listen and also well narrated. It's a combination horror/science fiction read, imo. Since this is a short story, I will resist giving a summary so I don't spoil the plot.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">I am giving <i>The Strange Orchid</i> by H. G. Wells a rating of 3 stars out of 5 stars. Until my next post, happy reading!!</span></div>Captivated Readerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15789205839634527219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8652886466659402180.post-37538210566803239922024-02-14T02:53:00.000-08:002024-02-14T02:53:00.267-08:00Happy Library Lovers Day!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ8DK8A3-0quMFowYVb1TgzPgk8-37LGt1AWl5pW15QIIfmx9mRgEGyXskV5JYeNImjS1ybQ3FWYn7NiCldvsJg1DiM_darNPYYMGhz8RfNX9lb15BdpHLvzGlm7nfpRwIxWc4-a_eqGOy3Dmu29MlCKoaQw-G1ijtkKhX-RvTzIlHoAVFWH_4j2zkx7s/s1920/LIBRARY-LOVERS-DAY.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ8DK8A3-0quMFowYVb1TgzPgk8-37LGt1AWl5pW15QIIfmx9mRgEGyXskV5JYeNImjS1ybQ3FWYn7NiCldvsJg1DiM_darNPYYMGhz8RfNX9lb15BdpHLvzGlm7nfpRwIxWc4-a_eqGOy3Dmu29MlCKoaQw-G1ijtkKhX-RvTzIlHoAVFWH_4j2zkx7s/w640-h360/LIBRARY-LOVERS-DAY.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I hope you have fun visiting the library today!</span></p>Captivated Readerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15789205839634527219noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8652886466659402180.post-10549573768070487312024-02-13T00:00:00.000-08:002024-02-13T00:00:00.243-08:00Top Ten Tuesday - Love Freebie - Bookish Things I L-O-V-E!<p> <a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-trJbR6FpD7c/Uqdn-6eMw8I/AAAAAAAABZo/64sZUDZZ0iY/s1600/toptentuesday.jpg" style="color: #7d181e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" height="355" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-trJbR6FpD7c/Uqdn-6eMw8I/AAAAAAAABZo/64sZUDZZ0iY/s1600/toptentuesday.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="640" /></a></p><span style="font-size: large;"><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"></div><span style="font-size: large;">Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme hosted by Jana @ <a href="http://www.thatartsyreadergirl.com/top-ten-tuesday/">That Artsy Reader Girl</a>. Top Ten Tuesday was originally created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.</span></span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: red;"><u>Below are the TOP TEN BOOKISH things I love!</u></span></b></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;">1. I love visiting Little Free Libraries! I am actually addicted to visiting Little Free Libraries. I enjoy finding new to me Little Free Libraries as well as revisiting ones I've been to before. Each Little Free Library is so unique looking, which makes finding them so much fun. I enjoy leaving books for others to find and read at Little Free Libraries. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Plus, I like the surprise of discovering which books are contained within each Little Free Library I visit. I've been able to find and snag wishlist books, discover new authors/books I've never heard of before, and even find popular books to take home and read. I even take the time to find Little Free Libraries while on vacations or day-trips.</span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">2. I've been an avid member of <a href="https://bookcrossing.com/">Bookcrossing</a> for 17 years this year. I love connecting with other avid readers/book lovers from around the world. You can register and share books with others through Bookcrossing and each person who receives and reads the book you've shared has the opportunity to make a journal entry rating the book and giving it a review which you can read about once a journal entry has been made. It's fun seeing what other people think about the same book you've already read. You can also participate in the Bookcrossing forum section on various topics, attend Bookcrossing conventions, participate in planned book exchanges, attend Bookcrossing meet-ups, and so much more! </span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">3. Attending author events/book festivals, whether in person or virtually is something I truly enjoy very much. There's nothing like hearing a favorite author talk about a new book they've written that's recently been published or about one you've already read by them.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">4. Visiting my favorite indie bookstore(s) and also discovering new to me indie bookstores is another thing I enjoy doing. Each indie bookstore is so unique. Indie bookstores usually offer exceptional customer service, staff picks/recommendations, books from local authors, author events, and more. Buying locally and supporting small businesses is truly a wonderful thing!</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">5. I love discussing books with other readers. So, belonging to a book group or having a book buddy is fabulous as you can read the same book at the same time and discuss the book while it is still fresh in your mind. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">6. Blogging about books and anything bookish related is another way to share my passion about reading, authors, books, bookish news, etc. It's just another way to connect with other avid readers/book lovers.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">7. The smell of new books! Some new books smell better than others... I'm currently reading a paperback book that smells really good.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">8. I love coffee table books.They are so fun to flip through and are fun for guests that visit to look through as well.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">9. Reading in one of my favorite spots with plenty of uninterrupted quiet time with or without a snack or beverage to enjoy while reading a captivating book is the ultimate favorite way to spend one's time.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">10. </span></span><span style="font-size: large;">I love using magnetic bookmarks while reading physical books as sometimes paper bookmarks can fall out causing one to lose their reading spot within the book they're reading.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>Happy Valentine's Day to all! I hope you have an amazing day tomorrow enjoying time with someone you love and/or do something you love!!!</b></span></div></div>Captivated Readerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15789205839634527219noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8652886466659402180.post-23042769490781978892024-02-09T13:02:00.000-08:002024-02-09T13:02:26.046-08:00Bookish Quote of the Day!!!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6FkTvwV05rgcwSq-rxW6z58bRYbb7PMoxnSpf2uAM5U2t9JeE_9INx9Z0MnPpvapU_X4qPF_0qH1K4oIdSFORGgbh_fWWIzsk7Kp1KzaMLz-HPXSsj-OqTJgWU_tlURb4-eGhTjw-gTk8Ol7ifap9GyZ95p07Unxg22AIIznieN1jy5ZcFxACcCMssCE/s526/IMG_2190.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="522" data-original-width="526" height="636" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6FkTvwV05rgcwSq-rxW6z58bRYbb7PMoxnSpf2uAM5U2t9JeE_9INx9Z0MnPpvapU_X4qPF_0qH1K4oIdSFORGgbh_fWWIzsk7Kp1KzaMLz-HPXSsj-OqTJgWU_tlURb4-eGhTjw-gTk8Ol7ifap9GyZ95p07Unxg22AIIznieN1jy5ZcFxACcCMssCE/w640-h636/IMG_2190.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>Captivated Readerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15789205839634527219noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8652886466659402180.post-61709222081382852072024-02-07T15:48:00.000-08:002024-02-07T15:48:04.597-08:00 Shiba Park Hotel - Hotel Library Stay in Japan!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cxDdHZihDjQ" width="320" youtube-src-id="cxDdHZihDjQ"></iframe></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I'm always amazed by the literary inspired places one is</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">able to visit around the world.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Last night, my husband and I watched the above video</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">we found on YouTube about the </span><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Shiba Park Hotel in Japan.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">This amazing hotel library looks so unique and is a place</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">I'd love to visit with my husband should we ever visit Japan.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Have you ever visited a library hotel or other literary inspired</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">venue? Share your experience in the comment section below.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">I'd love to read about it.</span></span></p>Captivated Readerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15789205839634527219noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8652886466659402180.post-63828442910485027012024-02-06T03:13:00.000-08:002024-02-06T03:13:00.194-08:00Top Ten Tuesday - Top Ten Quick Reads/Books to Read When Time is Short <span style="font-size: large;"><p style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-trJbR6FpD7c/Uqdn-6eMw8I/AAAAAAAABZo/64sZUDZZ0iY/s1600/toptentuesday.jpg" style="color: #7d181e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" height="355" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-trJbR6FpD7c/Uqdn-6eMw8I/AAAAAAAABZo/64sZUDZZ0iY/s1600/toptentuesday.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="640" /></a></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"></div><span style="font-size: large;">Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme hosted by Jana @ <a href="http://www.thatartsyreadergirl.com/top-ten-tuesday/">That Artsy Reader Girl</a>. Top Ten Tuesday was originally created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.</span></span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">The following short reads are ones I have enjoyed. Maybe you'll find some gems below too!<br /><br />1. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes by Anita Loos (84 pages)<br /><br />2. <i>The Birds</i> by Daphne du Maurier (75 pages)<br /><br />3. <i>The Lottery</i> by Shirley Jackson (30 pages)<br /><br />4. <i>The Yellow Wallpaper</i> by Charlotte Perkins Gilman (64 pages)</span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">5. </span><span style="font-size: large;"><i>The Fire Next Time</i> by James Baldwin (130 pages)</span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br />6. <i>Convenience Store Woman</i> by Sayaka Murata (116 pages)<br /><br />7. <i>Primates: The Fearless Science of Jane Goodall, Dian Fossey, and Biruté Galdikas </i>by Jim Ottaviani (144 pages)<br /><br />8. <i>Killer Fashion: Poisonous Petticoats, Strangulating Scarves, and Other Deadly Garments Throughout History</i> by Jennifer Wright (56 pages)<br /><br /></span><div><span style="font-size: large;">9. <i>Crap Taxidermy</i> by Kat Su (96 pages)<br /><br />10. <i>Embroideries</i> by Marjane Satrapi (134 pages)</span></div></div></div></div>Captivated Readerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15789205839634527219noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8652886466659402180.post-90507430033458212372024-02-02T02:54:00.000-08:002024-02-02T02:54:00.185-08:00Bookish Quote of the Day!!!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAYTsZaCrXmuWNXo8GeBaN70AYWEd8qeQHxtzg6_0AiuVoWqfsRwGhAYmzAK-ut68M2o30l3t9orbkaYQXgJl-gfaXF-rkIJWv_2CZCN6M4bN87NNeb0OAEbuqn_GYszREH0R06WRNO6G1ezcqlGfkIrRna2NRvdIgVN_yA5Mny2CadgsxAnKYHtEvs34/s611/IMG_2163.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="583" data-original-width="611" height="610" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAYTsZaCrXmuWNXo8GeBaN70AYWEd8qeQHxtzg6_0AiuVoWqfsRwGhAYmzAK-ut68M2o30l3t9orbkaYQXgJl-gfaXF-rkIJWv_2CZCN6M4bN87NNeb0OAEbuqn_GYszREH0R06WRNO6G1ezcqlGfkIrRna2NRvdIgVN_yA5Mny2CadgsxAnKYHtEvs34/w640-h610/IMG_2163.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Captivated Readerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15789205839634527219noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8652886466659402180.post-48578422052683727912024-01-30T00:10:00.000-08:002024-01-30T00:10:00.142-08:00Top Ten Tuesday - New-to-Me Authors I Discovered in 2023<span style="font-size: large;"><p style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-trJbR6FpD7c/Uqdn-6eMw8I/AAAAAAAABZo/64sZUDZZ0iY/s1600/toptentuesday.jpg" style="color: #7d181e; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" height="355" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-trJbR6FpD7c/Uqdn-6eMw8I/AAAAAAAABZo/64sZUDZZ0iY/s1600/toptentuesday.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="640" /></a></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"></div><span style="font-size: large;">Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme hosted by Jana @ <a href="http://www.thatartsyreadergirl.com/top-ten-tuesday/">That Artsy Reader Girl</a>. Top Ten Tuesday was originally created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.</span><div style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: large;">The following is my list of new to me authors for 2023 in no particular order of favorites:</span><br /><br />1. Lisa Unger<br />2. Belinda Bauer<br />3. Lydia Millet<br />4. Cate Lawley</span><div><span style="font-size: large;">5. Colin Cotterill<br />6. Aleatha Romig</span><div><span style="font-size: large;">7. Simon Scarrow</span></div><span style="font-size: large;">8. John Fortunato</span><div><span style="font-size: large;">9. Ernesto Quiñonez</span></div></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">10. Anita Loos</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Have you read any books by these authors?</span></div>Captivated Readerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15789205839634527219noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8652886466659402180.post-26097550296567704482024-01-27T00:19:00.000-08:002024-01-27T00:19:00.139-08:002024 Buzz Editors and Authors Panel Virtual Event<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ztxhoCrA_LjpdDWk7_9-bAOP19C6a-08hRcjqDeGBEzlaQd8Zkf9VUtXmhrH06cuilFNE4eA3MG9rRl_zbsjD2KXBBBWS_-X84lOGW0am9_4mz7pFStCmww-047o_scUVx8Rgvit33fO4TZLx6szlrGBOhCEe5d8PqbLUSPhCg-Dgl-K9jLy8DCDZX8/s1730/IMG_0100.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1252" data-original-width="1730" height="464" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ztxhoCrA_LjpdDWk7_9-bAOP19C6a-08hRcjqDeGBEzlaQd8Zkf9VUtXmhrH06cuilFNE4eA3MG9rRl_zbsjD2KXBBBWS_-X84lOGW0am9_4mz7pFStCmww-047o_scUVx8Rgvit33fO4TZLx6szlrGBOhCEe5d8PqbLUSPhCg-Dgl-K9jLy8DCDZX8/w640-h464/IMG_0100.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Yes, to attending my first virtual author event of 2024 on Wednesday, January 24th from 4pm-5:30pm PST. I love attending author events, especially virtual author events as they are so convenient! I love watching these events from the comfort of my own home.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">In this virtual author event, five authors and their editors took turns talking about their soon to be published novels later this year. Each author and editor spent about 15 minutes discussing the author's new book and the inspiration behind it.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">All five novels sound amazing and I want to read each one of them when they're released later in the year. See the titles, authors, and release dates for each book below.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">1. <i>Long After We Are Gone</i> by </span><span style="font-size: large;">Terah Shelton Harris (May 14, 2024 release date)</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">2. <i>The Switch</i> by Lily Samson (May 28, 2024 release date)</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">3. <i>Honey</i> by Isabel Banta (June 25, 2024 release date)</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">4. <i>Swift River</i> by Essie Chambers (June 4, 2024 release date)</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">5. <i>Freedom Is A Feast</i> by </span><span style="font-size: large;">Alejandro Puyana (August 6, 2024 release date)</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Long After We Are Gone, Swift River,</i> and <i>Freedom Is A Feast</i> are the novels I want to read the most from the five listed above!</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: large;"><b>Have you attended any author events so far this year? Tell me about them below in the comment section.</b></span></p>Captivated Readerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15789205839634527219noreply@blogger.com0