Bout of Books 12 --- Day Two Wrap-Up Post!!

The end of day two of Bout of Books 12 has come and gone! I had a much better day of reading today than yesterday. I finished the last 30 pages of The Seance by Joan Lowery Nixon, which was a good young adult mystery novel. I also finished reading the remaining 77% of Mr. August, an ebook by Jan Romes, which was also a good read.

I also enjoyed participating in the Top 10 Recommendations Challenge hosted by Trees of Reverie.

How was your day of reading during day two of Bout of Books 12?

Bout of Books 12 Challenge --- Top 10 Recommendations

Thank you Trees of Reverie for hosting a challenge for Day 2 of the Bout of Books 12.0 Read-A-Thon!! Today's challenge is titled Top Ten Recommends.

The Challenge: You’ve just started to work at a bookstore (or library) - what are your top ten go-to book recommendations? 

Prompts:

You may select any TEN BOOKS of your choice. These books can be from a specific genre, or you may like to choose a few books from various genres.

Make a list of the TEN BOOKS that you’ve selected. Make sure to include the title and author of each book.

The following ten books are my picks for young adults or middle school readers!

Firegirl by Tony Abbott 
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli
Love, Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli
The Giver by Lois Lowry
Witness by Karen Hesse
White Lilacs by Carolyn Meyer
Wringer by Jerry Spinelli
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian by Sherman Alexie

Incantation by Alice Hoffman

Which books would you recommend?

Bout of Books 12 --- Day One Wrap-Up Post!!

I actually didn't accomplish much reading today, which is unfortunate! I had high hopes of reading the last 43 pages of a novel I started on January 1, 2015. But alas, I only read thirteen pages total for the day and it was this evening at 9:30pm... I am so tired from today's activities to continue forward with any reading at this time. Thank goodness there is always tomorrow to play catch up!!

I did do one of the challenges earlier today, which was fun! I completed the New Year’s Resolution Challenge. How did your first day of Bout of Books go today??

Bout of Books 12.0: New Year’s Resolution Challenge

Chaiann at The Book That... is hosting a mini challenge today on the first day of the Bout of Books 12.0 Read-A-Thon!!

This challenge is all about New Year's Resolutions. I want to make sure to keep my bookish related resolutions in 2015, so I'm up to completing this mini challenge!! The rules for this challenge are as follows:

New Year’s Resolutions:

Whether you have made reading resolutions or want to use general life resolutions you have made over the New Year holiday, pick books with titles that relate to each of your resolutions. You can post as many or as few as you would like.

Below are the book titles I selected for the New Year's Resolutions challenge:

Instant Temptation by Jill Shalvis: 

I have a massive 'to be read' pile... I'm sure this is an issue for many avid readers. My goal is to keep my 'to be read' pile from growing any larger than it already currently is by NOT buying any more books for myself during 2015. Instead, I want to focus on reading the books I already have on my bookshelves. I just need to be strong and not succumb to the temptation to buy more books this year!!

Room by Emma Donoghue: 

This novel represents my desire to incorporate reading more new to me authors in 2015. I have plenty of books on my shelves by authors that I have yet to read. So, now I need to make room to read more new to me authors in 2015.

A Wrinkle In Time by Madeleine L'Engle: 

1. This novel's title is a reminder to make/carve out time to reach my goal of reading and/or listening to 100 books in 2015. 

2. This title also reminds me to make time to participate in the read-a-thons and reading challenges I've signed up for during the year and find more along the way to participate in in the months to come.

The Geography of Bliss by Eric Weiner: 

This book's title represents several of my bookish related resolutions in 2015! 

1. Visit as many new to me indie bookstores around the San Francisco Bay and San Francisco's East Bay area as I can and blog about my experience visiting these indie bookstores. I enjoy promoting indie bookstores.

2. Visit the National Steinbeck Center in Salinas, California.

3. Visit the San Francisco Center For the Book

4. Attend as many local author signings and other literary events in the San Francisco Bay Area as I time and interest permits. I love attending author signings and literary events.

So as a recap, four book titles from my bookshelves represent eight of my bookish related resolutions for 2015. This is pretty awesome if you ask me.

If you participated in this challenge, leave me a link to your blog post. I'd like to read which books represented your 2015 New Year's Resolutions.

Things Audiobook Lovers Understand!!

I love listening to audiobooks and have become quite addicted to listening to them during the last two to three years. 

Last year alone, I listened to a total of 48 audiobooks. This is the most audiobooks I've listened to in any given calendar year. I'm hoping to listen to a lot of audiobooks this year as well.

I came across an article on Bustle's website titled 21 Things Only Audiobook Lovers Understand by Caitlin White. In the article, White writes:

It’s hard to convince those hard-copy book traditionalists to move to e-books, never mind audiobooks. But as every audiobook lover knows, once you try it, you wonder how you ever had the time to sit and read a print book with your busy life. Suddenly, you’re “reading” absolutely everywhere you go, knocking chores off your list, and multi-tasking like a gosh darn pro.

Yes, listening to audiobooks are not only great to listen to while commuting, while exercising as well as many other tasks too. 

I loved many of the gifs in this article!! And yes, as an audiobook listener, I can relate to several of the things mentioned in the above article. Until my next post, happy listening!!

Bookish Quote of the Day!!

Six Essential Cocktail Books

Looking for a new cocktail books to add to your collection in 2015? Then checkout an article I came across on the LA Times website titled Read before you drink! Six essential cocktail books by Jenn Harris. In her article, Harris wrote the following:

If you're looking to reorganize your cookbook collection in the new year, don't forget about the cocktails. Here's a look at six cocktail books -- some old, some new -- to add to your collection.

Click on the above link to read the full article and see which six cocktail books are the most essential ones to add to your personal collection! 

Friday Finds #66

Friday Finds is a book meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. Friday Finds is a chance to share and show off the books you discovered during the week and would like to add to your reading list...

Or a place to simply feature the books you've actually purchased throughout the week and have added to your to be read pile!

Last weekend, my hubby and I visited Santa Cruz, California... While we were in Santa Cruz we visited an indie bookstore that sold used, new and collectible books as well as records and compact discs. I love eclectic, indie bookstores!!

Anyway, while I was there I picked up a used copy of Stitch'N Bitch by Debbie Stoller. Stitch'N Bitch is a knitting book that I've read wonderful things about as a resource for knitters. I began knitting last year and am a complete newbie to the world of knitting. I am frequently on the look out for knitting resources, whether it be free knitting patterns online, watching YouTube Video Knitting Tutorials, knitting classes, knitting circles, books and so on... So, I'm looking forward to using this book in 2015 to help me become a better knitter and advance my knitting skills.

I've also added the following knitting book to my reading wishlist as it looks like another wonderful knitting resource: 

The Chicks with Sticks Guide to Knitting by Nancy Queen

I also picked up the following eBooks earlier this week from Amazon:

An Untamed State by Roxane Gay
Dying to Read by Lorena McCourtney
A Brush With the Moon by Raquel Lyon
Where There's Smoke by Jodi Picoult
Welcome to Sugartown by Carmen Jenner

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

The First Book of 2015!!!

I learned that Sheila at Book Journey makes photo collages of readers reading their first book of the new year from Elizabeth at Silver's Reviews!! I thought this was a fun idea and decided to post a picture of me reading this morning (in my pajamas and robe of all things) my first book of 2015... I'm a bit camera shy about posting pictures of myself on my blog! I think this is actually the first picture I've posted of myself ever here for my readers to view.

So, which book am I reading on the first day of 2015?? The Seance by Joan Lowery Nixon... It's a young adult novel that sounds intriguing from the book summary. Joan Lowery Nixon is a new to me author and I'm hoping that The Seance lives up to my expectations!!

So, which book is your first read in the new year??

Happy New Year to All!!

I wish you all a fabulous year ahead in 2015!!

May your year ahead be filled with much

love & happiness filled with an abundance 

of good health and prosperity!!

Of course, I also wish you a fantastic year of reading

in 2015 as well!! I hope you read and discover

many wonderful books and authors in the year ahead.

Thank you for visiting my book blog, leaving comments and

helping me make it a success!