Category Archives: rambles

Happy Third Birthday, Dear Blog!

Hi, bookworms! This is coming to you a day late because while I had this post all typed up and nicely edited, I forgot. to. post it. (Major face-palming moment, but better late than never, right?) 🙂

I can’t believe for the bookish has been a passion of mine for three whole years. I can’t think of anything besides reading itself that I’ve done for three years in a row. (Even with piano, I’ve quit lessons only to pick them back up every few years.) Occasionally I’ve gone a few months without checking in, but I’m so proud of my little corner of the internet. 318 posts later, I’ve built up a wonderful following, made so many friends, grown as a reader and writer, and read 136 books. (At least. I didn’t keep track of every book I read in 2014, but I did review most of them.)

I was bookish. I am bookish. If you look up “Emily” in the dictionary, bookish will be right next to my name. I am destined to be bookish for the rest of my long, bookish life.

my first blog post, april 3 2014. 

(unfortunately I couldn’t get my hands on a cupcake in time for this post, but a birthday candle will do. *no books were burned in the making of this photo.)

I’ve been MIA the past few months because I haven’t read many books… as in, at all. (Four since January! I know!) Unless you’d like me to post a review of Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass or The Old Man and the Sea (school-required reading, which isn’t always dull, but not always my cup of tea), I haven’t had very much in the way of content for the blog. Blessedly, the school year is wrapping up, which means summer vacation is in sight! (And with it the biggest itch for stacks and stacks of good books. Leave recommendations below, please!)

Since I knew my “blogaversary” was coming up, I’ve been browsing through all of my old posts. I love that I’ve had For the Bookish to document all of my reading adventures and tastes. Through blogging, I’ve met so many readers all over the world, and because of them I’ve stepped out of my comfort zone and found amazing books I never would have glanced at otherwise.

I’ve also learned that the phrase “birds of a feather flock together” is oh-so-true! I’ve found that if I and another girl four states or countries away share a favorite book, then we also share favorite TV shows or styles or we’re both home schooled or Christian or have the same personality type, etc. – it only confirms again how literature unites people everywhere, forever.

My Favorite Blog Posts Over The Years

2014:

– “happy birthday to me! // updates & more” (detailing my thirteenth birthday and also the day I began what was to be one of my FAVORITE books ever, to this day – Code Name Verity)

– interview with author heather vogel frederick!” (I remember being over the moon excited about this one. Heather has been a beloved author of mine for going on six years, and this interview, which she mentioned on her own blog in 2014, introduced me to my pen pal Brooke!)

– why books?” (throwback to my very short, four paragraph posts here. I’ve written posts of several variations on this same topic, but this was the first time I talked about why I love reading.)

– cats are good company” (I wouldn’t necessarily publish anything like this now… but this post is one that gives me a good laugh. An entire post dedicated to why cats are important to readers and books? And half a paragraph all about a “conversation” you had with your cat, Emily? Face palm. Needless to say, this received no comments… ha!)

2015:

– my bookshelf tour!” (Compare to my “2017 Bookshelf Tour.” Obviously book blogging has taught me a lot about the proper organization and aesthetics of bookshelves. I would also venture to say I’ve improved in my iPhone book photography/filter skills. 😉 )

– IT’S FOR THE BOOKISH’S BIRTHDAY!!! + MY FIRST GIVEAWAY” (You can hear the excitement straight through the title! I also love reading through the comments – a lot of you who followed me then are still around today. Trisha, Grace, Olivia, Izel, Abbey (then Audrey), and of course Brooke – you guys are the best.)

– my year in books: 2015 recap” (I’m so glad I wrote this post! I didn’t do anything like it for 2016, and now I really wish I had. I covered the funniest, most romantic, most anticipated, favorite books, etc. I read in 2015, and it’s perfect to look back on.)

– meeting kiera cass (!!!!!!!)” (The Selection series isn’t my biggest book obsession anymore, but in 2014/2015, you can bet your bottom dollar if you said one word about it, I’d jump at the opportunity to discuss it. I still think meeting Kiera was SO COOL. The event was very large, and I even remember the girls I talked to all night about other books while we waited for Kiera.)

2016:

– 25 Bookish Facts About Me” (I loved writing this, because what bookworm doesn’t like talking about all their bookish quirks? It was also fun to see what you guys shared in common with me, bookworm-wise, in the comments.)

– my favorite (rainy-day specific!) bookish movies” (Of course finishing a thick book is more satisfying than TV, but I’ll take any fictional world. In this post, I list four bookish movies – be it a book adaptation or movie about an author – perfect for rainy days. They’re my go-to’s.)

– Meeting Morgan Matson!” (Book signings are the MOST FUN. Of the two I’ve been to, I get giddy and nervous meeting the authors, as if they were celebrities. But of course, in my book – pun intended, oops – they are! Morgan Matson writes the best sweet, bittersweet, and downright depressing summer romances. In fact, I can’t wait to reread one this summer. Meeting her was a blast!)

– The Dream Factory Workshop: My Recap” (Another highlight of my bookish year, I spent a weekend at the home of my writing coach and favorite author Rachel Coker with four other storytellers. We learned so much about the art of storytelling, from Rachel, each other, and our several adventures. I can’t talk about it enough — it seems like a dream.) 

The past three years have been full of writing and reading adventures. (Not to mention my blog has inevitably documented my phases, book and non-book obsessions, and various haircuts throughout my middle and high school years so far – who knows what’s in store the next three years!) 😉

If you’ve followed my blog or commented or sent me an email at any given time, THANK YOU! My family can even vouch for the fact that whenever I get a sweet message, I talk about it to them because it makes my day. I hope to put up more posts soon, and talk to you guys below. 🙂

Love,

Emily

fun bookish news & book updates!

Hey everybody! Today I just felt like rambling and spilling some bookish thoughts that have been floating around in my brain, so I hope you don’t mind. 🙂 I wanted to do a stacking the shelves, because I have some amazing books on hold for me at the library… but I wasn’t able to get to the library this week. (Boo for not being old enough to drive myself around & the library not being in walking distance. SIGH.)

This week I have begun The Winner’s Trilogy by Marie Rutkoski, annnnd. I’m dead. That’s it. I need to make funeral arrangements, say my goodbyes… because this series is the best thing I have ever read. And it’s killing me. 

I’ve got about a hundred pages left in the second book, but I’m really trying to make this one last because the third doesn’t come out till March 29! MARCH 29! The agony. I’m also 99.9% sure The Winner’s Crime is going to end in a cliff hanger too, sooo…. O.0

In OTHER news, there are three things I have found out (this past Thursday and yesterday, so recently this week) bookish-wise and… I’m not sure how I feel about them! But I just knew I had to discuss. (And I want your thoughts too, so please tell me below what you think about these three things making BOOKISH HEADLINES TONIGHT. (Would that not be the coolest TV show ever though?? Like Entertainment Tonight, only “Books Tonight.” *faraway sigh*))

#1 on the things I found out this week… (or rather, saw): THE SIREN by Kiera Cass now has a book trailer.

On Thursday when I got online I saw it had been uploaded on the Epic Reads YouTube channel (which, let’s set the record straight, I am 100% obsessed with) that Kiera Cass’ new book has a book trailer. ACTUALLY, it’s not-so-new. Kiera first self-published The Siren in 2009 before her hit The Selection series, which I love. (Meeting Kiera last May was the bomb diggity, so much so that I’m actually using the phrase ‘the bomb diggity.’) It’s coming out again, only re-publishing by Harper Collins and from what I can understand, will be better-edited and such. I was hyped for it, because… well… KIERA CASS wrote it. And now? I’m internally crying.

The trailer… isn’t… good. In fact, I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry while watching it. I was excited to see it because the trailers for the books in the selection series (well, The One and The Heir – NOT The Selection) were amazing. But I guess the budget for this one wasn’t quite as much? That is to say: my excitement for The Siren was lessened by this book trailer. (And how disappointing is that?!) Anyway… tell me what you think about it. (You can watch it here.)

NOW for #2, which is a little more exciting: Netflix is set to premiere 13 episodes of A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS, based on the book by Lemony Snicket (aka… well… I won’t say ’cause you should read the books before you know his REAL name…) this coming year! 🙂 I have several thoughts: a) Neil Patrick Harris is said to be starring as Count Olaf which… should be… interesting? Meh? Jim Carrey played the rather odd role of Count Olaf (which was great for Jim Carrey) in the 2004 movie, so it will definitely be different. I’m just not sure I see Harris as a Count Olaf. Who knows?? b) I’m hoping the show will be less cheesy than the movie. The movie also didn’t cover everything the books did, but since there will be 13 episodes I’m assuming the show will because the books also have 13.

If you haven’t read these books, you definitely should. I’m thinking I’ll re-read them – even if the show isn’t set in stone yet – simply because it’s been a few years and I’ve forgotten a lot about them. They’re pretty short, too, so I may read a few in a week and take a break and then again another month.

emily

(Also: I read the books before Frozen even came out but now I can’t stop thinking Count Olaf as the lovable snowman Olaf… not the weird, evil guy with a thing for eyes. VERY different but now I can’t stop it!)

And last but CERTAINLY not least (which I am most excited about!) … YTV will be premiering a new Anne of Green Gables movie this February 15! I hadn’t heard about this at all until I saw it just last night on Hannah’s blog. I was thrilled! The 1985 TV series is loved, but I’m willing to give this one a chance. Martin Sheen wouldn’t be my first choice for Matthew (purely based on looks, okay? I’m biased) and it’s definitely going to be different. But Ella Ballentine looks like a positively adorable Anne — plus she’s my age and I think it’s exciting that this new version of the books could bring up a new generation of fans! Best of all: L.M. Montgomery’s granddaughter is producing the movie! The fact that the producer is related to Lucy Montgomery makes me trust them 10 times more.

(You can watch the trailer here or above.) I will definitely be watching this!

what books did you read this week? and what do you think of the bookish news? 😉

Emily