Monthly Archives: January 2017

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Currently…

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It’s been four months since I last did a “currently” post, so I thought the time had come to let you guys all know what I’m up to outside of reading again. 🙂

LISTENING TO

  • “Every It” // Caitlin Mahoney
  • “Don’t Be Shy” // Cat Stevens
  • “There She Goes” // The La’s
  • “Cheek to Cheek” // Ella Fitzgerald (Fred Astaire’s original version is fine, but Ella does it best.)
  • The 2005 Pride & Prejudice soundtrack (“Dawn” is my favorite. Wait, scratch that. Every song in this movie is my favorite. Just get me some tea and some Mr. Darcy and I could cry listening to it.)

WISHING FOR

  • My dad’s sweatshirt. I keep stealing it, and then he gets annoyed with me… but it’s SO SOFT. Now I have to go and buy a $30 sweatshirt just like my dad’s, and who has the money for that? That would buy three brand-new books!

EATING

  • Pizza. I honestly spent a good chunk of my Christmas money on two or three boxes of pizza. My cravings are just too strong to seperate us. I have no regrets in life.

(I’ve been dying for an excuse to use this GIF ^ and I did it. I finally got to use it and now my life is complete.)

  • Lots and lots of chai tea. I’m not much of a tea person, but chai is so addicting. (Oh coffee dear, you know you’re still #1.)

WEARING

  • Puffy jackets in thirty degree weather one week, short sleeves literally three days later. It’s as if Georgia has these intense teenage girl mood swings and she’s like “you know guys, I’m HAPPY let’s make it SNOW” and then she gets ticked off the next day and makes it seventy degrees and rainy. Someone get Georgia some chocolate and make her happy again.

WATCHING

    • Timeless: a time travelling trio (a soldier, pilot, and historian) set off after a terrorist attempting to destroy America. aka an emotional plot twisting roller coaster featuring epic historical costumes.

  • This Is Us: awwww, too much cuteness. Though right now I’m mad at every character accept Toby and Jack. They can do no wrong.

  • Gilmore Girls: let’s be real though, when am I not. (Currently skipping all episodes that don’t include Milo Ventimiglia – who currently plays Jack on This Is Us – because again, he can do no wrong. No matter what show he’s on.)

 

ON MY TO-DO LIST

  • Quit scrolling through apps and pick up a book again.
  • Delete cat photos to make storage space on my phone. (My cat is just way too photogenic. LOok at tHIS pReCIouSneS. I have a problem, I know.)

If anyone is wondering, his name is Thomas O’Malley (“O’Malley” for short), after the heroine of the Disney movie The Aristocats. He likes water (if the sink/shower is running or the toilet lid is up, he will be soaked) and pipe cleaners and cuddles. 

WRITING

          “I flew six flights up, until breathlessly, I pushed myself through the door of Apartment 21B. The glass doors that led to our balcony at the end of the living room proved quite a view: raindrops running down the glass, the tiny balcony covered in potted plants and ivy, cars crawling in traffic below, our beautiful city skyline, and a grown man hunched in a black windbreaker on a thin iron bar. It was as if I were looking at a painting or photograph, colors bleeding in the rain.” 

– snippet from an admittedly melodramatic but exciting scene in my WIP that I had a blast writing.

ANTICIPATING 

  • This new skirt I ordered from thredup.com (which is an online thrift store that I spend way too much time browsing.)

  • Going to Disney World next month (!!!!!!!!!!!!)
  • A new episode of Timeless on January 16. (The withdrawals are getting to be too much.)

That’s all the time I have for today (seriously – it’s 6 PM and I haven’t finished my science lesson… hehehe. *dies*) But before I go, the winner of the Salt to the Sea giveaway is… Jonathan! He’s great, and any one person who gets as excited over a Ruta Sepetys book as he does deserves a blog follow, so go check him out. (And then go get your hands on a copy of Salt to the Sea if you haven’t read it yet. That would be the obvious next life choice.)

So long for now (until I’ve finished reading my *sigh*ence lesson…)

Emily

 

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4 Books You Should Be Reading This Winter

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Georgia just got its first snow of the season. I’m laying in bed, under three blankets and cozy socks on, tea with milk and honey on my nightstand, Spotify playing in the background, candle burning nearby… *contented sigh* Honestly, does life get any better? No. No it does not. Except maybe if I was finishing the novel I’m pulling my hair out over, which I’m NOT going to mention because it’s driving me crazy. Then life MIGHT be better.

That being said, if you’re curled up by the fire with tea or coffee or hot chocolate or whatever floats your boat, still lacking something in life this year (and you already have Jesus ’cause he makes everything better, even more than chocolate I must admit)… then allow me to make your life better. I don’t know what you’re doing with your life and it’s not my place to judge, but if you haven’t read any of these four books, I’m totally judging you.

#4: ABSOLUTELY TRULY BY HEATHER VOGEL FREDERICK

Absolutely Truly, in one word, it the “coziest” middle grade wintry book. Just look at that gorgeous cover. (Please take a moment to appreciate my mad iPhone photography skills. And the fact that, even having moved six months ago, wherever I live, my neighbors still probably know me as “that girl who takes pictures of books in her backyard.” That awkward moment when I made eye contact with a guy next door was WORTH IT. Now excuse my introverted self as she hurries back indoors.)

A tiny town named “Pumpkin Falls,” an endearing character named “Truly,” a rag-tag team of friends, a small bookstore with first edition books and a mystery surrounding it – what more could one contemporary middle grade need?! As an added bonus, anyone who knows me or has followed FTB for a while knows how much I adore Heather Vogel Frederick, and when the sequel to Absolutely comes out on January 30 (!!) I’ll be the first to snatch it up.

#3: ALWAYS EMILY BY MICHAELA MACCOLL

I read Always Emily last January. I’m always interested in the concept of writing fictional stories surrounding a main character who actually existed. It’s one thing to write about a fictional character who briefly runs into real people, but an entire book about Emily Bronte? Impressive! Michaela MacColl pulled off every detail beautifully. The mystery in the book kept me hooked – can you think of a better plot perfect for holding your breath, cozied up under blankets while it snows outside, than a murder mystery? There’s also something about nineteenth-century historical fiction that makes me think of winter. Besides, a main character with a name like “Emily” is bound to be phenomenal.

#2: BALLET SHOES BY NOEL STREATFIELD

Is it the tender classic children’s story voice, or the graceful ballerinas, or the way my copy of the book smells vaguely of peppermint that makes me correlate Ballet Shoes with winter? I sat here thinking and thinking about why this one needed a place on this specific list, but I still can’t place my finger on it! Ballet Shoes is the first in the Shoes books, and the rest of the books are on my TBR for 2017 – maybe even this winter, because I would love to revisit Pauline, Petrova, and Posy again. Whatever the exact reason Shoes makes me think of winter, its cover does pop in the snow.

#1: BETWEEN SHADES OF GRAY BY RUTA SEPETYS 

(When it snows in Georgia, you take your slim opportunity to take pictures of books in the snow and run with it.) Here’s a heads-up: Between Shades of Gray is bound to rip your innocently beating heart out and proceed to stomp all over the poor pitiful bodily organ with its vicious boots. Meet Lina, a fifteen-year-old Jewish girl in 1941 shipped off to a frozen wasteland described as “the coldest reaches” of Siberia. Through her art and gift of storytelling, she sets out to make sure her family’s story is not forgotten. If the setting alone isn’t enough to give you goosebumps, Ruta Sepetys (whom I rave about all. the. time. on For the Bookish) is amazing with words. The book is, as my March 2016 review puts it, “raw, realistic, and memorable.” Also: perfect for the winter months.

What are your favorite books to read during winter? Are you a cold weather person? DO YOU GET SNOW WHERE YOU LIVE? (The real question is whether you’re so done with snow, or get giddy over the first sign of flurries. Then I could probably guess what region of the country you live in. 😀 )

Emily

P.S. So far in 2017, I’m doing good with my Wednesday/Saturday blogging schedule. I’ll be back Wednesday with another rant, and the winner of the Salt to the Sea giveaway! Don’t forget to enter. 😉

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2017 Bookshelf Tour

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It’s crazy to me that For the Bookish has been around long enough for me to have a 2014, 2015, 2016, and now 2017 bookshelf tour! Feel free to visit my previous bookshelf tours I’ve linked, but do ignore the cringe-worthy photography and books aligned in uneven heights. (Whyyy, Emily. No. Match the height of those books, girl.) I would like to take this moment to point out that my bookshelf gets prettier and prettier every year. Much like its owner, right? (Plot twist: I’m actually my bookshelf. I’m snow white, am frequently holding books, half the time am a disaster, and always stay in my room… but we get prettier with age.)

Describe your shelf and where you got it from. I have a Billy bookcase from Ikea. I have just enough books (a little over 300) on the shelf for it to be tight to even fit one more book, but not enough to fill an entire second bookshelf. Maybe a second shorter bookshelf would do?

Voila! My bookshelf, in mint condition after I hauled out a duster and reorganized the shelves. (which takes waayyyy longer than you might think. honestly, where do bookworms find the time?)

How do your organize your books? By genre, and then height. The issue with this setup is that if I own two books by the same author, but one is taller than the other, I’m forced to seperate them. Separating an author’s books does bug me, but a too-tall book sticking out in the middle of a shelf is worse.

The top shelf: dystopian/high fantasy/fairy tale retellings.

What is the thickest/biggest book on your shelf? Jane Austen: Four Classic Novels. For obvious reasons, because it has four Jane Austen novels inside. The book that is in fact only one book and still the longest is Winter by Marissa Meyer, at a whopping 827 (Bible-thin) pages.

The classic shelf. That card stock leaning in front has an Abraham Lincoln quote on it: “My best friend is a person who will give me a book I have not read.”

What is the thinnest book on your shelf? Still probably Clifford’s Graduation Day, but if we’re going by novels/chapter books here, it would be Number the Stars by Lois Lowry.

Is there a book you have received as a birthday gift? Many! The most recent would be the BEE-YOU-TIFUL tenth anniversary edition of The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, given to me by my grandma. The bonus content is amazing, and THAT COVER. Pinch me.

Is there a book from a friend on your shelf? Challenger Deep from Brooke and Izel, the dearest online friends one could have (this one was a Christmas gift, too.) A friend of mine in the fifth grade also gave me a signed copy of Pies & Prejudice by Heather Vogel Frederick, which (understandably) is my favorite in the Mother/Daughter Book Club series. Oh, and Fairest by Marissa Meyer was given to me by a friend.

Most expensive book? That’s hard to say. I rarely pay more than $20 for a book, and most of the hardbacks are close to that price. (Though I buy most of my books used or on Amazon, which is a goldmine for cheaper books.) I try not to complain about pricey books though, because I understand the blood, sweat, and tears that writers put into writing novels. Authors definitely aren’t paid enough, and it’s important to buy new to support the authors you love. Books are worth every penny.

The last book you read on the shelf? Prisoner of Night and Fog by Anne Blankman. The tears! The horror! The joy! The PLOT TWISTS!

The historical fiction shelf, made up of 90% WWII books. How cute is that hand painted sign? I bought it in a little art shop in Puerto Rico.

Do you have more than one copy of a book? I’m a book hoarder, so that’s a definite yes. Hold onto your hats, folks. Ahem. I have two copies of Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys, Charlotte’s Web by EB White, The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen, Emma by Jane Austen, Persuasion by Jane Austen, Sense & Sensibility by Jane Austen, three copies of The Giver by Lois Lowry, and three copies of Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen. I wish I had more duplicates, honestly, because different editions of books are so fun to compare.

Do you have a complete series? Of course! They are as follows: The Main Street series by Ann M. Martin, The Hagenheim series by Melanie Dickerson, The Selection series by Kiera Cass, The Giver Quartet by Lois Lowry, The Family Tree series by Ann M. Martin, and The Ascendance Trilogy by Jennifer A. Nielsen. (The latter three  all in hardback, I might add.)

This is a miscellaneous shelf. I have some Christian fiction on the left, and the rest are middle grade books – The Babysitter’s Club, Wendy Mass books, The Mysterious Benedict Society, and a Series of Unfortunate Events book up top.

What is the newest edition to your shelf? Wolf by Wolf by Ryan Graudin. That ending though. I’m dying for the next book. (Quite literally dying… if I lived in the middle ages. Colds are the worst, but at least they give a valid excuse for laying in bed all day.)

What is the most recently published book on your shelf? I don’t know these things. I haven’t bought a recently published book (as in, released within a week or month or purchase) in a while. Maybe Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard? It was published in February 2016.

The oldest book on your shelf? Publishing-wise, the Bible. Copy-wise, an ancient copy of Macbeth my great-grandmother owned, dated 1927 in the front. (Her parents probably owned it before her, because she was only a few years old in 1927. That’s several generations of owners, how neat!)

A book you won? An advanced reader’s copy of Queen of Hearts by Colleen Oakes. I won it back in the summer through an Epic Reads giveaway.

This is the bottom shelf and the messiest. I stick bibles, devotionals, guides, biographies, general nonfiction, and the occasional library book down here.

A book you’d never let out of your sight? My signed copy of Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys. Or any signed book, really.

Most beat-up book? Mandy by Julie Andrews Edwards. I’ve owned it for seven or eight years, and the entire book is falling apart. The spine has been taped and bandaged up multiple read-throughs.

Most pristine book? Certainly my new signed copy of Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys! It’s signed and my new shiny baby book. NO TOUCHING.

A book from your childhood? An abridged version of Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. It was the first classic I ever read and got me hooked on them, so I owe a lot to the March girls!

A book that doesn’t belong to you? My friend’s copy of While You Were Gone by Amy K. Nichols. I used this same answer for last year’s bookshelf tour, but I promise I haven’t borrowed a book for a whole year. 😉 My friend re-lent it to me recently. As soon as I’ve finished with some school-required reading, I’m diving right in!

A book with a special/different cover? (ex. leather bound, soft, fuzzy, etc.) I’m in looooove with this copy of Pride & Prejudice. It’s not hardcover, but not quite paperback either. But it’s not leather! It’s bendy but tough and ahhhhh it’s just perfect. Why aren’t all book covers made like this?

A book that is your favorite color? Main Street #1: Welcome to Camden Falls by Ann M. Martin. Pink is everything.

A book that’s been on your shelf the longest and you still haven’t read it? The longest a book has been on my shelf without my reading it is four years… oops. That would (still) be Dancing Through The Snow by Jean Little.

Any signed books? The Selection and The Heir by Kiera Cass, The Merchant’s Daughter by Melanie Dickerson, Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard, Pies & Prejudice by Heather Vogel Frederick, Half a Chance by Cynthia Lord, Cinder by Marissa Meyer, Dead Fred, Flying Lunchboxes & The Goodluck Circle by Frank McKinney, Countryside by J.T. Cope IV, Second Chance Summer, Since You’ve Been Gone, and The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson, Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys.

Those are all the questions for now! I’ll be back with them again in 2018. These questions are under the “bookshelf tag.” Since no one tagged me for them, I won’t be tagging any other bloggers, but feel free to use them on your blog.

Have you read any of the books you spotted on my shelf, or any mentioned in my answers? How many books do you own? And how do you organize your bookshelf? 

Emily