I used to be the queen of re-reading books. The queen. It’s why all of the books I got between 2010 and 2013 are practically falling to pieces. (That, and the fact that I also *used* to be a ruthless spine-bender. Don’t hate me!) I would throw my hands in the air in frustration because I could not find a book at the school library either a) worth reading or b) that I hadn’t read. So I’d reach back onto my beautiful, beautiful book shelf (I love it so much, it’s by far my favorite part of my bedroom) and turn the pages of a well-loved, familiar place.

*Happy sigh* Sometimes it’s even better than reading a book for the first time.

But I haven’t re-read a book in a very, very long time. Unless you count last April, in which I re-read the entire Selection series by Kiera Cass, as the fourth book was coming out and I wanted to be refreshed.

But I don’t count that; because it wasn’t a time where I thought “I don’t have anything else to read, and this one’s calling my name, I think I’ll read that” and re-read the book for pure pleasure. 

I haven’t done any of that since… well, since I started book blogging.

I have SO many books on my plate. sooooo. many. Every time I say this, I get lots of comments saying what a wonderful problem this is to have, and YES, yes it is, I love having a towering TBR that I’m dying to get my hands on… but… I am a procrastinator, first of all; it takes me forever to get to a book mostly because I don’t really want to read it right then so I put it off. And yet I don’t let myself read a book I do want to read right then because I feel like I have a duty to uphold to that book, and the person who sent/suggested it to me.

And second of all, I am a person who gets stressed out very easily. I am not a “go-with-the-flow” person. I like to think I’m not a bossy or controlling person, but it’s true that I like to be in control. I like to have things done and out of the way – and I know what you’re thinking (“But you just said you procrastinate”), so you see my problem now. I get stressed a lot because I procrastinate and yet I like to have things out of the way. So the problem with having this problem is that I’m always stressed about reading the next up-and-coming book, whether it’s a popular book EVERYONE in the blogging community is reading or a book several of you want me to read.

And I never have time to re-read. 

This is a TREMENDOUS problem, dear blog reader. I firmly believe that if a book is great, then it is worth re-reading. If a book is not-so-great, it’s not worth re-reading. My mom always used to ask me why I re-read books so much (she hasn’t asked in a while because I’VE NOT RE-READ ANYTHING IN AGES)… and I always replied “We re-watch movies, don’t we? What’s the difference?” It’s familiar, yet still enjoyable, and sometimes you need a cozy favorite to brighten your day.

As a bookworm, re-reading books is a high priority. Particularly in fall and winter – as Annie put it on her blog, “Something about the Fall season always makes my bones tingle with the longing to read, read, read — more so than usual, even.” And for me, curling up with a welcoming friend you love over and over again is even more enjoyable in Autumn.

As a result, I’m going to make it my goal in the months of October and November – and perhaps in winter, as well – to re-read at least three books. I may end up re-reading more than that, and if I do I’ll lengthen my goal in the winter months as well. I’ll be counting my re-reads towards the books I read in 2015, since they will be books I’ve read in 2015, be it for the first or umpteenth time. If you’re curious, these are the books I plan on re-visiting:

1. Better to Wish by Ann M. Martin
2. Interrupted: A Life Beyond Words by Rachel Coker
3. Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White
4. Absolutely Truly by Heather Vogel Frederick

I’m not sure if I’ll re-read these books, specifically – the point of this for me, after all, is to get myself to read something I’m in the mood for and let go of my mental list of books to “check off.” So we’ll see!

what are your thoughts on re-reading? do you have a preference in when you like to re-read books? will you be re-visiting any this autumn and winter?

P.S. Short update: Maisy is HOME!!! For those of you who don’t know – my cat, Maisy, went missing when we were on vacation and we just got back Saturday. Last night my dad found her in our driveway and we are all (including Maisy!) so happy she is safe. 🙂

Within the past few months, I’ve been buying a lot less books. In fact, in the past four or five years, I’ve spent hundreds of dollars on books. Definitely nearly every penny of my money. (Which isn’t a lot – I mean, I can work with it since I’m only thirteen! … but it’s just a small weekly allowance and then the occasional babysitting money.) And… well, my priorities have changed! 😀 I’ve started using my money to buy things like cute clothes or save up for something bigger, and rely on my library to get the books I want.

Thus brings the question: When do I buy books? I still like to own books; I’ve always been a bit of a book hoarder (okay, okay, a LOT of a book hoarder!) I see value in owning physical books, especially my favorites. I can’t stand it when I borrow a book from the library and it ends up being one of my favorites, but I don’t own it. (Like The Ascendance Trilogy by Jennifer A. Nielsen. Not gonna try to be subtle here, but, um… my birthday is in two weeks and I LOOOOVE these books – friends, family!!) 😉

Right now, my main priority that makes me want to own a book is if I love the book and want to own it in order to re-read it, lend it to my friends, save it for my kids… (True fact. I’ve already imagined a whole room in my future house for books. No, really. My kids are going to have books coming out of their ears!)

That said, I don’t like spending the full price on a book. I think back to when I was 9/10/11 years old, and I honestly probably spent seven to fifteen dollars every week on a book. I never bought hard backs because they were always too expensive for my budget (and still are!) but I still spent a good deal of my money on one or two books… when in second hand book stores, I could get four or five for the same price!

So that brings me to my discovery of used book stores! There’s this bookstore about twenty minutes away from me called 2nd & Charles; it’s a chain used book store so it’s possible it could be in your area. Totally advertising here, because it’s awesome! (They also sell used vinyl, CD’s, DVD’s, video games, etc.) I recently bought five books – one of them a hardback for five dollars. I love hardback books (that’s pretty much a given for any bookworm, I think!) and since my wallet can’t afford to spend TOO much, I’ve found my solution.

Then again, supporting authors is also something I aim to do, but only my favorite authors that I respect and I know their books will be good. Example: Rachel Coker. Her books are great Christian fiction books, they’re historical fiction, and a love story (MY FAVORITE!) and I think I may like her just as much as her books. Besides that, she’s not as much of a very well-known author compared to others, and I want to support her. Just a tip: at a book signing for Kiera Cass I went to in May, she said if you ever want to support an author, don’t buy their books from Walmart. None of the books sold there go towards the #1 New York Times bestseller list. (Weird, huh?)

So to conclude all that said: I use the library, unless I have a favorite book I see value in owning or want to support the author.

what about you?? when do YOU buy books?

Hello, everyone! I’ve been fighting a bout of “blogger’s block” this week, but I rather like this idea, so I’m gonna dive right in. Oh, but before I do, if any of you have any suggestions for posts, they would be greatly appreciated! It’s not been my best week as far as coming up with ideas goes. But this is something that I’ve been wanting to talk about, I just forgot the idea! So here goes.

Switching perspectives are usually used when there is more than one main character. (Actually, probably only when there’s more than one MC!) I really like them because I can see from than one point of views – especially when those particular characters are at odds and ends with each other.

For example, in Jake and Lily by Jerry Spinelli, the main characters (Jake and Lily!) are twins that have a sort of a falling out. It was really interesting reading from the different perspectives, because if you have siblings, you know there’s always two sides to every story! Lily said Jake was ditching her, and Jake said Lily wouldn’t let him be friends with anyone but her. Who’s right?! Who’s wrong?!

Most of you have also read The Mother Daughter Book Club by Heather Vogel Frederick, and that’s definitely another great example of switching perspectives when the characters are at odds and ends.

Some books switch perspectives where each chapter is a different character recounting the same scene. The only book I can think of at the moment that’s done this (although I know I’ve read others) is The Candymakers by Wendy Mass. It’s been three or four years since I read it, but I remember hating when a chapter ended, because it was end on a horrible cliffhanger! Then I wouldn’t even see the scene from that character’s point of view for three more chapters! (There were four main characters.) Then the next character would be talking about the same thing that the past character saw… but of course, it’s different because it’s a different view point! I really like this, because it definitely makes for an interesting story line.

Sometimes, I WISH a book had different point of views, because the main character has NO clue what this other character is thinking. I would have loved reading from a different POV in The Selection series or The Ascendance Trilogy. 

[learn_more caption=”THE ASCENDANCE TRILOGY SPOILER! (DON’T READ IF YOU HAVEN’T READ IT!!!)”] In the third book, the MC, Jaron, thinks Imogen is dead – when in fact, SHE IS NOT! (What??!) Even the reader is left in the dark until the end, when Imogen ended up being alive. It would be so cool to read Imogen’s perspective during the time Jaron thought she was dead.[/learn_more]

Kiera Cass, the author of The Selection series, wrote a few novellas from the perspectives of a few other characters in the books, and it was awesome! In the books, America has to choose between her first love Aspen (or as I called him for the first three books, Aspirin, haha!), or the prince (um, hello! ROYALTY) Maxon. It was just America’s POV for the first three books (the fourth is her daughter, Eadlyn’s selection), but the novellas are basically just a few chapters of Maxon and Aspen’s POV’s during America’s selection. I remember in Maxon’s novella, The Prince, I saw through his eyes his first meeting with America – it was hilarious reading his thoughts (Why is she crying?) versus America’s (more like: He doesn’t have a clue!) (Which boys usually don’t!) 😀

I’ve also read books where only the prologue or, sometimes, the epilogue, is told in another character’s point of view. In one book I read a few years ago (Love on a Dime by Caralynn James; I haven’t mentioned on FtB before, I don’t think, but it was such a cute romance!), had Jack’s POV in the prologue where he broke up his relationship with Lily. It explains a bit further his reasoning for breaking up, but of course the rest of the book is Lily’s perspective, and she’s completely mad at Jack. Being the reader, I knew what Jack was thinking, which made for an even more suspenseful book – waiting for Lily to put two and two together!

I really like switching perspectives. I think they make for interesting little sneak-peaks if it’s only a novella or a chapter, and really suspenseful cliff-hangers in chapters!

what do you think of switching POV’s? good or bad? any books where you LOVED it, or books where you would have wanted it?

 

 

P.S. Don’t forget to enter my giveaway for a copy of Melanie Dickerson’s book, The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest, HERE!

If you’ve followed my blog for some time, you probably know by now that I review both Middle Grade and Young Adult books. While MG is geared towards kids ages eight-twelve, YA is typically for teenagers and older. They’re both great, and their age suggestions aren’t limited to those in the age group. I know of adults who read MG and YA (after all, they write most of it!) and teens who read MG. (And review both YA and MG, like myself.)

I’ve been into Middle Grade books since I was seven or eight. I’m very familiar and comfortable with this section. If you give me a name of a book in MG, most likely I’ve either heard of it or have read it – or have read other books by the author. I want to be an author myself someday, and I definitely see myself writing in MG.

Middle Grade books certainly have safer content than Young Adult, but the main problem I have with it is this: the books are for 8-12 year-olds, so most of the main characters are around that age, as well. For kids, what their parents or guardians do or say affects them in everything – how that kid lives, what their story is like. So it makes sense for lots of Middle Grade books’ main plots be something circling around the main character’s parents. But that means that in MG books, there’s adult content written from a more innocent perspective.

I’ve gotten into Middle Grade books before that has foul language, or issues such as a child being abused, shootings, alcoholics, nasty divorces… inevitable things that happen in today’s world. But at eight years old, I wouldn’t understand a book like that. In my reading group in elementary school, my mom said “no” to many books I was required to read for this reason. This is marketed to kids from eight to twelve years old?

As for Young Adult, I’m thirteen, so it’s only been within the past year or two that I’ve branched out and stepped into this section. However, I’m definitely not as comfortable with YA as I am with MG. For one thing, Middle Grade is for younger kids (“tweens”), so I know that most of the books will have cleaner, less mature content. At least for me, I’ve found that YA books have more sexual content than anything. I feel a lot safer picking out a book in MG, so I tend to gravitate towards that area more than I do Young Adult. In fact, I rarely walk into my library or bookstore and pick up a YA book without having checked out the content on blogs I follow beforehand.

That’s not to say that all of Young Adult is inappropriate or unclean. There are lots of great books in this section. Actually, there are several YA books I thought I wouldn’t like, only to find how much I loved them. (I doubted The Selection series for a long time before giving it a try – and if you know me, I love this series!) The issue for me is that books within this section are everything from border-line Adult books (which I had to learn the hard way) to border-line Middle Grade books… and for a bookworm with high standards for “clean” and “unclean” books, it can be tough to differentiate between the two, at first glance.

My issues with Middle Grade and Young Adult books has a simple fix. If there are border-line YA books in MG, and border-line adult or MG books in YA, why can’t there be another section in between these two? A section for 8-12 year olds, a section for 12-year-olds and younger teens (like myself), and a section for older teens. Another thing I would love to see happen is books be rated just as movies are, but that’s a whole other post. 😉 (For more thoughts on that, I really loved Ana’s post on it here. You should definitely check it out!) But I think that adding another section would be really helpful, and an easier way to find good books for my age group.

I love MG & YA books, and I will continue to read and review them. Thankfully, I’ve found a great community of bookworms who are “in between” sections and content, like myself. There are still lots of great books that are right in my comfort zone when it comes to the content I read. This post was a sort of venting-session with my frustration for the types of books that are set out for each age group. But I really do hope something can be done about it, eventually.

what about you? how do you feel about mg & ya… and the content that comes along with them? i would really love to read what you have to say!

I know I’m not the only bookworm who has faced the horribleness that is a book slump. In fact, in all my bookworm days (that is, going on fourteen years now), I have never faced anything worse than a book slump. (Okay, okay, that might be a bit dramatic, but come on. You’ve been there! You understand, right?) And if, in the rare case you don’t understand (oh, how I envy you), it usually goes like this:

As far as my book slumps go, it’s usually when I’ve read 5 or 6 books in a week… a supreme book high, which is AWESOME. Then… I read nothing. Usually as long as two or three weeks, I might get through one or two books. (Example A: when I read three books in the entire month of June.) I average about one book a week, even though, like I said, I’ll read 5 or 6 in a week. It all evens out when I don’t read but one every two-three weeks.

I think the length of a book slump depends on the reader. For example – Cait, at Paper Fury, is THE definition of a SPEED READER. She’s read over 150 books. SINCE JANUARY. Does she even GO through book slumps?! Agh. I’m so jealous! What I’m trying to say here is that book slumps can affect how many books you read, and how many books you read affect the length of your book slumps.

Just like in the video above, my TBR (To Be Read) stack is huge! (I won’t even bother counting the books I haven’t read that I own.) That’s not including the library books I check out and don’t read, only to re-check them out months later and love them. I’m pretty sure most of you can relate. As far as DNF’ing books go, most of the bookworms I’ve heard from either do, or don’t. (Sadly, I do.) (A whole other post on that is coming soon.)

My point is, usually when I’m in a book slump, the problem IS NOT that I don’t have enough reading material. There are several reasons I just end up not reading, really with no excuse. But I can tell you how I end up in this horrible situation.

Another thing that will get me into a book slump is being super busy with other things (school, extracurricular activities, trips, camps, you name it), and not reading for a little while – which is okay! Reading is a HUGE part of my life, but… it’s not everything. I (try, HA), to make time for other things, too, but often times I’ll go through a period of time where I have a lot on my plate, and then nothing at all. That leaves PLENTY of time for reading, right?! Wrong. The only thing I can gather from this scenario is I’ve forgotten the thrill of a book high. I don’t even know. I just don’t feel like reading. Typically, I don’t feel like doing anything after this happens, but it all depends. Thus, “The Busy Worm Who Is A Lazy Bookworm Syndrome.”

The third thing that will put me in a slump is reading THE BEST BOOK EVER, and afterwards wishing I’d never finished the book. I call this a severe “book hangover.” Clearly, there is no other book as good as this one, and I just can’t bring myself to read any other book. If I do try to pick up another book right away after reading a fantastic one, I end up giving the book a lower star rating than I would under other circumstances. Which stinks, because each book deserves a fair trial. I simply can’t compare any book to the one I had just read! I had a really bad case of this after reading The Heir and Code Name Verity.

So how in the world does one get OUT of a book slump??! Unfortunately for me (and thousands of book lovers all around the world), there’s not an official cure for this. (And if there IS, bloglings, DO tell. I’m dying to hear.) Eventually, I pick up a book and start reading, and BOOM. I’m back in my usual routine before I even realize it. I can’t really explain how I pull myself out of a reading slump, I just… do. (?)

There’s a lot more I could say about book slumps, but I’ll leave that to you. What else is there to add? I’d love to hear in the comments!

I have quite a love/hate relationship with e-books. I’ve never been able to decide what I feel about them, even though I do own an e-reader, and use it. Though, certainly not as much as I do physical books, whether I buy them or borrow them from the library. But… lately I’ve been on the fence. So, clearly the only obvious thing I could do was create a list. Pro’s and cons of e-books. And I certainly would love to hear your input on this subject, since I’m so much of a teeter-totter here. 😉

the pros

1.) You can buy or borrow as many e-books as you want, wherever you are. (Provided you have wifi.) I’m always worried I’ll run out of books (as is often the case!) when I’m on trips or not at home, but don’t want to bring too many. With e-books, I have the weight of one book and dozens loaded on it!

2.) You can borrow books from the library on your e-reader or phone! This is possibly the best invention in all the world, if you ask me. Especially because a) As unfortunate as it may be, I’m not made of money. I depend on the library. And b) I’ve still two years before I can drive, so my mom has to take me to the library, and since she’s superwoman, she doesn’t always have time.

The bad thing about this? YOU CAN’T PAY LIBRARY FEES ONLINE. Why is this?! Surely this is possible. So if I do have over-due books, I can’t put any on hold or check them out on my e-reader until I go to the library. But I want to check them out on my e-reader because I can’t GO to the library yet. But I can’t check them out until I GO to the library. The fix for this issue is simple, but the public library system is still working on website glitches, so I suppose they can’t add anything like paying library fees online at the moment. *Sigh*

3.) Books are cheaper. When I do have the money to buy books, I try not to pay full price, unless I’m doing so to support the author. Used bookstores are my best friends. But again, there’s the no driver’s license problem (ugh. I’m tall enough to reach the pedal! I’m two inches taller than my mom! WHAT’S THE PROBLEM.) (Alright, alright, I see the problem with a thirteen-ALMOST-fourteen-year-old-driving-mostly-being-she’s-so-immature-she-adds-the-almost-there, but still.) (Sorry. I do so get sidetracked.)

ANYWAY. If I buy an e-book, I’m not going to pay the full price. Why don’t I just buy the physical book, then? (With the exception of The Selection series, because I’d do anything to read those books, including spending all of my money and then some in three days to read the three books.) That’s where BookBub comes in handy. Go create an account, will you? It’s a life saver.

the cons

1.) E-books are great, but the e-READER occasionally fails. For example, I have a Kindle Fire HD, which is great. But the glare on the screen is – AGH. I’m looking into a Kindle Paper white, but until that happens, I’ve got to deal with the glare. Also, you can’t buy e-books onto your Kindle or Kindle app on your phone. You can read books that are in your Kindle Library on your phone, but you have to buy them on your Kindle, or Amazon on your computer. I don’t take my Kindle everywhere with me, so my phone comes in handy then! (The small screen doesn’t bother me.) But not if I’ve already read the books on my phone!

2.) My Kindle just doesn’t smell like a real book. That may sound ridiculous, but I take my life as a bookworm very seriously. Ask anyone I know – I can’t read a book without smelling the pages. It’s like looking at a night sky without stars.

3.) These images speak for themselves.

So that’s where I stand with e-books. What about you? Hate em or love em?

I’m pretty sure we’ve all heard the phrase “cover to cover.” As in, “I read books cover to cover.” But DO YOU read books cover to cover?! I know what you’re saying. “YES, of course! I’ve read 173850382+ this year already and I even have a blog and/or insane bookish friend and talk about everysingleone and how can you accuse me of NOT reading books cover-to-cover?” Hold your horses.

I mean one of five things. (Or maybe even all five.) 1) reading the copyrights page. (AM I THE ONLY ONE?), 2) the dedication, 3) author’s note, 4) acknowledgements, 5) about the author. Do you truly READ them? Or are you lying when you say “I read books cover to cover.” ?? HMM.

the copyrights page

I don’t always read the copyrights page. But WHEN I DO, I find some pretty neat things. For example.

1) If there is one thing you should know about me, it’s that I have grown up on Nancy Drew mysteries. I still read them! I lovelovelove the wondermazing (that’s wonderful and amazing, you know), Carolyn Keene. But did you know her actual name was Mildred Wirt Benson?! (I much prefer Carolyn Keene.) Of course, there are many other interesting things about Miss Benson, but I didn’t even think to look her up until I read the copyrights page! (For the record, Miss Benson, apparently, isn’t the only writer of The Nancy Drew series. RESEARCH, everyone!)

2) I love seeing what year books were published. I’m not picky about how recently the book was published (even though I have been reading more books that were published within the last two years), but it’s so fascinating, to me!

3) It’s rare when this happens, but it’s so annoying if there’s no blurb/synopsis on the back of the book. So check the copyrights page! There’s a little two-sentence summary in there. =)

the dedication

Some dedications are just awesome. Kiera Cass’ are always the best.

 

And we couldn’t forget Lemony Snicket, who makes everything a mystery.

 

author’s note

Author’s notes are really cool, especially with a historical fiction. It tells you a little bit about the research that went into making the book, and how historically accurate the book was. I loved the author’s note in Code Name Verity. 

acknowledgements

I admit, I don’t always read the acknowledgments. They can be kind of boring! To my publisher, to my kids, to God. Thanks for reading, bye. And I know it’s important to recognize awesome people who put together a book, but COME ON, authors! We just spent three weeks or maybe even a day or possibly even an hour (hello, speed-readers, how I envy you), with your characters! Make us laugh! Say something important. Plus, writing a book is HARD WORK. AREN’T YOU EXCITED? AREN’T YOU CRYING YOUR EYES OUT? Let us know. (And for more helpful tips, please refer to this post. Thank you very much.)

Another reason I love Miss Heather Vogel Frederick – heartfelt acknowledgements are the best! And readers, please, please don’t skip the acknowledgements if the book is the last in a series! (Hint: they’re the best kind of acknowledgements.)

And again, I turn to Kiera Cass, because, well, everything about her books is awesome. And, might I add, hilarious.

about the author

This person wrote a book! THEY WROTE A NOVEL. That’s tough! That’s excruciatingly hard work! Give ’em some credit. I love about the authors for two reasons: 1) I’m CURIOUS about this person. 2) I love to stalk authors, especially if I loved their book, because if I loved their book, of course I love THEM. 3) Okay I lied, three reasons. Sometimes (most times) they have a website, which is awesome because MORE STALKING. (Rachel Coker, Kiera Cass, and Heather Vogel Frederick, I’m looking at you.)

SO. Do you read these parts of books? Or are you a skimmer? I demand to know the truth! Love to hear from you!