Category Archives: discussions

monthly recap!

Hey, lovelies! Apologies for not posting yesterday. I haven’t had time to write a whole bunch of May posts in one day like I did last month, but I GOT THROUGH EXAMS. Also this next week is VACATION TIME (!!!!) for my family and I, so that’s exciting! Good thing though – I’ve got all the book reviews for May written. So you won’t run out of book recommendations! And one post has got three in one. Like those shampoo, conditioner, and body wash soaps at the store.

the books!

I read seven books this month, and I should like to include Code Name Verity in this stack, which makes eight, because I finished it on May 1st. If I started it on May 1st, then it wouldn’t be counted. Make sense? No. Well too bad. Oh, oh – and I re-read FOUR. FOUR glorious re-reads. Re-reads are very important to me. If a book isn’t worth a re-read, then it isn’t worth the read. Of course, the re-reads this month were all Kiera Cass books in preparation for the HEIR, which debuts May 5th, which will be signed by the Kiera Cass and given to a #1 fan named Emily on May 6th (eeek!! Still can’t believe that!), but it still counts for something.

emily

Lovely stack, really. If you  notice one missing, it’s because I read Crunch on my Kindle. I do use my Kindle, I do. It’s not my best friend, as you can see, but I do use it. I’m adding a drop-down bar for where I talk about the books since it takes up too much space of the post. 😀

[learn_more caption=”Click to hear about the books!”]#1: Crunch by Leslie Connor: First book read in April! I reviewed it last week and gave it 3.5 stars! I don’t like using half stars, but I felt like it wasn’t a three star, and it wasn’t a four star, so what else I could do? It was teetering between “I loved this book!” and “Kind of mediocre.” (As seen on my review policies page here.)

#2: Dauntless by Dina L. Sleiman: You’ll be getting this review this Monday, folks, and I do believe I added some really pretty pictures of Dauntless hanging out in my dad’s garden. Tell me, WHAT is more beautiful than flowers and books?? No, don’t answer. (EDIT: That would be cats and books.) Pretty good, pretty good. Dauntless got 4 stars!

#3: This Means War by Ellen Wittlinger: I don’t want to give away too much, since I did a mini review for this miniature book (it was really really short!), but short doesn’t mean bad. It most certainly does not. 5 stars! Plus this was a historical fiction (cold war vibes, people!) so that was fantastic.

#4: Keep Smiling Through by Ann Rinaldi: Moving onto WWII historical fiction. I love a good WWII historical fic. I do mean LOVE. I DEVOUR THEM. Buuuutttt but…. not this one. I gave it 3 stars. But does that mean I don’t want you to read it?? NOOOO. You must, you must read it. It got 3 stars for the… well, I’ll explain in the review. Still. Read it for yourself, alright?

#5: Serendipity and Me by Judith L. Roth: Awwww. Sweet, sweet, sweet! Just so sweet! And can we admire the cover? ADORABLE. Get a lollipop and maybe some tissues and get reading! 5 stars!

You knew I had to include my cat in the fun.
You knew I had to include my cat in the fun.

#6: Once Was Lost by Sara ZarrOh. Um… this was really sad. The whole book was written in a sad mood. But it was so BEAUTIFUL. Why do I choose books that make me cry?! I gave it 5 stars, but… buuut… it was so saaaad. I also took some beautiful pictures for this review, though, so that’ll balance it out, yes?

#7: Princess Academy by Shannon Hale: Sweet flying pancakes. This was awesome!! I haven’t reviewed it, but I’ll probably give it 4 or 4.5 stars, because it was so creative! So… so wonderful! Agh! So glad I read it.

#8: Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein: Holy cow holy cow holy cow holy cow holy cow holy cow holy cow. My brain hurts from thinking. My eyes hurt from crying. My heart hurts from breaking. WHY DO I DO THIS TO MYSELF. This is THE best historical fiction I’ve read since The Book Thief. Yes. That good. Very heavy material. Little bit of language. But AMAZING. 6 stars. What? That’s not a rating? OH WELL. (And in case you were wondering why I haven’t been answering any comments… I WAS BUSY READING & THEN RECOVERING FROM FINISHING THIS BOOK!!)[/learn_more]

the blog posts

What were you guys excited about this month?? Well, let’s see. Well, you LOVED For the Bookish’s blogoversary, but I think you reeaallly liked my first-ever-giveaway (of course you did! Who doesn’t love free BARNES & NOBLE GIFT CARDS??) annnnd in second place for the most views, What The Mother/Daughter Book Club Taught Me.  That’s exciting! I loved that post! My personal favorite post was Authors Appreciating Readers. What about you? Which was your favorite post from April?

Also, because I’m nice and I LOVE reading other people’s blogs (turns out I’m not just a blogger, I’m also a blogling! (aka: person who reads blogs)), here are some of a few of my favorite posts on blogs I follow from April!

upcoming in may…

(april showers bring may flowers!)

As I mentioned before, I AM MEETING KIERA CASS IN FOUR DAYS. FOUR. DAYS. Which means The Heir comes out in about THREE. And can you just all stop and watch the beautiful trailer for The Heir that came out on Thursday?? (You can also watch it here.) I think know my mom is sick of hearing it, but it’s SO EXCITING.

Do you think I’m excited? I’m pretty excited.

Also all of the books mentioned that I read in April will be posted with their reviews here in a few weeks… and I’m doing a guest post on Inside Out Magazine in their culture & creativity section soon! Not sure when, but I’ll keep you posted. That was pretty exciting, as it’s one of my favorite blogs and I was so excited when the executive editor emailed me! I also hope to have a few guest posts of my own (well, from other people, of course), visiting with us in May, so stay tuned!

I hope everyone had a lovely April and an even better May!

I want to hear from you – what books have you read in April?? Favorites? Favorite blog posts? (On FTB and other blogs!)

Emily

what’s the point in books, anyway? // part two

‘Ello, everyone! In case you missed it, last week I talked about why I read books, part one of two posts (this being the second part, of course!) Soooo in this post, I’m making a list of why I WRITE books. (YOLO, right??!) 😀 I mean, what makes a person decide to pound out 60,000 words for fun? If you’ve ever wondered, or even if you know why, I think you’ll like my list. Oh, and I’d love to hear your thoughts! Let me know if you have anything to add to the list.

emily

#1: Dump your problems on someone else, for a change!
I’ve found that giving my problems to little people in my head actually helps me to see things in a new light. Even if you’ve never written before, and don’t plan on sharing any of your writings with anyone else, when you’re done, it feels… refreshing.

Writing down your feelings is good, too, but when I make up characters for a story that’s all going to fit together, I have to think about what each person is feeling, and how the story is going to end based on what decisions the characters choose, what they’re thinking. Because I base my stories on real life experiences, when I think about how others feel, it gives me a better sense of empathy.

#2: Express your views and opinions without missing a beat! Be the heroine of your story.
Do you ever stand in front of a mirror and talk to yourself, pretending to tell that person off (bully, nuisance, acquaintance), with a thousand comebacks that you never thought of in the moment? I do! I love writing because I get to be the heroine of my story! I get to save the day. I get to pound that bully to the ground. Sometimes my main character is the one in the wrong, but they always end up on top. Your story gets to go the way you want it to. No one else can tell you how to write it.

#3: Writing helps talking.
That sounds weird, right? Let me explain. In order to write, I have to gather my thoughts together in a way that everything will make sense and be orderly, so others can read it. When it comes to my creative, for-fun writing, I’m a total panster. (In other words, I get an idea, I write as I go along, BOOM.) But at some point or another, I have to decide what things are important to the story, and which things need to go. So what I means by “writing helps talking” – because I’ve spent all this time thinking through what exactly needs to be said in my story, when I’m having a conversation with someone, I tend to think through what I say quicker and more efficiently, and I can get my words out more eloquently. Of course, I still get tongue-tied, and either stick my foot in my mouth or don’t say something I  need to say, but that’s just Emily. 😉

#4: No one’s writing is the same.
We all have different voices, opinions, characters, story lines. Everything about your story is your own. Sure, they may be the same genre/story line/rather cliche characters, but it’s YOURS. Own it!

emily

#5: Capture the feeling.
I have plenty of memories where I remember how I felt, but I don’t feel it anymore. When I read or write a book, the character’s emotions or feelings become my own. I can feel what the character is feeling. It’s incredible, really. Like I keep saying, even if you’ve never written a word before, you have the power to make someone feel something from your book. Not just learn a lesson (although those are plenty important, too!), but feel and grasp what the character (or the author), is feeling. It’s an amazing part of reading/writing a book, and it’s way under appreciated!

emily

#6: Make up stuff!
We make up stuff in our heads all the time! Let me tell something. My cousins and I could star in a soap opera. When we were younger, we’d play “house” or “olden days” (we would pretend we were pioneers settling on new land). We would be “college girls” or “doctors.” We played a dozen “games” together, making stuff up! We have such a wild imagination! Those games we played would make for really dramatic novels, or really silly children’s books. (Somewhere in between.) 😉

When I write, all of those experiences and ideas blend together to make the coolest, most exciting, intense story. I always hated it when those games I played with my friends had to end. But when I write a story, it never has to end! (Well, it does at some point, but you know.) I can continue making up stories as I go along. I’m always jotting down ideas in my little notebook I carry with me. The fun never stops!

emily

#7: It’s educational!
I know, I know – “education” sometimes sucks the fun out of everything. But it doesn’t have to with writing. (At least creative writing.) This is the thing that makes my parents and teachers happy. Even though I write for fun, I still want to my writing to be good. I’ll find myself searching for synonyms for words, or a word will pop into my head and I’ll have forgotten what it means, and I have to look it up. Reading expands the mind, but so does writing!

So that’s all I’ve got for this post! Can I just say that I didn’t even realize I had so many great (if I do say so, myself), reasons I had for writing?! And also, I’d like to add that these reasons can also be for blogging! (Especially #7, whether I mean it to be or not!)

Do you have anything to add? I’d love to hear from you all! Why do YOU write? (and remember #4 when you comment! I love talking to everyone!)

Emily

stacking the shelves

Hey, guys! So many books to be read. So many flashcards to study. Seriously, where is there someone I can pay to finish this last week of school for me so I can be DONE. All I want to do is sit on my bed and read and eat chocolate and blog and flip out over Kiera Cass and The Selection and there is LATIN to be done.

Anywho. One more week, just one more week! Of course, recently I’ve been reminded that I could be enduring another month of school if it weren’t for the marvelous fact that I’m home-schooled this year. Really, no complaints!

I got several books this week! Here’s the stack:

emily

Short disclaimers: I’ve read The Book Thief, and The Bronze Bow is school-required. But they’re BOOKS, and they’ll be added to my shelves, soooo…. stacking the shelves. 

Alright #1: The Princess Academy by Shannon Hale. I cannot tell you how long this one’s been on my book wishlist. I told my dad that reading a book you’ve wanted to read for a long time is like finally meeting a friend of a friend you’ve heard so much about. So finally, we meet, Princess Academy! I do think we’ll be good friends! Plus I’ve been told this one’s like an MG Selection series, and that makes my heart sing.

#2: Cornelia and the Audacious Escapades of the Somerset Sisters. Yes, that’s a title. Oh – by Lesley M.M. Blume. I found this one whilst browsing thriftbooks.com (which I haven’t but need to order some books from!), and then saw it at a used bookstore nearby and had to have it. Plus you totally can’t beat two bucks, right?! I’m really looking forward to this one. It sounds like a really cute, funny one!

#3: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. Again, used book store. Four bucks. For about a year I couldn’t bring myself to buy it for 13 or $14, when I had it on my Kindle, but FINALLY I have it in print, on my bookshelf. I can smell the pages. So, so very glorious. I may have to re-read it now that I’ve got it to hold in my hands… to feel the pages. Ahhh. Anyway, this one’s a classic already, so it’s good to have it in my little library. Kudos to my mom because she agreed it’s a classic and she bought it for me. (Also kudos to Emily for giving her the puppy-dog eyes.)

#4: The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare. School-required.

I kid, I kid! It looks really good. I’m sure I’ll love it. And besides, if anything, the wonderful-smelling pages will keep me hooked. (Happy sigh.)

Okay, so now it’s time for “Make everyone jealous because I have really cute bookish things and aggghhh they’re so cute!” Ready? Okay.

emily

“Pretty Girls Read Books.” Aggghhh!! *Squeals!!* I’m obsessed. Isn’t it so cute? Perfect for carrying all the books I’m bound to read on my vacations/trips this summer. And to the pool. Oh, gosh, I’m thinking about summer again. And mostly about all the books I’m going to read this summer. Somebody help me! =)

And to pin onto the cute bookish bag…

emily

These pins are just the cutest. Which one is your favorite?? I got each one at seperate times I went to the used bookstore. (It’s called 2nd & Charles, by the way – it’s a chain used book store so check if it’s in your area and then GO THERE. Seriously, it’s the best used book store in the history of used book stores.) I have to say I like the Future Author one. Apparently I missed it the first two times when I got the other pins. Anyway, they’re MATCHING and they’re CUTE and I just love it.

How was your week? What books did you get? Aren’t the pins and the bag so cute??!

Emily

 

my blogging adventures

Hey, everyone! Recently I’ve gotten a couple of questions about how I write the posts on For the Bookish. (Which is seriously the best, because I talk about the posts I write to my family all the time!) Over the past year, I’ve definitely become more consistent with my blogging as the year went on, and I fell in love with in blogging more and more.

When I first started out blogging (well, really the first 7-8 months of blogging), I’d get an idea for a post and then either sit down and debate how I was going to elaborate on that idea, or it’d take me an hour to get the post just right, and then post it. OR I would get an idea in my head and think “Oh, I’ll do that later…” and then I would forget about it. Or I would realize it had been weeks since I lasted posted, and I needed to post, but I just wasn’t in the mood to write one. Which was sometimes good, because I knew that when I pushed myself to write when I didn’t want to, it definitely wasn’t my best post.

Then I realized that I really wanted to blog more, I just didn’t enjoy it enough to make time for it everyday. So I didn’t write posts everyday, but when I had some spare time, I started giving it to blogging instead of, as my mom says, “licking paint off a wall.” (In other words, doing absolutely nothing.) So, yeah, I made myself sit down and write at least one post, and maybe those weren’t my best, but the more I made myself blog, the more I came to enjoy it. So I wanted to write more posts.

After that, I still didn’t always feel like blogging, so when I was in a blogging mood (like “OMG, that bookish thing is totally ramble-worthy!),  I sat down and pounded out two or three posts and saved them for days I didn’t want to post.

When I started blogging more consistently, I started getting more comments on my blog. The first few months of blogging got maybe one comment per post, and no one came back to reply to my reply (like you all do now!) But soon I realized that a loyal blogger gets loyal commenters. After all, it’s always awkward talking to a person who hasn’t said a word in forever. Once I started getting more commenters on my blog, it pushed me to do more posts! I knew I had at least two or three people who really, genuinely liked my posts and were nice to enough to stop and talk to me. I wanted to keep them looking at my blog!

Nowadays, I sit down and write probably four or five posts in a day – because it’s FUN! I schedule to them post automatically, on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. In January/February, I knew I not only wanted to post consistently, I wanted to post on a schedule. The posts I write today, you won’t see for a few weeks! I’ve had this very post written and ready to publish since the 8th!

I still get in a blogging fog and don’t want to write. But that’s okay, because I already have the entire next month written! This way, I know there will always be a new post for my few loyal readers to comment on, so I can talk to you all! I’ve been writing more posts because blogging has become a hobby, not just for followers or free books (which is a motive, but not as big as it used to be.) Today, after a year of blogging, I may only have 20-some readers, which can seem small to some major bloggers who have blogged as long as me. I don’t blog for followers. I blog for me and the readers come with that.

Emily

what’s the point in books, anyway? // part one

What’s the point in reading a book? Do you read for the adventure? For the “escape” of reality? Do you read it for the morals, and the lessons? I’ve been thinking about this for a while. Back in September, one of my friends and I went to see The Giver movie. For those of you who have read the books or seen the movie, you know there’s a HUGE lesson we can all learn from it. It’s really powerful.

Anyway, when the movie was over, of course I was near to the point of tears thinking about how amazing the story is! My mom and I (we read the book together), started talking about the moral of the book, and what we learned. Of course we talked about how cute Jonas was, and how intense some scenes were, but because the main reason I read books is the lesson out of the story, that’s what I was going to talk about. I asked my friend what she learned/thought about the moral of the story, and she shrugged and said, “Eh. I just read books for the story.” She wasn’t wrong, per say, because stories are great and exciting and they get your heart pounding… but I was a little bit stunned. Here we were, having seen The Giver (if you haven’t seen/read it, look up the trailer!), and my friend walked away honestly having not given any thought to what the story meant.

emily

So today, (naturally), I made a list! Here’s why I read books.

#1: Sometimes fantasy is so much better than reality.
Come on, don’t deny it. I tend to enjoy reading most on lazy PJ days at home when life is good, but not particularly exciting. Books make it ten times more exciting! I remember in my school library in elementary school there was a sign that said “Books take you places to meet new faces,” and I’ve never forgotten that sign because it’s so true! This is where my friend was right about “just” reading books for the story.

#2: Words are like a milkshake.
Non-bookworms might be thinking that you can escape reality in video games, or movies. And, yeah, those are nice, too (like I said, sometimes I just don’t feel like reading!), but for me, words are like a milkshake. I can’t really explain it… I guess some people have a love for words more than others. Anyway, what I mean by that is whenever I drink a milkshake, I try to take my time so it lasts (and I don’t get a brain freeze!), but I always end up slurping it up faster than I would have liked because it’s just so good! Books are like that, for me, too. Movies are great, but there’s something about the eloquence of words and the descriptions and the feel of the pages, that’s so different.

#3: If you have a little imagination, reading a book is like you’re in charge of the movie.
If you watch a movie/TV show/video game/etc., characters are cool and sets are beautiful, but with only a little imagination, books are like TV in your head! You get to decide the scenes. You get to imagine the characters. So in a way, it’s like YOU’RE the movie producer!

emily

#4: Books encourage a stronger imagination!
I’m stealing this point from this post I read the other day. Like the quote goes, books take you places to meet new faces. Piggy-backing off of my first reason, a strong imagination equals a strong, smart mind. (And sometimes a witty and a little bit sarcastic mind, from experience…) =)

#5: Books, and words, have the power to change you.
If you regularly follow my blog, you know that in all of my reviews, I make a point to talk about what I got out of the book; what I learned from it. That’s because the main reason I read books is because peoples’ stories have power. To change for the better, or for the worse. When I read a book, I crave the adventure and the mystery just as much as anyone, but I also enjoy the lessons each book has. Because of this, I personally believe bookworms have stronger imaginations and minds. Books can change a person, but like the Bible says, only if they have eyes to see (or in this case, read!) and ears to hear.

So what about you? Why do you read books? What’s the POINT in them, anyway?? =) I’d love to hear from you!

Emily

what the mother/daughter book club taught me

Many of you have found my blog through Heather Vogel Frederick’s blog (which is awesome, because HVF fans UNITE!) And I love talking about the Mother/Daughter book Club because… well, let me put it this way: they feel like home. Like the last sentence in the last book (so far!) says, “There’s no place like home.” Especially when home is where the heart is. And my heart is where the mother/daughter book club is.

I started reading the books in the fourth grade with my mom (who else was I going to read them with?!), and loved it. At the time, the girls were older than me in the books. You know how you always seem to look up to older girls? Like that cool high school babysitter you had when you were little? That’s how Emma, Jess, Cassidy, and Megan were for me. I’ve grown up with them over the past three years. So today I made a list of things I’ve learned from the Mother/Daughter Book Club.

emily

#1: Don’t judge a girl by her looks or the way she acts.
At first, every single one of the girls in the book club judged the others by the way they looked. Emma was “fat,” Jess was a stinky farm girl, Cassidy was a dumb jock, and Megan was the snobby girl from the Fab Four. The Mother/Daughter book club really hit this home, especially in the later books when the girls did the same to Becca, Anna(stinker)belle, and Sophie. =)

#2: It’s okay to be happy again and still miss lost loved ones.
One of the girls in the book, Cassidy, lost her dad, and was really angry when her mother moved her to Concord and then in the second book began dating again! I really liked how throughout the books, there were many scenes where Cassidy was missing her dad, but that didn’t mean she hated her mom’s new boyfriend, and she was content with her life the way it was.

#3: There’s always going to be embarrassing moments happen to us, but we just have to laugh at ourselves.
Even though the girls made mistakes and embarrassed themselves more than once, in the end of the books, they always shook it off and laughed at themselves. Best of all, they learned from their mistakes – and yeah, they still regretted what happened/they did, but they all used it as a learning experience.

emily

#4: We grow out of those awkward phases.
In the first book, I don’t think any of the girls would have guessed how they’d all turn out by Wish You Were Eyre. All of the girls grew out of their awkward phases, and by the last book, they were more confident in themselves than every before.

#5: Family and friends are most important.
I loved all of the get-togethers and parties and the close-knit bond the mother/daughter book club created. I loved each adventure the girls went on, from a goat in the school play to a year’s trip to England. Everything that happened to them, the group became closer. It reminded me a lot of my own family and friends.

Have you read the mother/daughter book club?? Anything to add to my list?

Emily

confessions of a teenage book blogger. i don’t think i review books very well. // plus winner of the giveaway!

I review books once a week, usually on Mondays. I’m getting more consistent with my blogging, and I love it. But reviewing books are tough. 

I have a review policies page, and I usually loosely follow that when I type up each of my reviews. Sometimes, if the book was okay (not bad, but not extremely good), I’ll sit down and write a list of pros and cons about the book, but that really doesn’t happen often.

emily

The thing is, I feel like I say THE SAME THING every time I post a review. “I really related to this character…” “There was just enough romance in this one…” “The ending took me by surprise…” Sound familiar? So here’s the truth: I kind of dread writing a review.

I’m not going to stop posting reviews. That’s one of the #1 reasons for For the Bookish. But every time I write one, I feel like I should just copy and past my last review and put in the right characters’ and authors’ names.

What do you think? Do my reviews feel repetitive? Do you notice some of the same lines from other book reviewers? Do you have any ideas?? And book bloggers: how do YOU review a book?

Emily

 

 

P.S. Sorry this is a bit of a short post! Hopefully I’ll make up for it soon. Look out for my next review on Monday, and tell me if it sounds like other reviews!

P.P.S. Are you ready for the winner of the giveaway?? 😀 I drew at random this morning, and this winner is… H.M. Wilson! I’ll be contacting you soon about the gift card, Hannah! =)

authors appreciating readers

As soon as I finish a book, you can pretty much guarantee I’ll check out the author’s website. Sometimes the website is listed on the about the author section, or the on the back of the book. Most of the time I Google the author’s name to track them down! (I am a professional stalker.)

emily

Even months, or years after I’ve read a book, I still follow the author and check their blogs all the time. (I’ve been following Heather Vogel Frederick’s blog for two and a half years!) Sometimes, I’m guilty of loving the author so much, I love their books ten times more! (Hey, Rachel Coker!)

But what I really love is when authors take the time to talk to their readers. Give advice, answer their questions on their blog or social media – and answering fan mail is major brownie points in my book! (Pun intended!)

emily

I can’t tell you how many authors I’ve written to. Dozens, probably. But only two authors have replied! Alright, so I understand that authors are BUSY people. (Writing a book isn’t a piece of cake and some ice cream with a cherry on top, peoples.) (On the contrary, READING a book is.) But it meant the WORLD to me that Miss Heather Vogel Frederick took the time to write me, and Mr. David A. Adler (author of the amazing Cam Jansen series – my six/seven year old self couldn’t stop talking about them!) emailed little ole’ me back in their busy, busy lives.

emily
She also sent me two signed book marks!!

I get really disappointed when I go out in search of an author, AND THEY’RE NOWHERE TO BE FOUND! What is a bookworm to do?! (Does anyone, anyone know where I can send Ann M. Martin a letter, an email even, to tell her how STINKING AWESOME her books are?? Nope.) (But if you do, seriously tell me!) I mean, I think it’s really sweet to even talk to your readers! Let them know what’s HAPPENING. This is especially why I looove (emphasis on LOOOOVE) Kiera Cass:

emily

Authors who say, “Hey, you read my book. You really loved it. I think my book world is awesome, too, so let’s TALK ABOUT IT TOGETHER!” are just amazing. Shouldn’t an author want to talk about their books to people who are as obsessed as maybe even the author themselves?! I know I would! (And hopefully, if I have a book published one day, I’ll be one of these really awesome authors who care enough to say HI, WORLD. LET’S TALK BOOKS.)

It’s little things that get me giddy inside. If an author has a contest, I FLIP OUT. If they have Saturday Story Starters and encourage their readers to write, I’m like “YES. YESYESYES.”

Readers appreciate authors, and authors appreciate readers! *starts singing* It’s the circle of life….

SO, blog readers! Since I appreciate you, I want to hear from ya! Don’t you love authors who appreciate readers?? I know a couple of you gotten letters from Heather Vogel Frederick – isn’t it the best feeling EVER?! Are there any authors who tickle your fancy? Let me in know in the comments!

Emily

help me pick out dresses & books

Hey, guys! Today I can officially tell people I’ve been keeping up with my book blog for over a year. So today’s a pretty exciting day, too. (Well, not for the disciples some 2,000 years ago, right??) 😉 But tomorrow is going to be even better! (If you haven’t guessed already, it’s EASTER SUNDAY tomorrow!)

My family and I are going to be visiting a friend’s church and going a few hours away to an annual Easter family gathering on my dad’s side of the family. I haven’t been down there for Easter for a few years, so that’s pretty exciting. Plus it’s my baby cousin’s first Easter! I can’t wait to see her!

emily

Look at that crazy hair! We already have one thing in common. My hair’s pretty crazy too. This is what my friend’s face looked like the other day when she saw my bed head:

Come on, I had to use that gif! Anyway, I’m still debating what to wear for Easter.

emily

I think I have a thing for navy. What do you think? Polka dots? Lacey dress? Plain navy? Ohhh the decisions.

If you noticed in the title, I’m doing a “DNF recap,” which in case you didn’t know, “DNF” stands for Did Not Finish. Because (oops, started a sentence with because. Apologies, second grade teacher!), being the bookworm that I am, I tend to actually NOT read some books sometimes. You know that feeling you get when you know you have money to spend? It just feels SO GOOD to know you’ve got money in your wallet.

Yep. I replace money with books, and wallet with bookshelf. Which means I currently have $0 in my wallet, and a LOT of unfinished books. Here’s the stack:

emily

Uh-huh. I know! I feel awful. I didn’t even realize there were so many. I also have a couple… (alright, alright, 6) books on my Kindle I haven’t read…

emily

emily

 

Do you recognize any books from the stack or on my Kindle? Aren’t there SO MANY??! I am soooo behind.

Which dress do you like? Which book should I read first? Let me know!

Emily

for the bookish’s one year blogoversary tag!

Hey, guys! As promised, today is For the Bookish’s one year blogoversary TAG! That means I’m tagging myself, and YOU! Answer the questions I answered below on YOUR blog and don’t forget to add your link way at the bottom of this post. 🙂 And if you don’t have a blog, but follow and comment on For the Bookish, I’ve got some questions for you, too!

emily

When did you start your blog? I started my blog on April 3, 2014. (THAT’S ALMOST A YEAR AGO. HOLY COW.)

What the purpose of your blog? Has it changed since then? I started my blog to talk about the books I was reading and rant about authors and characters and post book reviews! I’m still doing that and having a blast with it.

Did you blog on another blog before then? I’m adding this question ’cause believe it or not, I blogged for a good four years before I started For the Bookish. (‘Betcha didn’t know that, now did you?) When I was eight, my dad helped me get a domain name so I could blog about anything I wanted. I mostly talked about my cat and what I ate for lunch… (who am I kidding, I still talk about my cat and recipes/what I ate recently! Haha!), and then I kind of stopped. For the Bookish is more about books and reviews and authors (and anything bookish!) than it is my personal, what-I-ate-for-lunch boring kind of stuff, even though I do post on Saturdays sometimes about what’s been happening in my life.

Why did you start your blog? I sort of answered this in the last two questions, but I wanted a blog specifically for talking about bookish things! It’s been really fun getting to know everyone who follows my blog in the comments, and since starting For the Bookish I’ve discovered more books and book blogs than I ever would have.

What made you first think writing a blog could be fun? (Did you follow other blogs, did you know someone who wrote a blog, did you want to make money off of it?:) Well, like I said, I blogged on my other blog for four years before I started For the Bookish. (That was great, because I was already really familiar with WordPress and I knew what I was doing, for the most part. And besides, my dad is a web designer!) I only followed 3 or 4 other blogs, and only one of those, I think, was a book blog. I think a girl from a Taylor Swift fan club I joined a couple of years ago had a blog, and she nominated me for a Liebster award. That’s when I realized there was a whole little community of different blogs, and there such things as blog awards and guest posts and memes and tags and all!

How did you come up with your blog name? Is there a meaning (quote, life lesson, etc) behind it? Actually, I came up with ‘For the Bookish’ as a name for a bookstore, not a book blog. I would like to own a book store someday, and so naturally, in a story I was writing, I gave a character my dream book store, but I had no idea what I should call it. I don’t remember the other ideas, but For the Bookish was my favorite. If I own a book store one day, I think I’ll name it For the Bookish, too. Or The Shop Around the Corner. 🙂

How/when do you get ideas for your posts? In the shower, in the car, while reading a book, when I’m supposed to be doing Latin. You get the picture. I don’t really know how to answer this. Ideas just pop into my head when I’m not even thinking about them. Sometimes I’m a little stuck, and I don’t know what I’m going to blog about. That’s where tags, guest posts, and even book reviews come in handy.

When do you type up your posts? Usually on Sunday. Since December or January, I’ve started blogging consistently every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and sometimes on Saturday, for random rambles/goings on in my life. But most Sundays, I’ll type up the next three posts and schedule them to automatically post, so they’re already up on the blog before I even wake up. Sometimes I’m running a little behind, and I know what I’m going to blog about, I just haven’t actually written the post. (That’s why sometimes I post a little late in the day.) Right now, I’m typing this on Saturday, and you won’t read it till Wednesday!

So now it’s YOUR turn! Answer the questions on your blog and tag everyone else to join in. I can’t wait to see your answers!

If you don’t have a blog, I’ve got some questions for you, too (and even if you do, feel free to answer these questions in the comments!)

  1. How long have you been following For the Bookish?
  2. What are your favorite kinds of posts?
  3. What kind of books do you read?
  4. Are there any books I’ve reviewed on FTB you wouldn’t have read otherwise?
  5. Who are your favorite authors?
  6. What would you like to see more of on For the Bookish?

I hope you guys all like this tag! I hope you all join in! I can’t wait to see your answers. Add your link to your post below:

‘); // ]]>

Emily