The Sunday Symposium: Weirdest Place You've Ever Read

So, last night, I was reading Monsters while stuck in a box blind with my husband while he waited for some poor, unlucky hog to wander by.  And let me tell you, it is a really eerie feeling to be reading a zombie/post-apocalyptic novel when you're out in the middle of nowhere, with no one to hear you scream for miles, especially the darker it got and the more animal noises you begin to hear.  That little oinker to the left might not look terribly menacing, but that fence (not the post) stands three feet high, making that little piggy pretty damn big.

Not to mention the fact that my husband uses this green light on the scope of his gun that just adds to the eerie backdrop.  And then I heard a pack of coyotes off in the distance.  I was definitely in the right frame of mind for my zombie book.  =)  OH, also, we were reviewing the images from the livestock cameras he has out on the deer lease, and I shit you not, I swear I saw a chupacabra.  My husband says it was likely a mountain lion, but I like my theory better, even if it probably was just a coyote.  ;0)


Anyway, during the day, the deer lease is actually a pretty peaceful, beautiful place to relax and read a good book, which is what I do while my husband checks the feeder and fences.  Well, that and take pictures of the natural flora and fauna in the area:

But the deer lease at night is still a creepy place to read a zombie story.  And it made me curious.  We all have our favorite cozy nooks to read in, but where's the weirdest place you've ever read a book?  Did it fit the atmosphere of the story you were reading?  Was that purely coincidental?  (I'd actually taken Monsters and Not a Drop to Drink, both of which would have been perfect reads for the secluded Texas back country.)

I can honestly read pretty much anywhere, as long as it's relatively quiet or I have my headphones.  And I'm actually looking forward to the next creepy outing to the deer lease so I can catch up on some of my scarier reads.  =)

Read More

Labels: the sunday symposium, weird places to read

The Sunday Symposium: Don't tell me what to read! (Unless, you know, I might actually like it.)

I don't know about you guys, but I am so tired of getting Goodreads recommendations from peeps that I haven't ever interacted with, let alone trust.  (And don't even get me started on those damn event invites! Grrr!) I receive multiple recommendations daily for books that I have no interest in from people who, I suppose, are trying to help promote the author's work.  Kind of like a blog tour or book blast, but even more annoying.

Two things:  First, I think it's time to purge my friends list on GR.  (Jen at YA Romantics posted a really great piece on how to do just this awhile back so that you can personalize your preferences and simplify life. Now I just need to do it.) I know...it's my own damn fault for providing "friend me on Goodreads" as a giveaway entry.  I've since learned to suggest following my reviews instead, but I still receive a lot of friend requests regardless.  And I don't mind these, as long as they're people who actually intend to interact with me.

Second, don't recommend a book to me if we haven't ever discussed books together before, if you haven't even looked at what's already on my shelves, or if what you're suggesting is a book outside the scope of what I usually like to read.  I write for a YA book blog, though I do occasionally throw in an adult, new adult, or middle grade novel to change things up a bit.  But if you're dead-set on recommending something to me, it should probably be YA. A lot of the recs I get through GR are indies, which is fine, but I'm really picky about which ones I read.

Mostly, I just want the recs for erotica to stop. Please?!?

You know what else I want to stop?  That whole judging a person by what they read/have read thing.  I read Hush, Hush three years ago and I enjoyed it at the time, but now I can't make myself read that final book.  My reading tastes have just changed soooo much.  But by no means do I disparage anyone who's still a fan of this series or any other. Every reader is different and we're all going to like different stories.  We all go into a story expecting different things, and we're all going to take something different away from a story.  It's not right, nor is it fair, to judge each other based on these things. I've been seeing this more and more lately on GR, and I find it really aggravating.

*steps off of soap box*

I also find it aggravating when other services recommend books to me.  Like the emails from B&N, Amazon, and Audible...though I know that's probably all set up in my preferences, if I'd ever deign to update them. But they arrive in my inbox so often and they can be rather annoying, especially when they're prefaced with something like "for fans of" or "since you loved book x".  But I ranted on that topic already.

Anyway, pretty much, I'm only going to read something recommended to me if it's from a trusted source who's grabbed me by the shoulders (or you know, the virtual equivalent) and exclaimed that I absolutely must read this book, that it will somehow change my life.  For instance, Em wants me to read Tell the Wolves I'm Home, and on the flip-side, I've made her swear to finally read The Sea of Tranquility. Apparently, we really like to make each other cry.  But thems the breaks when you're accepting recommendations from trusted friends.  :-P

Let me explain. No, there is too much. Let me sum up. (Sorry, our cable was out and I tend to watch that whenever the opportunity presents itself. :D) While Goodreads is making changes, I'd love it if that recommend feature would go the way of the dodo, 'cause I don't see any way to turn it off. Besides, I get my recs elsewhere...

Read More

Labels: the sunday symposium

The Sunday Symposium: I hate it when you've read a book that I haven't...

I want to read ALL THE BOOKS.  That probably doesn't come as a surprise, especially considering that my hobby is blogging about books. But I really don't like it when someone is reading a book that I want to read but haven't yet.

Before you tell me where to stick that green-eyed monster, let me explain.  When someone -- anyone, not just you or other book bloggers...anyone -- is reading a book that I want to read, this is what goes through my head:

• (Checks schedule.) But, but...that book doesn't come out for months.  I won't get to read it for weeks at least!
• Please, please, please don't tell me that it's good.  Or bad.  Or mediocre.

By you reading this book early and even hinting at what you thought of it, you've now warped my opinion of the book.  Even without meaning to.  Unfortunately, I am susceptible and easily persuaded.  This is why I've stopped reading reviews for books I haven't read yet...at least for books that I'm dying to read.

• Well, maybe I can squeeze it in now.  I don't have to review it until closer to the release date, right?  I'm sneaky like that...right?

• Dammit!  Why the hell do I have a reading schedule anyway?!?  I wish I could go back to just reading what I wanted, when I wanted to read it.  Why don't I just do that?  Maybe I should just give up this whole blogging thing while I'm at it.  
• Wait.  Do I have this book?  I covet this book.  I must get a copy.  I will drive myself crazy until it is in my hands.  Give. It. To. Me.

I realize that all of this inner monologue might make me sound a bit nuts.  So be it.  I usually thrive on organization and a set routine or schedule, but I'm really starting to think being a book blogger is beginning to take a toll on me...and my sanity.  I said I was going to take it down a notch, but I think I may have gotten worse instead of better.

I'm doing fewer tours, which has helped significantly with my stress level, but now I'm reading more.  Not that I'm complaining.  But reading more means having more to review.  I feel like I only read and review about half of what I request, which makes me sad, and I feel a bit irresponsible because of it.  I know the solution is to stop requesting so many books, but I'm always worried that one of those I skipped over will be the next big thing that everyone's talking about, and then I'll be left out.  Being left out of the loop is the worst.  Like I said...I don't like it when you've read a book that I haven't.  Because then I can't discuss it with you and be a part of the hooplah surrounding it.  And that's one of my favorite parts of blogging. Finding that one book and getting super-fired up about it.


I remember what it was like before I was a book blogger and didn't have access to advance copies.  That was ten times worse than this...seeing people with ARCs of books that weren't coming out for another six months and stalking their updates and the author's website for teasers.  But I was free to read whatever, whenever.  I miss that.  Though, technically, I suppose that really hasn't changed.  The pressure I feel all comes from within.  I've always done this to myself.  Even in school...when I was vying for valedictorian, I nearly gave myself an ulcer.

So.  Maybe the solution isn't merely to stop requesting review copies.  Maybe it would be best to rip up that old review schedule altogether.

Even so, I don't think I could ever do it...but I have been allowing my mood to pick my next read for the last couple of weeks, and it's really worked out.  I am riding cloud nine on a book high right now after my last four or five reads.  But there are other review books on my schedule that I am less than excited for.  And because I requested them at some point, I'll end up reading them by their release date.  *sigh*

I am a creature of habit. And this is what I know.

Read More

Labels: freedom to read, ranting, reading schedules, the sunday symposium

The Sunday Symposium: Non-readers and Book Pushers

I don't know which bothers me more:  people who don't enjoy reading or those who push books on you constantly, even though you've told them repeatedly that you're not interested.

 vs. 

Being married to a (mostly) non-reader is tough at times, but having another family member who pushes her favorite books on me just might be worse.  Admittedly, my husband has been picking up some non-fiction works lately, especially those based on military experiences, and I'm happy he's reading and actually enjoying it.  He has tried to read a few of the "boy" books I've offered him, but he never gets very far.  And that's fine...not everyone likes to read the same stuff.  I just thought I'd try to expand his horizons a bit, especially since I've seen some of the storylines on his video games.  If he read the Assassin's Creed series in book form, I think he'd really start to enjoy reading fiction again.  Yes, once upon a time -- like, ten or twelve years ago when he was in high school -- he liked to read.  It's actually pretty shameful that I've never read his favorite book:  The Great Gatsby.  And, yet, he doesn't push the book on me, even though he knows I want to read it before we see the new film.  He's patient like that.  :)

My sister-in-law, on the other hand -- who I don't think reads my blog but I guess I'll find out soon -- is a book pusher.  The funny thing is, she only got into reading in the last year or so.  But every time we get together and the subject of reading comes up, it's all about what she's reading.  I understand that young adult novels are not for everyone.  But what she doesn't understand is that smexy books are not for everyone either.  I like a good hot and heavy love story every now and then, but that's all this woman reads, and I didn't appreciate some of the things she was insinuating.

On Friday night, she went into overdrive trying to convince me that I need to read Fifty Shades of Grey.  I'm sure the look on my face said it all, but she forged ahead, telling me it's not all about domination and bondage and a controlling douche-waffle like I'm thinking.  I was drinking and having a good time, so I just brushed it aside, promising her I'd at least give it to chapter 15 before passing judgment.  But, folks, I have no intentions of reading this series.  Ever.  First and foremost, it would mean I'd have to purchase the books first, and I cannot in good conscience do that.  I know a lot of women love these books, and more power to them, but I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that these books are not for me.  My friend April made a Sims trailer for the first book, and the scenes she captured told me all I needed to know.

My SIL's read some other books that blogger buddies have read, like the Bella Andre books, and I'd be much more likely to give those books a try.  And we did discuss those at length, too, with her soliciting further promises from me to read them so we could talk about them afterward.  It's nice having a real-life bookish friend, but I hate that it means I have to read what she's reading if I ever want to really talk about a story.  Just from our previous discussions, I know that she would not be open to reading the books I enjoy reading.  :(

And this is why I'm so glad to have the book blogging community.  Because I know I'll always be able to find someone who reads books similar in taste to what I'm reading and we can have a legitimate discussion about those books.  Without pressure.  Without fear of judgment.  Without ridicule.  This is why I started my blog in the first place, and I'm so glad to call this community home and all of you friends.  I'd probably go a little nutso without you guys.

How do you deal with the non-readers and book pushers in your life?  Or are you blessed with bookish friends in real life, too?

Any and all commentary, chastising, and public flogging is welcome, as per usual.  And thanks for stopping by!

Read More

Labels: book pushers, non-readers, the sunday symposium

The Sunday Symposium: No Comment

source

On this week's discussion, I'd like to a) apologize for that punny title (gawd, I love puns!) and b) apologize for the lack of commenting in recent weeks.  I have good weeks and I have bad weeks, and more often than not, I'm at least able to visit my most favoritest blogs.  But I always feel guilty when someone leaves a comment on a review or meme post and I fail to reply or visit them back.

I used to be really good about responding.  As soon as I got the email that I had a comment, I replied and/or visited the blog of the comment leaver, assuming they had one.  Or if not immediately, I did so as soon as I was near a computer again.  But these days, I find that some weeks I pretty much have to spend a day visiting every one who stopped by and forego everything else just to get caught up.  Some weeks, I don't even attempt to get caught up because I have so much other stuff going on.

But I started to wonder:  is it even as big of a deal as I'm making it?  I mean, how often have I thought, "I left a comment over at so and so's blog and they haven't responded or dropped by my blog.  The nerve!"  Um, probably never.  I do sometimes check back on blogs that I've left a meaningful (read:  not meme-related) comment on, especially if I asked a question, but I don't get upset if there's been no response.

As a book blogger, I agree to some extent that we need to network and put ourselves out there if we hope to make this a fruitful endeavor.  But this book blogging thing is supposed to be a hobby, which is something you make time for when you can.  It shouldn't be this stressful thing that weighs on us when we can't spare it as much time as we'd like, which I believe I vented enough about on the last Sunday Symposium post.

And that leads me to my questions.  Do you check back for responses? Do you notice when someone hasn't been by to visit after you've left several comments for them?  Do you resent that and maybe not visit as much then?  Are you more concerned with providing or seeing more new and unique content, as opposed to comments and responses?  If you're an established book blogger, do you, too, find it hard to keep up with this aspect of blogging?  Do you respond to every comment immediately, or do you find it easier to do it all at one time?

Any and all commentary, chastising, and public flogging is welcome, as per usual.  And thanks for stopping by! Also, be sure to check out Let's Discuss to find more bookish discussions all over the interwebz!

Read More

Labels: blogging goals, book bloggers, the sunday symposium

The Sunday Symposium...on a Monday: Obligation vs. Leisure Pursuit

The Sunday Symposium is a weekly feature in which I'll be discussing various bookish topics and asking for your commentary, as well.  This week, the symposium will be less of a discussion and more or less me telling you guys what's up.  But I want to discuss how out of control this hobby of mine has gotten, and I welcome all feedback on the topic.

Um, yeah, so I was supposed to have this post up yesterday.  Truth be told, I had this topic, or a very similar one, scheduled for last Sunday.  But as it often does, life happened, and family obligations took precedence.  Er, not really obligations, but my family wanted to do something fun, and I wasn't going to let my obligation to the blog thwart our plans.  But this is what always happens, and no matter which activity I pursue -- the one with the family or the one with the blog -- I feel guilty.  When did I have to start choosing between my hobby and my family?

And that's the point of this post.  I've been feeling more and more lately that the blog has become a duty, a responsibility, an obligation.  But it wasn't always that way.  I think it became what it is now when I started participating in weekly memes and blog tours instead of just reading and chatting about books with fellow bibliophiles.  Now, it's a constant stress to put out content daily, to be the best.  And I don't mean that in a competitive sense -- though, I am a terribly competitive person -- but in the sense that I want the blog to be the best that I can make it.  I'm constantly asking myself how I can change and improve it to be the best reflection of me, as a reader and as a person.

attribution

Upon closer inspection, an answer came to me:  stop commercializing.  I stopped with the book blasts when it became obvious that I was one of many bloggers posting the exact same content on the same day and readers were ignoring it because they'd already seen it a zillion times already.  My blog is not an advertising space.  I also haven't signed up for any blog tours past the ones that just wrapped up this month -- as far as I can remember, anyway.  If I get invited to one for a book that I've just been dying to read, I'll consider it, but tour posts take me a lot of time to work up.  Posts in general do, actually, because I'm a bit of a perfectionist and I won't publish a post until I'm sure every aspect is flawless.

You've probably also noticed that I haven't been around much socially on the interwebz.  I rarely tweet, post on Facebook, or even update my status on Goodreads anymore.  It's not that I don't miss you guys -- 'cause I totally do! -- but work has been hella busy lately, with a big project finally winding down this month, and office hours were usually the time I spent the most perusing the social networking sites.  (I'm bad, I know.)  Even so, other projects are picking up momentum, meaning I still don't have much time for that sort of thing during the day.  I've barely been able to reply to comments or visit my favorite blogs lately.



I thought bringing Mendy on as a co-blogger would prove beneficial, but she actually knows how to balance her life pretty well, and pretty much everything wins out over blogging.  And I'm not judging her for that...actually, she should take that as praise.  (But maybe we should call her what she is...a contributor to the blog, rather than a co-blogger.)  I'm jealous that I can't seem to master that balance and make blogging my hobby once again.  But a big part of it is because I really wanted the publishers to notice my blog -- and therefore me -- so much in the beginning.  And now that I have a modicum of acclaim, and despite that it's nowhere near how well some other bloggers are known by readers and publishers alike, I'm okay with it.  I'm actually pretty ecstatic about it.  I feel like I'm at the point where I can maintain the relationships I've already formed in this industry and still go back to just doing my own thing without risking my integrity.

I mean, that's what it all comes down to, how it all started:  honest, informative reviews that led to great bookish discussions.  But the blog is also my personal outlet, where I can discuss various leisure pursuits, not just reading.  I'd like to start doing more of that.  For instance,  we took our 5yo daughter to see Monsters University over the weekend, and I'd kind of like to share how cute the movie was, even if it's not book-related.  I usually only review movies that are adapted from books, but as I don't really watch all that many movies, anyway, I don't think a few exceptions to the rule will hurt anybody.

Basically, here's the situation:  it's the last summer before my kiddo starts kindergarten, and I want to spend every moment I can with her before sending her off into the world.  Which means some stuff on the blog may fall by the wayside, particularly blog tours and potentially memes.  Much as my Katiebug has decided to only draw book covers when she feels like it, I'm going to post what I want when I want.  No more feeling obligated to post something just because I've done so every week prior to this.  Of course, there will still be plenty of reviews because, well, I can't just stop reading.  ;0)

So, what do you do to keep the balance in your life?  If you're a blogger, have you noticed that blogging has become less like a hobby and more like a chore?  What steps have you taken to ensure that it doesn't become a second job?

Any and all commentary, chastising, and public flogging is welcome, as per usual.  And thanks for stopping by!  Also, be sure to check out Let's Discuss to find more bookish discussions all over the interwebz!

Read More

Labels: blogging goals, the sunday symposium

The Sunday Symposium: Serious About Series

The Sunday Symposium is a weekly feature in which I'll be discussing various bookish topics and asking for your commentary, as well.  This week, let's discuss series:  why some series are easier to finish than others, why it's sometimes better to wait until all the books in a series are released, what series you could read over and over, etc.

I used to be really good about finishing series.  Okay, maybe good isn't the right word for it.  I was obsessive about it.  The same way I was about finishing every book I began reading.  I've started DNFing books that weren't particularly holding my interest, and in a way, that's carried over to the series I've started in the last few years, as well.

That isn't to say that I've lost interest in every series I haven't finished yet.  There are a lot of series ending this year.  Some I finished the minute the books were released (The Clockwork Princess)...or earlier if I had a review copy of the final book (Requiem).  But therein lies the problem.  My review books are taking priority these days, so if I haven't specifically fit a book -- whether it be a finale or not -- into my reading schedule, it likely won't get read for awhile.  Unless I download the audiobook.  I've been doing that for a lot of books (finales included) that I just don't have time for.

But I've really got to stop doing that, especially when I already own the book.  Because more often than not, there's a reason I've been putting off that final book, and I don't just mean time constraints.  Look at Lauren Kate's Rapture.  I knew that series was...less-than-stellar.  But I own signed copies of all four books.  It took me forever for my curiosity to get the best of me, and even so, I didn't break down and read the book on my shelf.  No, I downloaded the audio from Audible without checking who the narrator was.  Big mistake.  The book wasn't good on its own, but add a terrible narrator into the mix, and it was doomed to fail.  It took me four attempts to get all the way through it.  (I've since barred myself from any audio featuring this narrator.)  And after all that, I couldn't even bring myself to review it.  Not even to rant about it.  That's saying a lot.  And so you might understand why I'm hesitant to read the finale for that other angel series.  There are a million good reasons not to finish that particular series, and yet, I know my curiosity will get the better of me and I'll give in to temptation, no matter how wrong it is.  If it weren't for Angelfall, I think I'd give up on [fallen] angel books completely.

But it's not just angel-themed series that I haven't finished yet.  Sometimes, I start a book without realizing it's the first in a series.  (I'm looking at you, I am Number Four.)  Sometimes I start a series just to pass the time until something better comes along.  (It's me, not you, The Maze Runner.)  Don't judge...you know you've done this, too.  ;0)

On the other hand, there are series that I will devour the minute I get my hands on each book.  I couldn't wait a minute longer to read The Bitter Kingdom, for instance.  Now that was an epic finale.  Well worth the wait, I might add.  Though, it would have caused me less heartache to have waited until that entire series had been released before diving in.  I mean, I read the first book only a couple of months before the second was released.  Another year wouldn't have been asking too much, but I'm weak.  So very weak.

The one series, though, that I could read again and again is Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials.  Not only are those some great fantasy books, but they bring back good memories.  First, unlike so many YA enthusiasts these days, I cannot boast that the Twilight series was the one that got me back to my reading roots.  Nope.  For me, that all started with The Golden Compass.  I started it when I was pregnant with my daughter, and I ended up giving that copy to my older sister and buying the omnibus that contained all three books.  I remember going to one of my "treatments" at the end -- there were complications -- and having to lie there for an hour at a time, and one of the nurses remarked that "that's an awfully big book".  Um, yeah.

I have a love/hate relationship with series these days.  I love finding great new series, but I also hate the waiting in between books and the feeling of obligation to finish each one I start.  That's another thing I'm working on.  And I might be giving away a couple of the completed series mentioned in this post, even though I haven't finished them myself.  If I get that curious, I can always download the audio, right?  ;-)

Here are some of the series on my shelves right now...

Completely finished and completely unread...don't ask:

• The Trylle Trilogy by Amanda Hocking
• The Firelight Trilogy by Sophie Jordan
• The Looking Glass Wars Trilogy by Frank Beddor
• Modern Faerie Tales by Holly Black
• Prophecy of the Sisters Trilogy by Michelle Zink
• The Incarceron Duology by Catherin Fisher

Finished series that I'm behind on (read: waivering on completing):

• Across the Universe Trilogy by Beth Revis, read books #1 and #2
• Gone with the Respiration by Lia Habel, read book #1...not sure if there's more than two
• The Chemical Garden Trilogy by Lauren DeStefano, read books #1 and #2
• The Goddess Test series by Aimee Carter, read books #1 and #2
• The Revenants series by Amy Plum, read books #1 and #2
• Shades of London series by Maureen Johnson, read book #1
• Hereafter series by Tara Hudson, read book #1
• Personal Demons Trilogy by Lisa Desrochers, read books #1 and #2

There are more to add to both of those lists, and I wanted to list all the series that I plan on completing this year, but it's getting late, I meant to have this post up this morning, and I'm still recovering from a cold or whatever my daughter passed to me, so this will have to be enough for now.  :-P  Plus, you probably don't need to know how neurotic I can be.  I am such a list-maker.  =)

So, how do you feel about series?  Any that you just can't make yourself finish?  How about those that you wish you would have waited to read?  And best of all, which series could you re-read, no matter how many times you've read it before?

Any and all commentary, chastising, and public flogging is welcome, as per usual.  And thanks for stopping by!  Also, be sure to check out Let's Discuss to find more bookish discussions all over the interwebz!

Read More

Labels: series, the sunday symposium

The Sunday Symposium: Reading Slumps & Slump Busters

The Sunday Symposium is a weekly feature in which I'll be discussing various bookish topics and asking for your commentary, as well.  This week, let's talk about those ugly reading slumps we all fall prey to and how to remedy them.

I am chagrined to admit that I've let my review schedule dictate most of the books I've read lately.  And when I get behind on said schedule, I tend to grab the audiobook version.  Yes, that means I'm purchasing the audiobook of a book I already own a galley of.  I feel such a keen obligation to review a book that I've requested that apparently I'll go to any length to accomplish it.

But this post isn't to complain about my compulsive behavior -- or idiocy, whatever you want to call it.  No, it's to call out those books that have really disappointed me lately.  Okay, so that's not really the point of this post, either, but surely I will feel better once the blame has been laid. Right?




Anyway, I wouldn't say that I'm in a full-blown reading slump right now because I have read and listened to some amazing books in the last couple of months.  But I have been trying to ward one off for the last couple of months.  And it all started with Taken.  I've been trying to scour reviews since to ensure that that mess doesn't happen to me again.  No such luck with Chantress, although I did DNF at 28%, but I did miss out on the crazyship that was September Girls.  Even so, that stupid, beautiful cover still has me contemplating it.  What if everyone else was wrong?!?  *sigh*

At any rate, I've kind of just been picking and choosing what I want to read from my review books the last couple of weeks, even reading some months ahead of schedule.  *gasp*  I'm such a mood reader these days, and I feel like half the books I've read lately have been in vain because I wasn't in the right frame of mind when I picked them up.  I'm still hoping that's the case with Chantress because I'd been looking forward to that particular book for months, so it was really disappointing when the dialogue of all things was what made me give up rather early on in the story.

The worst of it is that even audiobooks aren't immune to the slump.  I don't love every audiobook I listen to, but I do enjoy the majority of them.  However, in the last week alone, I listened to two that were rather unsatisfactory, one because of the story and the other because of the story and the narrator.  So disappointing were these books that I don't even want to do full reviews, not even to gripe.  I think I'm going to join the trend and do mini-reviews for these so I can finally put them out of my mind. The sad thing is, both of those stories (not the audiobooks) had been highly recommended to me.

With so many awesome books releasing each week, it's really discouraging when I pick up several less-than-stellar books/audiobooks in a relatively short span of time.  Is it me?  Is it the book?  Should I take a break from all of this?  These books all seemed promising, and other reviewers loved them.  Maybe I'm just too snarktastic for my own good.

But then, then I read The Bitter Kingdom.  Slump be damned!  And the words to convey how much I loved this book evade me now, but I'll get a review up closer to release date.  I'll probably have re-read the book by then, too, because it was freaking genius.  Genius, I tells ya!  It's even renewed my interest in this whole endeavor.  Because this book proved to me that it's not just me.  I do still love to read and I do still love to share awesome books with people.  I was obviously just reading the wrong ones.  I will just have to be a lot choosier with future reads.  I hate DNFing a book and I hate reading something I'm not enjoying.

So, I shall maintain a reading/reviewing schedule, but I will no longer allow it to be my prescribed reading list.  And I will continue to monitor reviews for books on it, and if something seems like it's not going to be a good fit, out the window it goes.  No more forcing myself to read things just because I requested them.  No more purchasing audio when I have a perfectly good review copy in my hands.  If it has to wait, it has to wait.

Do you experience reading slumps often or at all?  What books have pulled you out of a reading slump?

Any and all commentary, chastising, and public flogging is welcome, as per usual.  And thanks for stopping by!  Also, be sure to check out Let's Discuss to find more bookish discussions all over the interwebz!

Read More

Labels: reading slumps, slump busters, the sunday symposium

The Sunday Symposium: Adapting to the Adaptations

The Sunday Symposium is a weekly feature in which I'll be discussing various bookish topics and asking for your commentary, as well.  This week, let's talk about books being adapted into movies and television shows, shall we?

In the last couple of years, it seems like nearly every successful YA book or series is being adapted for the screen.  In fact, the movie rights to some novels are being purchased before the books have even made it to readers; for example, Ridley Scott's London production company purchased the rights to Moira Young's Blood Red Road a year before the book was published (source) and Kass Morgan's The 100 is already slated for the CW's fall lineup (source), even though the novel won't be released until September.


Personally, when I hear that a book I've read, favorite or not, is being adapted for the silver screen or for television audiences, I'm initially excited.  The thought of seeing a book come to life is exhilarating...but also unimaginable.  And so, soon after talk of a movie is addressed, I find myself worrying that the movie could never live up to the preconceived notions I have from the book.  (They rarely ever do.)  Then the casting begins, and I'm left even less sure of the film's success in my own mind, let alone the thousands of other readers who will be weighing in.

If I forbid myself from re-reading the book prior to a movie's release, I'm less likely to judge the film so harshly.  That was the case withThe Host and with Warm Bodies earlier this year.  Also, if I watch the movie first, I tend to find it more appealing than the book, as with The Neverending Story and The Princess Bride.  Basically, it comes down to timing, I suppose.  How recently I read the book.  If I even read the book prior to seeing the movie or tv show.  These are definitely big factors in how much I enjoy an adaptation, as are casting and how true the story remains to the original book.  Some I have control over, some I do not.

But sometimes, TV and movie execs get it right, whether they remained true to the story or not.  As with the CW's The Vampire Diaries.  I only read the first two novels in the series, and to me, they were complete shite.  There's no nice way to say it.  I read them over the course of a couple of weeks at the gym, and in the end, I flat-out hated myself for it.  And I swore I'd never waste my precious time watching a show based on such a farce of a story.  But then I saw that Boone from Lost was a recurring character, and well, eye candy is eye candy.  So, I gave the show a shot.  And then I was addicted, much to the dismay of my husband.  But that dismay didn't last long...he's as hooked as I am now, and we both kind of stared open-mouthed at each other after last Thursday's season finale.  Did. Not. See. That. Coming.


Anyways, book adaptations...they can be a good thing, or they can be a really, really bad idea.  There are a lot of aspects that affect the success, or lack thereof, of a book-to-screen adaptation.  And it goes without saying that no two adaptations will have the same results.  Obviously.

What makes or breaks an adaptation in your eyes?  What are some of your favorites?  Which ones were big ole flops, as far as you're concerned?  Are there any that you're particularly excited about?  Or maybe over-protectively leery of?  :P

And what say you on the recent news that FOX decided not to pick up the series based on the Delirium books by Lauren Oliver?  (source)  I'm actually relieved about that one.  With the slew of changes that the producers had decided to back, I was sure it would make for a pretty good tv show, but as an adaptation?  It was going to be awful.

I know it will never work out this way, but I wish adaptations would appeal to the readers first and then to the masses.  *sigh*

Any and all commentary, chastising, and public flogging is welcome, as per usual.  And thanks for stopping by!

Read More

Labels: adaptations, from book to screen, the sunday symposium