Let's Talk the Blogging Life

I've got 99 problems and at least 50 of them involve post drafts and how to schedule reviews. Blogger life.

So, the other day I was talking with a friend and was showing her how I used blogger and this is what my reviews look like, my hauls, how I schedule post in advance, you know, and I realized a few things. First, she was happy I was enjoying myself and shared my enthusiasm. Secondly, talking about blogging mechanics nonstop is not widely considered sparkling conversation to non blogging people. So, I figured who better to talk about blogging life with than with my blogging friends?

Today I pose the question- what is your blogging life like? Let me walk you through my sporadic one. Post inspiration strikes me at random (and typically inconvenient hours), so if I just have an idea but I'm not inspired enough to write it, I'll put the title in as a new draft, and sometimes write down some short notes if there are specific details or examples I want to include later. Then, a blogging storm approaches, and suddenly I'm writing two to four discussions amidst all my reviews for the month that I haven't written on Goodreads. It can be a little crazy. However, other times I'll just write a post here or there, but together it will amount to a solid blogging schedule. And I love that, having enough posts ahead so that if I have blogger's block or a bunch of other things come up, I know the blog is alright and I can just reply to comments if I have no free time. 

But where's the fun in just meeting the minimum? Comments are some of my favorite things about blogging- I love reading comments on my posts, commenting on other blogs to keep in touch, and just connecting with the blogging community. That's definitely one of the best things about being a blogger. So, let's talk about the blogging life for you- share your thoughts down in the comments below, and let me know if you like this series name/set up in lieu of my  'and Other Thoughts' type of discussions (you can find some examples of those when I talk about TBRs, readalongs, and book buying) Although not much has changed aside from the series title and having a specific idea that sparks a general conversation, I'd love your input about these two types of discussion post series, and what other discussions you'd like to see on the blog!

From the paper world,

V

Books I Really Want to Read But Don't Own Yet - Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted at The Broke and the Bookish, and each week has a new theme. Today we're discussing the Top Ten Books I want to read but don't yet own. I'm going to pick 5 upcoming, unreleased books, and 5 already published ones that I really want to read. Here we go!

Upcoming

The Retribution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

Killer Instinct by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Mortal Heart by Robin LaFevers

Mortal Gods by Kendare Blake

The Young Elites by Marie Lu

Previously Published

The Chapel Wars by Lindsey Leavitt

The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski

The Warrior by Victoria Scott

Of Breakable Things by A. Lynden Rolland

Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge

So, there is my list of books that I don't yet have, but really want to read!  As you can tell, there are a lot of sequels on here, and some debuts as well, but I think these are almost all 2014 releases. Let me know if you've read any of these and what you thought of them in the comments! 

From the paper world,

V

Let's Talk Covers Vol. 1

I'm back with an episode of something that I thought would be interesting. Bookish people talk covers all the time- good covers, bad covers, please-don't-ever-change-these covers, and of course, the cover changes. So, I thought it was time for the paper world to weigh in, and today I'm here to show you five of my favorite covers... of books off my favorites shelf on Goodreads. Let's be completely honest, if it were my all time favorite covers, you wouldn't want to read that super long post and I wouldn't want to have to narrow down the options. So, I gave myself some parameters to work with. Here are those top 5 - 

Unhinged (Splintered no. 2) by A.G. Howard
Why I love it - the color. You will quickly realize that brilliant color is key to a good cover for me. Also, the intricate detailing on the cover as well. I know most people don't like 'face covers' but this series in general are beautiful examples of how face covers can be gorgeous and completely eye catching. Drawn, with excellent attention to character details and contrasting colors. Oh, and it's Morpheus. <3 i="">

These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner

Why I love it - this looks like a movie poster. It's eye catching and beautiful, yet tells a lot about the story as well. Lilac in her signature green dress and fiery hair (I love it when covers match the actual character descriptions in the book), Tarver in his uniform, the star crossed aspect of it, the space backdrop. It's beautiful, the stark font of the title makes it look like a film poster, and again with a beautiful, dramatic burst of color.

Apollyon (Covenant no. 4) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Why I love it - normally I tend to like blues/greens/purple tones most, but this fiery cover is definitely one of my favorites for this list. It looks like a firework, only more beautiful and intricate. The colors are breathtaking- this is a color palette that's striking, bold, and looks fantastic against the black background. In general this series has beautiful and intense covers, but Apollyon is my favorite.

To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han

Why I love it - This is probably one of, if not my favorite contemporary novel cover. The reason lies in the details. The title name looks as if it's been drawn on in permanent marker- there are little gaps where the marker skipped, lighter patches, etc. The whole cover (back cover included) depicts Lara Jean's room with pictures and mementos that build her character before you even open a page of the book. This is a cover that adds another layer to the story.

Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce

Why I love it - this is a cover that says fairy tale to me. The red and black colors are a stark contrast, and convey the dark tone of the novel, as well as the Little Red Riding Hood roots as well. The two sisters are featured, yet without much dimension so that the reader creates their own image of the story, and which sister is which.

Let me know if you like this series and I can continue on with talking about covers. I was thinking about talking about my five least favorite covers from my favorites list next, or what doesn't work for me with covers. However if you have any requests, like a post on my favorite/least favorite cover changes, etc. just let me know!

 From the paper world,
V

'Sophmore Slump' and Other Thoughts on Sequels

Today I wanted to talk about sequels. The other day, I was reading and there was a comment about how in general sequels can be such huge disappointments after the wonder of the first book. And I thought that while that's true in some cases, there are sequels I've loved and enjoyed even more than the first book, which can be heavy with information, exposition, and introduction. Today I thought I'd share a few sequels I loved, a few I never want to read again, and why I had that reaction/how it compared to the first book.

The Eh

So, why are these four sequels ones that I disliked or was disappointed in? A general answer is the protagonist and character development. I'm the sort who likes a lot of plot development and intrigue, but there has to be compelling characters in order for me to love  series and stay with the story. For these second books, there were several problems. The first two, Insurgent and The Elite, are second books in a trilogy. Whenever these books fall flat it's often called 'sophmore slump', or when a second book is lacking the action and plot development in the first and basically just sitting there staring at the main conflict that can't be resolved until the third book because it's a trilogy. In some aspects, I think Insurgent and The Elite are sophmore slumps for me. However, in both I also found another phenomenon was present- I was annoyed at the protagonists. The narrator would decide that secrecy and deception would be the best options to 'protect everyone' and this trope is something that is tiresome very quickly. 

For the other two, Frostbite and World After, these two are both the second book in a series of five, if I'm not mistaken about Angelfall's intended series length. For both of these, the struggle was found in not much happening. Yes, the protagonists were also annoying here, but in Frostbite, I thought the central conflict/problem was actually just part of the rising action in the story, so I was disappointed by the end. World After seemed to lack the action and compelling story of its predecessor. 

Now, you might be wondering, if I disliked this sequel, did I continue on with the series? For 3 of the 4 books, the answer is yes, and the last book is sitting on my TBR. You might wonder why. The answer is that, simply put, there's enough in the sequel, in the characters and world we met in the original story, that kept me interested in reading on in the journey. I'm not the sort who has to finish every series I pick up. However, there are series where one book isn't the best, but the idea and story interest me enough to go on.

The Favorites

Now, let's talk about some of my favorite sequels and why I think they stand out. (I'm not entirely sure if The Arcana Chronicles -Endless Knight is the sequel- is a trilogy or more, but from the description of the third book and the overall story line I hope this is more than a trilogy. If you know which it is, comment down below and let me know.) 

Anyways, what makes these sequels so wonderful is that they're unexpected, and they further develop and enrich the plot and characters. Breaking Point continues on where Article 5 left off, but everything is still developing. We haven't lost any of the momentum from the first book, the intense tone and action. Instead, we learn more about the characters, who is good, bad, and more complex than they originally appear. The same is true for Endless Knight, where we see characters that weren't featured as much in the first book and yet the main conflict also continues to grow and develop throughout. To be completely honest, Endless Knight is a sequel I loved even more than the first book.

Another sequel I loved more than the first was The Sea of Monsters, where the characters were more interesting and developed than the first book, and the story was entertaining and well written. Finally, I had to mention Unhinged as an example of a sequel I loved because it also has a plethora of plot twists and character development. 

In general, I think what makes a sequel great is plot twists, character development, and a continuation of action and plot development. What are some sequels that fell into the sophmore slump for you, and some that stayed fantastic or even better than their first books?

Curious to see my more detailed thoughts on these sequels?
My Endless Knight Review, My Percy Jackson and the Olympians series Review, My Unhinged Review

And see my thoughts on some of the first books in the series!
Angelfall by Susan Ee (World After), Splintered by A.G. Howard (Unhinged), Poison Princess by Kresley Cole (Endless Knight)

From the paper world,
V

If, Then for Books! Vol. 2

I'm back today with another volume of If, Then! I love sharing books that I think are similar in tone, concept, or writing. Last time I recommended a few books and I'm excited to share more today! 

If you liked Stolen Songbird by Danielle L. Jensen, then you might like Threats of Sky and Sea by Jennifer Ellision.

try

Why?

Both of these fantasy novels feature characters suddenly thrown into a mysterious, dangerous court setting trying to navigate the world with supernatural aspects such as trolls or elementals. Each has compelling writing and are first books with a lot of well done world building.

If you liked Just One Day by Gayle Forman, then you might like Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson. 

try 

Why?

Both of these protagonists go on soul searching journeys with an unusual traveling companion, and discover the beauty of the world and the people in it along the way.

So, there is a brief description of why I think some of these books go well together. Let me know if you've read any, or if these picks remind you of some other books I might want to pick up. I'll see you next time!

From the paper world,

V

Books I'm Not Sure I Want to Read - Top Ten Tuesday

This helps with cleaning out my TBR pile- let me know if it's a book I should pick up or not. Be sure to let me know in the comments if you've read any of these and what your thoughts were. For some, like Beautiful Creatures and Asylum, I've picked them up before but couldn't get into the story after ___ of pages (upwards of 75 for Beautiful, I think around 188 for Asylum). Some, like The Knife and Blood Red Road, the narration and writing is throwing me. Some I have in e-book and I'm just not sure. Regardless, share your thoughts below on whether I should read them and continue on!

Incarceron  by Catherine Fisher

Asylum by Madeline Roux

I Was Jane Austen's Best Friend by Cora Harrison

The Knife of Never Letting Go  by Patrick Ness

Blood Red Road by Moira Young

Inkheart by Cornelia Funke

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

From the paper world,

V

Books I'd Give to People Who Haven't Read Fairy Tale Retellings - Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted at The Broke and the Bookish, and each week is a different topic to pick ten books for. Today's theme is Top Ten Books I'd Give to Someone who hasn't read ____ Genre. I choose fairy tale retellings, which is one of my favorite genres and I think isn't a more popular one. It's not ten picks, but I tried to pick my favorites to share from the genre.

Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce - This story is one that retells Little Red Riding Hood, and it's a very unique retelling, with two sisters who become werewolf hunters after a childhood tragedy. The character development is compelling and the story is a dark and intense version of the classic tale.

 Sweetly by Jackson Pearce - While this is technically the sequel to Sisters Red, I had to include it separately because it's my favorite. Sweetly's characters are ones I connected to, and the story was unpredictable despite it being a retelling. 

East by Edith Pattou - This is a retelling of East of the Sun, West of the Moon, which is one of my favorite fairy tales. I think it's very easy to depict the protagonist in the wrong light, and make the second half of the story drag, but East does neither. Instead, it creates a beautiful and enchanting story that I loved reading, and even pick up to reread on occassion.

Splintered  by A.G. Howard - Well, I had to mention my favorite Alice in Wonderland retelling. This series captures the whimsy and complexity of Wonderland while being a unique, fresh take on the world and original story. More than a retelling, this retells what happened in Alice in Wonderland in the form of Alice's descendants.

The Storyteller's Daughter  by Cameron Dokey - This story is truly rich and intricate, much like the tapestries in the story. The writing and tone of this novel is magical, enchanting. It's a story that I couldn't put down. The characters go through struggles and development as the story itself builds, and for a short novel this is one of my all time favorites.

The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer - I first picked up Cinder two or three years ago when a friend lent her copy to me. I was struck by how unique of a retelling this series is- science fiction and futuristic. Now, it's one of my favorite series, with Cress being one of my favorite 2014 reads thus far. 

Strands of Bronze and Gold by Jane Nickerson - Bluebeard's Wives is definitely one of the darker, grim fairy tales. This retelling captures the eerie, spooky vibe of it perfectly. I was held in suspense the entire time as we follow the narrator's plight and intense story.

Goose Girl by Shannon Hale- The Goose Girl is a fairy tale retelling, although until recently I had been unaware of the original story. Shannon Hale is an author I've discussed before in a Top Ten Tuesday, and this was perhaps one of the first books I read by her. It's unique, beautifully written, and a well told story.

From the paper world,

V

'Buddy Reads' and Other Thoughts on Group Reads and Readalongs

I really should come up with a banner for this series as the posting has become more frequent. Welcome back to another discussion post. Today, we're talking about readalongs- the fun, the good, and the scheduling. 

First off, let me just say I love readalongs/buddy reads. It's a wonderful opprotunity to talk with other bloggers, and since sharing my love of books is what brought me to the blogging world, a readalong is the perfect opprotunity for that. 

My first readalong...

My readalong-ing, for lack of a better term, began in January when I stumbled across the Incarnate Series Read-A-Thon while on a visit to A Backwards Story. I was intrigued, loved the covers of the books, and thought it might be fun. So, I signed up for this readalong she was hosting with Alexa Loves Books. So, way back when in January, I signed up, and not only did I get the chance to discover a wonderful series, I got to discuss them with other bloggers, chat about them on Twitter and tune into the hangouts (I squealed out loud when they read my questions) and even tweet with Jodi Meadows and interview her! None of this would have happened if this readalong hadn't come to pass and led to my discovering a really wonderful series. 

So, there is my readalong origins story, I guess you can say. However, Buddy Reads is something I'd done starting in January as well. Kerrie is a fellow blogger I started reading and discussing books with back in January. We read Angelfall, World After, and Across the Universe over the course of a few months. Having a set goal and someone to discuss my thoughts with really helped me appreciate the books more, and soon I was asking fellow bloggers to read books together and discuss!

Since then, I've done several readalongs, a few within the past months were reading Sekret with Cassi of My Thoughts...Literally! and Hex Hall with Juhina of Maji Bookshelf and Jaspirit of The Reader's Den. I've loved doing these readalongs, but I do think there are some cons to them sometimes as well.

Scheduling. I am terrible at this. Oftentimes I end up reading multiple books if I'm doing several readalongs, and I can mess up when I need to be in what chapter and anything like that. So, if I've ever blundered and fallen behind in a readalong, then I feel super bad because the other person is staying on track and I'm slowing them down, or we can't discuss the book because I'm not in time.

Reading Ahead. Yes, I've done it once. Or twice. But not often, I promise, and sometimes it's just, again, due to my inability to schedule things properly or then maintain them! However, sometimes if there's a cliffhanger, I'll read a chapter ahead. It happens very rarely, but I do feel bad about it!

Differing Opinions. This one hasn't really happened to me yet. Most of the times, the other person/people and I will be in agreement. So, I'll share this one with you- have you done a readalong and one person hated the book and another loved it? How did that affect your discussion?

In general, readalongs, buddy reads, and group reads are fantastic. Not only do you get to compare ideas and reactions with a bunch of other bloggers (and it's always fun to be reading the same thing and talking about that book boyfriend or that crazy plot twist) but you also get to reach out to a lot of other bloggers and discuss. With that in mind, some issues can arise but as long as everyone just tries to enjoy the reading and have a thoughtful conversation, reading with other people is one of my favorite ways to discover new books.

So, let me know what your buddy reads are like down in the comments! Or, if you've got a book you want a buddy to read with, let me know! 

From the paper world,

V