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The (Soon-to-Be) Monster List of All-Bookish Links

Sunday, August 30, 2015

Well, I guess I'm not surprised. This post was simply meant to be my list of upcoming bookish events that I planned on joining for the remainder of the year. Now it's this unwieldy list of links including challenges, memes, and bookish link-ups. And I know there is more.

I have a notebook where I have been scribbling all these events. Most often I am always floundering -- ugh, I forgot about the event, or I find out too late to rejig my reading plans.

So I decided to make "lemonade" out of this dilemma! You can help me build up this list and make this an evolving resource. There's a form down at the bottom. Or just leave a comment and I'll add it in!

Maybe this will help me -- and all readers out there -- to get a bit of a head start on the wide variety of bookish events we can join in!

*indicate I partake, or have joined in in the past

Note that most events/challenged are repeated annually. Please check individual links to find out details.

Memes - by day/month

Monday

Bookmark Monday* hosted by Guiltless Reading
It's Monday, What Are You Reading? hosted by Book Date
Mailbox Monday
Musings Monday hosted by A Daily Rhythm

Tuesday
Boost it Tuesday hosted by Candace's Book Blog
First Chapter, First Paragraph hosted by Bibliophile by the Sea
Reader Workouts hosted by Joy's Book Blog
Teaser Tuesday hosted by A Daily Rhythm
Tell Me Something Tuesday hosted by Rainy Day Ramblings
Top Ten Tuesday* hosted by the Broke and the Bookish

Wednesday
Cover Wars Wednesday hosted by Book is Glee
Library Loot hosted by the Captive Reader & Silly Little Mischief
Shelf Control hosted by Bookshelf Fantasies
This Week in Books hosted by Lipsyy Lost and Found
Waiting on Wednesday hosted by Breaking the Spine
What Are You Reading Wednesday hosted by It's a reading Thing
Wishlist Wednesday hosted by Pen to Paper
Wondrous Words Wednesday hosted by Bermuda Onion
Word Nerd Wednesday hosted by Bookish Regards
WWW Wednesday hosted by Taking on a World of Words

Thursday
Beyond the Books hosted by Kissin' Blue Karen
Book Traveling Thursdays hosted by The Girl Who Read too Much
Booking through Thursday
Bookishly Boisterous hosted by Bookish (and not-so Bookish) Thoughts
Lit Lovers Link Up hosted by Daily Mayo

Thirsty Thursday and Hungry Hearts hosted by (un)Conventional Book Views

Thursday Quotables hosted by Bookshelf Fantasies

Throwback Thursday hosted by Casual Reader's Book Club

What’s Next hosted by Icey Books
What is When I First Saw You? hosted by Sailing Through Books

Friday
Book Beginnings * hosted by Rose City Reader
Book Blogger Hop * hosted by Coffee Addicted Writer
Cover Lust Friday hosted by Alice Reeds
Exploring My Bookshelves hosted by Addlepates and Book Nerds
Feature Follow Friday * hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read

First Lines Friday hosted by Wandering Words

Friday Finds hosted by Books and a Beat

Friday 56 * hosted by Freda's Voice

Non-Fiction Friday * hosted by Doing Dewey
Sci-Fi and Fantasy Fridays hosted by On Starships and Dragonwings

Saturday
Saturday Review of Books * hosted by Semicolon
Saturday Situation hosted by Pure Imagination and Candace's Book Blog
Series Saturday hosted by P.S. I Love That Book

Shelf Candy Saturday hosted by A Night's Dream of Books

Soundtrack Saturday hosted by The Hardcover Lover
Stacking the Shelves hosted by Team Tynga's Reviews
Talk of the Town hosted by Jera’s Jamboree and Cosmochicklitan

Weekend Cooking* hosted by Beth Fish Reads

Sunday
Cover Characteristic hosted by Sugar and Snark
Small Victories Sunday *
Spread the Love *
Sunday Cover Scramble hosted by JC's Book Haven
The Sunday Post * hosted by The Caffeinated Book Reviewer
The Sunday Salon *

Sat/Sun/Weekends
Weekend Cooking* hosted by Beth Fish Reads

Monthly
6 Bookish Degrees of Separation hosted by Girlxoxo.com
Anticipated Reads hosted by Books are My Thing

Best of the Bunch hosted by A Cocoon of Books
Book Nook hosted by Create With Joy

Books You Loved * hosted by Carol's Chatter

Monthly Wrapup hosted by Bookidote

Monthly Wrap-Up Round-Up hosted by Feed Your Fiction Addiction
Once Upon a Book Challenge hosted by Books for Thought

Quick Lit hosted by Modern Mrs. Darcy
Reading Queue hosted by Books, A True Story
Six Degrees of Separation hosted by Annabel Smith

Events by Month

January:
A Winter's Respite Readathon
Biannual Blogathon Bash (Jan 22-25, 2016)
Blogger New Year's Challenge
Blogging Better New Year's Resolution Reading Challenge (2016)
Bloggiesta (Winter Edition)
Bout of Books hosted by Bout of Books
Clean Slate Readathon (January 10-17, 2016)
First Book of the Year
Hamilton Read-along #Hamalong (Jan, Feb 206)
New Year's Resolution Reading Challenge
Young Adult Faeries and Fantasy Giveaway Hop

February:
2016 Love-a-thon
29 Days of Commenting (2016)
Book Blogger Appreciation Week (Feb. 15-19, 2016)
Feel the Paper Love February
Hamilton Read-along #Hamalong (Jan, Feb 2016)
Women Run the World Readathon (2016)

March:
Bloggiesta - Spring (March 21-27, 2016)
Bookish Bingo - Spring hosted by Pretty Deadly Reviews (March-May 2016)
Month-Long Weirdathon (March 1-31, 2016)
Rereadathon (March 21-31, 2016)
A Day in the Life (March 23, 2016)
Take Control of Your TBR Pile Challenge (March 1-31, 2016)
Women in Science History Month (March 1-31, 2016)

April:
April A-Z Challenge hosted by Persephone Knits
Bookish Bingo - Spring hosted by Pretty Deadly Reviews (March-May 2016)
Brooding about the Brontës hosted by Girl with Her Head in a Book (April 18-24)
Dewey's 24-hour Readathon
National Poetry Month Blog Tour hosted by Savvy Wit and Verse
Roots, the Readalong hosted by True Book Addict (April-May)
Spring into Horror Readathon hosted by Seasons of Reading (April 18-24, 2016)
Where in the World will your Nobel Take You?* hosted by Guiltless Reading (entire month)

May:
Armchair BEA (Book Expo America is May 11-13, 2016)
Bookish Bingo - Spring hosted by Pretty Deadly Reviews (March-May 2016)
Bout of Books (May 9-15, 2016) hosted by Bout of Books
Georgette Heyer Blog Tour hosted by First Impressions Reviews
Inklings Week (May 9-15, 2016) hosted by Books and Beverages
#KillYourTBR2016 - May - Read the Classics hosted by BOOKish
Roots, the Readalong hosted by True Book Addict (April-May)
Take Back Your Shelves Readathon hosted by JMill Wanders (May 28-30, 2016)

June:
Bloggiesta*, Summer Mini Bloggiesta (June 18-19, 2016)
Reviewathon hosted by Estella's Revenge (June 12-16, 2016)
Sci-Fi Summer Reading hosted by Fortified by Books (June 20-September 21, 2016)
Summer Book Challenge Series hosted by Semi-Charmed Kind of Life (June 1-August 31, 2016)
Summertime Blog and Reader Challenge hosted by Parajunkee (entire month)
Travel the World in Books - Island Adventure hosted by Mom's Small Victories (entire month)

July:
Paris in July *
Sci-Fi Summer Reading hosted by Fortified by Books (June 20-September 21, 2016)

Summer Book Challenge Series hosted by Semi-Charmed Kind of Life (June 1-August 31, 2016)

August:
Austen in August *
Bout of Books (August 22-28, 2016) hosted by Bout of Books
Sci-Fi Summer Reading hosted by Fortified by Books (June 20-September 21, 2016)
Summer Book Challenge Series hosted by Semi-Charmed Kind of Life (June 1-August 31, 2016)
Women in Translation

September:
#30Authors *
Bloggiesta * (September 15-18, 2016)
Doing Dewey's September Non-Fiction Book Club Readalong
Dog Days of Summer Readathon (September 18-20, 2015)
Fall into Books Readathon
Gothic September
Playing to Beat the Banned (September 23-October 1, 2015)
Re-Readathon (September 7-20, 2015)
R.eaders I.mbibing P.eril (RIP X) * (September 1-October 31, 2015)
Tackle Your TBR Readathon (September 14-27, 2015)
Sci-Fi Summer Reading hosted by Fortified by Books (June 20-September 21, 2016)

October:
Blog Ahead
Diversiverse *
Halloween Reading Challenge
Murder, Monsters and Mayhem
R.eaders I.mbibing P.eril (RIP X)* (September 1-October 31, 2015)
Travel the World in Books Readathon* (October 18-31, 2015)

November:
Sci Fi Month *
Ho Ho Ho Readathon (November 12-17, 2015)

December
Emma Readalong (2015)
Midwinter's Eve Giveaway Hop

Reading Challenges

Start with these listings:
A Novel Challenge (wow, if I'd known about this, probably wouldn't have started this list!)
Reading Challenge Addict

Loved this list? Please feel free to share widely!

55 Quirky Questions for Readers

Tuesday, October 07, 2014
- about
- memes

Got this from Lianne at Caffeinated Life ... who got this from someone who got this from someone, as memes often go...

1. Favourite childhood book?
Hmmm ...anything by Enid Blyton.

2. What are you reading right now?
How to Build a Girl by Caitlin Moran.

3. What books do you have on request at the library?
None at the moment. I'm trying to get through all the ones I own.

4. Bad book habit?
Dog-earing.

5. What do you currently have checked out at the library?
Nada.

6. Do you have an e-reader?
Nope.

7. Do you prefer to read one book at a time, or several at once?
Several books at once. Keeps me from getting bored.

8. Have your reading habits changed since starting a blog?
I’ve definitely been reading lots more and with more variety!

9. Least favourite book you read this year:
Boy, Snow, Bird by Helen Oyeyemi.

10. Favourite book I’ve read this year:
Quite a few! But Belle Cora by Phillip Margulies is a standout.

11. How often do you read out of your comfort zone?
Whenever I can. I read pretty eclectically so I approach each book as a new adventure!

12. What is your reading comfort zone?
Hmmm. How the heck do I answer this?

13. Can you read on the bus?
Yes. Though I'm noticing I'm not as tolerant these days.

14. Favourite place to read?
In bed just before going to sleep.

15. What’s your policy on book lending?
I rarely do. When I'm ready, I just give my books away.

16. Do you dog-ear your books?
Guilty as charged.

17. Do you write notes in the margins of your books?
No.

18. Do you break/crack the spine of your books?
Not consciously.

19. What is your favourite language to read?
English. I only know two languages so this is a weird question.

20. What makes you love a book?
If I can connect in some way.

21. What will inspire you to recommend a book?
If I really enjoyed it, I'll shout it from the rooftops!

22. Favourite genre?
Contemporary fiction. Literary fiction. Fantasy. Historical fiction. Children's picture books. How do I choose one?

23. Genre you rarely read (but wish you did)?
Science Fiction.

24. Favourite Biography?
Buffett: The Making of an American Capitalist by Roger Lowenstein. What a fascinating man!

25. Have you ever read a self-help book? (And, was it actually helpful?)
Of course! And yes, they are helpful!

26. Favourite Cookbook?
Passione by Gennaro Contaldo. He's one of Jamie Oliver's mentors. His cookbook also reads like a biography and the photography is amazing.

27. Most inspirational book you’ve read this year (fiction or non-fiction)?
Eat Now Talk Later by James Vescovi, a memoir that shows how important it is to document family moments (including secret family recipes!).

28. Favourite reading snack?
Anything as the mood strikes.

29. Name a case in which hype ruined your reading experience?
Some books get all the raves on book blogs. If the reviews are overwhelmingly great, I cave, and I did for both The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern and Cinder by Marissa Meyer. In both cases, I found they were not the next best thing since sliced bread.

30. How often do you agree with the critics about about a book?
*Shrug* I have no idea.

31. How do you feel about giving bad/negative reviews?
Pretty neutral. I try to find both good and bad and its very rare that a book is all-bad!

32. If you could read in a foreign language, which language would you choose?
Spanish. I want to read Gabriel Garcia Marquez in his native tongue.

33. Most intimidating book I’ve read?
Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy. This was the longest classic I had read in university and it scared the crap out of me for some reason. Now it's one of my all-time favourite books. Les Miserables followed soon after ... and again, it's now an all-time fave.

34. Most intimidating book I’m too nervous to begin?
1984 by George Orwell. I have a copy and it's just there, waiting for me to read it. I worry that I'll hate it.

35. Favourite Poet?
I don't read much poetry so I don't have one ... yet.

36. How many books do you usually have checked out from the library at any given time?
I used to check out anywhere between 2 to 10 books in one go.

37. How often do you return books to the library unread?
Very rarely.

38. Favourite fictional character?
Another trick question? The raggamuffin Gavroche in Les Miserables is one of them.

39. Favourite fictional villain?
Severus Snape. Because he's a villain. But he's not.

40. Books I’m most likely to bring on vacation?
Whatever I have on the my TBR at the moment.

41. The longest I’ve gone without reading?
A few months. I did flip through magazines and read labels ;)

42. Name a book you could/would not finish?

Hate me: The Life of Pi by Yann Martel. I don't find it very engaging and I just abandoned it. I loved the movie by the way.

43. What distracts you easily when you’re reading?
Hunger. Or sleepiness.

44. Favourite film adaptation of a novel?
Atonement by Ian McEwan and The Reader by Bernard Schlink.

45. Most disappointing film adaptation?
The Scarlet Letter. Demi Moore. A happy ever after. Surely ye jest.

46. Most money I’ve ever spent in a bookstore at one time?
Close to $100. That's once in a blue moon. Otherwise I'm a bit of a tightwad.

47. How often do you skim a book before reading it?
Rarely. I hate spoiling things for me.

48. What would cause you to stop reading a book halfway through?
If I reach halfway, I'd probably stick it out!

49. Do you like to keep your books organized?
Physically, I am horrible at it. Virtually, I'm a neatfreak.

50. Do you prefer to keep books or give them away once they’ve been read?:
Depends on the book. Some books are keepers. Some books are meant to be set free.

51. Are there any books that you’ve been avoiding?
Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut. Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk. Why do some men authors seem intimidating to me?

52. Name a book that made you angry?
Say You're One of Them by Uwem Akpan.

53. A book I didn’t expect to like but did?
Silk Armor by Claire Sydenham. The cover says nothing to me. Inside is a treasure.

54. A book I expected to like but didn’t?
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. Atmospheric but the plot fell apart.

55. Favourite guilt-free guilty pleasure reading?
Am I supposed to say something like err ... smutty reading?

Are you a fellow reader? I'd love to see your answers!

Sunday Post (1)

Sunday, June 08, 2014

Last week on Guiltless Reading

#BookmarkMonday - a bookmark-bookshelf!
#Friday 56 & Book Beginnings - Carrie Pilby
(and I find out that this is being made into a movie)

Two book reviews:
All Fall Down by Jennifer Weiner
Contemporary women's fiction about prescription drug abuse

Swans are Fat Too by Michelle Granas
Polish history wrapped in a sweet and unexpected romance

Guest Post & Giveaway:
The Macabre Origins of Faerie Tales
Win an e-book The Reflections of Queen Snow White by David Meredith (open international!)

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer.

The Sunday Salon

A-Z Book Survey, the Guiltless Reading Edition

Saturday, August 10, 2013
- about
- memes

Jamie over at Perpetual Page Turner has a bookish A-Z Survey and I decided to take a crack at it. Join me for the ride, and if you take the survey, I'd love to see your answers. You may just surprise yourself!

My most read authors!

Author you’ve read the most books from:
I had a feeling it would be Agatha Christie but mine is Roald Dahl! Agatha Christie was close second along with Lemony Snicket (I had to read all the books in the series A Series of Unfortunate Events, what do you think of me!).

Next in the running was Michael Crichton (yes, I went through a compulsive phase after Jurassic Park), Enid Blyton (a children's book writer who I adore and grew up with), and Neil Gaiman (oh just love love love anything he writes), and of course, J.K. Rowling (as you cant just stop with book 1, right?).

The next level were surprising to me. I would never have thought I'd read so much Sophie Kinsella (chick lit is so much fun)! Gabriel Garcia Marquez is one of my perennial favourites and still have quite a number of his books on my TBR. Jasper Fforde is there because I got hooked on the Thursday Next series. And Murakami is again a favourite ... still more of his work to read. Lastly, if you don't know Eric Carle, honestly, you need to make his acquaintance, especially if you have young kids!

(Quick tip: If you use Goodreads and keep track of your reads, go to your account, click “My Books” and scroll down ... on the left hand side under your shelves, there is “Most Read Authors”)

Best Sequel Ever: Hmmm. I can't seem to pick a "best" so I'll list a few series where I couldn't wait to get my hands on the next in the series:

Lord of the Rings Trilogy + The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkien
His Dark Materials Trilogy by Philip Pullman
All the Harry Potter books by J. K. Rowling

Currently Reading: Raising Eyebrows by Dal LaMagna which is a memoir by the man who founded the company Tweezerman.

Drink of Choice While Reading: I'm not picky. Whatever I feel like drinking at the time.

E-reader or Physical Book? Physical books period.

Gave it a chance:
fascinating!

Fictional Character You Probably Would Have Actually Dated In High School: I didn't really date plus it's strange to have to think about characters as potential love interests. I'll think about this a bit more.

Glad You Gave This Book A Chance: Rats by Robert Sullivan. I came across this non-fiction book in a yard sale and never thought I'd find reading about rats so fascinating!

Hidden gem!

Hidden Gem Book: Recently I discovered Persephone's Torch: A Novel in Three Acts by freder. Obscure. Few readers. Go check out my review!

Important Moment in your Reading Life: Probably when I started blogging about books. This opened up a whole new world to me. I discovered the world of book bloggers, hopped around from Bookmooch, Shelfari, LibraryThing and Goodreads, started joining book giveaways, eventually hosted authors and did giveaways of my own. Truly a book lover's dream ... and just because I started blogging about what I read!

Just finished!

Just Finished: Very Recent History by Choire Sicha which I read for a book tour with TLC Book Tours. It's an anthropological take of the year 2009. My review is coming out this week.

Kinds of Books You Won’t Read: Horror books, generally. The Amityville Horror well, horrified me. And anything classified as young adult with vampires or paranormal beings.

Longest Book You’ve Read: Les Miserables by Victor Hugo. All 1,463 pages of it! Unabridged is the only way to read this.

Major book
hangover!

Major book hangover because of: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. Really. Wow. I recommended it to everyone who would listen. More recently it was Lotería by Mario Alberto Zambrano.

Number of Bookcases You Own: None, because I just pile them wherever. Yes I have a messy, book-ridden house.

One Book You Have Read Multiple Times: The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas. It's just so good!

Preferred Place To Read: In bed, just before going to sleep.

Quote that inspires you/gives you all the feels from a book you’ve read:
“It is nothing to die. It is frightful not to live.”
- Victor Hugo, Les Misérables
Reading Regret: Every time I read an astounding book, I always regret that I've finished reading it. Nothing can compare to reading a book the first time around and loving it! (Like tasting something so delicious for the very first time ... you need to savour it. Because the next time you taste it, you'll remember.) I always try to keep this in mind so I don't rush through books.

Series You Started and Need To Finish (all books are out in series): The Thursday Next Series by Jasper Fforde. I stopped at Book 5 and I still have two more in the series to read.

Three of your All-Time Favorite Books:

Since they're favourites, I've also read these quite a few times.

Strange Pilgrims by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas

Les Miserables by Victor Hugo

X marks the spot!

Unapologetic Fangirl For: Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Neil Gaiman. Roald Dahl. Agatha Christie. Eric Carle. All geniuses in their own genres.

Very Excited For This Release More Than All The Others: For the longest time, I've just been wanting to get my own copy of The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman. I'm not sure why I haven't gotten a copy yet!

Worst Bookish Habit: I dogear! I'm sorry, I can't help it! I tried stickies - annoying after a while, taking notes - interrupts my reading flow, and multiple bookmarks - also annoying.

X Marks The Spot: Since I have piles, let me count the 27th among them. It's Pain, Parties, Work: Sylvia Plath in New York, Summer 1953.

Your latest book purchase: A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin, all 4 books. Haven't read them yet.

ZZZ-snatcher book (last book that kept you up WAY late): This is Paradise by Kristiana Kahakauwila. Gritty, compelling short stories which really resonated with me.

Wasn't that fun? I hope to see what everyone's answers are so please leave your link if you decided to join this survey!

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

Monday, July 15, 2013

My meme life seems to be picking up again. I always enjoy finding new reads via Sheila's meme, It's Monday! What Are You Reading? so I thought I'd throw in my reading fare for this week.

Recently reviewed:

This is Paradise: Stories by Kristiana Kahakauwila - totally loved this collection of short stories about the "real" Hawaii. I also have a GIVEAWAY for this one right now, so be sure to check it out!
And the Soft Wind Blows by Lance Umenhofer - a novella on a man's mid-life crisis ... a little different because of its poetic prose.
Loteria by Mario Alberto Zambrano - This one really affected me. It's a young girl recounting domestic violence within her own home using Loteria cards as prompts.
The Chatswood Spooks by Nottie Thistledore - what a riot! This is great bedtime reading for those with young kids!
I haven't posted in ages, so if you're curious, check out my running list of reviews.

Monday, September 10, 2012

I am Celebrating Bloggers! Terri Guiliano-Long (author of In Leah's Wake, read my review here) started up Celebrating Bloggers Blog Hop to spread some book blogging love and appreciation for book bloggers and authors alike. Please check out her post or scroll down below and be sure to visit the other book bloggers and authors who have joined in from September 10-13.

Plus there is more! There is a giveaway ... don't forget to check it out at the bottom of my post.

***

Why do I blog? Why do I read like a mad woman and write about the books I've read? If you're a blogger, you probably know the rush that comes with putting pen to paper (err, fingers to keyboard) and just spilling your guts out. Then the even bigger rush when people are commenting on your posts -- a little meeting of the minds, so to speak.

Book blogging has been such a rewarding and enriching experience for me. I do it for purely selfish reasons: for the love of the story, the love of the written word ... and for the love of feeding my mind and heart.

I started out merely as a way to challenge myself, to keep a log of what I've read. But I never expected it to have grown to so much more.

Now, I blog to connect with fellow bibliophiles. Wow, there are so many book and reading blogs out there -- whatever genre rocks your boat, there is bound to be a blogger who blogs about it. If my blogroll is any indication of the state of my TBR, well, 'nuff said. I really enjoy finding new reads through fellow book bloggers, hearing honest thoughts of how a book affected someone personally carries greater weight to me then a mere back cover blurb or a publisher's marketing spiel.

Recently, I have been connecting more with authors and it quite the thrill to feature their work and get the word out on some good reads. I am really excited to be part of this new generation where that strange divide has blurred and how book bloggers and authors have come together.

My blog has undergone so many transformations, has come and gone, just as my reading tastes and interests have. Thank you to everyone who has ever visited, read, commented, joined in a giveaway, or simply lurked. You all make a difference for the reading community!

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The Sunday Salon: August 2012 Round-Up

Sunday, September 02, 2012

I don't know why I haven't joined in The Sunday Salon, although I always seem to be reading others' posts. So without further ado, I will just hop in.

August over and into September. After this crazy heat, I can't believe that it's almost fall. It's been a busy summer all around and my reading life -- apparently -- has been equally busy.

As a sidenote, I have been hosting #BookmarkMonday. Thanks to those who have joined in. I'm also encouraging people to join in the fun! The uptake hasn't been too great but I love unusual bookmarks and will keep posting! Come on, who doesn't need a bookmark?

I was going through my postings for the month and lo and behold, I reviewed six books and held a giveaway, on top of my usual postings. (How I managed to do that is beyond me! Really I don't feel tired at all!) Here's a quick run-down of my reviews this month:

The Secret Sense of Wildflower by Susan Gabriel
Southern writer Gabriel writes in the voice of young Louisa May, as she tells her life story of growing up in the Appalachian mountains. Recommended!

The Deception of Livvy Higgs by Donna Morrissey
My first time reading this wonderful Canadian author, this follows Livvy Higgs as she recounts a life-long and shocking family deception. Highly recommended for those who love Canadiana or historical fiction in general.

The Last Policemen by Ben H. Winters
When the world is ending in six months because of a meteor, what is the point of anything? A newly minted police officer continues with his job to investigate the strange circumstances of an alleged suicide. Awesome reading for mystery and sci-fi lovers.

Perla by Carolina de Robertis
A heartbreaking struggle for self-identity, this is an intimate portrayal of The Disappeared (Los Desaparecidos) in Argentina. Painful, harrowing, lyrical prose melding magical realism, this among my favourites reads for the year so far!

A Lovely, Indecent Departure by Steven Lee Gilbert
An unusual piecing together of a a parental kidnapping and a delving into people's motivations and character. Quietly and elegantly written, it is a wonderful debut novel that will provoke one to examine things closer and not accept things for what they appear to be.

Tigers in Red Weather by Liza Klaussman

Another wonderful read which is another personal favourite! A yellow bathing suit contrasting with its dark "imploding" characters, this tale of a family bound together by a strange family secret. I am watching out for more of Klaussman's work.

Already I've upped my 30-book target for the year to 40. It looks like I'll be reading more than expected!

Friday 56 & Book Beginnings: The Secret Sense of Wildflower

Thursday, August 02, 2012

The Secret Sense of Wildflower by Susan Gabriel

[Book Depository | Amazon-Kindle edition | Amazon-Paperback]

For Book Beginnings:

There are two things I am afraid of. One is dying young. The other is Johnny Monroe.

- p. 1, The Secret Sense of Wildflower by Susan Gabriel

For Friday 56:

"Come by here when you're ready to go back," Daniel says. "Johnny Monroe won't do anything while I'm around."

- p. 56, The Secret Sense of Wildflower by Susan Gabriel

Who is this Johnny Monroe? Be on the watch for the giveaway of this one next week!

Synopsis: Set in 1940s Appalachia, The Secret Sense of Wildflower tells the story of Louisa May "Wildflower" McAllister whose life has been shaped around the recent death of her beloved father in a sawmill accident. While her mother hardens in her grief, Wildflower and her three sisters must cope with their loss themselves, as well as with the demands of daily survival. Despite these hardships, Wildflower has a resilience that is forged with humor, a love of the land, and an endless supply of questions to God. When Johnny Monroe, the town's teenage ne'er-do-well, sets his sights on Wildflower, she must draw on the strength of her relations, both living and dead, to deal with his threat.

With prose as lush and colorful as the American South, The Secret Sense of Wildflower is powerful and poignant, brimming with energy and angst, humor and hope. In its ability to create a truly original Southern voice, The Secret Sense of Wildflower establishes Gabriel as a thoughtful and powerful Southern writer.

I'm looking forward to find out what you're reading! Happy Friday!

guiltless reading

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The (Soon-to-Be) Monster List of All-Bookish Links

Sunday, August 30, 2015

Memes - by day/month

Events by Month

Reading Challenges

Alphabetical listing

Adult Books

TBR or Review Book Challenges

Series Challenges

New Release Challenges

Rereading Challenges

Awards challenges:

Classics challenges:

Challenges for foodies:

Challenges for reading more diversely:

Blog Hops

55 Quirky Questions for Readers

Tuesday, October 07, 2014

Sunday Post (1)

Sunday, June 08, 2014

Last week on Guiltless Reading

A-Z Book Survey, the Guiltless Reading Edition

Saturday, August 10, 2013

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

Monday, July 15, 2013

Celebrating Bloggers Blog Hop + Giveaway!

Monday, September 10, 2012

The Sunday Salon: August 2012 Round-Up

Sunday, September 02, 2012

Friday 56 & Book Beginnings: The Secret Sense of Wildflower

Thursday, August 02, 2012