The Broke and the Bookish

Hello! Happy Saturday, everyone! Welcome to today's biweekly edition of Bookish Deals where I (Julia) try to scour the Internet to find you guys an array of deals to fit in with any budget!




An Arranged Marriage by Jo Beverly - FREE  
AZ | BN

Eleanor Chivenham didn't put much past her vile brother, but even she had not anticipated his greedy scheme to dupe a rich earl into mistaking her for a lightskirt! With her reputation in shreds and her future ruined, a defeated Eleanor was forced to agree to a hasty wedding. But marriage to the mysterious Nicholas Delaney was more than she'd bargained for. He doubtless thought the worst of her, but when society gossip soon told her all about his beautiful French mistress, Eleanor tried to act with the cool dignity required in a marriage of convenience. But how long could she hold out against his undeniable charm -- or the secret desires of her heart?

For the sake of family honor, Nicolas Delaney agreed to wed a wronged lady. In truth, such chivalry ran counter to his carefully wrought image of a carousing, dissolute rogue -- the guise so vital to his secret political mission. He hoped to keep his new wife in the background until a spy was trapped, but Eleanor's beauty and fighting wit were impossible to ignore. In fact, she presented quite a challenge to his prowess with women -- and a test of his formidable will!

I don't know how long this will remain free, but it is now and I just nabbed it. Also this is a republish written in the early nineties so it may have a bit of an old school feel. But it's free, so I'll take a gamble!



Taken by Erin Bowman - $1.99
AZ | BN

There are no men in Claysoot. There are boys—but every one of them vanishes at midnight on his eighteenth birthday. The ground shakes, the wind howls, a blinding light descends…and he’s gone.

They call it the Heist.

Gray Weathersby’s eighteenth birthday is mere months away, and he’s prepared to meet his fate–until he finds a strange note from his mother and starts to question everything he’s been raised to accept: the Council leaders and their obvious secrets. The Heist itself. And what lies beyond the Wall that surrounds Claysoot–a structure that no one can cross and survive.

Climbing the Wall is suicide, but what comes after the Heist could be worse. Should he sit back and wait to be taken–or risk everything on the hope of the other side?

Meet Me at the Cupcake Cafe by Jenny Colgan - $1.99
AZ | BN 

Having grown up in an apartment above her Grandpa Joe's little bakery, Issy Randal has always known how to make something sweet. She's much better at baking than she is at filing, so when she's laid off from her desk job, Issy decides to open up her own little caf . But she soon learns that her piece-of-cake plan will take all her courage and confectionary talent to avert disaster. Funny and sharp, Meet Me at the Cupcake Cafe is about how life might not always taste like what you expect, but there's always room for dessert!

The Strain by Guillermo Del Toro

Published 2009 by William Morrow & Company 

Got it from a Library Sale

4 Stars

So this book has been on my radar for a long time and I finally got my hands on it last fall at a library sale (for the longest time I could only find the 2nd & 3rd books in the series) and it was such a refresh to read a good book because I had been stuck on a really slow kinda boring book for the last month...

The Premise: A plane lands at JFK and goes dead on the tarmac. No lights. No engine. No radio signal. As a crew goes to check it out they realize that something evil has landed in New York... Ephraim Goodweather, the head of the CDC's Canary project (think a long the lines of the Canaries in Coal mines as an early warning system) gets put on the project of what is thought to be a bio-terrorism attack or the beginnings of a new epidemic. As Eph gets more involved- he realizes that things aren't adding up... and the dead passengers of the plane- have left the morgue? 

Without giving too much away- this is an awesome take on the idea of the Vampire. It presents the reader with a vampire epidemic. The vampires in this book can (kind of?) be based on a scientific idea- it's not just magic- it's creepy gross blood borne parasites. (Think of those parasites that attack ants and use them as zombie attack machines but then put them in a human body). Also these aren't your romanticized misunderstood lover vampires who just want a soul again. These are soulless hosts who return home to their "dear ones" just so they can infect them too. Also their jaws unhinge and they have stingers. And they are smart. Yikes! 

My Thoughts: I really really liked it. I'm happy that the whole trilogy is complete so I can go get the second two asap. Also I was excited to see that FX is picking it up as a TV show this summer. Hopefully it will be a good adaptation?

A possible negative (it didn't bother me but I had a friend who put the book down because of it) is the writing style- it's written by Guillermo Del Toro (aka director of Pan's Labyrinth and Pacific Rim) so it reads very much like a movie. The chapters and scenes are short and choppy- just like a movie would be. I didn't mind it because I knew that Del Toro is a director before he's a novelist - so it felt like it fit his style. But my friend who put the book down found it too distracting. 

Other Thoughts: This is neither a positive or negative thing- but just an addition. I found the very similar to The Passage by Justin Cronin(a vampire apocalypse novel that is based on the idea of it spreading like a virus) I'm not sure which came first? But I will say that even though at first glance they may seem like mirror images- there are enough differences in the focus of the stories and the mythos of the vampires that they aren't. And they are both good books and you should check them both out is really what I'm trying to say here...

Elevator speech review: Creepy good vampire apocalypse horror novel. And the whole series is complete so you can binge read! (I haven't read the other two yet though so hopefully they are just as good?)

Thoughts:

I've been in a reading slump of epic proportion. This is the first book I've finished in months because nothing would hold my attention. Thank you, Leila Sales for getting me out of it!

Elise, my heart really went out to her. She so desperately wants to fit in that she spends the entire summer buying new clothes and reading magazines that she thinks will help her make friends with the popular kids at her high school. Her hope is that someone will ask her to sit at their lunch table because otherwise she spends lunch period in the library or in a classroom. 

But then one night she accidentally stumbles upon a warehouse dance party and it literally changes her life. Elise finally has something to look forward to and makes friends (Vicky, who is awesome. Where can I find a friend like her??). While probably not realistic for your average teenager girl I loved Elise's "secret" life. No one knew she snuck out of her house to go to a warehouse party every Thursday night. Actually I am amazed that there are teenagers who sneak out of their house without getting caught. The house I lived in growing up was old and creaked too much, to get a door to close you almost had to slam it, and my pets would have definitely given me away.

I really just loved this book and the message of accepting yourself and that there better days are ahead (even when things just seem absolutely terrible).

Is there a song that has saved your life? Or has gotten you through a rough patch?

Music is so so so powerful. There are songs that remind me of certain people or times in my life that I immediately think of when I hear them. 

Julia asks: How involved are you with author/reader interaction in the online world? Do you as a reader follow authors on facebook/twitter/newsletters or prefer to keep them behind the curtain in a way and just read? In the same vein, how do you feel about author/reviewer interactions?

 

Jamie says: To be honest, I feel like I'm one of those weirdos that really doesn't follow a lot of authors even though they are soooo super accessible right now. I pretty much just follow favorites and have dialogues with them about their books but quite often many OTHER things besides their book. I typically do like to read without having the author's persona influencing my reading experience. It's lovely to chat with authors but, even though I don't take note of the various author/blogger dramas, I still have been influenced by an author who I thought was rude or said something that rubbed me the wrong way. I try to separate the two things because their book is something entirely apart from WHO they are, and let's be honest that we all aren't perfect/have bad days/poor judgment calls, BUT it's sometimes made me not racing to read their book. And sometimes the author really just IS a douchewad and I struggle with wanting to give my $ to them because I'm human. So basically my author interaction is pretty minimal to my faves/those I've met and thought were interesting or ones that have social media accounts that are super informative/funny.  I think author/reviewer interaction is a fine line. I tend not to be one who gets offended very easily so I don't mind if an author comments on the review personally on MY review as long as they aren't being belligerent or rude or telling me I'm wrong. I'm totally fine with clarification or discussion, as long as they aren't trying to invalidate my reading experience/opinions, but I know I'm probably in the minority.





Bridget says: I'm probably even less involved than Jamie. I did only *just* join Twitter, so that's part of my problem, but there are only two authors that I follow: Stephen King (duh) and Isla Morley, who wrote Above (which came out on March 4 and I reviewed here). I don't interact with them much, primarily because, well, Stephen King, and the time or two I tweeted at Morley, it didn't seem like she got them, even though she had been retweeting other reviews. So I don't know.

Like Jamie, my primary interest in authors is their product, not their personal life or interactions with the outside world. I don't want my—or other reviewers'—interactions with them to color my experience with them as an author. I won't lie, the reason I followed Morley initially was because I saw she was retweeting reviews and had very few followers, so I thought if I tweeted at her early and she responded, I could maybe get an interview with her or something. But having received no response, I feel sort of "meh" about her now when I feel like if I had held back, I would still view her more as a mythical book-producing creature than a regular person who doesn't answer my tweets.

So, in the end, I really don't have much interest in following authors on social media. Unless, of course, it's for information like book signings or something. But personal life/outside interactions, not so much.



Tahleen says: I actually really enjoy interacting with authors, on Twitter primarily, especially if I've enjoyed their work in the past. For example, I've tweeted at Christopher Healey, who wrote The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom and its sequels (I just won a galley of the third in the series, The Hero's Guide to Being an Outlaw, and I'M SO EXCITED). I've also tweeted with Rebecca Rasmussen, who wrote The Bird Sisters and the forthcoming Evergreen, and she is a sweetheart. I'll occasionally tweet to others, and sometimes they will reply, other times not; I've noticed the really popular ones are less likely to do so, for obvious reasons. But I really enjoy the accessibility, even if we're just joking with each other and not necessarily talking about their books.

I will say, though, that I like being able to contact authors for other reasons. In college, before Twitter exploded into what it is today, I sent an email to YA author Laurie Faria Stolarz with interview questions for a history/literature paper I was writing, and she graciously replied with excellent answers (and I got an A on the paper). I also reached out to Erin Bow recently after reading her book Plain Kate for a book club because I had questions about her use of the Roma-like people in her fantasy, which she called the Roamers. She also graciously answered my questions, as well as provided me with links to interviews she had done in the past.

So yes, I love being able to reach out to authors via social media and through email!

What about you all? Do you like to interact with authors online? Do you like reading without knowing their personality or anything about them? How do you feel about author/reviewer interaction? Have you ever (without names) had an experience with an author that made it hard for you to read their book or does that not bother you?

      Lori's Picks
1.  Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden--This one has been sitting on my pile for a long time.  I've heard some good things about this novel, particularly that the author does a great job of creating the character and the voice of a geisha.  I think it will be really engrossing and a quick because I can't put it down read, which means I should probably be bringing it on my trip, but I already earmarked other choices.  It will also be a nice break from some of the more difficult books I want to tackle this spring.





2.  The Antidote:  Happiness for People Who Can't Stand Positive Thinking by Oliver Burkeman--This one recently came across my radar and I think the concept is really interesting.  I've been told that I am a negative person, but efforts to be more positive just feel fake to me.  So I found this book, which more or less is about being less negative and focusing on just accepting things as they are.  I've read a bit of this and it is really interesting to think about.

3.  Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf--I always want to read this novel in the spring.  I know it's a close look at the minutiae of daily life and it's set in early June, which makes it a good spring choice.  It is a short book, but I know it's really dense.  This novel has been on my list for years (and I think it's been on my seasonal reads for a while), so I think it's finally time to tackle this one.

4.  Another Hunter S. Thompson book--I don't know which one it will wind up being--I have a lot of them to choose from on my shelves.  His books are always really interesting adventures and have a great commentary on the events he witnessed.  I love his style of writing, which is really raw and honest.  I'm taking his novel, The Rum Diary, with me to re-read on my Spring Break trip, but I want to read something new to me.

Hello! Happy Saturday, everyone! Welcome to today's biweekly edition of Bookish Deals where I (Julia) try to scour the Internet to find you guys an array of deals to fit in with any budget!




That Scandalous Summer by Meredith Duran - $1.99  
AZ | BN

In the social whirl of Victorian England, Elizabeth Chudderley is at the top of every guest list, the life of every party, and the belle of every ball. But her friends and admirers would be stunned to know the truth: that the merriest widow in London is also the loneliest. Behind the gaiety and smiles lies a secret longing—for something, or someone, to whisk her away.

Raised in scandal, Lord Michael de Grey is convinced that love is a losing gamble—and seduction the only game worth playing. But when duty threatens to trump everything he desires, the only way out is marriage to a woman of his brother’s choosing. Elizabeth Chudderley is delightful, delicious—and distressingly attractive. With such a captivating opponent, Michael isn’t quite sure who is winning the game. How can such passionate players negotiate a marriage of necessity—when their hearts have needs of their own?

Why I read this book: This series is my favorite steampunk romance series of the moment!
Rating: 4.5 stars

Tell us some of your favorite fantasy novels!

Jamie asks: What's your method to getting out of a reading slump?

Julia says: When I am in reading slump, I mope about on the internet reading things about books. I read a lot of publishing news in general and all the stories about badly behaving authors entertain me like a sad reality show. I keep my pulse on the reading world and usually something comes up that makes me want to read something again. I've been known to switch genres a bit too when one burns me out. Right now I am in a mini-slump because I was riding high and then got about 100 books out from the library at the same time (by accident) and about 100 arcs came in the mail. There are worse problems to have ;)

Bridget says: Ugh, I feel like I've been in a reading slump for a year! Usually, reading one of my "comfort books" (aka books I reread probably once a year or so) like Ender's Game or It or Sense & Sensibility will remind me why I like reading and why I should do it more! I blame the internet--it's so easy to just come home, get on the couch, and zone out in front of my laptop, mindlessly browsing through Reddit. I need to get back in the habit of zoning out with a book!

 

What about you guys? How do YOU get out of a reading slump? Tell us your tricks!

Title:  Treasure Island
Author:  Robert Louis Stevenson
Published:  Cassell and Company, London, 1883
Where I Got It:  I bought an old copy at a used bookstore ages ago, but finally read a copy on my Nook.






I was initially going to read Moby-Dick.  I told my boyfriend that I wanted to just read one book at a time and not pick up another book until I finished and that I was starting with Moby-Dick.  At some point on Sunday, after the grocery store, I realized that Melville just wasn't doing it for me.  I really wanted to watch Muppets Treasure Island, but Zach wasn't in the mood.  So I decided to start reading the book, figuring that this would be the next best thing.


In a way it was.

This book has been on my list for a very long time.  It's just one of those books that so many people seem to have read.  

There's a boy who finds a treasure map and convinces some rich, older men to finance a voyage to find the treasure.  The crew is pretty sketchy.  But things go well.  Until they site land.  Then there's a mutiny.  And some more stuff happens that I don't want to give away because I think you need to both watch the movie and read the book.

As I read the book I had a good time picking out which Muppet played which character.  Interesting tidbit--Miss Piggy's character is actually a man in the book and did not previously know Kermit.  It was a great adventure, which I kind of needed because we got snowed in on Sunday night.  Fortunately work was cancelled on Monday, which meant I was able to spend all bloody day in bed reading until I finished (reason number eleventy bajillion why I'm glad I have not procreated yet).

I think I would have loved this book to pieces had I read it about 16 years ago.  It's a book geared towards children, so that kind of makes sense, but it's also a story that you can still love as an adult (particularly if you read it as a child).  I still liked the book enough to give it 3.5 stars, but...

I spent a good part of the time asking Jim Hawkins what the hell he was doing!  He kept separating from the group of good guys and getting in these bad situations with the pirates.  You don't go off without telling anyone to get a little boat to board the massive ship (apparently with the idea of moving the ship around the island somehow) when there are pirates afoot.  But that is probably a detail you would overlook as a child.

Previously my experience with this book was the Muppets movie, which is fun and funny.  So they really glossed over a lot of the death that took place in the novel in order to make a family-friendly movie.  They really kill people in this movie.  Just pick them off with guns.  Go in commando style and kill them at night.  There was no Billy Bones-esque keeling over when he got the spot (Billy Bones actually dies of a stroke in the book).  That was a bit surprising to me.  But back in 1883, you wrote kids books that dealt with some darker themes, so it was not terribly out of place.

All in all, I liked the book.  If I had any, I would read this to my own kids.  But it is not the Muppets movie.

Jana's Picks:

Sarah Ockler (The Book of Broken Hearts, Bittersweet)

Deb Caletti (Stay)

Julia Quinn (The Duke and I)

John Green (The Fault in Our Stars, Paper Towns, Looking for Alaska)

Jill Shalvis (Lucky Harbor series)

I KNOW! I'm not even going to justify these picks, because I know there is nothing I can say that will get me out of the doghouse. If it's any consolation, I own at least one book by each of these authors. I just need the time!


Bridget's Picks:

Gayle Forman (If I Stay, etc.)

Jodi Picoult (My Sister's Keeper, etc.)

John Grisham (The Firm, etc.)

Also, I've never read anything by John Green, but Jana beat me to it! Anyway, I've been debating about whether to read If I Stay, but I'm not very into tear-jerker-y things (also why I've never read any Jodi Picoult) but feel free to try to convince me otherwise. As far as John Grisham goes, I'm pretty sure I own a few of his books but haven't gotten around to reading them yet. I like thrillers, but I'm generally more into the supernatural-thriller genre than the scary-business-mafia-people-thriller genre.

Tahleen's Picks:

S.E. Hinton (The Outsiders, Rumble Fish, etc.)

Cassandra Clare (City of Bones, etc.)

I'm actually embarrassed I've never read any Hinton. She pretty much started the whole "books written for teens" thing, plus she was a teen herself when she wrote The Outsiders. I feel like a bad teen librarian. Also, I've never read any Clare, which I feel like I should since she is so prolific and popular, but I've never really been too intrigued by her books. Maybe I would change my mind if I read one.

What popular authors have you not read yet? Which ones should we start with?