Almost Bloggiesta Time!

Hey everyone! Can you believe it? It's only two weeks until our next full on Bloggiesta event!

If you are new to the term, Bloggiesta is an online blogging event where bloggers from all over come together to work on spiffing up their blogs! We take time out during these three days to learn new things from each other, cheer each other on, chat in Twitter, meet new bloggers, and basically do all that blog-ish business that we put off  "until we have time."

Now is the time!

It will be held March 22 through the 24th. 

Check out our brand new website for more information: Bloggiesta.com.

You can also follow us on Twitter: @Bloggiesta.

We are now calling for bloggers who would like to host a mini challenge. This is the core of the event, the place where we get new ideas and are inspired to make our blogs better in all sorts of ways. To learn more and to sign up, please check out this post on the Bloggiesta page.

Spread the word to all your blogging friends! We hope to see you ALL there!

The Classics Club March Question: Jane Austen

Hey! So it's a question from The Classics Club today!

Do you love Jane Austen or want to “dig her up and beat her over the skull with her own shin-bone”? (Phrase borrowed from Mark Twain).

Why? (for either answer)?

Favorite and/or least favorite Austen novel?

First of all, let me just say that I had no idea there are people out there who DON'T like Jane Austen! Really? What's up with that? I can't even imagine. Why would readers not like her? I'm baffled.

And so, I guess it goes without saying that yes, I'm a Jane Austen fan. Her books are just simply... simple and wonderful. They capture emotion and real life. I love that the plots are simple but the feelings are complex. I love the soap opera feel, the crazy stuff that happens, the misunderstandings and the relationships the are made and broken all over the place. And yes, I love that they are happy endings!

It's really hard for me to pick a favorite. I would probably have to go with Pride and Prejudice, even though that  is perhaps the expected and normal response. But it just has it all.  I think Emma is the one that is lighter and fluffy, Persuasion is deeper and heavy. Sense and Sensibility is also a bit deep and sad in parts. Mansfield Park and Northanger Abbey, I just really don't know those ones as well! (Ha, I've only read them once, whereas the others are all multiple times now, I'm beginning to lose track of how many times I've read Pride and Prejudice ) So, yeah, I should maybe read them again someday and then I can remember what I thought of them!

How about you? Team Jane Austen or not? Can you name a favorite of hers?

A Month of Letters 2013 Wrap Up

Last year after A Month of Letters was over, I had all sorts of very ponderous things to say about the experience! This time, while I could apply all those things again, I just mostly want to say... it was fun!

And thank you!

Thanks to those of you who filled out my address form. I got a much bigger response than expected! And I wrote to every single one of you, except the very small handful whose addresses were incomplete. (I sent you all an email, but didn't hear back from anyone, unless I missed it somehow, so if you send me your whole address, I will still write to you of course!)

I concentrated on that list this time around and didn't really send anything to family or long lost friends (except a couple) but with that, I ended up mailing 31 one letters/cards during the month... and couple of packages too, all across the USA and a couple overseas and to Canada.

I find the hardest thing about writing a letter a day is not the writing itself, but the mailing. If I miss the mailman, then I have to make a trip to a mailbox somewhere. Not a big deal, but it ends up being one! I hated that!

Last year I vowed to keep up the letter writing once the month was over, and I did okay during March, but then of course it petered out. This year, I'll try again and I have thoughts that maybe once a week I'll have a letter writing hour, or something, and at least keep writing to those that have replied to me. I have a stack here already! THANKS to everyone who wrote me back! You are awesome!

I don't know what it is, but I find the whole practice of "old fashioned" letter writing to be soothing and comforting. I've had a blast participating yet again and look forward to another great experience next year! Thanks to Mary Robinette Kowal (whose books I STILL need to read!) for thinking up this project.

Questions: Did you participate this year? How'd it go? And if not,  have I convinced you to give it a try yet? Do you feel letter writing is dumb now that we have ways to instantly communicate? Or do you think we should try to keep the art alive? I'd love to know what you think!

And, did you not get a letter but wanted one? Let me know!!

Top Ten Tuesday: Series I Want to Start

Today we are listing series we want to start. I feel like I've read at least the first one of every series! Ha. I bet there's a few I haven't, now, to remember which ones!

1. The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa: I have the first two on the Kindle right now! Maybe I'll even read them!

2. Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence: I know there's at least two these ones also.

3. The Robin Hood series by Stephen Lawhead: Looks so awesome!

4. The series that starts with Arson by Estevan Vega: I heard these were awesome too. 

5. That other series (not Seven Realms) by Cinda Williams Chima that I bought the first one of: The Warrior Heir

6. The series that starts with Poison Study by Marie V. Snyder, people rave about these too!

7. I have yet to read any of the other Cassandra Clare series, the Clockwork books, you know the ones?

8. The Luxe novels look fun and I have yet to try any of them. They are by Anna Godberson. 

9. OH!!! Daughter of Smoke and Bone! By Laini Taylor! Yes, those! (There's a second one now too, right?)

10. I've been trying so hard to start and finish Old Man's War by John Scalzi! And then maybe I'll even read the next books in the series too!

Ah, they all look so good! Which ones should I go for first? 

Want to link up your list? Head on over to the Broke and the Bookish today!

Book Review: The Runaway King by Jennifer A. Nielsen

Book: The Runaway King by Jennifer A. Nielsen
Genre: YA (or MG) Fantasy
Rating:★ ★ ★ ★ ★
For: Review (and Support Local Authors)
From: sent from the publisher

First all, let me just say there's no way to talk about this second book without spoilers for the first one, so be warned.

I loved the first book (The False Prince) and really looked forward to this next book since I remember saying that first book ended when things were just getting really exciting! And now, it starts when Sage (now Jaron) is king, but things are not looking good and he finds he must "runaway" in order to solve some issues, namely with the pirates. Yes, pirates!

So off he goes to join the pirates, back in his Sage disguise and making some new friends along the way. He's also up to his crazy tricks, doing crazy things where only he knows what's going on and even the reader is a little confused until things are happening. Somehow, this works for me and keeps me turning the pages!

Sage will pretty much do anything to help his kingdom and we see this in a big way during this book, willing to give up even his life if need be. He is a strong character that is so fun to watch grow and become even stronger. He is definitely one of my new favorites!

I recommend this book to fans of books like The Queen's Thief and the Seven Realms series. It very much has the same feel.... which means...

Bottom line: I loved it!

Other Reviews:

As fun as it is to watch Jaron squirm and act out, the fun really begins when he runs away to reassume his disguise as Sage. He's such a deliciously sly and snarky boy. From Bookshelves Anonymous

The plot of The Runaway King is every bit as convoluted and suspenseful as The False Prince, and the pace rarely falters; it kept me on the edge of my seat. From The Bookwyrm's Hoard

The adventures and dangers Sages talks his way into are fun and exciting, and he even manages to reveal a few more of his trademark secrets in a fashion that only he could. From The Reading Fever

Thankfully and somewhat annoyingly, The Runaway King comes with more dares, risks, and adventure, making this book the ultimate middle grade adventure. From YA Novelties

Currently: SICK DAY!

C  U  R  R  E  N  T  L  Y

(as written on Sunday afternoon)

Listening: my latest favorite Tiesto!




Eating: curry, that my husband just made for us since I'm taking a sick day today! Yum.

Loving: the time I spent with family yesterday, even though it had to be at the funeral of a most beloved great uncle.... my grandma's brother. He was an awesome guy and we are going to miss him, even though we didn't see him often. He will go down as a legend in the family. He went way before his time, stupid cancer.

Reading: I devoured The Runaway King this week! And now I'm back to trying to catch up with the Vanity Fair read along.

Feeling: stuffy, headachy, coghy, croupy, and etc. I guess it's my turn, since it really has been awhile.

Watching: I watched (went to) Shrek, The Musical this week! It was fun and cute and amazing costumes. I also watched Survivor and am trying to catch up with Parenthood and Revenge. Catching up on TV shows is a never ending endeavor I think.

Wanting: to figure out how to watch things and read things at the same time, so I can catch up on everything while I lay around today being sick. Because you know, I can't just be sick, I have to DO STUFF!

 Thinking: that taking a sick day and reading in bed all day long is not as great as it sounds, actually.

Exercising:  I walked once! Better than nothing, right? Please say right.

Vanity Fair Read Along: Half Way (make that Quarter Way)

I'm so happy to be reading this book after having it sit here so long on the shelf! I must admit though, that after holding and hauling around that big thing, I decided to go ahead and load the free copy of it onto my Kindle!

It's MUCH easier to read! Not just the holding, but the actual words and layout too. I really like it. And besides, now I can highlight the funky things that stand out to me like:

"He was a little wild... and don't girls like a rake better than a milksop?"

Indeed! 

I'm finding the character of Rebecca to be a bit baffling so far. I mean, everyone really seems to like her. Does she have them ALL fooled? Or is she really nicer than she appears? Because to me, she appears to be faking everything! Not sure what's up with her yet....

And I just got to a part where she has revealed some secret and I'm thinking... wait, WHAT? And then I had to stop and I haven't found out the answer yet!

I had to stop because I had a couple of ARCs that I accepted that needed reading and reviewing too, so the read along was put on the back burner. BUT, not forgotten in the least!

Anyway, I'm very anxious to get to know Dobbin better. I think, I'm guessing, that he has a major part in this story? I don't know, and yet he has only been around for his intro chapter and then a little bit in another one (so far for me anyway) so I'm curious about him. I think I'm going to end up loving him, without a doubt.

That George guy is horrid. Amelia is a weak wimpy sort of girl. The younger Crawley brother, not sure about yet. He seems to be "a rake!" The older one seems really boring. (And what's with the name Crawley anyway? All I can think about is poor Matthew!)

I'm loving the fact that I feel like I "know" London well enough to actually picture neighborhoods and distances and such. That is so cool! I love that place! (I'm going there again this summer... so excited!!!)

The narrator...he is making me crazy. (He? I assume he, I picture the author!) He is breaking the fourth wall all over the place. I mean, he is funny sometimes. (See above quote.) And then sometimes he is explaining WAY too much and I'm just wishing to learn these things through the story. Know what I mean? Anyway, I guess I'm getting used to him.

Hmmm, I just checked out Trish's "few random questions" and I think I sort of answered them all in my above ramblings! Sweet.

So. I will be reading tons this next week. I hope. Perhaps I may even catch up!