Category: About Me

Sixteen Books I Refuse to Let Anyone Touch

Posted May 20, 2019 by Jana in About Me, Top Ten Tuesday / 14 Comments

We all have those books that really mean something to us, whether it be a personalized inscription from the author, a valuable edition, or pure sentimental value. I tend to really hate loaning out books to friends and family, but the following ten books are ones I would never even consider parting with. Thanks to Savannah Grace at Scattered Scribblings for submitting this fun topic! Show me your book babies!

1. On the Island by Tracey Garvis-Graves (First Edition)
OtI was originally self-published long ago, and I was on a blog tour for the book. As a thank you, Tracey sent me a personalized and autographed paperback copy of the book with its very first cover. It meant so much to me that she would do that, and it’s one of my most prized bookish possessions.

2. Of Poseidon by Anna Banks (ARC)
This was the first ever ARC I received after writing to the publisher and requesting it. I was SO EXCITED! Anna came to do a signing here a few months later, and she drew a little shark on the cover page and signed it.

3. Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare (Teeny tiny hardcover)
I bought this copy of Romeo and Juliet from Shakespeare & Company in Paris. I had the cashier stamp it with the store’s logo, and it’s a wonderful souvenir of my being able to check off a huge bucket list item. I never thought I’d ever be able to visit that magical little bookstore right next to Notre Dame. :)

4-15. The entire Avon True Romance Series for Teens (Paperbacks)
Technically, this is a major cheat since the series is 12 books long, but they go together! This series is no longer in print, which is so sad! It’s a series of historical romance novels written with teens in mind by popular authors of the historical romance genre (Meg Cabot, Karen Hawkins, Beverly Jenkins, etc.). I loved these books so much, and they were the first “YA” I’d ever read.

16. Cress by Marissa Meyer (Hardback)
My blog is mentioned in the back of this book, plus I got to meet Marissa Meyer again and have her sign/personalize it for me!

Top Ten Book Characters That Remind Me of Myself

Posted May 6, 2019 by Jana in About Me, Top Ten Tuesday / 7 Comments

I’m a very character-driven reader, so connecting with characters is pretty much a requirement for me if I’m going to enjoy a book. I love finding friends in the characters, and I really love finding things I have in common with them and can identify with. It was tough to narrow this list down to ten! I’m excited to see which characters you see yourself in this week!

1. Daisy from Every Time I Think of You by Tracey Garvis-Graves
On the surface, I have nothing in common with Daisy. But Tracey has this perfect way of writing characters you can find common ground with. I identified with Daisy’s feelings of inadequacy, her fear of failure, her concerns for the future, and her desire to tear down the walls she has built around herself.

2. Holland Baker from Roomies by Christina Lauren
She’s so relatable, and I think we can all see at least a small part of ourselves in her. She’s a 25-year-old plain Jane living in New York City (with the help of her two uncles who pay most of her rent), working a dead-end job (that her uncle got her) that is way below her qualifications as she tries to achieve her dream of becoming a published author. Who has been in this position before? *raises hand*

3. Lily from Just Like the Movies by Kelly Fiore
I really connected with Lily, to the point where I almost forgot I was reading about someone other than myself! Lily is high school me. She’s a bookish, organized, intellectual wallflower with a long list of things she wants to accomplish and her future all planned out. She wants a love story like the movies, but doesn’t think anyone even notices her. She is so me! I was a studious, shy, choir girl who was actually told by one of her best friends that she should be a bank robber because nobody would notice her come and go. I wish I’d had a friend like Lily to commiserate with.

4. Charlie from Save the Date by Morgan Matson
I really connected with Charlie. I understand what it’s like to have everyone needed things from you all the time. She’s kind of the glue that keeps the group together and sane. She’s the peacemaker, and I understand the kind of pressure that comes with that job.

5. Ana from Incarnate by Jodi Meadows
Ana connects with music like I do. Music has always been one of the main elements of my life. It brings out such strong emotions and feelings in me. I connect with it on so many levels, just like she mentions throughout this story. I identified with her so much for this reason.

6. Bria from Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard
Bria is an artist, and a traveler. Do you know who Bria really is? Bria is ME! Her love of art shone through everything she did, and everything she said. I totally identified.

7. Jane from Austenland by Shannon Hale
After dating a ton of losers, this single, 33-year-old, New Yorker has come to the conclusion that no man can compare to the sexy, debonair, and utterly romantic Mr. Darcy. She has given up on the male gender completely. Girl, I get it.

8. Maddie from Gentlemen Prefer Nerds by Joan Kilby
This girl is a nerdy cat lady. I am too!

9. Ellie from A Week of Mondays by Jessica Brody
Ellie reminds me so much of my teenaged self: a bit of a perfectionist, someone who bites off more than they can chew, a people pleaser, a worrier, and a hopeless romantic.

10. Maddie from When A Scot Ties the Knot by Tessa Dare
I loved Maddie. I thought she was hilarious, plus she’s bookish, artsy, and painfully shy. I get her. While I don’t have panic attacks when I’m surrounded by a few people, I know what it’s like to be a wallflower. And I know what it’s like to view life through an artist’s eye. I love that she wrote letters to an imaginary captain to avoid jumping into the dating pool. That’s something I could totally see myself doing.

2018 End of Year Book Survey

Posted December 27, 2018 by Jana in About Me / 7 Comments

I love doing Jamie’s End of Year Book Survey every year! It helps me look back and remember all the wonderful (and terrible) books I’ve read throughout the year!

2018 Reading Stats

Number of books you read: 40
Number of re-reads: 1
Most read genre: Adult contemporary romance (I read 10 of them).

Best In Books

1. Best books you read in 2018:
New Adult Contemporary Romance: I Temporarily Do by Ellie Cahill
Young Adult Contemporary Romance: Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett and Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch
Fantasy: A Tale of Beauty and Beast by Melanie Cellier

2. Book you were excited about & thought you were going to love more but didn’t:
The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang. I didn’t love it at all, which was really sad for me.

3. Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read:
Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch really surprised me because it made me fall in love with YA contemporary again after thinking I had grown too old for it.

4. Book you “pushed” the most people to read (and they did):
Josh & Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating by Christina Lauren

5. Best series you started in 2018. Best sequel of 2018. Best series ender of 2018.
Started: Beyond the Four Kingdoms series by Melanie Cellier
Sequel: A Spark Unseen by Sharon Cameron
Ender: I didn’t finish any series this year.

6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2018:
Ellie Cahill and Christina Lauren.

7. Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone:
I tend to not enjoy women’s fiction at all, but I made an allowance for Tracey Garvis Graves’s The Girl He Used to Know and I loved it!

8. Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year:
The Dark Unwinding by Sharon Cameron. The audio was fantastic!

9. Book you read in 2018 that you are most likely to re-read next year?
I Temporarily Do by Ellie Cahill.

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2018:
Reign of Shadows by Sophie Jordan.

11. Most memorable character of 2018:
Beckett of I Temporarily Do by Ellie Cahill.

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2018:
A Dance of Silver and Shadow by Melanie Cellier.

13. Most thought-provoking/life-changing book of 2018:
This year wasn’t filled with insanely amazing books for me, but I’ll forever be grateful to Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch for making me love YA contemporary again.

14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2018 to finally read:
The Thief by MEgan Whalen Turner. I’d been wanting to for so long, and I finally did!

15. Favorite quote from a book you read in 2018:
“When I looked up at the stars, I saw us. You were the stars and I was the dark sky behind you”
“Without dark sky you couldn’t see the stars”
“I knew I was useful” he says
“You’re essential”
― Jenn Bennett, Starry Eyes

16. Shortest and longest books you read in 2018:
Shortest: A Kiss In the Snow by Susan Mallery, 57 pages.
Longest: The Book of Mormon, 531 pages.

17. Book that shocked you the most:
Everless by Sara Holland made me so unbelievably mad, which really shocked me.

18. OTP of the year (you will go down with this ship!):
YA: Zorie and Lennon from Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett
New Adult: Emmy and Beckett from I Temporarily Do by Ellie Cahill
Adult: Josh and Hazel from Josh & Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating by Christina Lauren

19. Favorite non-romantic relationship of the year:
The twin sister bond between princesses Lily and Sophie in A Dance of Silver and Shadow by Melanie Cellier.

20. Favorite book you read in 2018 from an author you’ve read previously:
Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett

21. Best book you read in 2018 that you read based SOLELY on a recommendation from somebody else:
Roomies by Christina Lauren

22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2018:
Beckett from I Temporarily Do by Ellie Cahill

23. Best 2018 debut you read:
YA: A Touch of Gold by Annie Sullivan.

24. Most vivid setting you read this year:
The setting for the Princess Tourney in A Dance of Silver and Shadow by Melanie Cellier.

25. Book that put a smile on your face/was the most FUN to read:
I Temporarily Do by Ellie Cahillhad me giddy.

26. Book that made you cry or nearly cry in 2018:
I do my best to avoid crying with books, and I succeeded this year!

27. Hidden gem of the year:
A Touch of Gold by Annie Sullivan.

28. Book that crushed your soul:
Well, just because I hated it… Everless by Sara Holland

29. Most unique book you read in 2018:
The Dark Unwinding by Sharon Cameron was an awesome steampunk with minimal romantic intrigue, so it was unique for me!

30. Book that made you the maddest (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it):
Everless by Sara Holland almost made me throw the book in rage.

My Blogging/Bookish Life

1. New favorite book blog you discovered in 2018:
*hides face in shame* I never ventured out of my safe place.

2. Favorite review that you wrote in 2018:
I really don’t feel strongly about any of my reviews…

3. Best discussion/non-review post you had on your blog:
This was the year I took over Top Ten Tuesday when we at The Broke & the Bookish shut down, so I’d say I’m the most proud of what I’ve done with the meme. We’ve had some really fun discussions on all of those posts!

4. Best event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events, memes, etc.):
I went to the Utah Reader’s Luncheon in October, which was a lot of fun.

5. Best moment of bookish/blogging life in 2018:
I got to read the book I was a “content expert” for, and saw my little tidbits of information make it into the story. That was absolutely surreal for me!

6. Most challenging thing about blogging or your reading life this year:
I’ve been in a major reading slump for a long time, so finding books I love has been very hard. I’ve watched a lot more Netlfix because of it. lol.

7. Most popular post this year on your blog (whether it be by comments or views):
Comments: Top Ten Books My Mom Loves (80)

8. Post you wished got a little more love:
All my reviews, pretty much. lol

9. Best bookish discovery (book related sites, book stores, etc.):
I’m in a rut, guys.

10. Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year:
I completed my Goodreads goal of reading 40 books.
I posted more posts to my blog this year than last year.

Looking Ahead

1. One book you didn’t get to in 2018 but will be your number 1 priority in 2019:
A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas.

2. Book you are most anticipating in 2019 (non-debut):
King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo

3. 2019 debut you are most anticipating:
We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal

4. Sequel you are most anticipating in 2019:
I’ve been shying away from series a lot over the last couple of years, so I honestly can’t think of any (although I know there must be some)!

5. One thing you hope to accomplish or do in your reading/blogging life in 2019?
Get out of this reading slump and really love everything I read. I need to DNF more!

Did you participate in Jamie’s End of the Year Book Survey this year?
If so, post a link in the comments so I can come visit!
If not, pick a few of her questions and answer in the comments!

Christmas Books I Loved As a Child

Posted December 14, 2018 by Jana in About Me / 4 Comments

I absolutely loved Christmas books when I was a child. It was a tradition to buy a brand new hardback every year, plus a few fun paperbacks to add to our collection. Now, there are so many of them and I love pulling out the big box of books every year, sitting by the Christmas tree, and flipping through the Christmas books of my childhood. They told of Santa, his reindeer, good little boys and girls, snow storms, and presents. I thought I’d share with you a small part of my childhood Christmases with a list of my all-time favorite books!

Merry Christmas, Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parish 

It’s almost time to look for Santa Claus, and it’s always time to look for fun with Amelia Bedelia. Amelia is busy getting ready for Christmas – stuffing the stockings, trimming the tree, and popping corn – all in her usual mixed-up way.

I love this book! I giggled as Amelia messed up everything she possibly could.

 

 

The Gingham Dog and the Calico Cat by Brigid Clark and Chris Noel 

Your family will enjoy this endearing story about two Christmas presents—a dog and a cat—who fall out of Santa’s sleigh. By working together—something that doesn’t always come naturally—they find their way to their new home. And, through their example of love for one another, they bring harmony to an entire household.

The illustrations are gorgeous, and the story itself is adorable. This book made me want to have a calico cat, and I kind of drove my parents nuts asking for one.

 

A Letter to Santa by Janet Craig 

Letters to Santa result in three children getting exactly what they want for Christmas.

I’m not sure whether I liked this book because the illustrations look very childlike, or if I just thought the story was awesome because everyone got what they asked for,  but I read this to myself almost every day in December.

 

The Mouse’s Christmas by Kit Schorsch 

The baby mice really want a Christmas tree, so their mother goes out to find them one. She looked at branches, twigs, and leaves. None of them looked like a Christmas tree, though. The farmer’s Christmas tree ended up being too tall for his house, she he chopped it up and threw it outside. It ended up providing Christmas trees for many of the woodland creatures, and a perfect one for the mouse family.

This book is adorable. The mice are so cute, and their little house is priceless. They use match boxes for beds and empty thread spools for chairs! Darling! And what a sweet message. :)

 

The Littlest Christmas Tree by Cass Hollander

When a little fir tree is taken to be sold in the city along with other tall trees, plants, and shrubs, it becomes sad. But a young couple has special plans for choosing a Christmas tree that their family will treasure for years and years. Find out how the littlest fir tree becomes a Christmas tree forever in this heartwarming story about family, love, and Christmas tradition.

The illustrations in this book are beautiful, and it’s my absolute favorite rendition of such a popular story.

Did you ever read any of these? I think Amelia Bedelia is the only one still in print, but it’d be fun if some of you have read them too! I want fun recommendations as well! What are some of your favorite Christmas books from your childhood? I’m still collecting children’s books, and would love to find some new ones this year!

Happy Thanksgiving 2018!

Posted November 22, 2018 by Jana in About Me / 3 Comments

I’m thankful for books and this bookish community that gives me a platform for sharing that love. I’m thankful for you, who comes here to fangirl with me over all manner of book things! I wish you the best Thanksgiving ever, with lots of yummy foods, cozy clothes, and smiling faces.

What are you thankful for this year?