Armchair BEA Day 3!!

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Posted on May 30, 2013

Today is Day 3 of the Armchair BEA! Today’ s Genre is Literary Fiction. When I saw this I was a little confused-hmmm, what is literary fiction exactly? So, I do what everyone does when they find themselves in need on information- I googled it. As best as I can put together, literary fiction is- “critically acclaimed”, serious, focuses on subject, not plot, “based in language”, lyrical and poetic, and focused on character development. Ok- this I can work with.

So far this year, I have enjoyed The Orchardist by Amanda Coplin- https://turnthepagereviews.com/2013/04/17/the-orchardist/

I also really like Silver Lining Playbook by Matthew Quick-

https://turnthepagereviews.com/2013/04/01/silver-lining-playbook/

In the future, I would like to read The Perks of Being a Wallflower and Life of Pi. I also can’t wait to get my hands on And The Mountains Echoed!

For someone just getting into literary fiction, I would recommend The Cider House Rules by John Irving or The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kinsolver. Also- The Kite Runner was amazing!!

I honestly have trouble differentiating between genres sometimes. Another book many would call a classic, but I think qualifies, would be Pride & Prejudice.

I think the label “literary fiction” can be off putting, as if you have to be a Literature major in order to read certain books. I think that is ridiculous! Anyone can read any book, as long as they enjoy it. If it feels like work, or a chore, then it is not meant to be.

Maybe I should remind myself of that as I try to tackle more “classics” 🙂

The Perks of Being a Wallflower (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Cover of Life of Pi

Cover of The Poisonwood Bible

Cover of The Cider House Rules

Thursday Quotables

6 Comments

Posted on May 30, 2013

Welcome to THURSDAY QUOTABLES. a weekly feature hosted by Lisa over at Bookshelf Fantasies where we highlight a great line, quote, or passage discovered during our reading each week.

(http://bookshelffantasies.com)

“He was calm now- all sense of dread and panic banished by the simple act of losing himself in an old book.”

-from The Bookman’s Tale by Charlie Lovett

Armchair BEA- Day 2

24 Comments

Posted on May 29, 2013

Today’s post deals with Blogger Development. Unfortunately, since I just started this blog about 3 months ago, I only HAVE questions about blogger development!

I began this blog as a way to keep track of what I was reading-simple. What I discovered is an amazing community of bloggers, and memes and, challenges- OH MY! I was first surprised about how much time and effort I would dedicate to getting the blog rolling. I was also surprised how I had to make time to read, where that used to be what I did when there was nothing else going on. As of right now, I am still struggling a bit with certain aspects of the blog itself. I am not the most tech savy person, so I chose to use WordPress, since I heard from other bloggers that it was simple. It is, but I also find it a bit limiting. I don’t have a great understanding of how to use the widgets (how do I get those little buttons for goodreads, email, and Facebook?!?!)- but I am scared to death to self host. Another little hurdle I have encountered is the reliance on e-readers. I personally LOVE real books, but found as I joined Net Galley, that lots of ARCs are only offered for e-readers. Thank goodness I have a busy 13 year old who has been kind enough to lend out her kindle a few times a week!

I hope in the next few months to do the following: ~figure out darn widgets and get the blog looking the way I want and join a few more memes challenges as a way to reach more bloggers and learn from them-when is Bloggiesta?

Genre

Today’s genre focus is on genre fiction. From Armchair BEA-Genre fiction is kind of wide category. Science fiction, fantasy, horror, crime, romance. Though often dismissed or ridiculed by the more “literary” minded, these novels often deal with complex themes and issues and some of the world’s most beloved authors write in these categories. Stephen King, Neil Gaiman, Anne Rice, Deborah Harkness, Douglas Adams, P D James, J R Ward and George R R Martin to name a few. Genre fiction can take us to places we never imagine, experience scenarios we’ve always dreamed of and open up new worlds to explore.

I enjoy many types of genre fiction when I actually think about it. My favorites would be-fantasy and historical fiction. in fantasy, my favorites are the Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings series. I also loved the Hunger Games trilogy. The following I would list under historical fiction, though sometimes I am hesitant and worry that I am categorizing incorrectly: To Kill a Mockingbird, The Shadow of the Wind, Cry, the Beloved Country, and mixed with a little romance-Gone With The Wind and Pride & Prejudice (honorable mention-The Song of Achilles).

I would love to hear from you about what types of genre fiction YOU prefer!

Armchair BEA!!!!

29 Comments

Posted on May 28, 2013

I am SO excited to have signed up for this year’s Armchair BEA at-http://www.armchairbea.com For those of us unable to attend the annual BEA in New York City, we are lucky to have the opportunity to participate in this.

To start off, they asked each blogger to answer som questions to introduce themselves- here it goes-

1. Please tell us a little bit about yourself: Who are you? How long have you been blogging? Why did you get into blogging?

My name is Kerri and I have just started blogging three months ago. I began my blog to keep track of the books I was reading. I have been reading books for pleasure since I was eleven years old. I never realized there were so many people who love reading as much as I do until I satrted reading other blogs!

2. Where in the world are you blogging from? Tell a random fact or something special about your current location. Feel free to share pictures.

I am blogging from a small town in Northwestern New Jersey. It is a quaint little town with lots of small shops and local farms. It still seems strange to live in the “country” since I grew up in NYC.

3. What are you currently reading, or what is your favorite book you have read so far in 2013?

Wow- hard one-I have read some really great books so far this year- I really loved The Silence of Bonaventure Arrow and The Lost Wife.

4. Tell us one non-book-related thing that everyone reading your blog may not know about you.

I have been married 18 years, and I am the mother of two teenagers- yikes! My dream is to own a bookstore and live at the beach.

5. Which is your favorite post that you have written that you want everyone to read?

My favorite post was-Honestly, Do You Keep Reading It?- I asked what you do when you find yourself reading a book you just do not like/aren’t into. I love it becuase I got so much feedback. I loved hearing from so many people what they do when they find themselves in that situation- which I think we have all been in

Honestly, do you keep reading it?

Classics

Today’s topic is “The Classic”.

from Armchair BEA-

Fans of classics love them for their universal themes, their understanding of the human condition, the writing, and sometimes for reasons that can’t be explained. Why, reader, do you love classics?

Today, tell us all the reasons why you love classic literature. What are your favorite classics? If you could give a list of classics to someone who claims to hate them to make them change their mind, what would be on it? How would you convince them to give classics a try? And why do you keep coming back to those old favorites?

I do love reading classics. I think sometimes I get so caught up reading the newest and latest books, that I need to make myself pull back, and reach for a classic. I feel something is a classic that stands the test of time, inspires readers, and reach beyond just one genre. Classics can be romances, mysteries, science fiction. I think I began loving classic in which school. My 11th grade Lit teacher-Hi Mrs. Chapman- inspired this love. Most kids (gasp) did not appreciate her much, but when we finished reading Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein, I knew she was going to be one of my all time favorite teachers. As I continued trough school, I was able to read amazing books.

Some of my FAVORITE classics are-

Anything Austen- I love everything written by Jane Austen- with Pride & Prejudice being my all time favorite.

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald- took a class in college that centered around this time period and got to love all Fitzgerald and Hemingway.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee- Atticus Finch (to me) is the epitome of the perfect man.

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

And of course- Frankenstein by Mary Shelley(thanks again Mrs. Chapman!)

There are certain classic that I have been able to tackle for one reason or the other-

Moby Dick

Great Expectations

Wuthering Heights

I want to join The Classics Club, but have been hesitant up to now.

For a first timer, I would recommend To Kill a Mockingbird, Little Women, or Pride & Prejudice.

What are some of your favorite classics?

Frankenstein (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Cover of Little Women (Andre Deutsch Classics)

Cover via Amazon

English: Title page. Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice. London: George Allen, 1894. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Cover of The Great Gatsby

While We Were Watching Downton Abbey

11 Comments

Posted on May 9, 2013

While We Were Watching Downton Abbey

by Wendy Wax

published by Berkley Books

2013

Summary

When the concierge of The Alexander, a historic Atlanta apartment building, invites his fellow residents to join him for weekly screenings ofDownton Abbey, four very different people find themselves connecting with the addictive drama, and—even more unexpectedly—with each other…

Samantha Davis married young and for the wrong reason: the security of old Atlanta money—for herself and for her orphaned brother and sister. She never expected her marriage to be complicated by love and compromised by a shattering family betrayal.

Claire Walker is now an empty nester and struggling author who left her home in the suburbs for the old world charm of The Alexander, and for a new and productive life. But she soon wonders if clinging to old dreams can be more destructive than having no dreams at all.

And then there’s Brooke MacKenzie, a woman in constant battle with her faithless ex-husband. She’s just starting to realize that it’s time to take a deep breath and come to terms with the fact that her life is not the fairy tale she thought it would be.

For Samantha, Claire, Brooke—and Edward, who arranges the weekly gatherings—it will be a season of surprises as they forge a bond that will sustain them through some of life’s hardest moments—all of it reflected in the unfolding drama, comedy, and convergent lives of Downton Abbey. (from Goodreads)

My Review

I originally wanted to read this book because I am completely in love with Downton Abbey. The movie centers around three very different women who lie in the same building in downtown Atlanta. They find themselves attending a weekly screening of the first two seasons of the wildly popular BBC series Downton Abbey, arranged by the concierge of the building, Edward. Claire, Brooke, and Samantha slowly become friends, each week bringing them closer together.

I really enjoyed this book. While it can be labels chick lit to some degree, it is clearly written in a more mature voice than many out there. Wendy wax is a wonderful writer who really brings her character-good and bad-to life. I would love to see a sequel- especially more about Edward!

rating-4 out of 5

Waiting on Wednesday #2

6 Comments

Posted on May 8, 2013

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine, hat spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

http://breakingthespine.blogspot.com

I am looking forward to- Island Girls by Nancy Thayer-expected publication date-June 18, 2013

“Nancy Thayer is one of my favorite writers, and Island Girlsis one of her best. The Randall sisters are like your own family members or your best friends: funny, smart and emotional, infuriating and good-hearted. Here is a book to be savored and passed on to the good women in your life.”—New York Timesbestselling author Susan Wiggs

Hour 17 #read-a-thon

4 Comments

Posted on April 28, 2013

well- I am trying so hard to push through

Just got back from a long night out with friends we do not see as much as we would like!

I am sitting down with a cup of tea and Pies and Prejudice– it is SO much fun

Hope everyone else is enjoying the read-a-thon.

Kerri

Hour 9 #read-a-thon

6 Comments

Posted on April 27, 2013

Ok, as I enter the ninth hour, I am surprised I have been able to jam as much reading in as I did. It is a beautiful day and I am sitting in my yard, with the sun on my skin, and just leisurely reading my book-A Dual Inheritance. I am going slow, but am almost done with the book!!! Not sure how much more I am going to get in- seems we made dinner plans with friends 🙂