Wherein we talk about how Amazon is changing the discourse we use to talk about ARCS and Review Copies, Goodreads changing their Giveaway Function, and YouTube changing the rules around partnership.
There is also an issue with my audio. Sorry! I’m trying to figure out why it is happening but I’m technologically illiterate.
I’ve been working at a Barnes and Noble since October, and you can bet that all the while I’ve been accumulating books. It finally occurred to me that I had a bunch just hanging around–and the titles were all over the place–so I wanted to share them with you guys! If you’ve read any of these, please do let me know in the comments if you liked them or not!
In which I talk about perceptions of female beauty and the struggles therein, especially when making YouTube videos. And also do a lot of ranting about the fact that everyone is just made to feel not confident in themselves all the damn time. A person’s cruelest judge can be themselves, and I am no exception to that. My viewers give me confidence, and I can’t thank you enough!
Surprise Friday Betwixt the Books Discuss! content. A YouTube channel called Better Than Food Book Reviews posted a video a few days ago titled “Nobody Wants to Read Your S**t,” and we have some thoughts and feelings. Michaela and I really missed having these smart chats with you guys, and we’re pumped to talk about advertising, authenticity on YouTube, and unsolicited reviews. Enjoy!
Michaela and I are back with more booktube videos for you! It’s a few more book tags as we get into the swing of things – this one about Unpopular Opinions! Thanks to Kat from Cuddlebuggery for showing me this awesome tag.
This is probably the most emotional and ranty Michaela and I have ever gotten together. It’s a good time!
As the pair to this video, Michaela is posting our Inside Out Tag video on her blog, so don’t miss that!
The questions for this tag are:
1. A Popular Book or series that you didn’t like.
2. A Popular Book or series that every one else seems to hate but you love.
3. A Love Triangle where the main character ended up with the person you did NOT want them to end up with (warn ppl for spoilers) OR an OTP that you don’t like.
4. A popular book Genre that you hardly reach for.
5. A popular or beloved character that you do not like.
6. A popular author that you can’t seem to get into.
7. A popular book trope that you’re tired of seeing. (examples “lost princess”, corrupt ruler, love triangles, etc.)
8. A popular series that you have no interest in reading.
9. The saying goes “The book is always better than the movie”, but what movie or T.V. show adaptation do you prefer more than the book?
Quick message from Michaela: Last week we had issues with audio, this week we have issues with the editor. I finished editing these videos and my editor wouldn’t let me export the edits, so we have this footage for you raw and unfiltered. I hope the awkward pauses weren’t too awkward for you, and we didn’t ramble too much. Some day I will get this filming and editing down to a T I swear.
Remember when I promised that Michaela from The Pied Piper Calls (and head Bibliomancer) would be doing booktube videos with me? HERE IS PROOF. We finally got around to making our first round of videos, which are both tags to get us into the groove. You can check out our foray into the Bookish Beginnings Tag on Michaela’s blog, and then scroll down to watch the Booktube Newbie Tag entry here.
We apologize for the audio quality! We attempted to go with a certain mic for this video and it went all kinds of wonky, but we’ll have this fixed next time around.
Anyways! Come see why we’ve started this channel, get to know us and watch us laugh at each other!
Finally, the secret is out! I am one of four members of the new Google+ Hangout book club “Bibliomancy for Beginners.” This week, our book was John Connolly’s The Book of Lost Things. Below you’ll find my review, and after that the YouTube video of our hangout. Next week we’ll be doing The Innocent Mage by Karen Miller, and you should totally come hang with us! I’ll announce when the next chat is right here on the blog.
The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly
High in his attic bedroom, twelve-year-old David mourns the death of his mother, with only the books on his shelf for company. But those books have begun to whisper to him in the darkness. Angry and alone, he takes refuge in his imagination and soon finds that reality and fantasy have begun to meld. While his family falls apart around him, David is violently propelled into a world that is a strange reflection of his own — populated by heroes and monsters and ruled by a faded king who keeps his secrets in a mysterious book, The Book of Lost Things.
Taking readers on a vivid journey through the loss of innocence into adulthood and beyond, New York Times bestselling author John Connolly tells a dark and compelling tale that reminds us of the enduring power of stories in our lives.
4 stars
This book was not something I’d usually read, but thus is the purpose of our book club. I thought the blurb was interesting, but was a little unsure of what would happen from there. What I found was a pleasant surprise.
Twelve-year-old David is fairly believably written for his age, despite the fact that this book isn’t meant for middle grade or ya readers. His relationship with his mother and his reaction to her death tore at my heart. When his father remarries, to a woman with whom he fights all the time, and David gets a new step-brother, the way he deals with it never comes across as trite or overblown, as is sometimes the case with the way younger characters are written.
I’m still not quite sure how David ends up in what I’ll call “fairy tale land” for lack of a better phrase. I honestly can’t remember if it has a name in the book. Anyways, all of the sudden David is popping out a tree knot in a forest and there’s human-wolf hybrids after him. Thank goodness there’s the Woodsman there to save him. The villain of the story, the Crooked Man, hides the tree that has the portal in it from David, however, so he can’t go back, and the Woodsman says that only the dying king of the land can help him get back home now, so they set off on a quest to find the king and get David home.
For a while, it really did seem like the plot was relying on the questing motif way too much. David was on a journey and obstacles popped up around it, but he never really deviated from his goal. Each obstacle was present as unrelated to the other, so at times they felt quite disconnected and in some places unnecessary y. I will say, though, that of all these the Communist seven dwarfs and the fat, mean Snow White were the best part–of the quest and of the entire book. I don’t want to spoil anything, but seriously guys. Just mull that over. Fat and mean Snow White and the Communist Seven Dwarfs.
When David finally reaches the castle and finds the king, however, things really start to get rolling. All of the questions are answered, and more broader ones that make you think are asked. I didn’t think that this was going to tug at my heart strings as much as it did. In the end, I just wanted to hug David and hug the king and … basically hug everyone but the Crooked Man, who I wanted to stab repeatedly for putting the kid through everything. This is a stand alone, so the end wrapped everything up neatly–some might say too much so, but I don’t agree. Usually I like messy endings myself, but it was the epilogue that really did me in so no complaints there.
I’d really recommend this one if you’re looking for a fairy tale that isn’t for children. This really isn’t for people the age of the protagonist, trust me. Its themes and its messages ring much truer to the adult ear, and the prose is meant for that. It was a great bridge for me between the children’s stories I love and the adult novels I should really read more of.
Curious what me and my friends had to say? Want to laugh at the fools that we make of ourselves? Well, watch the video! (The first 9:20 of this is technical difficulties and giggles. For the actual book club part, skip right to about the 9:20 mark.)
Top Ten Tuesday is a feature hosted by the Broke and the Bookish.
So this week’s Top Ten Tuesday is a little different! It’s NOT about books! Let’s see if I can make you interested anyways…
1. Facebook
Seriously, are you surprised? you shouldn’t be. 😛
2. Twitter
Again, no surprise there. I LIVE on my Hootsuite, tracking down book giveaways. I maaaaaay have an addiction to that.
3. YouTube
Not for the reasons you might think! I actually look up more show promos on here than anything else. Last thing I looked up? The new James Bond trailer!
4. Duotrope’s Digest
This is a site for writers, where they can track their submissions to magazines. When I have stories out (which I don’t at this moment) I’m checking it 60 times a day for absolutely no reason.
5. Yahoo! Sports
MY RANGERS ARE IN THE PLAYOFFS! Plus one of the baseball dudes does spectacular MLB power rankings. It’s my homepage, so it’s also the fastest sports access. 😛
6. Television Without Pity
I adore the photo galleries these guys put together. They are absolutely hysterical, even when they’re about shows I like! There are tons more stuff related to TV on there, but I don’t actually look at anything but the photos.
7. Google
Did you know that if you go to Google Maps and ask for walking directions from The Shire to Mordor, Google will tell you that “One cannot simply walk into Mordor”? Seriously, try it out. It’s AWESOME.
8. Big Fish Games
I am slightly obsessed with hidden object adventure games. And time management games. And those games that are hybrids of the two. And– uh, Big Fish just happens to have some fantastic games on it and I get bored sometimes. 😛
9. Netflix
I just recently developed an addiction to Joss Whedon’s Dollhouse. Having finished it in a week, I have decided that the mind of Joss Whedon is a terrifying, confusing place that makes up the best-worst things ever. (BUFFY FOREVER!)
10. Yahoo! Movie Trailers
I have a thing with movie trailers! I am like a movie trailer guru. It is from Yahoo! Movies I learn my wisdom, so you may start there, young grasshopper.
My Life is a Notebook 