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| image credit: Nina of Nina Reads |
1. Please tell us a little bit about yourself: Who are you? How long have you been blogging? Why did you get into blogging? Where in the world are you blogging from?
I'm Charlene, I've been blogging for more than two years now, and first decided to start a blog because I wanted a place I can prettify to keep all my book reviews. I live in California where it is currently a little cool and cloudy which is perfect book reading weather. (Because anything is good book reading weather for me!)
2. Describe your blog in just one sentence. Then, list your social details -- Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc. -- so we can connect more online.
My blog is equal parts book reviews, discussions, and general enthusiasm and fangirling with a little bit of hopefully useful knowledge thrown in.
Links - Twitter | Goodreads | Bloglovin | Tumblr | Pinterest | Instagram
3. What was your favorite book read last year? What’s your favorite book so far this year?
From last year it was the amazing Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta. This year is a really hard question, but I think I'll go with the lovely and captivating Stolen Songbird by Danielle Jensen. More people need to know about this book!
4. Share your favorite book or reading related quote.
“A book is made from a tree. It is an assemblage of flat, flexible parts (still called "leaves") imprinted with dark pigmented squiggles. One glance at it and you hear the voice of another person, perhaps someone dead for thousands of years. Across the millennia, the author is speaking, clearly and silently, inside your head, directly to you. Writing is perhaps the greatest of human inventions, binding together people, citizens of distant epochs, who never knew one another. Books break the shackles of time ― proof that humans can work magic.”
- Carl Sagan
5. If you were stranded on a deserted island, what 3 books would you bring? Why? What 3 non-book items would you bring? Why?
This is all I need really:
But for three books, I would want to have Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë (my favorite book), Austenland by Shannon Hale (to make me smile) and Faith of the Fallen by Terry Goodkind (for the inspiring and thought-provoking plot.)
I totally agree any weather can be book reading great. Cold weather and a fire are most inviting to me.
ReplyDeleteI've added you on Goodreads and Instagram :D Stolen songbird was an awesome book, it's also on my favorite list. I'm still reading Finnikin, but I'm struggling with it and I have no idea why..
ReplyDeleteMel@thedailyprophecy
High-five for a fellow Whovian, and lover of the Lumatere series! I hope you've got the other two books lined up because they only get better :) Have a great Armchair BEA week!
ReplyDeleteFinnikin was not a favorite for me .-. but I've loved everything else I've read by Marchetta and I did love Finnikin but it didn't wow me the same way her contemporaries have.
ReplyDeleteAlso yay for good reading weather but like someone else just said, is there anything such as bad reading weather?? :P
Okay, best introduction I have read so far. You mentioned the TARDIS=automatic win. No, but really: that is a great quote and one I have never read before. Thanks for sharing it!
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy you are doing Armchair BEA!!
Sunrise Avenue
Ok, we apparently have very similar reading taste! I am so glad to have found your blog (maybe again? It feels like I've been here before, but I will definitely be staying this time!!).
ReplyDeleteI really loved Stolen Songbird - I'll be reviewing it soon, but it was such an unexpected little treasure of a book! I saw Danielle Jensen say on Twitter that she is trying to design temporary bonding tattoos. I am totally behind that concept!!!
What a fantastic quote! Looking forward to this week.
ReplyDeleteMeaghan -- http://mwgerard.com
Glad I found you! Love your mix of reviews and discussions.
ReplyDeleteVisit my blog at Emerald City Book Review
The TARDIS would be especially useful on a deserted island, lol :) Great introduction! I've only read the first book of Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth series and heard mixed reviews about the rest of the series but I'm glad to hear that that particular title was thought-provoking and interesting :)
ReplyDeleteDay 1 @ on my blog
I only watched one or two Doctor Who episodes, but the TARDIS!! Love that answer ;) And Jane Eyre is an excellent choice as well.
ReplyDeleteGreat intro, Charlene! I'm enjoying the holiday vibe of book blog hopping today, too! The Tardis is an excellent desert island choice :-).
ReplyDeleteHa, I thought maybe I should put a mention of Doctor Who after the picture, but then if people don't know then they probably wouldn't care! And yes you should definitely watch DW! So many of your friends can't be wrong! :)
ReplyDeleteNot for me! Even if it's sunny, I'd rather curl up with a good book! :)
I've never had a fire to read by - I would love to do that some day! But for now, I'm stuck with reading by my air conditioner! LOL
ReplyDeleteOh noes! I hope you can get through Finnikin - it's also a series that builds on itself so well so I think it is a great experience to read all three books. But I think Melina's take on fantasy is a bit different to the norm, so maybe that needs getting use to!
ReplyDeleteThank you Mel, I'm following back!
Hi Nina, great to meet you via BEA. I loved the line from your quote about One glance at it and you hear the voice of another person, perhaps someone dead for thousands of years.
ReplyDeleteThat resonated with me because I do read a lot from the nineteenth century but also books written by authors from countries which I doubt I will ever get to visit in my life. So in a sense I am hearing their voice in their work.
*High five*!! I'm so glad you stopped by since obviously you are an awesome person! :) I did finish The Lumatere Chronicles and LOVED it! The story completely wrecked me with emotions though! :)
ReplyDeleteAh, I can understand that - I adored the Lumatere Chronicles, but was not wowed by Jellicoe Road - for me I think it might have something to do with genres, because I do love Marchetta as a writer and I think Jellicoe was so well written but it just wasn't for me. But I'm still going to read all of her books!
ReplyDeleteNope not at all! :D
Haha thank you! I saw that picture on tumblr and loved it! A snarky nerd FTW! :) I'm looking forward to all the shenanigans of Armchair BEA!
ReplyDeleteOh awesome! I will be going to check your blog (again?) very soon!
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm so glad that you loved Stolen Songbird too! I didn't see that tweet from Danielle - any swag for this book is a great idea!
Thank you! I love the ideas behind that quote!
ReplyDeleteThank you! The discussion part is hard, but I do enjoy exploring ideas through them! I will definitely check out your blog!
ReplyDeleteLOL, really I would want the TARDIS for anything, but since this magical deserted island will give me whatever I want, I'll pick that. :) I loved the whole Sword of Truth series, so I didn't have many issues with it - if you liked the first book then maybe you will feel the same? Faith of the Fallen is the 6th book though and it's my favorite! Mostly because the story is about restoring faith in humanity and the power of the individual which I find so inspiring.
ReplyDeleteThe TARDIS would solve all problems! I am glad you also like Jane Eyre too! It's a book I feel like I have always been majorly obsessed with! :)
ReplyDeleteIt is great to be able to take more time visiting blogs today! Perfect timing! LOL and thanks, it is the most useful thing I could think of! :)
ReplyDeleteAh, Nina is the creator of the image, my name is Charlene. :) I love the idea that reading brings you into the mind of someone from a different time - it is also a wonderful thing that the author can live on in that way too!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE Jane Eyre. I have read it like.. 3 or 4 times :)
ReplyDeleteI know right?! I had the worst book hangover after that, haha.. must re-read sometime.
ReplyDeleteI love how you said you wanted a place to "prettify" to keep your bookish thoughts. I've been thinking a lot about how to prettify my blog lately since it is pretty plain. It worked for a while but now that I am back into blogging more again I want to spruce up my space.
ReplyDeleteI have Stolen Songbird on my TBR. I will have to look up Finnkin on the Rock.
Yes on all of the above. I picked Stolen Songbird and Finnikin was one of my 5 star reads last year. The tardis is a perfect answer for that question
ReplyDeleteOh, wow! You have a new layout -- I LOVE it! It's so simple and elegant. I have been so bad about staying in contact with blogging this year. I HAVE to improve that and hopefully this ArmchairBEA will help :)
ReplyDeleteI almost picked Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta!
You're from California too! Very cool. Norcal or SoCal? Finnikin of the Rock and Stolen Songbird are definitely on my TBR.
ReplyDeleteWOW that Sagan quote is phenomenal. Thanks for sharing.
"The Tardis". That's what I would have said too! I loved that episode. And Doctor Who is pretty much the best thing ever,
I really need to get around to reading Jane Eyre, especially considering Wuthering Heights is one of my favorite books. Different Bronte, I know, but still.
I'm going to follow your blog now. I'd do that even if you didn't offer to follow back. :)
My Armchair BEA Day 1 Post.
Okay, okay, I promise I will work on this!
ReplyDeleteSunny weather means it is too hot to go outside, so curl up in my recliner with a book. Crappy weather, well that means it is too ugly to go outside so, curl up in my recliner with a book!!!
I couldn't have done it with a good blog designer, though one day it would be nice to learn enough to be able to design my own blog! Oh I'm glad you are planning to read Stolen Songbird! It is so lovely! And I hope Finnikin of the Rock sounds interesting to you!
ReplyDeleteYay, more Stolen Songbird love! And Finnikin too - these are books that I love dearly so I'm glad you feel the same way!
ReplyDeleteThank you! I felt like I needed to change things up, and I think this layout really suits me! :) I am glad you are participating in Armchair BEA - I going to pop over to your post right after this!
ReplyDeleteSoCal - near Los Angeles! I see your from NorCal though - I went to college up there and really enjoyed my time there!
ReplyDeleteYay, I'm glad you are interested in reading Finnikin and Stolen Songbird! And that you are a Doctor Who fan! You already have exceptional taste for that. :D I do think Wuthering Heights is a great book, but Jane Eyre is closer to my heart. I'm sure you will enjoy Jane Eyre too! Off to visit your blog and follow back too!
Awesome! I hope you'll become obsessed! :D
ReplyDeleteLOL, exactly, you're reasoning is perfect!
I love that quote!
ReplyDeleteBest deserted island answer thus far! Nice to tweet you.
ReplyDeleteThank you! I can't believe I only came across it recently! :)
ReplyDeleteHaha, a TARDIS is good for everything! Nice to see you on twitter too! Thanks for the follow!
ReplyDeleteI have to read Austenland. I received it for review before pub., but was not able to get to it. It sounds like a great read though. Now that I have seen it as a fave I will have to make sure that I read it.
ReplyDeleteI was hoping my book club was going to pick Finnikin of the Rock for our July book but they didn't. I was totally bummed!!
ReplyDeleteIf you like audiobooks, I highly recommend giving Austenland a try in that format - I really enjoyed the narrator because she brought out the humor in the story so well!
ReplyDeleteAww, that is too bad! Maybe next month? Or for Fall, I think you can make an argument that Finnikin is a good Fall book. :)
ReplyDeleteGood to know. I try audiobooks on occasion. The narrator makes a big difference, so I appreciate the recommendation.
ReplyDeleteI really like the fangirling enthusiasm of your blog. I think it's great you get so into the books you read :)
ReplyDeleteAw thank you Katie! I'm glad to be able to share book love with so many other enthusiastic readers!
ReplyDeleteYay, Stolen Songbird is my favorite read of the year so far, too! <33 I'm trying to push it onto everyone, haha! I haven't read any of Marchetta's books yet. D: Glad I got to know you a bit more through this post, Charlene!
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy that Stolen Songbird seems to have such enthusiastic supporters! It definitely deserves it, and it makes me happy that everyone I know who has read it really loves it. :) So I should push Finnikin of the Rock on you now by Melina since that is another book I like to push on everyone. It's a great read! :)
ReplyDeleteI thought Juju had a new site. (She is Tales of Whimsy) :-) Great meeting you!
ReplyDeleteLOL, Whimsy is a great word! :D Thank you for stopping by!
ReplyDeleteHaven't spent much time in SoCal. Really? Where?
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad Doctor Who is coming back in August and not November like I initially thought.
Understood. I imagine Jane Eyre is cheerier too.
Yay! Thank you! But I want to follow you by email - how do I do that?
I went to UC Davis - I loved the small town feel of the college, and then being able to go to Old Sac or San Francisco on the weekends!
ReplyDeleteI know! Doctor Who has been gone for too long already, so thank you BBC for not making us wait more! And I don't have a follow by email option actually, but thank you for wanting to follow that way! I'll try to look into that when I can!
I need to read stolen song bird!
ReplyDeleteYes! It is amazing! It is a long wait til the 2nd book though, so maybe it's also nice to wait a bit longer until you can read them both at once! :)
ReplyDeleteOh cool. I like Davis, it's a nice little town. San Francisco is my favorite city.
ReplyDeleteWay too long!
Well, I check my email before my Bloglovin so I'd get to your posts quicker, is all.