Bookish Goodies: The Bookmark Edition

Sep 22

Wherefore art thou, bookmark?

Guys, I am in full-on crisis mode over here. Remember a little while ago when I confessed that I have a bookmarking scheme? It’s not really elaborate but it works for me and I’ve been adhering to it for awhile. Anyway, last weekend I MAJORLY cleaned the premises and last night when I went looking for my secondary bookmark I COULDN’T FIND IT. I looked again this morning and no dice. It’s missing. In the midst of my freak-out, I decided to check out Etsy for some bookmarkish goodness. AND HOW. There’s super creative people over there, friends, and I thought I’d share some of my favorite finds with you.

From Ozzy and Lulu‘s shop

So Ozzy and Lulu have some awesome quote bookmarks. This one, from Lord of the Rings, is one of my FAVORITE quotes ever. But they also have quotes from THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER, a YOLO bookmark, and a few others. They’re all really sharp. I love the different fonts they use.

From Joy’s Specialties shop

I have a big weakness for bookmarks that are woven or made from something other than paper. I’m not a huge fan of metal bookmarks because I’m always afraid that they’ll rip something, and I think that the string bookmarks are too flimsy, but I LOVE these. I love the colors, too. Such pretty details.

From leatherandcopper‘s shop

I LOVE LOVE LOVE leather feather bookmarks. I just think they’re so cool.These look particularly awesome. Not as big a fan of the black ones, but I do like that reddish brown feather. So rustic.

From byvikINK‘s shop

Ok, so THESE BOOKMARKS I totally want. I’m probably going to buy them just because. First of all, I love this idea of a traveling bookmark. But second–and most important–of all, THEY LOOK LIKE LIBRARY CARDS. I’m dying right now. I love this retro library thing. Big fan of these.

From LaceAmour‘s shop

Isn’t this cool-looking? I love the curlycues and the texture. So pretty. And there are a few of these in different colors: yellow, pink and white, light brown. Very pretty.

From MesaDreams shop

Ah, leather. I’m sensing a pattern here because I’ve got two leather bookmarks on here already, and my primary bookmark is leather, too. But this one is fun because it’s so skinny! And I love the pattern on it.

From bethydesign‘s shop

OMG MERLIN. So ok. This designer makes a TON of these bookmarks–the two arms go over the page, and the body goes behind it so it’s kind of like a paper paperclip–in different characters. There’s Morgana, the Doctor, Sherlock, Harry Potter. All AWESOME. But these are my faves. Look at them! Arthur, Merlin, and Gwen, looking so perfect I can’t even deal.

From CastleOnTheHill‘s shop

Jane Austen characters drawn on book pages. I love the pretty colors, and seriously, these are amazing drawings. I’m not sure who is who, but I think they’re adorable.

There are TONS–literally TONS–of bookmarks on Etsy. Some of them you can even print out yourself, which is cool but sometimes I’m lazy and just want a finished bookmark already. But I think any of these would be a good replacement for my secondary bookmark, although I’m still holding out hope that I’ll find it! What do you guys think?

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Books On Deck

Sep 9

So, for the first week EVER since I started participating, I have no books for In My Mailbox. I didn’t really get any books this past week (well, except for the little gem of a birthday gift at the bottom, courtesy of my sister), and to be honest with you, I kind of needed it. I’ve got LOTS of things to read already! So instead of highlighting books that I received this week, I thought I’d do a little something new and give a shout to the next couple of books on my TBR. I’m sharing partly to geek out over my reads with you all, and partly to try and keep myself on some kind of schedule-ish sort of thing. I don’t usually subscribe to the schedule method because having one will only make me want to deviate from it; I’m WAY to easily distracted by other things, and I like to pick up things that I feel like reading because I know that if I pick up a book that I would usually enjoy but am just not in the mood for, it’ll take me even longer to pick it up again and give it another shot. But, I’ll give it the old college try anyway. So without further ado, the books I’ve got on deck!

Book cover for The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

Because Tara from Hobbitsies told me I had to. And, well, basically all the other people I know and whose opinions I trust for always. A fantasy this awesome-sounding should not have lingered so long on my TBR, guys. I feel guilty.

Book cover for The Unfailing Light by Robin Bridges

The continuing saga of Katiya the necromancer and her life in pre-Revolutionary Russia with ALL the paranormal creatures you could possibly think of. Also, George. But Tsarist Russia? Psh. Obviously I would be in, even if the first book in this series, THE GATHERING STORM, had its issues for me.

Book cover for Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff

Basically because I need to stop TALKING about this book and just read it already. It sounds amazing and different from anything else I’ve ever read, and that is really piquing my interest HARD.

Book cover for The Other Normals by Ned Vizzini

I’m blog touring this one at the end of October, guys, and I’m STOKED. I just love the sound of it, with the gaming angle and the nerdiness. HOLLA, RPGs!!

Book cover for Gods and Warriors by Michelle Paver

A middle-grade historical fiction/fantasy with heaps of mythology-based shenanigans and other awesomeness. This is my next MG review for Bookalicious.org, and it’s got so many of the things I love the most. Fingers crossed that it’s super!

Now, for the book that I got this week…

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First US Edition of HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS

A quick story about this gift: I used to have one of these. My sister lent it to one of her friends a few years ago and she absconded to Virginia with it when she moved. Currently, my sister and this friend are friends no longer, but the girl STILL has my book. All of my Harry Potter books are hardcover, EXCEPT for Chamber of Secrets, which until now, has been a second-hand paperback copy that I got from a friend because she had two copies. A second-hand paperback substituting for a hardcover first edition! I DIE. But not anymore. Huzzah!

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The All-Star Break

Jun 30

 My Ten Favorite Books of 2012…So Far

So, I was just catching up a little bit on some blogs that I LOVE but have been neglecting lately, much to my own sadness. One of these is my friend, Heidi’s spot, Bunbury in the Stacks. And wouldn’t you know that she has just today posted something that I have been wanting to do myself? Figures that she would inspire me to DO. Let’s see how many of these books are on my favorites list at the end of the year, guys. My guess? Quite a few. But I’ve been known to be wrong.

In no particular order…

Book cover for Second Chance Summer by Morgan MatsonBook cover for The Humming Room by Ellen PotterBook cover for My Life Next Door by Huntley FitzpatrickBook cover for Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Book cover for Something Like Normal by Trish DollerBook cover for Grave Mercy by Robin LaFeversBook cover for Unraveling by Elizabeth NorrisBook cover for The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder

Book cover for The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jessica E. SmithBook cover for Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley

Click on the covers for my reviews! And tell me who’s on top of your favorites list at the 2012 All-Star Break in the comments. (I HAD to go there with the baseball metaphor. Be thankful that I didn’t take it even further and assign books for each position on the field.)

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Recommend A…(1)

May 21

Recommend A... meme

…Book With Three Words in the Title

Guys, I can’t tell you how ecstatic I was when Shanyn from Chick Loves Lit announced that she was starting this awesome meme. Quick background: When I first started my blog, I had been recognizing crazy, random similarities in lots of the books I was reading–main characters who run, books set in Italy–and I had an idea to make posts out of it. I still have my list, even though the posts never got off the ground. Things like books that take place in the wintertime, books about Arthurian legend, books involving weather. Shanyn’s AWESOME Recommend A… meme is finally giving me the chance to cater to my inner nerd for specificity and randomness!! AND I LOVE IT. So props to Shanyn, who is fab for starting this up. I’m looking forward to giving some attention to books that might have missed everyone’s radar for one reason or another. Woo hoo!

So, without further ado, here’s a few books that I loved with only three words in the title. I tried to avoid titles where one of the three words is “the,” but…I failed. Alas. 

Book cover for Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson

Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson. This one just came out last week and I’ve already finished it and HOLY CRAP, it was AMAHLZING (please tell me I’m not the only person who watches Happy Endings)! It completely delivered on the promise of awesome that AMY & ROGER’S EPIC DETOUR made. Morgan Matson has been on my must-read author list since Amy & Roger–her effing DEBUT!–so all I can tell you is that you can expect more lovely, bittersweet, touching stuff from SECOND CHANCE SUMMER. 

Book cover for Sean Griswold's Head by Lindsey Leavitt

Sean Griswold’s Head by Lindsey Leavitt. If you guys haven’t had the chance to read SEAN GRISWOLD’S HEAD yet, make plans to. Pretty please? It’s another one of those stories where you think you know what it’s going to be going in and then all of a sudden it’s wringing your heart out and you had NO IDEA IT WAS COMING. This one defied my expectations of cute romance by being MORE. Loved it. 

The Humming Room by Ellen Potter. MIDDLE GRADE, Book cover for The Humming Room by Ellen PotterHOLLA! Can’t have a list without some MG goodness on it! There’s actually quite a lot of MG with three-word titles, but I chose THE HUMMING ROOM because I don’t think enough people have gotten around to reading it yet. It’s a little under the radar, but SO worth the time. As a retelling of sorts of THE SECRET GARDEN, it’s got that same sort of lonely, subtle vibe, plus lively characters and a fantastic setting.  This one snuck up on me, guys, with how much I liked it.  

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May Shenanigans with Victoria Schwab!

May 15
Cover for The Ash-Born Boy by Victoria Schwab

Check this AWESOME cover, yo! And add the story on Goodreads while you’re at it!

Friends, today is a BIG DAY. For one, it’s a Tuesday. LOVE Tuesdays. But really, the reason that this Tuesday is the most awesome is because of two things: Not only does THE NEAR WITCH by Victoria Schwab come out in paperback TODAY, but, to celebrate its release, “The Ash-Born Boy” is finally up over at Disney*Hyperion’s website! HUZZAH! 

So, what IS “The Ash-Born Boy”? 

It’s a free story Victoria wrote as a thank-you to her fans, and she wrote it to answer ONE question: “Who was Cole before he came to Near?”

Now, if you’ve already read THE NEAR WITCH, “The Ash-Born Boy” is guaranteed to change the way you see Cole.

And if you haven’t read THE NEAR WITCH yet, don’t worry, “The Ash-Born Boy” won’t spoil anything!

So basically, either way, you should go read Cole’s story 😉 Trust me, friends. You WANT to know more about him. YOU DO. 

And if you want to wait and read THE NEAR WITCH first, don’t worry! Cole’s story will stay up on Disney*Hyperion’s website, and if it ever comes down, Victoria will carve out a space for it on her own site. It will always be available somewhere, and it will always be free. 

And! 

Cole’s story isn’t the only goodie to go along with the paperback release. Oh, no, friends! In the back of the paperback itself, you’ll find the first chapter of Victoria’s new book, THE ARCHIVED, which doesn’t come out until January! GAH! 

So what are you waiting for? 

Help Victoria celebrate today by taking a look at “The Ash-Born Boy,” and don’t forget to buy/order/pick up your own paperback copy of THE NEAR WITCH!

 

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