Best Kept Bookish Secret

Incoming book alert! Check out all of these unused books I purchased for only $30 (excluding Maggie Stiefvater's Blue Lily, Lily Blue).

From top to bottom:

• Tamora Pierce's Alanna: The First Adventure
• Sharon Green's Silver Princess, Golden Knight
• Leah Cypress' Mistwood
• Amanda Hocking's Switched, Torn, & Ascend
• Leigh Bardugo's Shadow & Bone
• Kiersten White's The Chaos of Stars & Mind Games

Where'd they all come from for such a low price, you ask? Alright, friends. I'm about to let you in on a very juicy bookish secret-- one you will most definitely thank me for. I only just discovered it recently myself, but you better believe I wasted no time in taking advantage of it.

It's called Book Outlet.

They sell discounted books offered at 50-90% off the original list price. Book Outlet's books are marked down so low because they are from a publisher's excess inventory. The books are unused and in excellent condition, unless they come from the Scratch & Dent section-- my personal favorite section. The Scratch & Dent books show some signs of handling or scratches, but they are structurally sound, overall. The best part is they are even cheaper. Like $2-3 for a hardcover cheap.

The only downsides would be cost of shipping and length of time it takes to ship-- but even so, it was cheaper to order those titles through Book Outlet than it was to order them through Amazon with Prime 2-day shipping. Trust me, I checked first before placing the order.

You're welcome.

And just for the record, I was not paid for this post, and I have no affiliation whatsoever with BookOutlet.com other than the fact that I use it and love it.

Have you heard of Book Outlet before? Am I the last one to be in the know? What were your experiences like? If not, do you plan to use the site in the future? I'd love to hear from you.

Linking up here and here.

Reading Recap -- May 2014

Hello, June! See you next year, May. You were a banner reading month.

1. The Iron King by Julie Kagawa → Book Based on a Myth
2. Fangbone! Third-Grade Barbarian by Michael Rex
3. The Egg of Misery by Michael Rex
4. The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong → Book with Magic
5. Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews → Book with a Mystery
6. Hark! A Vagrant by Kate Beaton
7. Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden → Book that became a Movie
8. Paranormalcy by Kiersten White → Book without a Love Triangle
9. Evermore by Alyson Noel → First Book in a Series
10. Futurama Adventures by Eric Rogers

Still haven't made a Bingo yet, though. How's your reading coming along?

Library Booksale Haul

I've gone to a few library booksales this year, and I've learned that they are a treasure trove for ladies lit. (my replacement term for chick lit.-- still not a great substitute, but I really dislike the term "chick lit."). I'm torn between loving and hating the fact that they're overwhelmingly pink.

• Sarah Dunant's The Birth of Venus
• Alexander McCall Smith's The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency
• Fannie Flagg's Daisy Fay and the Miracle Man
• Ceclia Ahern's P.S. I Love You
• Sophie Kinsella's Confessions of a Shopaholic
• Janet Evanovich's One for the Money
• Joyce Carol Oates' Blonde

Not a bad haul for a buck a piece or less. Now if only I could read them as fast as I buy them...

Used Bookstore Spoils

This past weekend, I traded in some books at the used bookstore, and I came home with some lovely (and inexpensive) finds that have been begging to get crossed off my wish list for months now. Behold:

• L.M. Mongomery's The Story Girl
• Avi's The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle
• Gail Carson Levine's Ella Enchanted
• Dodie Smith's I Capture the Castle
• Julie Kagawa's The Iron King
• Alyson Noel's Evermore

And don't they just look oh so pretty stacked together like that?

2014 Reading Progress Report: April

At this point, I've read 22 out of 50 books-- accomplishing 44% of my reading challenge and putting me at 7 books ahead of schedule.

1. Keri Arthur's Darkness Unbound → Book at the Bottom of the TBR Pile
2. Kiersten White and Jim di Bartolo's In the Shadows → Book Set in the Summer
3. J.K Rowling's Harry Potter: The Prequel → Book with a Lion, a Witch, or a Wardrobe
4. Gena Showalter's The Darkest Night → Book Written by Someone Under 30
5. Jean Webster's Daddy-Long-Legs → A Classic YA Book
6. Irene Hunt's Up a Road Slowly → Book with a Female Heroine

 
I am basically a book reading machine, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Book Journal: In the Shadows by Kiersten White and Jim di Bartolo

Let's talk about how great this book is, shall we?

First, I should say that I won it as an ARC in a First Reads giveaway, but that has no bearing on the rave review I'm about to give it. In fact, when I win books, I generally have low expectations. This time was no different-- I wasn't expecting much. I was unfamiliar with both the author and the illustrator, and the title and cover didn't do much for me. They're a bit generic for the fantasy genre, but once I cracked the book open, I was completely smitten.

The artwork is phenomenal. Really dark and moody and powerful. At first, I was thrown off by the back-and-forth between the two storylines of illustration and text, but after a while, once the dichotomy of the two clicked for me, I really admired and appreciated the decision to keep them separate.

The plot is full of action and suspense, and despite its swift pace, the author also takes time to flesh out the five main characters. For such a short book, I was surprised by how quickly I was able to connect with and root for them, which is a real testament to Kiersten White's writing. Also-- the ending is perfection. I won't say anymore.

This book completely won me over and is a new favorite of mine, which so rarely happens these days. I would recommend it to all YA fantasy and graphic novel lovers. It's such a treat for the eyes and mind. READ IT!

You can also find my review on GoodReads.

2014 Reading Progress Report: March

Over 3 months into 2014, and I've read 17 out of 50 books. I've accomplished  34% of my Reading Challenge, putting me at 5 books ahead of schedule. I've also marked off 7 spots on my Bingo Boards. Yeah!

1. Veronica Roth's Insurgent → Book Heard about Online
2. Shannon Hale's Austenland →  Book Set on a Different Continent
3. Steve Nile's Daughters of Fly in my Eye
4. Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist → Book Your Friend Loves
5. Deborah Harkness' A Discovery of Witches → Book with Non-Human Characters
6. Claudia Gray's Evernight → Book Set in High School
7. Jeaniene Frost's Up from the Grave → Book Published this Year
8. Keri Arthur's Darkness Unbound → Book at the Bottom of the TBR Pile  

I have to say-- I'm really proud of my progress. It feels like I'll hit 50 books in no time.

Incoming!

Picked up some new used books this weekend. They've been on my wish list for ages now.

• Annette Curtis Klause's Blood and Chocolate
• Claudia Gray's Evernight
• Diane Wynne Jones' Cart and Cwidder and Drowned Ammet
• Patrick Ness' The Knife of Never Letting Go
• Kelley Armstrong's The Summoning

• L.M. Montgomery's The Blue Castle
• L.M. Montgomery's Mistress Pat
• L.M. Montgomery's A Tangled Web
• Ann Rinaldi's A Break with Charity

Yes, I'm running out of shelf space, but that only drives me to be more creative with the way my books are stacked. As Tim Gunn might say, "Designers book lovers, make it work!"

2014 Reading Progress Report: January & February

So far, January and February have been productive reading months for me. 

At this point, I've read 9 books in 2014. According to GoodReads, this means that I've accomplished 18% of my Reading Challenge, currently putting me at 4 books ahead of schedule. I also marked off 5 spots on my Reading Bingo boards (I'm counting the 5 graphic novels I read as 1 book).

1. Adam Sexton's Shakespeare's Macbeth: The Manga Edition → Graphic Novel
2. Richard Appignanesi's The Tempest
3. Darren G. Davis' Wrath of the Titans
4. John Matthews' The Chronicles of Arthur: Sword of Fire and Ice
5. Chuck Dixon's Dean Koontz's Frankenstein, Volume 1: Prodigal Son
6. Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn: The Final Empire → Book with an Incredible Fight Scene
7. Annette Curtis Klause's The Silver Kiss → Book with a Color in the Title
8. Marissa Meyer's Cinder →  Book Set in the Future
9. Nora Roberts' Chasing Fire → Book by a Female Author 

Here's to keeping the momentum going! How's your reading going so far this year?

2014: New Year, New Reading Resolutions

If you are a long-time reader of this blog, you will know that I've long since given up on making lists of specific books I want to read, *but* that doesn't mean I'm any less goal-oriented.

After a bit of searching, I've found a few different approaches to Reading Resolutions for the new year that I'd like to explore.

The following resolutions are taken from an article on QuirkBooks.com. Check out this link to get a more in-depth explanation of each bullet point.

• Catch up on that series you fell behind on
• Finish the catalog of your favorite author
• Read the classics you've been putting off
• Don't judge a book by its cover
• Finally organize your bookshelves
• Shop at your local independent bookstore
• When you start a book, commit to finishing it
• Conversely, don't feel obligated to finish a book if you don't like it
• Tackle the best books of 2013
• Try out a new genre
• Read that book
• Just read more

I've also found a really fun and tactile approach: Random House's Reading Bingo Challenge 2014. Filling in one book per space, I actually plan to use both Bingo cards since they are 25 spaces a piece, and I intend to read at least 50 books this year.

2014 is going to be a challenging reading year! What are your reading resolutions?

2013 End of Year Book Survey

Look what I found, and just in time too: The Perpetual Page Turner's 2013 End of Year Book Survey.

Let me preface this by saying the survey is for books I read throughout the year, no matter when they were published, and it is not limited to just books that came out in 2013.

1. Best Book You Read In 2013?
Since it's still so fresh in my mind, I am going with Halfway to the Grave by Jeaniene Frost, which is book 1 in the Night Huntress series.

2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?
J.D. Salinger's Raise High the Roofbeam, Carpenters & Seymour: An Introduction was a huge disappointment for me. It was the last book in his catalog that I hadn't read, so when it turned out to be completely self-indulgent, tedious, and boring, I was a little heartbroken.

3. Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2013?
Though it was published in 1958, I'd have to choose Elizabeth George Speare's The Witch of Blackbird Pond. I was so pleasantly surprised with this innocuous-looking Newbery winner.

4. Book you read in 2013 that you recommended to people most in 2013?
I recommend Orson Scott Card Ender's Shadow to people chasing that feeling from Ender's Game but were disappointed by Speaker for the Dead like I was.

5. Best series you discovered in 2013?
Maggie Stiefvater's The Raven Cycle series. I read both The Raven Boys and The Dream Thieves this year, and I adored both of them!


6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2013?
J.R. Ward after I read Dark Lover.

7. Best book that was out of your comfort zone or was a new genre for you?
“Robert Galbraith's” The Cuckoo's Calling. I only read this because it's really written by J.K. Rowling; I never read murder-mysteries. I think the real world is scary enough. If I want to be afraid, I'll read the newspaper. Thankfully, this one was pretty tame.


8. Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2013?
Maggie Stiefvater's The Scorpio Races. I was really into that book. It reinforced my love of Stiefvater's work, even though I actually really dislike the Wolves of Mercy Falls series.


9. Book You Read In 2013 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year?
I'm not likely to re-read any book in 2014. My TBR mountain is comprised of 216 books. There's no time to re-read-- life's too short.

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2013?
Put the Book Back on the Shelf
 


11. Most memorable character in 2013?
Karou from Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor.

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2013?
George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion

13. Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2013?
Though I wasn't wowed by it like I thought I would be, Carson McCullers' The Heart is a Lonely Hunter actually stuck with me long after I finished it.

14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2013 to finally read?
C.S. Lewis' The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. I wish I read it during childhood when I was “supposed” to.


15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2013?

“A secret is a strange thing.

There are three kinds of secrets. One is the sort everyone knows about, the sort you need at least two people for. One to keep it. One to never know. The second is a harder kind of secret: one you keep from yourself. Every day, thousands of confessions are kept from their would-be confessors, none of these people knowing that their never-admitted secrets all boil down to the same three words: I am afraid.

And then there is the third kind of secret, the most hidden kind. A secret no one knows about. Perhaps it was known once, but was taken to the grave. Or maybe it is a useless mystery, arcane and lonely, unfound because no one ever looked for it.

Sometimes, some rare times, a secret stays undiscovered because it is something too big for the mind to hold. It is too strange, too vast, too terrifying to contemplate.

All of us have secrets in our lives. We’re keepers or keptfrom, players or played. Secrets and cockroaches — that’s what will be left at the end of it all.”

― Maggie Stiefvater, The Dream Thieves

16.Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2013?
Shortest: Martin Rowson's The Wasteland at 74 pages
Longest: Koushun Takami's Battle Royale at 617 pages


17. Book That Had A Scene In It That Had You Reeling And Dying To Talk To Somebody About It? (a WTF moment, an epic revelation, a steamy kiss, etc. etc.) Be careful of spoilers!
Chapter 32 of  Jeaniene Frost's One Foot in the Grave. Enough said. 

(If you are super curious, check out the reviews on GoodReads. There are many-a reader who was left reeling from Chapter 32. It's become such a “thing” that Frost has merchandise on her website referencing it specifically.)


18. Favorite Relationship From A Book You Read In 2013 (be it romantic, friendship, etc).
Miri's many friendships in Shannon Hale's Princess Academy.


19. Favorite Book You Read in 2013 From An Author You’ve Read Previously:
Sharon Creech's Love that Dog. Creech is one of my all-time favorite authors, though her earlier work can be hit-or-miss.


20. Best Book You Read In 2013 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else:
Steve Martin's Shopgirl. A friend of mine was obsessed with the book and movie when it first came out, and I finally gave it a try this year.

21. Genre You Read The Most From in 2013?
Paranormal Romance. No surprise there.


22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2013?
Dash from Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by David Levithan & Rachel Cohn. Dash is everything I wanted my high school love interests to be.


23. Best 2013 debut you read?
Hmm. I didn't I read any works by authors who debuted in 2013, and I only read three books that were published in 2013. If I had to pick the best one, it would be Cynthia Hand's Boundless, which is the final book in the Unearthly trilogy.


24. Most vivid world/imagery in a book you read in 2013?
Phillip Pullman's The Golden Compass from the His Dark Material's series. Very vivid universe. Every now and then I think I see some Dust in the air...


25. Book That Was The Most Fun To Read in 2013?
Raina Telgemeier's Drama. Graphic novels are (almost) always a fun time.


26. Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2013?
None. Maria Semple's Where'd You Go, Bernadette was an emotional read for me, though it was mostly positive emotions.


27. Book You Read in 2013 That You Think Got Overlooked When It Came Out?
Richard Salas' Peculia or Sara Varon's Sweaterweather. Both are delightful graphic novels that I haven't heard much about.

---

I am linking my survey up at the Perpetual Page Turner's blog. Let me know if you do the same-- I'd love to read your survey!

2013 by the Numbers

Happy New Year, everyone! I've had a really great reading year. I read 57 books in 2013, totaling 17,021 pages. That's quite an accomplishment if I do say so myself. Also, it's a bump up from the 49 books I read in 2012.

GoodReads was paramount in my tracking my yearly progress. They even have a nifty little diagram to display your star ratings.

Only two books won the coveted 5 star rating this year: Elizabeth George Speare's The Witch of Blackbird Pond and Jeaniene Frost's One Foot in the Grave.  Alternatively, two books won the dreaded 1 star rating: Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot and some random graphic novel not even worth mentioning again here.

And simply because it does me proud to see them all listed one after the other, here is the definitive list of my 2013 reads in all its glory:

1. Steve Martin's Shopgirl
2. David Levithan & Rachel Cohn's Dash & Lily's Book of Dares
3. Cynthia Hand's Boundless
4. Sharon Creech's Love that Dog
5. Scott Mills' Big Clay Pot
6. Sharon Creech's Replay
7. Maggie Stiefvater's The Raven Boys
8. Martin Rowson's The Waste Land
9. Miss Lasko-Gross' A Mess of Everything
10. George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion
11. Kristin Cashore's Graceling
12. John Green's Paper Towns
13. Raina Telgemeier's Drama
14. J.K. Rowling's The Casual Vacancy
15. Aline Kominsky-Crumb's Need More Love
16. Maggie Stiefvater's The Scorpio Races
17. Jen Van Meter's Hopeless Savages
18. Sara Varon's Sweaterweather
19. Paula McLain's The Paris Wife
20. Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot
21. Charles Burns' Black Hole
22. Emily Dickinson's Selected Poems
23. J.D. Salinger's Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters & Seymour: An Introduction
24. Eric Stephenson's Put the Book Back on the Shelf
25. Orson Scott Card Ender's Shadow
26. Carson McCullers' The Heart is a Lonely Hunter
27. J.R. Ward's Dark Lover
28. Sharon Creech's Pleasing the Ghost
29. C.S. Lewis' The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
30. Laini Taylor's Daughter of Smoke and Bone
31. Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy
32. P.C. Cast's Marked
33. Alan Moore's Watchmen
34. Scott Westerfeld's Uglies
35. Maggie Stiefvater's Linger
36. Koushun Takami's Battle Royale
37. Laurell K. Hamilton's Guilty Pleasures
38. Garth Nix's Sabriel
39. Shannon Hale's Princess Academy
40. Libba Bray's A Great and Terrible Beauty
41. Janet Taylor Lisle's Afternoon of the Elves
42. Maggie Stiefvater's The Dream Thieves
43. Elizabeth George Speare's The Witch of Blackbird Pond
44. Robert Galbraith's The Cuckoo's Calling
45. P.D. James' Death Comes to Pemberley
46. Phillip Pullman's The Golden Compass
47. Lauren Kate's Fallen
48. Jeaniene Frost's Halfway to the Grave
49. Richard Salas' Peculia
50. Jeaniene Frost's One Foot in the Grave
51. Sylvia Plath's Collected Poems
52. Jeaniene Frost's At Grave's End
53. Jeaniene Frost's Destined for an Early Grave
54. Jeaniene Frost's First Drop of Crimson
55. Jeaniene Frost's This Side of the Grave
56. Maria Semple's Where'd You Go, Bernadette
57. Jeaniene Frost's One Grave at a Time

Obviously, I'm pretty pleased with myself. I'm aiming to read 50 books in 2014 (it's going to be a busy year for me for a ton of other reasons. Stay tuned.). Now tell me, how was your reading year?