Top Ten Tuesday - Quotes From Books

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We’d love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our bloggers’ answers. Everyone is welcome to join. If you can’t come up with ten, don’t worry about it—post as many as you can!

A great topic for this week! Instead of the usual way to do this week, I've decided to go with my favorite first lines from books.

1. "In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit." -- The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

2. "It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen." -- 1984 by George Orwell

3. "It began on a train, heading north through England, although I was soo to discover that the story had really begun more than a hundred years earlier." -- The Prestige by Christopher Priest

4. "It was a pleasure to burn." -- Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

5. "All children, except one, grow up." -- Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie

6. "Far out in the uncharted backwaters of the unfashionable end of the Wester Spiral Arm of the Galaxy lies a small unregarded yellow sun." -- The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

7. "One thing was certain, that the white kitten had had nothing to do with it; - it was the black kitten's fault entirely." -- Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll

8. "It was a dark and stormy night." -- A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle

9. "Midway on our life's journey, I found myself in dark woods, the right road lost." -- The Inferno by Dante

10. "Emma Woodhouse, handsome, clever, and rich, with a comfortable home and happy disposition, seemed to unite some of the best blessings of existence; and had lived nearly twenty-one years in the world with very little to distress or vex her." -- Emma by Jane Austen

Random Reads May

From I'm Loving Books:

It’s easy…
If you’re on Goodreads enable sorting to your to-read shelf (you should see numbers next to each book now).
Go to Random.org and type in the Min as 1 and the Max as how many ever books are on your to-read shelf.
Scroll down to the book matching the number Random.org picks.
Link up to your Random Reads post (below).
Read and be merry.

So, I've decided to join this fun meme. I thought this would be a great way to par down my TBR shelf and read some books I might not pick up right away. I used the Goodreads sorter and Random.org to find my Random Read.

This month's winner:

#139 The Turn of the Screw by Henry James

Ohhh... This has been on my list for so long, I can't even remember. Can't wait to get into it!

Top Ten Tuesday - All Time Favorite Characters

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We’d love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our bloggers’ answers. Everyone is welcome to join. If you can’t come up with ten, don’t worry about it—post as many as you can!

A great topic for this week!

1. Alice from Alice in Wonderland -- There's something about Alice that I connect with. Anyone want to analyze this one?

2. Edna from The Awakening by Kate Chopin -- I can relate to Edna's struggles with motherhood and wifehood. I don't plan on ever taking her path, but I love reading her struggle.

3. All of Jane Austen's heros (especially Captain Wentworth, my favorite) -- How can you not love her heroes? They are all different, but all amazing.

4. All of Jane Austen's heroines (especially Anne Elliott, my favorite) -- Have you guessed my favorite Jane Austen yet? There's something about Anne's particular situation and character that appeal to me.

5. Arthur Dent from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams -- Arthur is the epitomy of the everyman. He lives a quiet existance until he's thrown in a crazy situation. J loves him so much that I had to agree to name our first son Arthur Dent (not that I had any real objections to that).

6. Lestat from Interview with a Vampire (and subsequent novels) by Anne Rice -- Yes, I know he's the ultimate badboy, but I still love him. If you read the books, he's hilarious and charming and terrifying all rolled into one pacakge.

7. Mary from The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett -- Of all the childhood heroines, I related to Mary the most. I even wanted to be here, moors and all.

Top Ten Tuesday - Tips For New Book Bloggers

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We’d love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our bloggers’ answers. Everyone is welcome to join. If you can’t come up with ten, don’t worry about it—post as many as you can!

This week's topic is "Tips for New Book Bloggers." I started my blog about a year and a half ago. And I was completely winging it. I tried to figure it all out myself and there were definitely stumbles along the way. But I'm now happy with my blog. There are areas that I want to improve, but it really comes down to what I want. I do have a list of a few general tips that I try to follow.

1. Think before you leap -- I see many (and yes, I was guilty of this) just jump into blogging without a general plan. Plan before you publish. What do you want your blog to look like? Who is this for (audience)? Do you want advertisements? Do you see room for future growth or changing of direction? Lay out a bit of a plan before you start blogging.

2. Schedule posts -- I learned the hard way to make posts ahead of time and schedule them. I wanted to write a blog post every day, but life just seemed to have other plans. Now I pre-write my weekly features (Music Monday, Top 10 Tuesday, Quote Wednesday, etc). This leaves me time to write as I can or when inspiration strikes. I don't feel so boxed in with the schedule.

3. Don't be too rigid -- Along the same lines as #2, I've learned to be flexible. Some weeks my posts take hit. Others I have tons of time to write and be creative. I've learned to let the writing flow not force it.

4. Ask questions -- If you want to know how to do something, ask questions. If you like someone's design, features, etc, ask questions. Bloggers are great people willing to share.

5. Don't be afraid to say "no" -- I see many bloggers over commit themselves to events, interviews, and review books. I've mostly stayed out of all those things, but even I have to say no sometimes. This is my blog, I need to run it as I see fit.

6. Create templates -- I have templates for every reoccurring feature. These collect my thoughts and I think are helpful for readers. Everyone has their own style of templates. Find one you like and modify to fit your needs.

7. Back up your blog -- How many bloggers have recently lost posts and entire sites due to malfunctions? Make sure your blog is backed up somewhere.

8. Feel free to brag -- You write for a reason. Share that reason. Don't be afraid to brag about your blog. Tell others about it. Have business cards made up (I have cute blue with owl cards that were basically free from Vistaprint). Print flyers. Hire a skywriter. Whatever floats your boat.

9. Embrace or don't embrace memes -- I signed up for tons of memes in the beginning. Many have fallen by the wayside. But I have stuck with a few that I like (mainly this one!). Memes are personal choice. Embrace or don't embrace. Whatever works for you.

10. Go your own path and enjoy -- Blogs are very personal (kinda the point, right?), so don't be afraid to change it. If you are sagging or unmotivated, don't be afraid to radically change the blog or even take a hiatus. This is supposed to be fun, remember!

Birthday Giveaway Winners

Winner, winner chicken dinner! Who's the winner? Let me see:

Prize Pack #1 Reimagined Classics -- Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters; Pride and Prejudice and Zombies... Melissa Sawvell

Prize Pack #2 Hatter M series -- Volumes 1, 2, 3... Elven Johnson

Prize Pack #3 Willomere series by Candace Camp -- A Lady Never Tells; A Gentleman Always Remembers; An Affair without End... Stacey Sirtak

Prize Pack #4 Immortals series by Alyson Noel -- Evermore; Blue Moon; Shadowland... Janan Cheskis

Prize Pack #8 Fantasy Pack -- Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs; The Magicians by Lev Grossman... Rebecca Stephen

Prize Pack #9-10 Your Choice Pack

The Constant Princess by Philippa Gregory and The Mammoth Book of Regency Romance... Carol Mallory
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffennegger and The Dangerous Days of Daniel X by James Patterson... Maureen Morra
This Book Will Change Your Life and Paradise Lost by John Milton... Melissa Sawvell

Congrats to everyone who won!

Random Reads April

From I'm Loving Books:

It’s easy…
If you’re on Goodreads enable sorting to your to-read shelf (you should see numbers next to each book now).
Go to Random.org and type in the Min as 1 and the Max as how many ever books are on your to-read shelf.
Scroll down to the book matching the number Random.org picks.
Link up to your Random Reads post (below).
Read and be merry.

So, I've decided to join this fun meme. I thought this would be a great way to par down my TBR shelf and read some books I might not pick up right away. I used the Goodreads sorter and Random.org to find my Random Read.

This month's winner:

#1 Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin

I've had this one for awhile. I even went to see the movie before I read the book (I know, Bad Tobe!). I guess I will now be getting around to reading this soon.

Top Ten Tuesday - I'd Play Hooky With...

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We’d love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our bloggers’ answers. Everyone is welcome to join. If you can’t come up with ten, don’t worry about it—post as many as you can!

What books would I play hooky with? Which books have so struck my fancy that I would cut myself from all other people and responsibilities to curl up in a chair with a cup of tea and read? Well, turns out there's not many. I love reading. If I could I would read for days on end. But I also don't usually get so sucked into a book that I can't take care of other responsibilities. These are the few that came to mind...

1. The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien -- This epic sucks me in everytime I read it. In fact, I think I might be due for a reread this summer (or at least The Hobbit in preparation for the movie this Christmas)

2. The Hunger Gamesby SuzanneCollins -- I'll admit that I almost forgot everything else while reading the trilogy. In fact, I had a feeling this would happen so I wanted until acquiring all three books and then read the bulk of the trilogy over a weekend.

3. The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis -- Another epic spanning multiple books that I just can't put down.

4. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams -- I much prefer reading all five books of the trilogy together as one giant book. I love Arthur Dent! And the guide interludes are too funny!

5. Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan -- Once we started, the boys and I blew through these books very quickly. I imagine I could knock out at least three of the books in one day of reading.

6. Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling -- Obviously!

7. Jane Austen books -- I never want to leave Austen's world. I just want to slip into Regency England and get to know all of her characters up close and personal.

Top Ten Tuesday - Spring TBR

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We’d love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our bloggers’ answers. Everyone is welcome to join. If you can’t come up with ten, don’t worry about it—post as many as you can!

I have got a huge spring TBR list, but I will try to pare it done for my readers. For the most part, these are books that I had scheduled to read in January and yet somehow they fell by the wayside. I am committing to knocking these out and soon.

1. Required monthly reads: Shakespeare and Harry Potter -- Two of my reading challenges have me reading one Shakespeare play and one HP book per month. I have kept on track so far. I'm not dreading these, I really love reading them. I just have to remind myself to pick them up before month's end. My upcoming requirements:

March -- Henry V and The Prisoner of Azkaban
April -- Much Ado About Nothing and The Goblet of Fire

2. The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott by McNees -- This was going into my contest pile but somehow I haven't read it yet. I really think I should.

3. Triangles by Ellen Hopkins -- Contest read

4. The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger -- Contest read

5. The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zufon -- Contest read

6. Cotillion by Georgette Heyer -- Another contest read. I really do have a few of these to read before April 8th...

7. Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Patterson -- My March Random Reads. I've been wanting to read this one for years. Random Reads picked this for me. I guess this is the universe's way of saying to read it sooner rather than later.

8. The Weather Warden series by Rachel Caine -- I finally acquired the entire series. I think it's time to start reading them now.

9. Morrigan's Cross trilogy by Nora Roberts -- An Indiana friend recommended these to me last summer. I found all three for under $10, put them on my shelf, and there they have sat. I really need to plunge in and get them read.

10. Library Pile -- I have about 15 books checked out from the library. I need to read those and them put myself on a library ban until I read at least one tub of books. Wish me luck!

Top Ten Tuesday - Cover Love!

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We’d love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our bloggers’ answers. Everyone is welcome to join. If you can’t come up with ten, don’t worry about it—post as many as you can!

This week's topic is "Covers I love." I know many people will be highlighting new pretty covers. I thought I would do something different and find some old covers that I adore. Enjoy the pretty eye candy!

30 Years Ago Today...

30 Years ago today....

I was pulled into this world by forceps screaming my little red face off. It's my birthday day today! How am I going to celebrate?? By going to work. Yep that's right. I get to work on my birthday. But that's okay. I plan on eating crap all day and not cooking or planning dinner tonight. Later I must watch Logan's Run in all its beautiful cheesy glory. Gotta go... my palm is flashing.

Run, Runner, Run!

Random Reads March

Random Reads From I'm Loving Books:

Basically I have too many books on my to-read list that have been getting more and more buried every day. So I thought it would be fun to use random.org to pick a random book on my Goodreads to-read list and I would read that book NOW.

The only exceptions are if it’s a book that’s in the middle of a series you’re reading and you haven’t gotten to that book yet then you can pass and pick another random book. Or, if it’s a book you look at and realize it’s something you’re no longer interested in then you can DELETE it from your to-read list and pick another. You can also obviously skip it if it’s a coming soon book that hasn’t been released yet. I actually keep my coming soon books on a separate exclusive shelf so that’s not an issue for me here.

Want to join in on Random Reads?

It’s easy…

If you’re on Goodreads enable sorting to your to-read shelf (you should see numbers next to each book now).

Go to Random.org and type in the Min as 1 and the Max as how many ever books are on your to-read shelf.

Scroll down to the book matching the number Random.org picks.

Link up to your Random Reads post (below).

Read and be merry.

So, I've decided to join this fun meme. I thought this would be a great way to par down my TBR shelf and read some books I might not pick up right away. I used the Goodreads sorter and Random.org to find my Random Read.

This month's winner:

#4 Bridge to Terabitha by Katherine Paterson

I bought this book a few years ago. The idea was that I was building a library for my boys. Their reading tastes have turned to Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Pokemon... so the book sat there. I've been meaning to read this myself for awhile. But other books just got in the way. Maybe this was the Universe's way of tell me to read it now.

30th Birthday Extravaganza!!! (Giveaway)

This month, I am turning 30.... There I said it. I'm getting old. I feel like I'm getting old. But I am determined to make the most of my month. And you, my dear readers, get to participate in my celebrations. I am doing my first ever (yep that's right, FIRST EVER) giveaway. I'm sure you're all wondering how do I enter and what do I win. Here's all the details:

Contest runs March 1st through April 1st, 2012
US/Canada only please (can't afford the postage overseas, sorry!)
I will pick 8 winners using a random number generator
As each winner responds to my emails...
Each winner will get their pick of one of 10 prize packs
If no response within 48 hours, I will pick a new number
You don't have to be a follower to enter
Share the love with other readers you know
To enter, please fill out the form below (emails will be used only to contact the winners)

Prize Packs -- Each pack comes with books listed plus a few extra goodies. Please be advised that all books are used. I have notated the condition of the books if necessary.

Prize Pack #1 Reimagined Classics -- Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters; Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

Prize Pack #2 Hatter M series -- Volumes 1, 2, 3

Prize Pack #3 Willomere series by Candace Camp -- A Lady Never Tells; A Gentleman Always Remembers; An Affair without End (all three books are well used copies with creased spines)

Prize Pack #4 Immortals series by Alyson Noel -- Evermore; Blue Moon; Shadowland

Prize Pack #5 Romance-ish Pack -- Lost in Austen by Emma Campbell Webster; The Untamed Bride by Stephanie Laurens; The Secret Diaries of Miss Miranda Cheever by Julia Quinn

Prize Pack #6 Zombies Pack -- Zombie Blondes by Brian James; Night of the Necromancer by Kyle West and Jelani Sims

Prize Pack #7 Vampires Pack -- American Vampire by Jennifer Armintrout; Sunshine by Robin McKinley

Prize Pack #8 Fantasy Pack -- Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs; The Magicians by Lev Grossman

Prize Pack #9-10 Your Choice Pack: Pick two books from the following list

The Constant Princess by Philippa Gregory
The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory
Triangles by Ellen Hopkins
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffennegger
The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott
Palace Circle by Rebecca Dean
This Book Will Change Your Life
The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
The Long Weekened by Savita Kalhan
Cotillion by Georgette Heyer
The Mammoth Book of Regency Romance
Heartless by Gail Carriger
Flirting with Forever by Gwyn Cready
Aching for Always by Gwyn Cready
The Aeneid by Virgil
Paradise Lost by John Milton
East of the Eden by John Steinbeck
Max by James Patterson
The Dangerous Days of Daniel X by James Patterson

If you are not reading this on my site, please click through to enter the giveaway.

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Weekend Plans

Many around the book blogging community are participating in a GoodReads Catch Up Readathon hosted by Once Upon a Chapter. I thought about it. I do so love my readathons. But then I started thinking about everything else I wanted to do this weekend and next week. And the readathon started to seem like a chore. So I won't be participating this time around. I have some other things that I want to get done today, tomorrow, and Sunday:

Library crawl -- Yep that's right, a library crawl. I've lived in Omaha for over 6 months and still haven't been to most of the branch libraries. So I decided this would be the perfect time. And the library closest to my house just reopened after a huge renovation project. I want to find the best magazine, children's, and graphic novel areas. Those always seem to be lacking at the branch I usually go to (it's right between home and work).
Prep my huge collection of March posts -- I'm gearing up for a month long event celebrating my 30th birthday. I have posts scheduled every day. Plus, I'm hosting a big giveaway (tune back in March 1st for details). I need to have all of that basically ready to go by March 1st so I don't get behind.
Finish my Disney trip scrapbook -- I have less than a third to go...
Catch up on Downton Abbey -- I just started season 2 the other night and have been itching to get back into it
Catch up on The Vampire Diaries -- I'm only one episode behind. Unfotunately, I have to watch it on cwtv.com because our server went down the other day. It's rebuilding, but will probably take a few days.
Laundry/dishwashing/bathroom cleaning -- Oh the joys of chores. I need to schedule these, otherwise they never get done.

Quite a list of things for this weekend. And on top of all that, I am toying with a self-imposed readathon on Sunday... But I guess I have to get through most of the list first.

Btw: A double check on my GoodReads Challenge shows that I am 8 books ahead of my goal (total 200). I think that will hold me for awhile.

Top Ten Tuesday - Disaster Saving Books

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We’d love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our bloggers’ answers. Everyone is welcome to join. If you can’t come up with ten, don’t worry about it—post as many as you can!

This week's topic "Books I Would Save During a Disaster" brings up an interesting idea. I am going to make the assumption that we have to list physical books. Just grabbing an e-reader is too easy. Just as a point of reference, all of these books are on my permanent bookshelf right by my reading chair. Therefore they would be easy to grab, one stop shop. Without further ado, the books from my collection that I absolutely cannot live without:

1. The Awakening by Kate Chopin -- My all time favorite book. I have a little mass market paperback with a beautiful blue picture of a woman in front of the ocean. I would definitely have to grab this one.

2. Entire Jane Austen library -- They are all right next to each other, so I'm going to count them as one.

3. Complete Edgar Allen Poe -- I have a hardback edition with most of his poems and stories.

4. The Monster at the End of This Book -- Yes it's a Sesame Street Golden Book, but it was one of my favorite books as child. I lost my original, but once the boys were born, I scoured bookstores until I found a new one. This edition is the original style Golden Book; not the new plastic covered ones.

5. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald -- One of other favorite books. I love my copy with a forward, an explanation of terms and references, and an essay about the book and Fitzgerald.

6. Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams -- An all-in-one giant copy of the trilogy of five books. My favorite comedy!

7. Compelte Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis -- Another giant copy. A little too big to stuff in a purse, but I would definitely save it from disaster.

Top Ten Tuesday - Books that Broke My Heart

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We’d love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our bloggers’ answers. Everyone is welcome to join. If you can’t come up with ten, don’t worry about it—post as many as you can!

This week's topic "Books that Broke My Heart" is a fairly easy one... I cry easily when it comes to books. My top tear shedders...

1. The Awakening by Kate Chopin -- I understand why Edna made the final decision, but I still wish something else could have been done. This book makes me cry every time I read it. And not a little sniffles cry, it's an all out bawling cry.

2. The Hunger Games Trilogy -- So unfair! I kept wanting to yell at the Capitol people. I wanted to save Peeta and Katniss and Rue and Prim and everyone else that's hurt in these books. I loved them, but darn it they made my heart ache.

3. Twilight Series -- I'll admit it, I cried throughout most of New Moon, a bit of Eclipse, and the first half of Breaking Dawn.

4. The Host by Stephenie Meyer -- Another Stephenie Meyer cry fest. I enjoyed this book so much more than the Twilight series. It still made me cry, but somehow I felt better about the crying. On my reread list for this year.

5. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott -- Two words: Beth's Death...

6. At the Scent of Water by Linda Nichols -- The main couple faces so many heartbreaks and missteps. I was rooting for them the whole time, but crying over everything they cried about.

7. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon -- Claire and Jamie, Claire worrying over Jamie, Jamie worrying over Claire, Claire and Jamie getting hurt, Claire and Jamie being separated. This book was full of heartache and yet it was wonderful. This one's going on my reread list for this year.

8. The Russian Concubine by Kate Furnivall -- Such a beautifully depressing book.

9. We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson -- This book is full of melancholy. I found myself weeping silent tears throughout most of it.

10. Surrender Bay by Denise Hunter -- I loved this book even though I cried through most of the second half.

Harry Potter Books 1 and 2 Discussion Questions

The Reading Fever is hosting a year-long readalong of the Harry Potter series. After a rocky start, she finally posted the link-ups and discussion questions. I have the second book up next in my TBR pile. So here we go...

What was your first very first impression of Harry Potter himself? Did your impression change at the end of the first book? These are rereads for me which probably colors my answers... Anyway, I loved Harry from the first meeting. The only thing that strikes me is how young he is. I forget that the books starts when he's a little boy. I tend to think of Harry as this older, more-hardened version of himself. Even with the bit of surprise, I still love that Harry's smart, but not any smarter than someone his age realistically would be.
At what point in either book did you decide that you did, or didn't, like the story? I really fell in love with the series with the scene in Diagon Alley. The way Rowling describes it, I can see, feel, smell, and taste the scene. It's also one of my favorites scenes in all the movies. The wonder and excitement Harry feels is amazing. Love it!
Is there anything you dislike so far? Something you would change if you could? I remember hating Snape at first. All I saw was the mean Potions teachers. Even when Dumbledore makes references that Snape may not be all he seems, I still hated him. I think it took me until the third book to soften up.
What is it about J.K. Rowling's writing that makes her books so appealing to so many people? Is it the characters? The plot? Something else? What do you love most about her writing? I love her characters. Even all the little side characters are real. They are fleshed out people in the world. She doesn't write stereotypes. Each character has its own history.
In the first book, we are introduced to a very different world than the one we live in. What were some things that blew your mind when you first read about them? I love the idea of using owls as communication. It seems so old-fashioned yet very magical at the same time. I want a pet owl that will deliver my letters. I do find it out though that we never see anything resembling a computer. I guess I get that wizards can make their own.... but it just seems like a void to me.
Despite being so different, what do you think makes the wizard world so believable? What makes it a place that people want to escape to? I'm going with the characters again. I think Rowling has made them so real that being a wizard is almost an afterthought. I want to go and learn magic, but I also want to meet some of the really interesting characters.
In The Sorcerer's Stone, Professor Quirrel tells Harry, "There is no good and evil, there is only power, and those too weak to seek it." What does this statement tell us about Professor Quirrel? Do you agree or disagree with him? I completely disagree with him. This statement shows us that Professor Quirrel has lost his moral compass, or I guess his moral compass now points to evil. Power came be used for good or evil. It's probably a lot easier to use it for good, but it always comes back to the intentions. Quirrel wants to take the easy road and it ends up biting him in the ass.
In The Chamber of Secrets, Dumbledore tells Harry, "It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities." The sorting hat also suggested Harry could fine great fame and glory in Slytherin House. What choices does Harry make that lead him away from darkness? Could he have been the good wizard that he was if some of those choices were different? One of the defining moments early in the series is when Harry turns away from the Mirror of Erised. He could have taken the easy way out. Instead Harry choose the harder but much more rewarding path. He only becomes a great wizard through his trials.
If you're re-reading the series, what are some differences you've noticed this time? Are there things you didn't pick up on before? Or did you find you liked/disliked something differently this time? My review collects some of my thoughts while rereading the series. Book 2 will be up next week sometime.
Just for fun: If you could make your own polyjuice potion, who would you disguise yourself as, and why? Michelle Obama. I would love to see a day in her life. Just seems like an interesting person to pretend to be.

Random Reads Feburary

From I'm Loving Books:

Basically I have too many books on my to-read list that have been getting more and more buried every day. So I thought it would be fun to use random.org to pick a random book on my Goodreads to-read list and I would read that book NOW.
The only exceptions are if it’s a book that’s in the middle of a series you’re reading and you haven’t gotten to that book yet then you can pass and pick another random book. Or, if it’s a book you look at and realize it’s something you’re no longer interested in then you can DELETE it from your to-read list and pick another. You can also obviously skip it if it’s a coming soon book that hasn’t been released yet. I actually keep my coming soon books on a separate exclusive shelf so that’s not an issue for me here.
Want to join in on Random Reads?
It’s easy…
If you’re on Goodreads enable sorting to your to-read shelf (you should see numbers next to each book now).
Go to Random.org and type in the Min as 1 and the Max as how many ever books are on your to-read shelf.
Scroll down to the book matching the number Random.org picks.
Link up to your Random Reads post (below).
Read and be merry.

So, I've decided to join this fun meme. I thought this would be a great way to par down my TBR shelf and read some books I might not pick up right away. I used the Goodreads sorter and Random.org to find my Random Read.

This month's winner:

#61 Night of the Necromancer

A part of my Zombie Reading Challenge, I won this last year but never got around to reading it. I was planning on reading this soon... guess Random Reads wanted me to get to it sooner rather than later.

Top Ten Tuesday -- Recommendations

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We’d love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our bloggers’ answers. Everyone is welcome to join. If you can’t come up with ten, don’t worry about it—post as many as you can!

This week's Top Ten is "Recommendations for People Who Don't Read X." I read just about everything now. I have become an equal opportunity reader.

For People Who Don't Read SciFi

1. Have Spacesuit-Will Travel by Robert Heinlein -- It's not heavy on the science, but a great quick read.

2. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card -- Amazing story of humanity set in a scifi world.

For People Who Don't Read Romance

3. Any Jill Mansell books -- I love her quirky characters and storylines. They are fairly predictable, but very enjoyable reads.

4. At the Scent of Water by Linda Nichols -- It's a beautiful love story through a couple's grief and journey back to each other. I was alternately happy and in tears throughout this book.

For People Who Don't Read Fantasy

5. The Parasol Protectorate Series by Gail Carriger -- Sure, it's got vampires, werewolves, and ghosts, and it's set in a world not quite like ours. But it's hilarious and full of adventure. I love Alexia!

6. Fables comic series by Bill Willingham -- Think adult fairy tales, but better. It's not secret I love this series. Now I'm on a mission to convert everyone!

For People Who Don't Read YA

7. Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan -- Not just for kids, my 8-year-old boys and I loved this series! All of the action and adventure kept them riveted. And all the Greek mythology kept the historian in me interested. We loved the series so much, the boys begged me to get the start of the second series so we could read it over Christmas break. We're 75 pages into The Lost Hero and loving it!

8. The Amaranth Enchantment by Julie Berry -- If you like fairy tales or princesses, this one might work. I love the coming of age story and the world of kings and queens.

For People Who Don't Read Horror

9. The Forest of Hands and Teeth series by Carrie Ryan -- I loved this zombie trilogy. The zombies are there, but they're an ever present threat more in the background. These books focus on the survival and dreams of a few. Plus, there's not much gore in these.

10. Autumn series by David Moody -- If you might like a bit more gore, go for these amazing zombie books. They are way scary! Even I was unsettled after reading them. But they are beautifully written and intriguing.

BTT: Interview

1. What’s your favorite time of day to read? I usually read before bed... But that isn't my favorite time, it's just the most convenient. I really liked reading in the morning after my shower.

2. Do you read during breakfast? (Assuming you eat breakfast.) No. I am very clumsy and don't want to get breakfast on my books.

3. What’s your favorite breakfast food? (Noting that breakfast foods can be eaten any time of day.) I really love apples and cinnamon oatmeal. It's not the most glamorous breakfast food, but I love it.

4. How many hours a day would you say you read? Usually less than an hour. During readathons, I really try to focus. But with work 9 hours a day, making dinner, and hopefully spending some time with J, I just don't have a lot of time available for reading. I do try to read on my lunch break.

5. Do you read more or less now than you did, say, 10 years ago? Definitely more. Or at least I'm more consistent with my reading. Ten years ago, I was in college, so most of my reading was class assigned. I didn't have a lot of pleasure reading.

6. Do you consider yourself a speed reader? I definitely read faster than most people I know. So, I guess that makes me a speed reader.

7. If you could have any superpower, what would it be? To retain everything I read. I know, a pretty geeky superpower. But wouldn't it be awesome to have total recall?

8. Do you carry a book with you everywhere you go? Of course! And sometimes I even have two, just in case I finish the first one.

9. What KIND of book? Genre -- whatever. I am an equal opportunity reader at this point. Type -- Usually trade paperbacks or mass market paperbacks. Hard back books are murder on my purses.

10. How old were you when you got your first library card? I was probably in middle school. I have always frequented the library, but I can't remember if I had my own in elementary school or we just put books on my mom's card... I definitely had my very own in middle and high school.

11. What’s the oldest book you have in your collection? (Oldest physical copy? Longest in the collection? Oldest copyright?) Longest in collection -- The Awakening by Kate Chopin. Oldest copyright -- probably something by Jane Austen. Oldest physical copy -- possibly my copy of Contact (I'm not at home, so I can't check the book to make sure).

12. Do you read in bed? Yes. Although recently I have learned that trying to read science fiction (e.g. Heinlein) in bed is a bad idea. I really have to concentrate on his words and as I'm falling asleep is not a good time.

13. Do you write in your books? No way. They are too precious to write in. I do make notes in journals and of course on my blog. But I try not to write in books.

14. If you had one piece of advice to a new reader, what would it be? Don't be afraid to try new genres. It might just become your favorite.

15. What question have I NOT asked at BTT that you’d love me to ask? (Actually, leave the answer to this one in the comments on this post, huh? So I can find them when I need inspiration!) Sorry, I can't think of any today.

Top Ten Tuesday -- New Books from Authors

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We’d love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our bloggers’ answers. Everyone is welcome to join. If you can’t come up with ten, don’t worry about it—post as many as you can!

This week's Top Ten is "Authors I Wish Would Write Another Book." This is a bit of a difficult topic. I have a few authors that I've read everything they've written. A part of me wishes they would write another, but another part of me is satisfied.

1. Jane Austen -- Not that I want a ton of new novels, but enough time for her to finish the books she started before her death.

2. Douglas Adams -- I know, another dead author. But I love his books so much, it would be nice to see another one.

3. Lewis Carroll -- (I think I should rename this "Dead Authors I wish Would Write Another Book") I loved Alice and Through the Looking Glass. I would love to see another book in the same universe.

4. Gail Carriger -- I know Timeless is being released, but I already want more!

5. David Moody -- His Autumn series is phenomenal. I want more, more, more!