Bloggiesta Day #3 Update -- It's Over!

What I did today:

Cleaned out my Google Reader -- I had over 700 posts to get through. I skimmed through many posts and cleaned out some of the subscriptions. I feel so much cleaner.
Prepped quote wednesday/top ten tuesday posts for next six months -- Well, it's half down. I have the templates ready and scheduled through March. Now I just need to add the content.

Unfortunately I didn't get everything on my list completed. But I think I made some great headway on my goals. 10/14 done! I plan on continuing with my goals throughout this next week. Overall I didn't really engage in mini challenges or connect with other bloggers, but I did like the opportunity to focus on my blog.

My goal list (even if it's a bit ambitious):

Clean up various pages (About; Quotes; Blogs; Review Policy; Thankfuls; RCs) √
Clean up right hand column √
Prep templates/posts through December
Recheck reading challenge spreadsheet/update posts and right column √
Update Day Zero Project (page and actual website) √
Clean out GoogleReader √
Connect with other bloggers
Make review templates for books in TBR piles
Get books prepped for giveaway (October 5th...)
Prep quote wednesday/top ten tuesday posts for next six months √
Update Music Monday spreadsheet √
Add series to book reviews with links to my reviews √
Transfer over paper TBR list to spreadsheet √
Add TBR spreadsheets to GR shelves √

Bloggiesta Day #2 Update

What I did today: After the crazy progress that was yesterday, I figured today would include a slump. But I did finish writing my HP reviews last night and started reading Persuasion.

Updated Blogs I Love page -- This was a chore. First I had to go through my Google Reader subscriptions to get rid of the nonactive blogs and non interesting to me anymore blogs. My total went from 399 to 325! Then I had to organize those blog subscriptions into categories. Finally I added them into my Blogs I Love page. This is a task that I have really been putting off for months. It feels great to get it checked off the list.

Bloggiesta Day #1 Update

What I did today:

Updated my Music Monday spreadsheet -- So I don't repeat songs, I'm trying to keep track. Once I finish my 101 favorites list, I want to highlight some artists/songs that I haven't featured yet.
Transferred paper TBR to spreadsheet -- Now I have my entire crazy ass long TBR list in a spreadsheet that's easily organizable. That was quite a project, but I'm glad it's all done.
Added TBR spreadsheets to GR shelves -- Well, this is mostly done. I got most of the likely TBR books in GR and ready to be added to the currently reading shelf.
Cleaned up the right hand column -- Updated a few of the percentages and challenges (especially the perpetual challenges).
Recheck the reading challenge spreadsheet/update posts and right column -- Everything should be updated and ready.
Updated most of the pages: About, Inspirational quotes, review policy, thankfuls, reading challenges. I also deleted the projects I love page as it was hopelessly outdated. I still need to update the Blogs I Love.
Updated DZP -- Finished updating the page on my blog and the projects site.
Added series to book reviews with links to my reviews -- This took awhile, but I finally finished. Now I just have to remember doing this for future reviews.

I am amazed that I got through this many points today. Granted they were probably the easiest and quickest points on the master list. Now on to the harder/more involved points. I decided to add some of my mini challenges to my update posts to make them easier.

Organization and Scheduling Posts from On a Book Bender

After some tinkering and tryouts, I think I've finally landed on a weekly blog schedule:

Monday -- Music Monday
Tuesday -- Top Ten Tuesday
Wednesday -- Quote Wednesday
Thursday -- Thankful Thursday (sometimes)
Friday -- *open*
Saturday -- *open*
Sunday -- Sunday Salon

Reviews get posted whenever I finish them. Life posts and random nonsense get posted whenever, but I love to use some of those to fill in the open Friday and Saturday slots. This has helped me keep myself on track. I don't ever have a week where nothing is posted. I like the stability of a weekly routine.

I learned a while back that I needed to keep a running calendar for all my posts. While I do like using digital calendars for appointments, classes, etc, I can't use them for blog posts. For those, I actually write out the days of the month in a notebook. Then I add all drafts/routine posts. When a draft is in WP, it gets one half of an X. When I finish a post, it gets the full X. At a glane I can see what I've done and what I need to finish. It also helps me space out nonroutine posts instead of accidentally bunching three posts on one day. I've also added templates for my routine posts. I have templates for:

Book reviews
Monthly wrap-up posts
Top Ten Tuesday posts
Music Mondays
Sunday Salon

These have helped me so much stay consistent. I love organization, when I can keep on top of everything...

Bloggiesta's Here! Run for cover!

This is my first time joining Bloggiesta. Before now, I just didn't have much to my blog. Now my blog has grown and grown. I think I have some projects lined up just for this event. My goal list (even if it's a bit ambitious):

Clean up various pages (About; Quotes; Blogs; Review Policy; Thankfuls; RCs)
Clean up right hand column
Prep templates/posts through December
Recheck reading challenge spreadsheet/update posts and right column
Update Day Zero Project (page and actual website)
Clean out GoogleReader
Connect with other bloggers
Make review templates for books in TBR piles
Get books prepped for giveaway (October 5th...)
Prep quote wednesday/top ten tuesday posts for next six months
Update Music Monday spreadsheet
Add series to book reviews with links to my reviews
Transfer over paper TBR list to spreadsheet
Add TBR spreadsheets to GR shelves

Many of my goals are background and my own organization issues. They probably won't be many visible changes to the blog, but hopefully these goals will get me organized and ahead in my routine blogging.

Fall Book Exchange

I'm so excited to be joining this exchange today!!!! I love getting and giving books. This just seems like the perfect way to connect with other readers and get some great books from the deal. I've got a long list, but it's just for more variety and choices. So here's my wish list:

Storm Glass by Maria Snyder
Desired by Nicola Cornick
Behemoth by Scott Westerfeld
Goliath by Scott Westerfeld
The Vampire Who Loved Me by Teresa Medeiros
Out of Oz by Gregory Maguire
Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning
Into the Dreaming by Karen Marie Moning
Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore
Empress of Rome by Kate Quinn
Midnight in Austenland by Shannon Hale
The Wild Rose by Jennifer Donnelly
Stealing Fire by Jo Graham
A Lady Most Willing by Julia Quinn
I Jane by Diane Haeger
Brava Valentine by Adriana Trigiani
Reckless by Anne Stuart
City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare
City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare
Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare
Reached by Ally Condie
The Twelve by Justin Cronin
Prisoner of Heaven by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen
Unseen by Rachel Caine
Unbroken by Rachel Caine

From Ruby Reads:

Hello everyone! And welcome to the Fall Book Exchange 2.0! I'm glad to see all the returning participants (as well, I hope, some new ones!). I'm also please to announce that I have a co-host for these exchanges: the lurvley Amanda from Letters Inside Out. Welcome, Amanda! If you don't already know Amanda, make sure you stop by her gorgeous blog to say hello!

The Rules of the Exchange:

First, here's a little refresher on how things will work: Each participant will link to at least one wishlist with a collection of titles they'd like to receive from their Santa. Names will be thrown in a virtual hat and drawn so that each person will have a Fall Santa who will give them a book, and a Fall Santee they will give to. Fall Santas will choose titles from their Santee's wishlist(s). We want to be clear: Everyone who signs up will both give and receive. Sounds like fun? Yeah, we thought so too.

Here are the rules:

You do not have to be a book blogger to participate. Everyone's welcome!

International participants are welcome, too, anywhere that the Book Depository ships. Please be aware, when you sign up, that you may be assigned an international santee.

You will need wishlist in order to participate. Where you keep your wishlist--on Goodreads, Amazon, or your blog--is up to you and you will be able to link to two wishlists in the form. If you need help setting up a wishlist, email me and we'll help you figure it out. Amanda may be a technical genius, but Ruby is definitelynot.

PLEASE NOTE: Fall Santas (FSs--) will chose TWO books from your wishlist for a total of around $18-20. If you want one book for that price, it's up to you--let your FS know. Also remember that the Book Depository has free shipping. You shouldnot be spending half of your $18-$20 on shipping. This was an issue during the last exchange, and some people felt they didn't get a fair exchange.

Pre-ordered items are acceptable ONLY if this is agreed upon by both parties.

You may purchase your books from whatever source you choose, but please do not send used books. Ebooks must be okayed with the santee before purchasing.

Once santas and santees are assigned, addresses will be exchanged between individuals. If you're not comfortable with this, please do not sign up.

Sign ups begin on September 22, and end on October 22. This is a bit different from the usual, since the Summer Book Exchange 2.0 began late this year.

After you send the books to your santee, you must fill out the tracking information form I will provide for you.

To join the exchange, you must fill out THIS form. It is also included at the end of this post.

Top Ten Tuesday -- Series I Haven't Finished

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've really worked at finishing unfinished series I have lying around, so this weel's list is going to be shorter than 10.

1. Rick Riordan's Heroes of Olympus -- The boys and I were in the middle of reading Neptune's Son when they went back to Indiana. So I will have to wait until Thanksgiving and Christmas to get back to this one. I may not have the will power and may just finish reading it before then...

2. Diana Gabaldon's Outlander -- I read Outlander two (three?) years ago at the urging of a friend. I loved it! But somehow I never continued reading the series. I've had them on my reading challenge list for the past two years without success. I really really really need to read these.

3. Lev Grossman's The Magicians -- I finally picked up The Magicians this year after J's constant bugging. Loved it! Couldn't wait to read the sequel. And yet it sits unread on my iPad.

Comic series

4. Neil Gaiman's The Sandman -- I'm six volumes in. I will be finishing these next year for my potential Neil Gaiman reading challenge.

5. Bill Willingham's Fables -- Waiting for the new volumes to be out and at the library.

6. Garth Ennis' the Boys -- Awaiting the arrival of the last volume of this series.

7. Robert Kirkman's The Walking Dead -- Four books in, I really should finish these. I'm sure they will be on my first reads for 2013 and my next year's graphic novel reading challenge.

Top Ten Tuesday -- Bookish People to Meet

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!

Last time I did this topic, I picked a mix of living and dead authors. This time I wanted to highlight only living authors. So here we go...

1. Neil Gaiman -- I've really gotten into his Sandman series and now want to read all of his works. Maybe I'll make that a 2013 reading challenge. Plus he's married to Amanda Palmer (love her!) and his Twitter feed is just great. I've put the new hardback version of Stardust on my Amazon wish list. I would love the signed version (so expensive), but unsigned is okay.

2. Lev Grossman -- I was blown away by The Magicians. J keeps bugging me to read The Magician King and I really should, but so many books...

3. Richard Castle -- Okay I'm cheating a bit... But I really would love to meet Richard Castle and discuss his process. As a bonus I would get to meet Nathan Fillion... Swoon!

4. Rick Riordan -- The boys and I have fallen for his Percy Jackson and Heroes of Olympus series. I missed my opportunity to meet him back in Indiana a few years ago. I don't want to miss another.

5. Garth Ennis -- The Boys is one of my new favorite series. It's so dark and twisted. I would love to ask Ennis all about his inspirations.

6. Bill Willingham -- On the lighter side of comics, I adore the Fables series.

7. Robin McKInley -- Sunshine may be my favorite book of the year, even beating The Hunger Games. I would love to discuss fairy tales with McKinley.

8. George Martin -- If only to encourage him to write faster and finish the series...

9. Mike Mullin -- He has created one of the scariest series I have ever read. And I'm a huge horror fan... Must discuss super volcanoes with him.

10. Libba Bray -- I liked her Gemma Doyle series and hear that her other books are amazing. Plus every blogger who has met her has great things to say. I should add her other books to my next year's TBR list.

Bloggiesta's Just Around the Corner

From It's All About Books and There's a Book:

Fall is a busy time of year with school starting and with a number of other blogging events going on, including Book Blogger Appreciation Week (don’t miss this!), but we wanted to give everyone some time to focus on those small tasks that fall by the wayside during busy times. Bloggiesta is the perfect event to check off those to-do lists and also get inspiration going into the wintry months! It’s also a great opportunity to connect with other bloggers you may have not met before or haven’t talked to in awhile. We’d love to have anyone interested to join in the fun!

Remember, the level of commitment during Bloggiesta is up to you. We’d love for you to find lots of time to devote to blogging with us during those three days, but if you have just one day that you can join us, or even just a few hours of one day, please do not hesitate to sign up.

If you decide to participate in the Fall 2012 edition you can expect:

to spend time that weekend (as much or as little as your schedule allows) working on your blog

to create a to do list to share on your blog and link up with other participants

to hopefully participant in several mini challenges and learn something new

to connect with other participants through blog hopping or twitter

to make new blogging friends!

to come away at the end of the three days with a spiffed up blog!

A few of the topics we’ve already had interest in through our mini-challenge sign-ups (now closed):

Scheduling Posts and Organization

Increasing Blog Traffic

Using a Variety of Applications in Conjunction with your Blogging. (ie. Evernote, Microsoft Access, etc.)

WordPress vs. Blogger

Discussion Posts…How-to

And many many more!

This is my first time joining Bloggiesta. Before now, I just didn't have much to my blog. Now my blog has grown and grown. I think I have some projects lined up just for this event. Tentative goal list:

Clean up various pages (About; Quotes; Blogs; Review Policy; Thankfuls; RCs)
Clean up right hand column
Prep templates/posts through December
Recheck reading challenge spreadsheet
Update Day Zero Project (page and actual website)
Clean out GoogleReader
Connect with other bloggers

Top Ten Tuesday -- Fall TBR List

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!

My Fall TBR list is really my "I need to read to finish my reading challenges" books. So really this should be a my Fall TBR categories and number of books. Some of these are already sitting on my TBR shelf and others are definitely not going to get read... So sad! I'm sure some of these will end up on my Winter TBR list.

1. Zombie (7) -- Rhiannon Frater's As the World Dies trilogy; Feed and Deadline by Mira Grant; Sadie Walker is Stranded by Madeleine Roux

2. Fantasy (2) -- The Kingdom of Ohio by Matthew Flaming

3. Romance (3) -- The Maiden's Hand and At the Queen's Summons by Susan Wiggs; P.S. I Love You by Cecilia Ahern

4. Fairy Tales (5) - A Kiss in Time by Alex Flinn; Mythology by Edith Hamilton; The Princess and the Bear by Mette Ivie Harrison; The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale

5. Historical Fiction (6) -- The Girl from Junchow and The Jewel of St. Petersburg by Kate Furnivall; The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott by Kelly O'Connor McNees;

6. Shakespeare (5) - As You Like It; King Lear; Pericles; Cymbeline; Othello

7. Science Fiction (3) - Do Androids Dream of Electric Sleep? by Philip K. Dick; Snow Crash By Neal Stephensob

8. Outlander series (5)

9. HP (1)

10. Classics (5) -- A Wrinkle in Time by L'Engle; Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte; Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson; Arthurian Romances by Chretien de Troyes

11. Lots of nonfiction (too many to list)

Summer TBR Recap -- more than half, but not great progress

His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Mythology by Edith Hamilton (started)
The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan
Neptune’s Sun by Rick Riordan (started)
The Sandman series by Neil Gaiman
Rebel Angels by Libba Bray
A Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray
Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead
Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi
Persepolis 2 by Marjane Satrapi
Fairy tale retellings
Lots of romance from Susan Wiggs, Nora Roberts, Julia London, Paula Quinn and others
Finish the Semi-Charmed Summer Challenge

Top Ten Tuesday -- Bookish Confessions

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 round of bookish confessions. I am a bit ashamed at some of these...

1. I am woefully behind on my original 2012 TBR list... I've read 116 books this year, but I'm somehow behind. As J keeps bugging me, I haven't read many of the books that I said I would read back in January. I really need to to get back on track for the last few months of this year.

2. Sometimes I don't want to read, I'd rather watch TV or some movies... Is this a horrible thing for a book blogger to say? At times I tire of reading, and I just want to rot my brain in front of the TV. And so I do.

3. I've seen many movie versions of books before reading the book... Thankfully I have gone back to read the book in many cases. It's been on of my unofficial rules to read the book before viewing the movie, but it just hasn't happened in every case.

4. I have a library addiction... I have hundreds of book in my Mount TBR list, but I still find myself patronizing the library for more books to read. I need to get this under control.

5. I own too many bookmarks... I have dozens of bookmarks and yet i only read on book at a time. So why do I need so many bookmarks? I have no idea.

6. Stories I read find their way into my dream... I rehash some plot lines, but I star in them instead of the original heroine. And sometimes my brain makes changes here and there to make a slightly different story.

7. I add ~20 books a week to my TBR list... I think this has gotten a bit out of control. I now have thousands of books on my TBR list. I don't think I'll ever get through all those books.

8. I prefer physical stores for book browsing... I love the serendipity moment of stumbling upon a great looking book in the stacks. I just don't get the same thrill looking at online retailers.

9. I read in spurts... I'm not a consistant reader at all. Sometimes I read 5-6 books a weeks and other times I fail to complete one.

10. I love literary paraphernalia... I would love to decorate my house complete in literary crap. Etsy is my downfall.

Top Ten Tuesday -- Favorite Blog Featured Reviews

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 post highlights my favorite book reviewed on the blog. I decided to limit my list to books I first read for the blog. Otherwise the list will be full of Harry Potter and Jane Austen books.

1. At the Scent of Water by Linda Nichols

2. Autumn by David Moody

3. The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

4. The Prestige by Christopher Priest

5. The Fables series by Bill Willingham

6. Soulless by Gail Carriger

7. The Affinity Bridge by George Mann

8. The Magicians by Lev Grossman

9. The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins

10. Sunshine by Robin McKInley

Top Ten Tuesday -- My Favorite Blog Posts

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 tried to find some posts and talk about me more than the books to read. And it was hard. I tend to lean on music, movies, and books. But I found some good ones from the early days of my blog. Please read some of these to get to know me...

1. About my love of Wine (how I miss you...)

2. Thoughts of Style and Fashion

3. For the Love of Jane Austen

4. My Name (and why I hate it)

5. Some of my favorite things

6. My favorite book

7. A short fiction piece: The Fortune Teller

8. Top Ten Tuesday: All About Me

9. Coffeehouse annoyances

The Importance of Being Earnest Readalong

Very excited about this one from Unputdownables. Check it out and join us.

Some Facts About the Read-a-Long:
You do not have to be a book blogger to join.
We will be reading the book in August (first three weeks), with the first discussion happening on Friday, August 3rd / the book is 54 pages (paperback, Dover Thrift edition) so that’s roughly 3 pages a day.
Don’t be intimidated. We will be going at a slow pace and discussing the book throughout our reading. The discussions are quite fun, and make the reading process very enjoyable!
What is The Importance of Being Earnest about?
Oscar Wilde’s madcap farce about mistaken identities, secret engagements, and lovers entanglements still delights readers more than a century after its 1895 publication and premiere performance. The rapid-fire wit and eccentric characters of The Importance of Being Earnest have made it a mainstay of the high school curriculum for decades.(via goodreads.com)
Interesting tidbits about the author, Oscar Wilde:
Born on October 16, 1854 in Dublin, Irish writer Oscar Wilde is best known for the novel The Picture of Dorian Gray and the play The Importance of Being Earnest, as well as for his infamous arrest and imprisonment for being gay.
For more information and several videos, visit Oscar Wilde’s page on the Biography website.
Also – fun fact – his house in London has just been put up for sale! See the article inThe Telegraph.
Schedule:
Beginning Friday, August 3rd and ending Friday, August 17th.
READING SCHEDULE:
Week #/ What to Read:
Week One/ Act One Week Two/ Act Two Week Three/ Act Three
POSTING SCHEDULE:
Post #/ date post should be up on blog:
Start up Post/ Today! Week One/ August 3rd Week Two/ August 10th Week Three/ August 17th (Final Review)
** Please don’t forget to come to this blog each week to share your thoughts in the comments section of the weekly Read-a-Long discussion (see below for more information).**

Top Ten Tuesday -- Love Jane Austen

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 to pick and an author and then recommend their books... Well my favorite author is Jane Austen and she has only six novels. So I rounded out the list with some Jane Austen-esque books. For the Austen authored books, I put them in the order I think someone should read them.

1. Northanger Abbey -- Her first novel. It's short. Catherine is a feisty young girl. It's a fun little gothic tale.

2. Pride and Prejudice -- Probably the most popular. And for a reason. Enjoy!

3. Emma -- Emma is a love her or hate her type of character. Upon multiple readings, I really like her now.

4. Sense and Sensibility -- Almost a companion to Pride and Prejudice. Elinor still bugs me sometimes.

5. Persuasion -- My favorite, but you have to get into the Austen mindset for this to be completely satisfying.

6. Mansfield Park -- Fanny Price is the least likable of Austen's heroines. But she comes alive after reading the others.

7. Austenland by Shannon Hale -- It's a great modern telling of Pride and Prejudice mixed with reality shows. I can't wait to read the sequel.

8. My Antonia by Willa Cather -- It's a decidedly American book, but something of Cather's storytelling reminds me of Austen. I loved it!

9. Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery -- A beautiful love story... must read.

10. Any Georgette Heyer -- She's a successor to Austen. Written in the early 20th Century, the writing and ideas are a beautiful companion to Austen's.

Top Ten Tuesday -- Characters Like Me

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!

There have been a few characters in literature that I identify with, that remind me of myself.

1. Mary from The Secret Garden -- I think I have the same need to be independent and strong as Mary. But like her, I definitely need friends.

2. Beth from Little Women -- Beth has this quiet vulnerability.

3. Anne Elliott from Persuasion -- I just love her so much. For some reason, I think that I'm a lot like her.

4. Alice from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland -- Alice is curious. Alice is confident (most of the time). Alice is trying to find out who she is. All things like me.

I could only find a few characters that are like me. Funny how they are all from classic books that I love.

Top Ten Tuesday -- Summer TBR List

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 love these quarterly TTT posts. It forces me to list my top reads for the season. I do so love being organized.

1. His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman -- J has been bugging me about this series for just about forever. I promised I would read them this summer. And we have this uber pretty box set...

2. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and the Deathly Hallows -- I have only two more books to finish my series reread. I'm so close! And once I finish these, I will have another reading challenge completed for 2012.

3. Mythology by Edith Hamilton -- I think this one has been on my list since high school. Twelve long years it has languished on my TBR list. I think this summer is its time to shine.

4. The Lost Hero and Neptune's Sun by Rick Riordan -- The boys and I have been reading The Lost Hero since last summer. To be fair, they only live with me during summer and school breaks. Thanksgiving and spring break we didn't get any reading done with traveling and family events. We're getting close to the end of Lost Hero and they already can't wait to read Son of Neptune. The third book will probably be read next summer.

5. The Sandman series by Neil Gaiman -- Another "why did it take me this long to read these?" series... First three volumes are completed, I'm hoping to finish the others this summer.

6. Rebel Angels and A Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray -- I've had these series for absolutely forever. Finished the first one a few months ago and really ned to complete the series this summer. I'm looking forward to these.

7. Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead -- I got the first one from the library on a whim and now I'm hooked. I currently have 2, 3, and 4 sitting in the ottoman to read. I hope to finish the entire series this summer.

8. Persepolis and Persepolis 2 by Marjane Satrapi -- Really looking forward to these.

9. Fairy tale retellings -- I've been grabbing a few of these from the stacks at the library. I want to continue the trend throughout the summer...

10. Lots of romance from Susan Wiggs, Nora Roberts, Julia London, Paula Quinn and others -- I love me some light and fluffy romance during the summer. Definite pool and beach reads!

11. Finish the Semi-Charmed Summer Challenge -- I need to read 7 more books including the Gemma Doyle trilogy, 2012 World Book Night selection, book or movie based on book from 1982 (possibly Blade Runner?), School read (Mythology), "Ugly" in title, and a random pick from library/bookstore. I think it's doable.

All Hail the Reading Slump

Last week, I was on a roll. I was reading books left and right. I was diving straight in and not coming up for air until they were done. I was so excited about the new possible worlds to explore. I knocked out most of my library books and tackled some TBR books. And then it all came screeching to a halt. A few days ago, I started a fairy tale retelling, got 20 pages in, and suddenly found myself in a slump. I hated the book. I don't think it's a horrible book, it just was the wrong time for it. I didn't feel at all connected with the book. And so I gave up on it. (This isn't to say that I won't read it in the future, but not right now) Since then I have debated what to read next. On my Goodreads account, I have listed that I'm currently reading Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. I'll tell you a secret, I'm not really reading it right now. I'm also not reading Scott Pilgrim. Those are sitting here staring at me, but I don't really have a desire to pick them up. I'm officially in a reading slump. I think part of the reason is that the boys are coming on Tuesday. I keep thinking of fun things to do with them and what we need to do before they come. I am researching travel plans to get to the city and then each of the sites. J wanted me to look into Fourth of July festivities also. My mind has been preoccupied with other stuff. And I haven't had the desire to read. So sad. I started Vampire Academy (library loan), but I'm not totally feeling it. I'm struggling to pay attention. Maybe once the boys are here, I'll be able to get back to some regular reading. Hopefully... Until then, ALL HAIL THE READING SLUMP!

Top Ten Tuesday - Future Classics

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! For most of my teenage and adult reading life, I've been reading the classics. You know, all those books you were supposed to read in high school and college, but probably didn't. I completely ignored contemporary books. I thought they were all crap. I admit that I was wrong. There are some great recently published books out there. Here's my list (I fudged a bit on the publication dates, supposed to be the past 10 years, but I upped it to 20):

1. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky (1999) -- I adore this outcast tale. I really spoke to me in high school.

2. The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins (2008) -- Really brings up some tough issues. Great discussion starters.

3. World War Z by Max Brooks (2006) -- A beautifully constructed zombie documentary... Can't wait for the movie.

4. Coraline by Neil Gaiman (2002) -- Beautiful creepy little children's book. I want this to be on every lower elementary student's bookshelf.

5. The Fables comic series by Bill Willingham (2002-present) -- I love this reimagining of the great fairy tales. Fairy tales for grownups.

6. Sunshine by Robin McKinley (2003) -- Not just a vampire novel. I see this as a coming of age story. Sunshine ultimately finds out who she is after a frightening encounter with some vampires.

7. The Magicians by Lev Grossman (2009) -- In some ways a dark version of Harry Potter. I see it as a J.R.R. Tolkien or C.S. Lewis world. I still need to read the sequel.

8. Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan (2005) -- Another awesome children's series that all ages of adults can enjoy.

9. The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon (2004) -- Beautiful love letter to books and the worlds they can create. The language in this book is like poetry. And it's even a translation from Spanish!

10. The View from Saturday by E.L. Konigsburg (1996) -- Children's literature that just doesn't seem like children's literature. The relatable subject matter makes this slim novel an instant classic.

Top Ten Tuesday - Non Book Blogs

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! While having tons of book blogs, my GoogleReader does have some choice nonbook blogs buried in there. Check them out...

1. The Mary Sue:A Guide to Girl Geek Culture -- must have for those geeky women out there

2. WWdN: In Exile -- Wil Wheaton's uber geeky life blog. I am so in love with this man! (Don't worry J, he's married)

3. GeekMom -- Something for every geeky mom out there.

4. Failbook -- Must read for a chuckle and sometimes a gasp and even a facepalm.

5. Cake Wrecks -- The Ultimate in Decoration Disasters. My favorites are still the carrot jockey cakes.

6. xkcd -- Sometimes uber geeky, always hilarious.

7. Savage Chickens -- Cartoons on post it notes. Zombie chickens...

8. Loop Looks -- Style blog from regular girl from Chicago. I love that she shops at many of the stores that I do. Practical style advice.

9. A Cup of Jo -- Blogger, mother, and wife living in Manhattan. She always finds the coolest products.

10. A Turtle's Life for Me -- Definitely got some future craft project ideas from here.

Honorable Mention

... This Week for Dinner -- Great easy recipes and meal plan ideas.

... Neatorama -- Round up of cool things, pictures, geeky news.