January 26th, 2010 — About
Chances are you have one, and your friend, and your other friend, and of course I have one. They sneak up on you. When you first start reading, there might be one to three books in the pile and you read them and go out and get new books. Somewhere along the way they developed a mind of their own and have overtaken a whole place in your house: a table, a chair, the floor, a shelf, your car's backseat, on top of your toilet, etc. Will they ever go away or are we doomed to keep them forever? Here are some ideas I've come up with for reducing your TBR pile while also reducing your new book strain on your wallet. Read on and be sure to tell me what you think!
1. Book Budget -
With a book budget set in place and coincidentally in stone, you're limited to the amount of new books you can purchase. Make sure you put less toward it than you think you need (this is the reduction part!)
Here's a good equation for set up:
Take the low end price per book ($6 for mass paperback, $14 for trade paperback, $25 for hardback) and times it by (the average number of books you read in a month - 2 books).
How do you book budget? Share your tips with readers, leave a comment!
2. Library -
Like PBS new books are usually on a waitlist. Put your name on it and read your TBR pile while waiting for the library to call you. When they call, go check it out and read it. The idea of forced waiting will help you reduce your pile and by not seeing the book physically sitting there begging to be read, you're not thinking about it. Additionally, nobody can add it to your pile count either and that includes you!
3. Paperback Swap -
Paperback Swap is trading website for used books. Get new-to-you books while helping with your TBR pile by setting up an account. You get 2 free books by listing 10 of your own for trade. See, I'm nice, this isn't so painful; I'm letting you get two books!
Now to reduce your pile only "purchase" books when you get credits from sending out your old books. This will drastically reduce your new books, unless you cheat and become a mega-swapper with 50+ novels on your trade bookshelf.
Also many of the new releases are on waitlist and by waiting for them to come to you instead of buying them right away you can enjoy them without feeling TBR pile guilt.
4. TBR Buddy-
Get a TBR pile buddy. Between the two of you select books you want to purchase using tip #1. With two of you buying only half of your list (and later swapping books between you as you finish them) you can enjoy your whole list with less financial strain or guilt tripping. As I said before, your pile can't guilt trip you if the books aren't there. It's a twist on that age old adage of if you can't see it, it can't see you.
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Originally posted 2009-05-16 10:13:57. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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November 30th, 2009 — 5 Stars, Book Review, Clumsy Heroine, Contemporary, Love Triangle, Paranormal, Stephenie Meyer, United States of America, Vampire, Virgin Hero, Virgin Heroine, Werewolf, Young Adult
Book three in the Twilight saga is by far my favorite of those books published. (Breaking Dawn, book 4, is coming out in August)
Eclipse is simply beautiful. It’s longer than the other two books but does not contain chapter one of the next book (darnit!). In Twilight, true love was found. In New Moon, true love was lost. In Eclipse true love is a choice.
Eclipse is all about Jacob and Edward and their love for Bella. Edward hates Bella’s attachment to Jacob, but he feels he should not get between. Why? Simply put, because Edward feels he should suffer the consequences of his actions last year. That having to deal with Jacob is part of the price he has to pay for his foolish decision to leave Bella.
Victoria, the vampire out to get Bella from the last book is still at large. It is Bella who puts all the clues together and comes up with the answer. Edward and Jacob and the rest of the Cullens and Werewolves have to work together to protect her. Are the dogs and bloodsuckers really going to work together? Hmm… you could say trouble is in the air.
I have three favorite scenes in this book. The first is the night Bella goes over to the Cullens for her weekend abduction (this is part of the plan with the werewolves and the vampires) and stays with Edward alone. I won’t say exactly why I like this scene, but if you could probably guess if you have read the other books by this point. I loved it. It is hands down the best scene out of all three books. I laughed out loud quite a few times because of Bella's remarks.
The second is Bella’s quasi dream where she overhears Edward and Jacob talking in the tent. Jacob asks that Edward speak plainly since he can’t hear his thoughts like Edward can hear Jacob. They talk about Bella and Edward is so noble in this scene you just want to find him and cuddle him to death. Pun intended. Their truce ends at daylight.
And lastly I loved the ending scenes from the time Bella stops crying to the very end. They feel like one big scene, culminating once again in Edward and Bella’s meadow. It is here he’s determined to be the selfless he’s ever been. He’s been watching her and it seems she’s doing everything everybody else wants, making them happy at her own expense. So he puts his wants aside and lets Bella choose how to best make herself happy. She’s happy right where she is and the other pain will fade in time… she hopes.
The point of view changes from there to Jacob’s and as I read it I was feeling vindictive. Not a very nice thing to begrudge a fictional character, but I was glad for his pain. I still am. It’s just another sign in my opinion at Stephenie Meyer’s skill at writing her own characters. We don’t get that wrapped up in the story too often. It is very rare, last seen in Harry Potter, the story of the boy wizard. I hope you will pick up this saga and find yourself as riveted by this compelling love story as I was.
Rating: 5 Stars
Happy Readings!
P.S. What book four will be about I can not begin to guess. True love is able to heal all wounds? What do you think? Leave a comment and tell me!
Originally posted 2008-11-27 10:05:57. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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November 18th, 2009 — Author Interviews, Dark Ages, G-I
Hello readers! I'm delighted to announce that Hellen Hollick has agreed to answer a few questions.
Keira: What inspired you to tell Arthur's legendary tale?
Hellen: I have never been very keen on the Medieval tales of Arthur which are set in the 12th - 13th Century, but when I discovered that if Arthur had existed he would have lived circa 450 - 500 AD I became interested. I researched the "facts" and the early legends of Arthur - and became hooked!
Keira: What is your favorite scene in the Kingmaking?
Hellen: Where Gwenhwyfar pledges her future unborn sons to the young Arthur when he is declared the next Pendragon.
Keira: What are some challenges in writing the Banner Trilogy?
Hellen: I wrote what turned out to be The Kingmaking and half of Pendragon's Banner before I was accepted by a mainstream publisher - before I knew I was any good as an author, so the hardest part was keeping going during those times when I wondered if I was wasting my time. I also found writing the third part, Shadow of the King, hard as I knew Arthur had to die at the end. It had taken about ten years to write the first two books, so Arthur was a very close friend by then. I felt like I was breaking off a long-term relationship!
Keira: How would Arthur define love? Gwenhwyfar? You?
Hellen:
Arthur: As honour and loyalty - though not fidelity. He was not faithful to Gwenhwyfar physically - but he never loved anyone else.
Gwenhwyfar: she was faithful but Arthur made her so angry at times - and tragic events sometimes overtook her feelings. Both of them would die for each other though.
Me? Love is without condition. Love is being loyal and understanding. Love is getting angry - but always forgiving.
I heard a wonderful quote once: Love is what is in the room at Christmas when everyone stops talking and you sit and listen.
Keira: Arthur has a bunch of affairs in the Kingmaking; what do you think makes a great (written) bedroom scene?
Hellen: Not going over the top. By all means be explicit where necessary - but not in every scene and not for pages and pages, a paragraph - or even a sentence is sometimes enough. My personal rule is: would I feel comfortable reading this aloud before a group of strangers? If the answer is no, it doesn't go in.
Keira: Outside of Arthur and Gwenhwyfar, who is your favorite character to write?
Hellen: Do you mean in the Trilogy? Oh Bedwyr without a doubt.
Outside the Trilogy - my pirate, Jesamiah Acorne (who funnily enough is very like Arthur!)
Keira: What is the worst character flaw in Arthur and Gwenhwyfar?
Hellen: Arthur's bloody-minded stubbornness - and Gwenhwyfar's hot temper.
Keira: What can we look forward to in Pendragon's Banner?
Hellen: The deepening of their relationship - and more tempestuous quarrels. Arthur is now King - and has his work cut out to stay King. I suggest you have a box of tissues (Kleenex? Is that the US term?) handy though!
Keira: What do you hope your readers will gain from your books?
Hellen: An insight into what life was like in the Dark Ages - and that there is much, much more to the story of Arthur than the Medieval made-up tales of non-existant round tables, Holy Grails and knights in armour.
Keira: Is there anything else you'd like to share with us?
Hellen: Only that I hope your readers enjoy my books - and perhaps fall in love with Arthur like I did, despite him being the rogue he is.
Keira: Thank you Hellen! You can learn more about Hellen and her writing at http://www.helenhollick.net/
Originally posted 2009-03-03 05:20:48. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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September 14th, 2009 — About, Gifts, Paranormal, Vampire, Young Adult
For a long while I was a fan of Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake Vampire Hunter series. Anita Blake was a kick-ass heroine who's policy was shoot first, apologize later if wrong. Her story started out overcoming her hatred of all things vampire. In the beginning a couple of books into the series she had a werewolf boyfriend and a vampire who wanted to be her boyfriend. The vampire had already made his claim (by some metaphysical vampire mojo) on Anita by making her his 'vampire servant' except instead of being servant like they were equals. The series was full of sass and bad guys getting mowed down. Anita is like a metaphysical sponge, she touches (not literally) another's power and if it's at all related to passion or death she can practically replicate the power on her own, which was definitely interesting to read as she struggled to cope with powers that seem to war with each other.
Now there are too many characters, too much gratuitous sex scenes - especially with characters I couldn't give a hoot one way or the other for, and Anita seems like a whole other character than when she started. Mostly my complaints are the editions of the London vampires that basically came out of nowhere and seem to be extremely important. I haven't read the latest one with adorable werewolf Jason (Blood Noir
) because I was so disappointed with the last book (The Harlequin
) and I hear another one is coming out in June (Skin Trade
). Does anybody still read these as a huge fan of the series? I would love to get back into the series but only if I hear the last one/two books are better than what has come before.
Another vampire series are the Vampire Academy books by Richelle Mead. She is contracted to write five of them and three are currently for sale, so there are plenty of chances for the series to take off like Twilight by Meyer. I haven't had a chance to read these yet and I'm hoping one or two readers have and can shed some light on them. From what I can tell you have mortal vampires and immortal vampires, in particular a mortal vampire princess must be protected from the fierce immortal breed all the while having to go to the vampire version of high school. Why must she be protected? and what's the forbidden love that's mentioned on the backs of the books? Inquiring minds want to know...
Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer
Of course, Twilight makes this list. A brief synopsis: Supernatural male + vulnerable female set in high school find true love in each other and must fight to keep it. Read my take on the whole series and individual books by starting here on Twilight Saga.
Sookie Stackhouse by Charlaine Harris
I keep hearing of the Sookie Stackhouse series. I need to pick these up asap! Especially now that it's a television show on HBO by the name True Blood (First Season
, Second Season
.) If you are like me and haven't started the books get the Sookie Stackhouse Box Special with Books 1-7
. Enjoy!
What vampire books / series are you currently reading? Let us know - leave a comment!
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Originally posted 2009-01-17 15:09:22. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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