Booking Through Thursday

What are your favorite final sentences from books? Is there a book that you liked specially because of its last sentence? Or a book, perhaps that you didn’t like but still remember simply because of the last line?

OMG! I have no idea! I definitely remember closing a handful of books very satisfied with the final sentence, but for the life of me I can't remember one!

Can anyone help me, what are some good ones?

Giveaway Reminder: Ends Saturday Night!

Don't forget my very first giveaway, for Angus, Thongs, and Full Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennsion ends this Saturday August 2nd at 11:59 PM Central Time. Click here for all the details! Thank you to everyone that has entered so far!

Who's going to the midnight Breaking Dawn release tomorrow night? I'd love to swap stories!

Tuesday Thingers!

Cataloging sources. What cataloging sources do you use most? Any particular reason? Any idiosyncratic choices, or foreign sources, or sources you like better than others? Are you able to find most things through LT's almost 700 sources?

I use amazon the most. I also manually enter a lot of things like comics and zines (still have a stack to read and enter!) I use amazon because they usually have what I want and I manually enter because the zines/comics don't have isbns.

Here's the breakdown:

471	amazon.com
93	Amazon.com
77	Manual entry
28	manual entry
9	Library of Congress
7	amazon.co.uk

Not sure why there are two amazon's and two manual entries. Does anyone else's show up like that? I think the amazon uk is for some of the books I bought while in England. Not sure what I used the Library of Congress for.

What's your breakdown look like? You can find it at your Librarything Profile and then under Statistics.

Mad Men Season 2

Mad Men Season 2 premiered Sunday night. Mad Men, set in the early 1960's takes place in the advertising agency of Sterling Cooper. You get to see all the office politics, important clients and meetings and also behind the scenes person lives of the characters.

I love this show. I was bummed I heard about it after the first season started (or maybe ended) Having a background in graphic design I jumped at the chance to see what my field was like then. So that, combined with my curiosity about this time period has got me hooked! And the attractive guys in suits (and hot glasses!)

I netflixed season 1 the day it came out and awesomely finished it Saturday night. This show has been on my queue for I kid you not a whole darn year. I figured I would watch for season 2 on dvd but just had to find out what happened so I decided to watch it live instead.

The season premier was just EH. It jumps ahead a year and two months. So we basically come into the middle of things. Of course they aren't going to spell it all out for you so I guess I'll just wait it out, things will be explained.

Anyone else enjoy this show? What are you watching this summer?

The No Complaining Rule by Jon Gordon

The No Complaining Rule could be considered a self-help book. Though the way the information is presented brings it into an entirely new category.

The No Complaining Rule is told as a story. The story of Hope, Vice President of Human Resources at a computer company. The story starts out with Hope going through some person problems, she comes into work to find out the company is also experiencing some problems. Her boss, Dan leaves it up to Hope to help them find their way out of this mess, specifically with employee moral and negativity. Through some encounters with others Hope bases her plan for long term improvement on the No Complaining Rule. She uses this rule for her company but also herself and her family.

Throughout the book we get to learn about the No Complaining Rule ourselves and how it works. When I originally heard about this book I was expecting lots of lists, bullet points, and charts. There are hardly any in this book! I really liked the way this information was presented. It was presented in an entertaining way which in the end helps you retain the information much better than a bunch of lists and charts.

This book has made me think a lot about my negativity and complaining. I'll take a short detour and talk about my experiences with complaining. I, personally don't like to complain to people that aren't my family or close to it. I complain to them a lot they already know me, what can i do about it (ask my mother). I think that too much complaining can be seen as a weakness. But on the other hand if someone asks me how I am I'm not going to lie and say "Oh fantastic".

Here are the things I mainly complain about (ask my mother again):
1. I'm tired
2. I'm tired
3. My blank hurts (insert a rotating variety of body parts)

In the book they explain how there are two kinds of complaining, random mindless complaining that has no reason or point, it is done out of boredom and just stresses everyone out. Then there is complaining for an actual reason. It is explained that it is alright to complain but you better come prepared with a way to take action to fix this complaint. It's also pointed out that you should complain to someone that can actually do something about your complaint not just a random bystander.

It is suggested that you take a week to try out the No Complaining Rule, it sort of showcases to you all the negativity you feel and let out of your mouth. It puts a spotlight on it so you can start to control it. It is also explained that once you complain you should add a but to the sentence and add something you are thankful for. For example: I hate getting up at 6am every morning to go to work (I do), but I am thankful that I am able to have a job (I am).

There is definitely a lot of great information presented in this book and it is done in such a way that it's rather exciting! It is great for upper management, managers, regular people, just about anyone!

The No Complaining Rule was released earlier this summer in June.
3.5/5 Stars
Review copy provided by author

Do you complain a lot? What do you complain about the most?

Lookalikes 3.5

Do you guys remember this post where I showed 3 covers that were all either from the same photo shoot or the same darn image. Well Steph/Reviewer X has kindly pointed out yet another one! Can you believe it! That has got to be one rich photographer. I'm almost tempted to hunt these books down, find where they got the images and see what else he/she has in this series.

Keep your eyes peeled for more, I know I will!

Twenty Fragments of a Ravenous Youth by Xiaolu Guo

Twenty Fragments of a Ravenous Youth is the story of young Fenfang's journey away from the sweet potato fields of her village and into life as a twenty something in modern day Beijing.

Fenfang works as a film extra among other jobs. There she meets Xiaolin an Assistant to the Producer. Though there isn't much actual romance between them they live together with his family for several years. She also befriends an American student named Ben and his cast of friends.

I really enjoying seeing the world through Fenfang's eyes be it her use of the phrase "Heavenly Bastard in the Sky" to the cockroaches in her apartment to her film script outline of "The Seven Reincarnations of Hao An" to the Old Hens in her apartment watching her every move. Fenfang's is a quiet story and for that I truly enjoy it. I don't believe I have ever read anything quite like this before, it's a beautiful portrait of what it's like to be a young woman in modern day China. It's funny, exciting and a little bit sad.

This book is literally told in twenty small atmospheric fragments. I really like how each fragment has a descriptive title. There are also small black and white pictures sprinkled throughout the book. The dust jacket art is just beautiful. I really can't think of a more beautifully designed book and cover.

This book has renewed my interest in visiting Asia and now specifically China. Has a book ever made you want to visit a place? Have you visited that place?

Look for Twenty Fragments of a Ravenous Youth in stores August 5th.
4/5 Stars
Review copy provided by publisher

This Week In Books Or Oooh I Found Some Room In My Closet (For Books!)

Monday: The Elite arrives, I won it from the Book Vault's Contest!

Tuesday: My first half day off of work. I get home and am greeted by Swimming With Strangers. Head off to the dentist. During my cleaning I think about going to Borders because it's right across the street. I figure I'll stay away. Then I find out I have two cavities! So I go to Borders and find out they are having a 3.99 Summer Clearance Sale (never seen one of these before)
So I pick up:
It's Not About the Accent
Love From London
The Glass Castle
The Romance Reader's Book Club
Tender Is the Night
Geek High
all for the price of one new hardcover book ( I don't even really care for hardcovers!)
I come home from my appointment feeling a little guilty (though I had just this past weekend made a bunch of room in my closet for books) only to find out Schooled had arrived while I was out!

Wednesday: Months and Seasons arrives from author Chris Meeks.

Thursday: Homegirl arrives from a fellow LibraryThing member who saw my mention of looking for a copy on the message boards and reserved it for me on Bookmooch! Thank you!
American Wife also arrived from a fellow LibraryThing member who saw my mention of wondering if the ARC I requested would ever arrive. She offered to send me her extra copy, how sweet Thank you!

Friday: Aberrations arrived from author Penelope Przekop who I had a nice conversation with earlier this week :)

Saturday: Creepers arrived after only requesting it the beginning of this week. Also the Penguin Classic, A Mixture of Frailties arrived.

Since I have written this post early in the day who knows what else will happen this afternoon. My sister has decided we should go to Borders and I will not say no to that!

Not surprisingly at Borders I got two books. On clearance, Unhooked and not on clearance but about the coolest sounding book of all time The Mysterious Benedict Society. Has anyone read this, it sounds amazing!

Booking Through Thursday!

What are your favourite first sentences from books? Is there a book that you liked specially because of its first sentence? Or a book, perhaps that you didn’t like but still remember simply because of the first line?

I'm horrible about remembering these kinds of things! The first one that comes to mind is from the Great Gatsby, the book I picked as my "favorite" my junior year of high school. I haven't really picked a new one since, just added more.

In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice that I've been turning over in my mind ever since. "Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone," he told me, "just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had."
- F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby

I can't recall any books I liked specially for their first line, I'm sure I've read some books that started out promising and didn't end that way. I can't remember any though!

What's your favorite first line?

Thank You's and Giveaways

Over the past few months I've been pretty lucky when it comes to blog giveaways so I just wanted to take a moment to say thank you to everyone who's giveaway I've won! You have all inspired me to hold my own giveaway! I just posted it Sunday and it's been a blast! I've gotten a whole list of hilarious books to add to my wish list!

Thank you to author, Elizabeth Scott! I won Audrey, Wait in her book wish contest!

Thank you to Dominique at the Book Vault! I won a copy of The Elite!

Thank you to author, Melissa Walker! I won a copy of Secrets of My Suburban Life in her Win-It Wednesday contest!

And most recently...

Thank you to Marie, the Boston Bibliophile! Yesterday I won an ARC of Garden Spells!

In Giveaways...

A Book Blogger's Diary is having two giveaways, one at her blog, A Bookworm's Diary for Joy is the Greatest Gift and the other is for How the Other Half Hamptons (which has a pretty sweet cover!) enter both by July 31st!

Don't forget about my giveaway going on right now for Angus, Thongs and Full Frontal-Snogging. Find the details here!

Oh my it's my bedtime!

Have you won any giveaways lately?

Blog Award!

Carrie K. at Books and Movies has nominated me for this blog award! How sweet!

Here are the guidelines:

Once an award is received, the rules are as follows:

1. Put the logo on your blog.
2. Add a link to the person who awarded you.
3. Nominate at least seven other blogs.
4. Add links to those blogs on your blog.
5. Leave a message for your nominee on their blog.

Here are my nominees:

Bookroomreviews
Tracy shares my passion for not only books but tv and movies and most importantly So You Think You Can Dance!

The Page Flipper
Back from retirement, The Page Flipper is one of my favorite reviewers of YA books.

Reviewer X
Reviewer X is also another blog I turn to for YA suggestions. Very passionate reviews!

The Story Siren
I can't keep up with the Story Siren's YA reviews. She's a reading machine!

In the rules it doesn't say I can't nominate someone that already has been nominated...

J. Kaye's Book Blog
J. Kaye is also a reading machine! She's probably the most friendly blogger I have ever met!

Presenting Lenore
Lenore, like myself not only blogs about YA but other types of books as well. I love the balance!

S . Krishna's Books
S. Krishna blogs about books very similar to my taste. She's my new favorite blogger!

Summer Blowout by Claire Cook

Bella Shaughnessy works at her family salon(s) with her brother and four sisters (two of them half). And also her two stepmothers, thought we see them much less. Her over the top father runs the whole business. He's been obsessed with Italy forever even though they are of Irish ancestry. If this isn't the setup for a hilarious story I don't know what is. I immediately thought of the movie, My Big Fat Greek Wedding and all the inter family antics.

Bella has been divorced from her ex-husband Craig for about a year now ever since, while they were separated he starting sleeping with/going out with her half-sister Sophia. This understandably creates some family tension.

At a college fair where the salon has a booth, Bella meets a man by the name of Sean Ryan who turns her onto the idea of creating beauty kits. Through this interaction they begin a friendship and maybe even more.

Now all these human characters are great, but Precious/Cannoli the dog takes the cake. I can't remember ever loving or wanting a dog this much! She has so much personality!

The story is pretty simple and straight forward. I think the book really shines when it is just Bella being herself or making observations. I love the part of the "Silly Siren" bride and family whom no one can understand when they speak. Bella is just funny!

I really enjoyed this book and definitely want to read more by author Claire Cook.

3.5/5 Stars
ARC provided by LibraryThing Early Reviewers

Violet By Design By Melissa Walker

Violet By Design is the second in this series. I'm going to try and keep it vague for people that haven't read the first book, Violet On the Runway.

Violet had quit modeling but couldn't resist a trip overseas. She did get into modeling for the travel! So Violet is off on another modeling adventure while her best friends Roger and Julie are off to college. While Violet is in Brazil she meets the young designer, Paulo. She eventually becomes the face of his campaign. They start a romance... that's all I will say on that. Violet's modeling friends, Sam and Veronica are back this time (and Veronica is less bitchy-yay). I'm not going to say anymore, no spoilers here. I'll just say I'm glad we get to see more of Violet's modeling friends getting along and especially her friend Roger! ;) I'm keeping this short, apparently blogger is going to be going down for some maintenance soon.

Melissa, there needs to be a movie if only so I can see a real live depiction of Roger!!

To read my review of the first book in the series, Violet On the Runway click here.

Violet In Private is in stores August 5th! Can't wait!

Visit Melissa Walker's blog! She recently did a blog about the making of the Violet On the Runway cover. Thanks Melissa!

4/5 Stars
Purchased by myself

Tuesday Thingers!

Bop over to the Boston Bibliophile to join in! And thanks again to Marie for the ARC of Garden Spells!

Today's topic: Recommendations. Do you use LT's recommendations feature? Have you found any good books by using it? Do you use the anti-recommendations, or the "special sauce" recommendations? How do you find out about books you want to read?

This is a feature I look at briefly every now and then and every time I scroll past it I think to myself "I need to spend more time exploring that feature". I do agree with what some people have said about how it always lists other books in a series you have some of, that's sort of a given, we know about those already.

How do I find out about books I want to read? Everywhere! Mostly blogs these days. I used to look at the Amazon 100 Best Sellers a lot but not so much anymore with all the wonderful blogs out there! I do like the Amazon recommendations feature though.

Where do you get book recommendations?

The Watercooler Effect by Nicholas DiFonzo

The Watercooler Effect explores the idea of rumors from multiple angles. I'm sure we have all had some sort of experience with rumors but it's really nice to see the idea of a rumor laid out in front of you. I've never thought about rumors in such detail but really enjoyed this exploration.

We learn about how and why rumors start. The difference between rumor, gossip, and urban legends. The personal gain of passing on a rumor in your social circle and how rumors can be successfully snuffed out among other things.

Some of his examples of rumors I had never heard about and others I had. I really enjoyed reading the urban legend section. He talks about how people rather believe something even if it may not true than risk the consequences if they do happen to be true. I very easily identified with this. What parent wouldn't rather keep their child home from school for one day then risk the rumor of a child bring a gun to school being true.

Reading the study results was also interesting. I'm not sure exactly how it would have worked but some nice graphics of some of the different concepts would have helped me retain the information even better.

I liked the use of examples in this book, they help me remember information better then just plain facts. I was expecting them to be more flushed out, longer examples like those in The Tipping Point, Blink and Freakonomics. I like how those books frame the information inside an example more so then use smaller examples to illustrate the information within the text.

I think fans of Malcom Galdwell's work and Freakonomics would enjoy this book.

Watch for The Watercooler Effect in stores in September.

What's your favorite book that explores one subject matter in great detail?

3/5 Stars
Manuscript provided by publisher

GIVEAWAY! Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging

Do you guys remember me raving about Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison about two weeks ago? Well I liked it so much and it was so hilarious I went out and hunted down another copy to share with one of you guys!

So here's how it's going to work:
Leave a comment on this post telling me the funniest book you have read this summer!

For one additional entry, blog about this giveaway and leave the link in the comments here.

Open to residents of the US only. Sorry everyone else, I still love you!

Please leave your email address in your comment so I will be able to contact you if you are the winner. :)

The giveaway will end Saturday August 2nd at 11:59 PM Central Time. (That's the day Breaking Dawn is released!)

For anyone picky like me when it comes to books here are some condition notes: I bought this book new from Half Price Books but it has that black mark on it's underside and a couple little pokes in the cover like a staple was sitting on it! I found the best of what they had. That's where I got mine too! So it's not perfect but it's pretty good! It also doesn't have that "Extras Inside" feature.

Comment away, I look forward to hearing about all the books that are making you guys laugh this summer!

This Week In Books Or How I Accidently Went To A Half Price Books Tent Sale

I really didn't intend to go to a Half Price Books Tent Sale. I was just there like I normally am and they happened to be having a tent sale. I couldn't not go out to the parking lot. I had never been to one! And to be fair only that right pile is from the tent sale. I had been wanting to do a week in books post for awhile now and thought this would be the perfect time.

So let's see:

Normally priced Half Price Books books (Left pile, top six)- Lenore pointed out the book The Myth of You & Me about a week or so ago in the comments of Melissa Walker's post about Best Friend Breakups . Some other new releases mostly YA and a book about books! This was my original intent in going to HPB, after returning the Tent Sale books to the car we went back into the store.

New independent bookstore (Left pile, next two)- Today was their grand opening, big article in Friday's newspaper. I bought The Overachievers and got a "free classic" (Wuthering Heights).

ARCS (Left pile, next three)- Librarything's Early Reviewer's Summer Blowout, which I am reading right now, 20 Fragments of a Ravenous Youth, and The No Complaining Rule (thanks J. Kaye!)

Bookmooch (Left pile, bottom four)- Freakonomics what! I love that book, I only got to read half of it about a year ago before having to return it to the library.


Half Price Books Tent Sale Books- Flowers in the Attic, Melissa Walker talked about this "classic" in her vlog on YA New York this week, I feel really bad, I mooched a copy yesterday and found this one today so I canceled it! :( A hardcover copy of Nick and Norah's Playlist for a dollar! what!!

I also bought several books I had already, that were better copies or paperbacks so i could swap out my big hardcovers! So I gave my bookmooch inventory a nice bulk up today.

I also got a few things for some giveaways! So look for the first any day now!

What book(s) did you buy this week that you probably shouldn't have?

Booking Through Thursday

Do you buy books while on vacation/holiday? Do you have favorite bookstores that you only get to visit while away on a trip? What/where are they?

LOL. I actually sort of answered this last week for Tuesday Thingers but that's ok! I'm a serious book shopper while on vacation. Books are souvenirs to me. I always pack light because I know I'll be coming home with books. That doesn't stop me from bringing several with me as well.

About two years ago when I went to visit my grandparents on the east coast and go on a two week vacation to Delaware I managed to buy, I kid you not 18 books. There may have been more! I hid them under my bed so my parents never knew how many I had actually purchased. My sister knew though and rolled her eyes at me several times. A lot of the books came from this great used book store called The Book Alcove, I now go their every time I visit my grandparents. They have the BEST selection I've ever seen in a used bookstore and the best prices too. That summer I believe I went there 2-3 times in a matter of a few weeks.

I went to London several years ago to study abroad for a month. I thought my suitcase was going to be overweight because... you guessed it I bought books. Really nice, big, heavy, museum books! I got some absolutely fabulous books there.

Last year while visiting my grandparents (and going to The Book Alcove) we visited a friend in Baltimore. I had done my research and knew that Atomic Books was close by. We all went, I bought a stack of comics and zines, my grandpa got a magazine, and my friend a book. Great, great times. My dad knew how very excited I was that he gave me some cash so I could get even more things! Now that I have a REAL job that probably will not be happening anymore... haha!

This past weekend I was on a mini vacation for a wedding and my friend took me by two bookstores, the one we really wanted to go into was closed. I settled for a magazine ;)

Where/what is your favorite vacation bookstore spot?

The Heartbreak Diet by Thornia Rose

The Heartbreak Diet is the memoir of a woman who's husband begins an affair that eventually separates them. They also have two children together. It is told in the format of a graphic novel.

You'd think due to the subject matter this would be depressing. In fact, what sold me on reading this was the format. I love graphic novels but usually try to avoid this sort of subject matter, it just makes me sad. I'm very glad I decided to read it. Rose has a great sense of humor about her life. She goes back and tells the story of how she and her husband met and formed a family. She also takes us through her healing process and the fun times with her children. I loved this book. Throughout the book are "Words of Wise Women" with great illustrations of famous women.

The graphic novel format is relatively quick to get through but I love how she broke her story up into different sections, like by day of the week or coping mechanism. Her illustrations are beautiful as well. There is a great amount of detail in them. I have a very large respect for cartoonists. It looks like she draws with an ink brush of some sort. If you mess up you have to start over! That is very tedious!

I think this book would be great for anyone that is the least bit curious about graphic novels. There are no superheros, zombies, or talking animals. It's a story we can all identify with and would be a great introduction into the genre.

I will definitely be reading this over and over again. Rose mixes real life situations with a great humor for life.

4.5/5 Stars
Review copy provided by publisher

Do you read graphic novels? If yes, what is your favorite? If no, do you plan to?

Violet On The Runway by Melissa Walker

Violet on the Runway is the story of Violet Greenfield. She's very very tall and very thin and because of this insecure. One day while working at her local movie theatre (I would love that job!) Violet is discovered by Angela Blythe of Tryst Models. This begins her whirlwind journey into modeling in New York City.

I really enjoyed this book. You get to put yourself in the shoes of someone realizing every girl's fantasy. What would it be like to become a model in New York City? I really looked forward to enjoying the luxurious life with Violet, being pampered and fussed over and going out on the town. I also liked the pop culture references. I just started reading the next book in the series, Violet By Design. Violet reveals that her "public" favorite movie is The Royal Tenenbaums! That is my favorite movie!

I did miss Violet's friends Julie and Roger (I think I have a crush on him!) while she was away in New York and lost touch with them. Eventually they find each other again and for that I was very glad. I wanted to pinch Violet but nobody is perfect and she soon realizes her mistake.

I really liked watching Violet grown into a young adult. She learns a lot through her experiences. Not everything she encounters in the modeling world is a dream come true. But Violet handles it and becomes a better person for it. She also becomes a more confident person that can stand up for herself.

Violet on the Runway is the first in a series of 3 currently. I'm always extra attracted to books that are part of a series. I really like getting to know a character on a larger level than just one book.

I love the cover designs of her books. The color palettes are beautiful and the pictures are really fun but still leave a little to the imagination!

Visit Melissa Walker's awesome blog! Tomorrow is Win-It Wednesday!

Also watch for Violet In Private in stores August 5th!

4/5 Stars
Purchased by myself