Top Ten Tuesday - Authors I'd Love to Meet

This week the Top Ten Tuesday topic is Authors I'd Love to Meet. Where I live in Pennsylvania is a little far from a lot of the tour stops that take place in Philadelphia or Pittsburgh. Someday I hope I can drive to a few of the events, but for now I am going to keep dreaming

As always please visit That Artsy Reader Girl for future topics and to see who participated. 

1) Maggie Stiefvater - If all goes to plan I will be meeting Maggie at the end of this month and I cannot be more excited and nervous. Her books have meant a lot to me and I've tried to meet her before without success. Hopefully this is the time it happens!

2) Garth Nix - I was introduced to Nix's books later than I could have been. I bought the third book in his Abhorsen Series as a middle schooler, but I never got the first two. Since Nix lives in Australia, I hope to make it to one of his tour stops in America someday.

3) Tamora Pierce - Pierce is probably the single most influential author in my reading life. Her books helped me through rough times in middle and high school. Her Alanna Series is what introduced me to fantasy and is one of the reasons I love the genre so much.

4) Ilona Andrews - This husband and wife writing team wrote one of my favorite series of all time. One of my best friends suggested this series to me once she read the first few books and I have been in love with it ever since. We have deep discussions about it and I love that we both love it.

5) Gail Carriger - Ms. Gail seems like she would be a delight to meet. I love her Parasolverse and I love how much she interacts with her readers. She does Facebook lives where people can ask her questions and her newsletter is a delight. Someday I hope I can meet her and tell her how much I adore her books.

6) Leigh Bardugo - Who wouldn't want to meet this queen?

7) MacKenzie Lee- I want to visit her bookshop mostly because I love Lee's recommendation videos on Epic Reads. Somehow though, I think getting the recommendations right from her in a bookstore would be amazing. She's a great author too!

8) Kendare Blake - I've been reading Blake's books for a long time. She seems like a really interesting person based on her books and I'd love to meet her to pick her brain about Cas from the Anna Dressed in Blood books because I'd love to read more!

9) Victoria Schwab - Even though I haven't read many of Schwab's books, I find her a really interesting author. I'd love to meet her just to hear her talk about her writing process more.

10) Jane Austen - Obviously this is impossible. Even so, I wish I could meet Austen and tell her how much I love her books and how they've helped me make friends since I started reading them.

Which of your favorite authors would you love to meet? 

Did you hear? I'm hosting a Giveaway during October!

Current Favorites and Birthday Giveaway

October is my birthday month (in fact my birthday is today!) and it is the month where fall is finally in full swing. Not only have all the Halloween decorations been put out, but the weather has taken a turn so I am in my happy place. I love the vibe of this time of year and I give myself free reign in a lot of ways. I hurt my own wallet very close to the holiday season, but it is ALWAYS worth it.

This month I'm also hosting my first giveaway on this blog to celebrate my birthday month by giving one of you the chance to win one of my favorite books. Details and a place to enter are at the bottom of this post.

Anyway the plan for October (just like last year) is to post every day! Gasp! Isn't this fun and stressful? Yes. However, I usually find it more fun than stressful. Here's hoping this year continues like that. Today I want to talk about some of the things I'm obsessing over and give you some life updates along the way.

Top Five Wednesday - Favorite Covers

This week on Top Five Wednesday our topic is our favorite covers. Covers are a really interesting thing to look at and I chose my top covers by how beautiful they are. These are some of my favorite just because they are eye catching and look great on my shelves!

Top Ten Tuesday - Books By My Favorite Authors That I Still Haven’t Read

This week's Top Ten Tuesday topic was one I had no trouble filling out. There are so many authors that I adore, but I fail to read their whole collection of works. These are just a few of the many books I haven't read by authors I've enjoyed in the past. 

Don't forget the visit That Artsy Reader Girl for future topics and more information about Top Ten Tuesday. 

 

 

  




Happy Reading! 

Seven Years of Reading Persuasion

 

A lot of people say it is too hard to pick a favorite book. I agree it can be difficult to distinguish that one book that rises above all the others. However, about five years ago I realized nothing was going to top Persuasion by Jane Austen for me. Something about this story hits every note for me. I love rereading it and I feel like I see something new each time I read it. 

Today I wanted to explain a few reasons why I love to reread this story and some of my favorite parts. Here are seven thoughts on Persuasion for the seven years I've read it. 

Top Ten Tuesday - Books On My Fall 2018 TBR

I'll share a small secret with you. I never follow TBR lists. I continue to make them in hopes I will someday learn to follow a TBR, but I haven't had any luck so far. These are the books I'm hoping to read this fall.

  

  

  

My Last Top Ten ---> Binge Worthy Shows

September Reading Vlog and Wrap Up (Part 1)

This first half of the month has been about self care for me. As I mentioned last month, I worked a lot at the end of August and the retail world demands a lot from me. The social interactions just drain me down to nothing and by the end of our "Back to School" time I am below zero. Two weeks to drain me and two weeks to recover from it!

So I've been playing a lot of video games and watching a lot of Netflix to bounce back. Though I love to read, I find sometimes it doesn't help me bounce back quite the way a Netflix marathon does. Does anyone else have this issue?

End of Summer Library and Book Haul

After a very long week I purchased some books from various sources then I visited the library. I love going to the library. It is almost therapeutic. Even so, I was overly ambitious this time and picked up so many things!!

Waiting on Wednesday/September Anticipated Releases (2018)

Fall ramps up the book releases and I am excited for a lot of different books coming out in September. These three titles are not the only ones I have preordered this month, but they are the ones I'm most excited for. September is really full of amazing books. Please please let me know what you are excited about! I know I've missed some amazing new books just because there are so many books releasing this month.

Until I wrote this post, I had no idea all these books are being released on the same day. The 18th is going to be really tough on my wallet!!

    

Escaping From Houdini by Kerri Maniscalco 

Anticipated Release: September 18th

Book One: 

Seventeen-year-old Audrey Rose Wadsworth was born a lord's daughter, with a life of wealth and privilege stretched out before her. But between the social teas and silk dress fittings, she leads a forbidden secret life.

Against her stern father's wishes and society's expectations, Audrey often slips away to her uncle's laboratory to study the gruesome practice of forensic medicine. When her work on a string of savagely killed corpses drags Audrey into the investigation of a serial murderer, her search for answers brings her close to her own sheltered world.

The story's shocking twists and turns, augmented with real, sinister period photos, will make this dazzling, #1 New York Times bestselling debut from author Kerri Maniscalco impossible to forget

Soulless (Illustrated Edition) by Gail Carriger

    
Expected Release: September 18th

Alexia Tarabotti is laboring under a great many social tribulations. First, she has no soul. Second, she's a spinster whose father is both Italian and dead. Third, she was rudely attacked by a vampire, breaking all standards of social etiquette.

Where to go from there? From bad to worse apparently, for Alexia accidentally kills the vampire -- and then the appalling Lord Maccon (loud, messy, gorgeous, and werewolf) is sent by Queen Victoria to investigate. 


With unexpected vampires appearing and expected vampires disappearing, everyone seems to believe Alexia responsible. Can she figure out what is actually happening to London's high society? Will her soulless ability to negate supernatural powers prove useful or just plain embarrassing? Finally, who is the real enemy, and do they have treacle tart?

Pride by Ibi Zoboi

  
Expected Release: September 18ths

Zuri Benitez has pride. Brooklyn pride, family pride, and pride in her Afro-Latino roots. But pride might not be enough to save her rapidly gentrifying neighborhood from becoming unrecognizable. 

When the wealthy Darcy family moves in across the street, Zuri wants nothing to do with their two teenage sons, even as her older sister, Janae, starts to fall for the charming Ainsley. She especially can’t stand the judgmental and arrogant Darius. Yet as Zuri and Darius are forced to find common ground, their initial dislike shifts into an unexpected understanding.

But with four wild sisters pulling her in different directions, cute boy Warren vying for her attention, and college applications hovering on the horizon, Zuri fights to find her place in Bushwick’s changing landscape, or lose it all. 

August Wrap Up & Recap

Once again August has kicked my butt. Being a person who lives by the school calendar, means that August is busy. I was prepared for it to be a rough month, but it still takes me by surprise how much the extra work tires me out.

It feels like I didn't do anything fun this month since the last two weeks of the month are all dedicated to my job. My boss like to say she doesn't accept social engagements from August 15th until after Labor Day and that is pretty much what happens in my life too. Good thing I scheduled my girls weekend beach trip earlier than that!! If you want to check out the vlog of that trip, I'll warn you it is a little piecemeal.

We've taken this beach trip for three years straight now and it is so much fun. We learn a little more every year and make fewer mistakes! Luckily no one got sick this year! 

Although you can see a few things I read in August in the vlog, you should check out my August Wrap up for the full list. I actually fit in quite a bit of reading even though I was tired a lot. I also combined the wrap up with a goals check in for 2018. I'm doing ok on most of my goals for the year, but I am way behind on a few!! Hopefully by the end of the year I can at least catch up and finish a few series. I am embarrassingly bad at reading final books in series!!

Want to see what happened in my life last month? Check out the July Wrap Up and Recap

Top Five Bingeworthy TV Shows/Movies

This week on Top Ten Tuesday the topic is Bingeworthy TV Shows and Movies. I will be the first to admit I am not good at bingeing. Unlike a lot of people I tend to start show and forget about them. So these are shows I've completed (for the most part)! Shows I recommend and have actually binged. Enjoy!

As always please visit That Artsy Reader Girl for future topics. 

1) The Great British Baking Show (Available on Netflix - 5 Seasons) - This is the single best show on the internet right now in my opinion. Normally I do not enjoy competition shows and I can't think of the last time I watched one before watching this. I adore the hosts and the contestants. 10/10 would (and will) watch again.

2) The Crown (Netflix - 2 Seasons) - Two quick seasons of just ten episodes! This series is beautifully crafted and the acting is incredible. Drama at its best!

3)  Downton Abbey (Amazon Prime - 6 Seasons) - Another beautiful series that has short seasons. I love how the characters grow and change through this series. I've watched this series twice but never the 6th season. Oops. I should do that.

4) Bones (Hulu - 12 Seasons) - My favorite show of all time! This show is great because you can start any season and not really need back story. I love just jumping into my favorite episodes and letting the seasons play.

5) ER (Hulu - 15 Seasons) - This is the one that breaks the mold. I've watched a lot of ER in my life, but I haven't rewatched a lot recently. I watched the first season when I signed up for Hulu but I haven't gone back recently. Maybe this will motivate me. This show is great to binge because the episodes are fast and the personal storylines are fantastic. Great show!

Top Ten Tuesday ---> Ten Series I Won't Finish