My Books in Lists: Wishes

{Books on my Wishlist}

I will forever have a never-ending, insanely long wish list because I love books so much that I cannot stop reading ABOUT them, let alone reading the actual books. So, I'm constantly stumbling upon new titles (and old) that strike my interest, so I add them to the growing list. I keep track of my wish list(s) using Paperbackswap.com {where I literally wish for the books and whenever a fellow user posts the title I'm wishing, I get a notification so that I can go order it from them!} and Goodreads.com {where I keep track of books I've read, want to read, like and don't like, etc. It's like Foursquare for books}. You can read more about these websites on my post about them over here.

Over the weekend, the sweetest thing happened to me. I got a message from a user on paperbackswap.com with the subject "RAOK :)" and a message stating that she wanted to send me a gift of granting one of my book wishes. I felt skeptical at first, both because nothing like this has ever happened to me on this site and because I had no idea what "RAOK" meant. So I just wrote back and  asked what this was all about. Well, "RAOK" stands for "random act of kindness" and she is part of a forum on the site that finds users and grants their book wishes whenever they have the extra cash, just to share a smile! I was so surprised and humbled! I couldn't believe it. A part of me felt awkward, but then I realized that the feeling was based on the unfortunate societal norm of that charity/pity feeling of someone doing something for you for no reason. I decided to send her my address and vowed to pay it forward! 

Two days later, I was tickled to receive not one, but TWO of my book wishes in the mail. 

I immediately messaged the woman to thank her, and asked if I could tag her on Instagram. 

Her response: 

"awww Taylor... no I don't use social media really... Thank you though.... I don't need mentioned.. Im happy knowing you are happy... Have a wonderful rest of your weekend and a great Saturday night! :-)"

I cried because I was so touched by this truly random act of genuine kindness, proving the beauty and love that is present in humanity.

I have always been such a fan of paperbackswap, but now I can say with great confidence that the members undoubtably make the website what it is. If you are a reader, please take the time to check it out.  And in the meantime... here are all the books that are currently on my mind but not yet on my shelf. Click each title to learn more and/or purchase on Amazon. 

#Girlboss by Sophia Amoruso

The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness by Susannah Cahalan

A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking

Consider the Fork: A History of How We Cook and Eat by Bee Wilson

The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith

The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith

Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

The Girl You Left Behind by Jojo Moyes

One Plus One by Jojo Moyes

The Last Letter From Your Lover by Jojo Moyes

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt

Landline by Rainbow Rowell

The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh

Lean In: Women, Work and the Will to Lead by Sheryl Sandberg

The Last Anniversary by Liane Moriarty 

The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman

Lucky Us by Amy Bloom

Miss Me When I'm Gone by Emily Arsenault

Natasha: The Biography of Natalie Wood by Suzanne Finstad

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Not That Kind of Girl by Lena Dunham

The Opposite of Loneliness: Essays and Stories by Marina Keegan

To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han

P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han

Palo Alto: Stories by James Franco

An Abundance of Katherines by John Green

Serena by Ron Rash

The Silent Wife by A.S.A. Harrison

The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey

The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult

The Wild Truth: The Untold Story of Sibling Survival by Carine McCandless

Texts From Jane Eyre by Mallory Ortberg

This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper

This Star Won't Go Out: The Life and Words of Esther Grace Earl by Lori Earl

Traveling to Infinity: My Life with Stephen By Jane Hawking

Unbroken: A World War II Story... by Laura Hillenbrand

Where'd You Go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple

Wonder by R.J. Ralacio

Wool by Hugh Howey

Written in My Own Hearts Blood by Diana Gabaldon

Yes, Please by Amy Poehler

Play It As It Lays by Joan Didion

Cats Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut


What am I missing????

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My Books in Lists: Musts

{My Lifetime Must-Reads}

Here are the books that I have read (or intend to read) in my lifetime. I've read most of them, but there are a couple that I haven't gotten to just yet. Most are literary classics, but others are novels that have stood out to me over the years as amazing for one reason or another. So... these are the books that I think everyone should read in their lifetime. What would you have me add to this list? 

Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen

The Help by Kathryn Stockett
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
The Giver by Lois Lowry
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

Anthem by Ayn Rand
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

Xo.

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My Books in Lists: Favorites

{My All-Time Favorites}

The title speaks for itself, don't you think? I'm sure I'll add more books to this list in my lifetime, but for now, here are the best books I've ever had the great pleasure of stumbling upon reading. I hope that you'll consider reading them, too! :)

{Ruby Holler by Sharon Creech}

Harry Potter (the series) by J.K. Rowling

Into the Wild by John Kraukener (AMAZING story)

White Girl Problems by Babe Walker (side-cramping laugh-out-loud funny)

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (sobbed like a new born baby)

Ruby Holler by Sharon Creech (the first novel I ever read...made me fall in love with fiction)

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

I have a hard time choosing favorites of anything, so the books that made it on to this list are no joke. I've loved a lot of books in my life. But to name them a favorite is something special. It was difficult to compile this list, but the few I chose are incredibly deserving! Give them a thought!! Xo

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My Books in Lists: Upcoming

I am CONSTANTLY adding books to my TBR (to be read) pile & wish list...so much so that it's kind of becoming a problem. I mean seriously. I am making no exaggeration. I stumble upon a new book that I want to read pretty much every day. I fear that I'll die before I find enough time to read all the good books in this world. But I digress. In honor of National Reading Month, I am sharing all-things-books with you all month long. For a few posts, I want to share my many book lists. I hope that some of the many books on these lists will stand out to you, and I encourage you to read them if you have not, add them to your TBR pile if you feel so inclined, and tell me (no spoilers, please!) what you thought if you've already read!!

Here is one section of my Upcoming Reads list. There are two sections to this list because I currently own some of my TBR books, and the others I do not. So first... 

{Books on my Bookshelf}

The Paris Wife by Paula McLain

The Vacationers by Emma Straub
The Art of Hearing Heartbeats by Jan-Philipp Sendker

Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling

A Dance with Dragons by George R.R. Martin

The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson

The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

Life of Pi by Yann Martel

Paper Towns by John Green

Room by Emma Donoghue

Cum Laude by Cecily von Ziegesar

Naked by David Sedaris

Tell the Wolves I'm Home by Carol Rifka

The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin

The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion

Have you read any of these? I'm thinking I'll read Joan Didion next...or maybe The Paris Wife. Thoughts? 

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Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (and other concerns)

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling
Published by Three Rivers Press on Jan. 1, 2011
Genre(s): Nonfiction, Humor, Memoir, Biography, Essays
Format: Paperback
Pages: 222
Goodreads

Mindy Kaling has lived many lives: the obedient child of immigrant professionals, a timid chubster afraid of her own bike, a Ben Affleck–impersonating Off-Broadway performer and playwright, and, finally, a comedy writer and actress prone to starting fights with her friends and coworkers with the sentence “Can I just say one last thing about this, and then I swear I’ll shut up about it?”

Perhaps you want to know what Mindy thinks makes a great best friend (someone who will fill your prescription in the middle of the night), or what makes a great guy (one who is aware of all elderly people in any room at any time and acts accordingly), or what is the perfect amount of fame (so famous you can never get convicted of murder in a court of law), or how to maintain a trim figure (you will not find that information in these pages). If so, you’ve come to the right book, mostly!

In Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?, Mindy invites readers on a tour of her life and her unscientific observations on romance, friendship, and Hollywood, with several conveniently placed stopping points for you to run errands and make phone calls. Mindy Kaling really is just a Girl Next Door—not so much literally anywhere in the continental United States, but definitely if you live in India or Sri Lanka.

I became obsessed with Mindy after my friend got me quickly and easily hooked on her show, The Mindy Project. I had only seen her a couple of times when I watched The Office here and there, but I didn't know much about her. I now watch her show religiously and I've started watching The Office from Season 1 after finishing this book because that's how cool she made it (herself) sound. So far not impressed.... just kidding. Mindy is so real I can barely believe it.

I loved reading her story of growing up awkward and funny then killing it in NYC and Hollywood by just being herself. It's an excellent story of comedic perseverance in this harsh world that Mindy tells with her perfect airy tone of awesomeness. The only reason I am giving 4 stars is because I thought the book started off slow with the parts about her parents, and I wish she would have made the book much longer... Also, it was only laugh-out-loud funny at some parts, and I expected to have a side cramp from laughter by the end. Okay, maybe my expectations were too high for someone's first book...about their actual life...

Regardless of your thoughts (or lack thereof) on this book, do yourself a favor and check out The Mindy Project on Hulu or whatever. Mindy is basically an older, richer, more employed version of me. And it's seriously so funny.

Rating:

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World Book Day: March 5 2015 {NRM Pt. 2}

Of course, I'm late to the World Book Day party in terms of posting, but don't worry at all- I was sure to celebrate the beautiful Thursday by listening to my audiobook while I drove around running errands, reading while I was relaxing before and after work, & I even finished a much anticipated novel: the fourth installment in George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series, A Feast for Crows. (That's HBO's Game of Thrones, y'all, and it rocked.)

Since this month of March is so special in honoring books, (and let's be real, I'm not at all concerned about the fact that I am turning this life & style blog into a bookworm blog....sorry?), I am going to write about each book I'm reading as I finish them, rather than a tell-all post at the end of the month like in my This Month's Reads series. What the heck, maybe I'll still post at the end of the month, too!

So...first up:

A Song of Ice and Fire: A Feast for Crows

A Song of Ice and Fire: A Feast For Crows by George R. R. Martin
Published by Bantam on Oct. 17, 2005
Genre(s): Fantasy,Fiction, Epic
Format: Kindle
Pages: 1,061
Goodreads

With A Feast for Crows, Martin delivers the long-awaited fourth volume of the landmark series that has redefined imaginative fiction and stands as a modern masterpiece in the making.

After centuries of bitter strife, the seven powers dividing the land have beaten one another into an uneasy truce. But it's not long before the survivors, outlaws, renegades, and carrion eaters of the Seven Kingdoms gather. Now, as the human crows assemble over a banquet of ashes, daring new plots and dangerous new alliances are formed while surprising faces—some familiar, others only just appearing—emerge from an ominous twilight of past struggles and chaos to take up the challenges of the terrible times ahead. Nobles and commoners, soldiers and sorcerers, assassins and sages, are coming together to stake their fortunes...and their lives. For at a feast for crows, many are the guests—but only a few are the survivors.

Truly, there is a LOT to be said about this book....IF you've read the first three. But unfortunately, if you haven't, you wouldn't really be too interested in the crazy twists and turns Martin brings forth in this novel. What I will say (both for those of you yet to reach this book/following along with the HBO series) is that things get real in Feast. Martin's Ice and Fire books are known for the structure of character chapter viewpoints...meaning, each chapter is told from the title character's point-of-view. However, in this novel, Martin completely omits half of the series' characters (!!!), barely mentioning them, not writing in their point of view AT ALL. He writes this book focusing on characters in King's Landing, the Vale, Dorne, and Harrenhal. When the book ends, there is a note form the author begging you to relax and understand that the next book, A Dance with Dragons, Book 5, will follow all of the characters that were left out of Feast, occurring parallel in time. It's definitely making Dance an interesting read because I keep having to remind myself that certain things that I JUST read in Feast haven't actually happened, but it works because it allows for major events in each characters' stories to come full circle without the interruption of a split novel. I'm freakishly excited for the show to come back in April, where HBO will pick up with the start of Book 4, albeit in their own way with some changes.

Rating:

Five stars, no doubt, but you must read the first three. I promise they are worth the time and dedication it takes to immerse yourself in the world of Westeros!

Not four days later, I finished another book, so stay tuned for my review of Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me (and other concerns) by Mindy Kaling, coming soon. xo

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March: National Reading Month!

Hi everyone!

I've had the first couple of days of the month off from work, so I’ve been working on compiling a couple different book lists for you! March is National Reading Month, and so what better way to celebrate than with book-inspired posts all month long! I'll be sharing multiple must-lists with you, including my inspiring reads, as well as my all-time favorites and current wish list. I will also post my current reads, guilty pleasures, device-musts, and more. First things first, today I want to talk about my favorite book-related websites, apps, & tools: Goodreads, Audible, PaperbackSwap, the Amazon Kindle, & the Barnes & Noble Nook.

Goodreads is a website where members can share their book reviews and recommendations, as well as catalog their book wish lists, track their current reading, and explore new titles based on their ratings. The purpose of this book-centered social network is to help members find and share books that they love. Membership is free, and the website operates similar to Facebook, where you can add friends and their status on books, as well as what they are reading, wishing, and rating appear in a news feed. There is also an app available for Android and iPhone. Click {here} to see my profile and add me as a friend! 

Audible is an Amazon owned company that opened in 1995 and was purchased by Amazon in 2003. Audible functions as a seller and producer of audio entertainment, featuring digital audiobooks, radio and TV programs, and audio versions of magazines and newspapers. For a monthly subscription fee, beginning at $14.95 per month, members receive one credit every month to be used to purchase any audiobook on Audible that can be played from various devices. If you’re unsure about listening to a book for the first time, Audible offers a great introductory free-trial period for new users. Sign up and get the first 30 days at no charge including a free audiobook of your choice! The membership is only a monthly commitment, meaning you can cancel anytime, including before your trial ends and you will not be charged at the next billing cycle.  

PaperBackSwap (PBS) is an online marketplace for trading and purchasing books with other people across the United States. First, you choose a membership upon signing up—ranging from free (with a $0.49 fee for each trade) to $20 a year. Then, you list books that you have at home that you would like to swap to other club members. Once another club member requests your book, you simply print out an automated shipping label, apply postage, and ship it off to them. When that person receives their book, you receive a book-swapping credit that you can then use to request and receive your own book from another club member by searching by title, author, ISBN, and more in the PBS database of over 4 million hardback, paperback, audiobooks, and textbooks! Click {here} to see my profile and add me as a friend! 

The Amazon Kindle is a series of eReaders marketed by Amazon.com. Featuring the Amazon Marketplace, pretty much every book available in eReader format is available in the Kindle Store. Kindle devices allow users to shop for, download, browse, and read ebooks, newspapers, magazines, and other digital content. The Kindle Fire even has the capacity for Android apps and games, videos, music, TV shows, and more. Kindle reading apps can also be downloaded for free on a multitude of devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, and Mac. I have used three Kindle Reading Devices in my reading lifetime, but my current personal Kindle is the Kindle Paperwhite, and it has quickly and easily become my favorite. The Kindle Paperwhite can be purchased with or without “special offers” meaning advertisements can appear on the lock screen or the homepage. The Paperwhite features a special back-light that allows it to operate in bright sunlight with no glare like that of a tablet or smart phone. This light feature can also be adjusted to be dimmer or brighter so that your eyes won’t tire or feel strained while reading in the dark. The Paperwhite holds a single charge for up to two months, well over enough time to finish a single book—and on that note, another nice feature of this device is the option to see your reading speed as you go (by minutes left in chapter and time left in book). The device is thin and light weight, making it especially nice and comfortable to hold for hold periods of time as well as to take along during travel.

The Nook is an eReader device by Barnes & Noble. I have never used an actual Nook Reading Device, but I have used the free app on my iPhone and iPad. The Nook is a nice device for a fan of the popular bookstore; however, my biggest turn off is that you can only purchase Barnes & Noble books at Barnes & Noble prices. And Amazon has most titles for good deal cheaper in their Kindle Store. I’m nothing if not a die-hard bargain hunter, so that’s where the conversation ends and begins for me. As I said, I've used the available Nook reading apps on both my iPhone and iPad, and those are very nice. The operating system is also very smooth and user friendly. The Nook comes in multiple E Ink formats as well as Nook Color, comparable to the Kindle Fire. The newest Nook Device features “Glowlight,” which uses E Ink with back-light technology comparable to the Kindle Paperwhite. The price for this device is nearly $50 cheaper than the Kindle Paperwhite (ad free), but do keep in mind the cost of the content and how that will add up quickly, an important consideration when purchasing any digital content device.

Those are my must-haves when it comes to all-things-books! What are some tools you use when it comes to purchasing and reading books? Look for more posts all month long about the books I'm currently reading & craving, as well as the ones I've always loved. Thanks for reading :) !! xo

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