Enjoy the cuteness! Happy reading! Happy writing!

As usual, the thing we got the most points taken off from was from the skit we’re supposed to do. Being a “rock band” wasn’t bad for the hangers and to get costumes/craft. The problem is, though, that we have to make up a skit and that’s not easy for that kind of concept. All we could really do was play instruments and whatnot and that isn’t that special. But none the less we still got points and did better than last time in 2010.

Andy and I also spent a day in Philadelphia just hanging out and relaxing. We walked around all of Philly and just spent time together which was great. We had a horse and buggy ride, went to the Ben Franklin Institute of Science, and did a lot of walking. It was very peaceful. Oh yea, and we also kind of accidentally interrupted a marathon. There was some kind of running marathon thing going on and we had to get to the other street so we had to run through the marathon. We were doing fine until Andy accidentally cut off one of the runners. Oops.

The only bad thing about the trip was that, the day of Flugtag, I forgot to put sunblock on and I was basically wearing all black. Now you all know what that means…massive sunburn. I looked like an overripe tomato and it burned soo much. I could not sleep one night because of it and now I’m already peeling. It really, really sucks. I had to by aloe and I hurt so much on Sunday that I almost didn’t enjoy the day out with Andy.

I came home, though, to learning that my dog (as spiteful as she is) peed on my blanket because I was gone. Then her counterpart (Niki, the other dog) peed on my sheets. They, apparently, were not happy that I went on my trip and didn’t take them with me.

Now it’s back to the daily grind of life. writing, blogging, taking care of my sister, and blah, blah, blah. I guess the fun has to end sometime!

The Forsaken by Lisa M Stasse

Every teenager
must take the test.

If you pass,
you live.

If you fail,
you’re forsaken.

Sixteen-year-old Alenna wakes up
in the worst place on Earth: alone
on an island infested with warring
tribes of feral teenagers.

If she wants to escape, she must
make impossible choices. Join or
battle the evil Monk? Fight or fall
for Liam, the boy she’s drawn to?

Abandoned. Exiled. Forsaken.
Alenna’s  fight for survival starts now.

When She Woke by Hillary Jordan

Hannah Payne is a RED.
Her crime: MURDER.
And her victim, says the state of Texas,
was her UNBORN CHILD.

Lying on a table in a bare room, covered by only
a paper gown, Hannah awakens into a nightmare.
Cameras broadcast her every move to millions at home,
for whom observing new Chromes – criminals whose
skin has been genetically altered to match the class of
their crime – is a sinister form of entertainment.

Hannah refuses to reveal the identity of the father.
But cast back into a world that has marked her for life,
how far will she go to protect the man she loves?

Pushing The Limits by Katie McGarry

They say be a good girl,
get good grades, be popular.
They know nothing about me.

I can’t remember the night that changed my life.
The night I went from popular girl to loner freak.
And my family are determined to keep it that way.

They said therapy was supposed to help.

They didn’t expect Noah.

Noah is the dangerous boy my parents warned
me about. But he’s the only one who’ll listen.
The only one who’ll help me find the truth.

I know every kiss, every promise,
every touch is forbidden.

But what if finding your
destiny means breaking
all the rules? 

I’m cheating. Cheating on my ’1001 Children’s Books I Must Read Before I Grow Up’ list, that is. As much as I love pretty much all the
books I have read from the list so far, I have this problem that I am sure many of you face: no matter how many books you read, there are always more being published. And because more and more books are coming out, your list of ‘books-to-read’ keeps growing and growing. My pile at work of books to buy had swollen to an unreasonable size, so I just had to buy some. It’s not my fault, really – I was being considerate, freeing up more space for everyone else to put books on hold (I am also desperate to buy as many books as I can before I start my new job in two weeks and lose my staff discount). So this week, I am cheating on my list. I am going to read a few children’s books not on my 1001 Children’s Books list. But never fear! I have come up with a solution so as not to deprive you all – this week is going to be a picture book week. I grabbed a stack of classic board books while on my lunch break the other day, some old favourites of mine, some books I had never encountered before I started working in a bookshop. However, all of these board books are not only classics, but best sellers in our store.

I don’t know if I should talk about the books I am cheating with (it might make the 1001 Children’s Book list jealous) but the book I am reading is just so wonderful I can’t help telling you about it.  It is called ‘The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making‘, and it is written by Catherynne M. Valente, and it is just enchanting. Think Peter Pan meets Alice in Wonderland with a dash of The Wizard of Oz. It is full of whimsy, and fantasy, and winds that come to life and take you on rides on their pet leopard, and dragons who are in fact not dragons but half wyvern half library, and magical cities that you can only find if you have adventures while attempting to find it, and… well, plenty more, but that’s about as far as I have gotten yet. I highly recommend it. Especially if you can find a magical place full of whimsy and quirk to read it, like I did – I stumbled upon a new cafe today, which was the perfect place to read a book.

Now I simply must go and keep reading. Don’t worry, 1001 Children’s Books, my affair with other books won’t be for long.

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The books must have been bought from a library or something because they had the plastic library wrap around them and some of them had a “no renewals” sticker on them. The box had the sign “books $1.00″ on them which made me believe that the books were trying to be sold at a garage sale at one point or another. The books they didn’t sell, this family decided to throw away.

I’m sorry, that’s just unacceptable to me. I get if you don’t want the books anymore or you read them and are done with them. But you don’t throw them out! Donate them somewhere…a hospital, a nursing home…anywhere! JUST DON’T THROW THEM OUT! It’s bad for the earth and it’s a waste of paper. Also, you’re getting rid of someone’s hard work. The authors put their thoughts, blood, and sweat into these stories. Their souls are in these stories and you’re just going to throw them out?!?! How would you like it if you worked on something, took a long time doing it and put your best effort in to it, only to have someone throw it out? You would feel horrible, obviously, so what makes you think that the author wouldn’t feel horrible too?

As an author and a reader, it horrified me to see those books on the curb ready to be thrown out. It makes me sick, seriously. You guys might think I’m crazy and think that I’m ridiculous and maybe I am but I just hate seeing books be abused like that.

So, as everyone at this point probably figured out, I brought the books home and gave them a new place to stay. At least I know that I’ll never get rid of them. I put them with the other 300+ books I haven’t read and I’m excited to read them.

The saying always goes “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure” and this week it was definitely true for me.

Happy Reading everyone!

When I ask people if they read e-books, most of them say that they love the smell of books and would never consider switching to the Kindle. If you are one of them, I suggest this aerosol e-book enhancer.

Many readers miss the tactile sensations of old books, miss writing their names on bookplates and bookmarking new books. Sadly, there is no substitute for that.

Image courtesy chhavipruthi.wordpress.com

Flipkart, god’s gift to the Indian book-reading community, was launched in 2007. Flipkart has made book buying much cheaper and extremely convenient. Most people of the older generation do not prefer to shop online because they are afraid that such companies ‘fleece’ you and that the goods won’t get delivered. Such fears could be assuaged by the wonderful concept of cash-on-delivery.

Buying books online may be much cheaper and ridiculously convenient. But the experience of entering a brick-and-mortar bookshop, sitting there for a few hours on a tiny stool and reading a book, is priceless. Most brick-and-mortar stores have started websites for selling books to cope with the competition from Flipkart and Rediff Books.

Mr. Gopinath, manager of Odyssey, Adyar says that Flipkart hasn’t dramatically affected sales figures, because customers still prefer walking into a store, looking around and browsing through books. The touch and smell of books, and the feeling of owning a book is something else altogether and can not be replaced by anything, he says. However, he admits that customers seem to have grown impatient over the years and do not spend as much time in the store as they used to. Some even decide what books they want and visit the store just to buy them without spending much time there.

YA Dystopian

• Uglies by Scott Westerfeld BN.com
• Pretties by Scott Westerfeld (sequel to Uglies) BN.com

I’ve wanted to read the Uglies series for many years now. I always lingered by the boxed sets at Borders, but I never bought one. Maybe dystopian books weren’t as “cool” then as they are now, but I just wasn’t interested in the story. Let me tell you, I wish I hadn’t waited so long to read this series. I’ve read only the first one so far, but it’s one of my favorites. You should definitely check out this series if you haven’t already.

• Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi BN.com
• Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin BN.com
• Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi BN.com
• Wither by Lauren DeStefano BN.com
• Fever by Lauren DeStefano (sequel to Wither) BN.com

YA Fantasy and Paranormal Romance

• Cold Kiss by Amy Garvey BN.com
• Fell by David Clement-Davies BN.com

Historical Romance

• Sin and Scandal in England by Melody Thomas BN.com

Paranormal Romance

• A Quick Bite by Lynsay Sands BN.com
• The Taker by Alma Katsu BN.com
• Sins of the Night by Sherrilyn Kenyon BN.com
• Bad Moon Rising by Sherrilyn Kenyon BN.com

It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Dark-Hunter series. I found an audiobook copy of Bad Moon Rising at my local book warehouse for only five dollars. What I forgot while purchasing this book was that I’d already bought the paperback on a previous trip. Oh well, for $7 I got a brand-new audiobook, a paperback in good condition, and a decal for my car. I’d say the decal makes it all worth it!

Memoir

• All Roads Lead to Austen: A Year-long Journey with Jane by Amy Smith (This was the Free Friday selection from Barnes & Noble.) BN.com

As you can see, I’ve got  a lot of books to add to my bookshelf, and I can’t wait to read them!

Have you ever splurged on books? What’s the most you’ve ever gotten in one trip? Let me know in the comments.

1. 13 Little Blue Envelopes – Maureen Johnson
2. The Last Little Blue Envelopes – Maureen Johnson
3. The Name of the Star – Maureen Johnson
4. Let it Snow: Three Holiday Romances – John Green
5. Shadow’s Edge – Brent Weeks
6. Beyond the Shadows – Brent Weeks
7. Zodiac Unmasked: The Identity of America’s Most Elusive Serial Killer Revealed – Robert Greysmith
8. Zodiac – Robert Greysmith
9. Beautiful Malice: A Novel – Rebecca James
10. A Simple Plan – Scott Smith
11. Alterant – Sherrilyn Kenyon
12. Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman’s Search for Everything Across Italy, India, and Indonesia – Elizabeth Gilbert

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That’s my list so far. Like I said, I’m most likely not going to get them any time soon. But it’s always nice to have a list. Some of these books were recommendations which I love. I love to hear about books that other people have read and loved and suggested to me. I also love suggesting books to other people. I mean, don’t you love seeing someone’s face light up when they read a book that you recommended. It kind of gives you some credibility as a reader. I think so at least.

If anyone reading this blog post has a book that they think that I should read, (any romances, some fantasy, young adult, historical fiction, historical romance) feel free to tell me because I will put them on my list and I will read the book. Any suggestion, really.

Have a Happy Weekend everyone! Enjoy, stay safe and have fun! I know that I will be! Time to party!

When I was in charge of purchasing for a small, rural library, buying patterns were interesting.  With many older patrons, mysteries far exceeded any other genre.  With many conservative patrons, right-wing political books exceeded left-wing.  And so on.  This was not a very racially diverse area, and so the real question that led to my thought above was “How many books did we need about African American history?”

We definitely had some.  We had enough to do an African American History month display in the Children’s room.  But here’s the thing – they never circulated except that month, and even then, they didn’t really circulate well over all.  Here’s the other thing – there was only one African American family that used the library with any regularity.  And I’d say African Americans were no more than 1% of the local patron base… if that.

On the other hand, libraries are a place to get people to expand their horizons and learn things, so having these resources available was a good thing.

But it remains a question.  Is a library obligated to have foreign language books for as many languages as they can find?  Or is it a better idea to see what the largest foreign-language speaking groups are in the area and just stock it for the ones that are significant?

How important is a significant Judaica collection if your area is predominantly Christian?

There’s a definite need to serve populations that may not have significant numbers in your community, I don’t deny that and I don’t think most librarians would deny it.  But I do wonder at what point spending staff time and library money on these services stops paying off and becomes silly.

• www.booko.com.au

Booko is a price comparison website, just type in the title or ISBN of the book you are currently dying to own and the website will provide a list of online retailers who supply that book. The list even appears in order of least expensive to most expensive, with the best part being it takes into account postage fees!

• Basement Books – www.basementbooks.com.au

If you live in Sydney this is the best place to visit, they sell remainder books* at crazy prices I’m talking as low as $1! They have a website but it is very basic, doesn’t include all the titles available in store and the books cost more if you buy online – not a lot more and they currently offer free shipping.

• www.allbooksforless.com.au

Most books on this website are $5; orders $30 and up include free postage. The downside is they only sell remainder books (thus the low prices) and so you never know what books they will have and when they sell out that’s it. The up side is they add new books daily.

• www.booktopia.com.au

The books on this website are still quite expensive and there is a postage fee ($6.50).  But if you get on the mailing list you can really get some bargains. They have a clearance section where they often do sales with books starting at $1, they do warehouse clearance sales (you need to live in Sydney for this) with crazy prices and the occasional free postage offer means if you keep your eye out you could get a bargain!

• Secondhand books

Garage sales and local markets are always great places to look for books, especially if the book you want has been made into a movie, is on the top 100 best selling books list or is a classic. Chances are you can find the book you want is as new condition, but you will have to search!
School fetes are also a great place to grab a bargain.

I hope these tips help feed your book buying habits! If you have any suggestions, tips or ideas that I have missed please let me know, I would love to hear them. Also if you have any questions ask away.

*don’t know what remainder books are – read about it here
http://www.basementbooks.com.au/basement-books/great-prices.do

My sister Nikki, as you all know, had surgery, and now is squatting in my house with her husband and her dog. I’m just kidding about the squatting thing but she is living here for the moment with her husband and her dog because she can’t really walk around very well. So at the moment I have 7 people and 4 dogs living at my house. To say that it’s a crowded is a little bit of an understatement.

Because of it, and the craziness of the last two weeks (Flugtag and Engagement party) I fell out my groove with writing and blogging. Hence the M.I.A. stuff.

But it’s going to change tomorrow. Starting tomorrow, I’m getting back to my groove with writing and blogging like I was a few weeks ago. I’m scared that if I don’t start again, I’m going to be completely out of the groove and it may take even longer to get back into it.

So I hope everyone has an amazing Labor Day and have a good time writing. I know I will! Wish me luck!

Today, a friend of mine showed me this article:
http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2012/bilbary-takes-next-steps-in-turning-libraries-into-sales-channels/

He was worried about this approach, and with good reason.  I mentioned in my posting that one thing libraries do is create free advertising for authors, but there is a point at which the gap between advertising and salesman becomes too tight to let libraries be effective at one of their major missions – providing information access for free.  If it becomes easier for the patron to pay money than to use an item for free, the library becomes more of a bait and switch shop that caters to the haves than an institution aimed at squaring the differences between the haves and have nots.

The CEO states that he wants to help patrons access a huge catalog of e-books as cheaply as possible; it’s the second part of that statement that begets the lie.  Anyone who wants to help libraries provide books as cheaply as possible would be focused on getting the inequitable systems that the publishers have created that ensure libraries can’t actually fulfill their mandate off the books, rather than create a pay system.  Anything other than a full throated attempt to disassemble the publisher’s system isn’t meant to serve the libraries, its meant to use libraries as a store front.

Fifty percent of the profit (which is far, far less than the purchase price) may go to the library, but that just proves the point – there’s no such thing as a free lunch, so for that money to go to the library, that just means Bilbary knows that they are paying the library to be an advertising service.  Bilbary (nor any other company) are going to give the libraries money just “because”.  Its an incentive to act as sales people – and not a very good one at that.

Essentially, this is akin to a library having a Barnes and Noble in its walls, and then the companies that work with Barnes and Noble not selling the library more than one physical copy of a book at a time.  “Oh, you want Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows?  Sorry, there’s 350 holds on that item.  But the Barnes and Noble right there will sell you a copy.”

Bilbary is taking its program “one step at a time” because they want to see how much librarians will stand in regard to the eroding of their role, and how much library patrons will stand in limitations on service.  I can’t blame Califa too much, because they are in a hard place that empowers the publishers – ebook demand is high and growing.

Another friend of mine says, often, that if you aren’t paying for a service, then you aren’t the customer – you’re the product.  See, for example, Facebook.  Perhaps the only exception to the idea of something for nothing is government services – since you are paying for them, just in a more roundabout, power of scale advanatage taking, collective way – like libraries funded by your taxes.  But it doesn’t apply to the private corporations that serve libraries – when those start “giving stuff away”, it is time to be very, very wary.

Image from Pincushioncreations.com

As we all know, books are very expensive. Text books are extraordinarily expensive. I take 12 classes a year and different books are needed for nearly every class. Luckily I was never required to buy all my books because they would have been much too expensive!! One book alone would have cost nearly €200. And they are huge!! So here are my tips for buying college books!!

1. Never buy your books from a college book store unless the sell second-hand books. Because those bookstores are so close to the college, they will charge you for the convenience of being so close!
2. Try to buy your books second-hand. Generally speaking, second-hand textboks are cheap and are usually in good condition (because they don’t get used by students much!!). There are plenty of bookstores that sell second-hand books. These are great because you can look through the books before you buy them and you can determine if they are in good condition.
3. If you really want new copies of your books, buy them online. Alot of online bookstores sell books at up to 20% off. They are also good to give free shipping if you spend over a certain amount. Colleges can normally recommend good online stores. Amazon.com is also great. You can get both new and second-hand books for a resonable price!!
4. Shop around!! Just because you bought a book from a shop doesn’t mean you have to buy all your books there. Check out the full price of all your books then check out the prices in lots of different stores.
5. Don’t buy all your books before you start classes. Get the basics that are definately required first. Alot of the time, colleges give you a list of every book you might possibly need for references. Generally, you don’t need these books much at all so there is no need to purchase them. They are always available in the school’s library so you can just check them out there. Also by not purchasing all your books at the beginning, you can check with your lecturers which ones you actually need. A lot of lecturers don’t use textbooks at all!!!

I hope these tips were helpful for you!!!

Nel

Recently she gave me a couple of Lisa Scottoline books. My sister kind of got into this author and I figured why not give it a try? Well I have to say that Lisa Scottoline is a pretty great author. I’m not sure if she’s new, or just new to me, but I like the two stories I have read so far.

She’s kind of a combination between Jodi Picoult and Mary Higgins Clark. There’s mystery in her boos but there’s also a lot of warm family/friend types of feelings within the characters and their lives.

There’s a wholesome feeling to her writing and the stories really draw you in. Even with my busy schedule this summer (and this summer was SUPER busy) I managed to read here books within days. I have a few more of her books, courtesy of my sister, that I plan on starting after I finish the current book I’m reading. I can’t wait.

I really enjoy Lisa Scottoline’s books so far and I plan to put more other books on my boo wish list. She’s definitely an author I’m going to be looking out for now…she might even become one of my top authors that I love to read!

So I guess I should thank my sister for introducing me to Lisa. Thanks sis!

We usually buy fewer book collections in August than other months.  People are away, third floor book rooms and attics (where the books always are) are sweltering, energy is low.  So this week I only bought three collections, including one fairly big one in the Mt Airy section of Philadelphia.  (see picture 1).  This group of books is mostly theology with a dose of mysteries to leaven the dough.  A smattering of history books and a couple of leather bindings from a house in West Philly and a batch of turn of the century novels in decorative publisher’s binding from Delaware rounded out my book buying week.  Like I said slow.

Of course I looked at many more books than I bought.  Sometimes people get upset when I pass on books they would like to sell.  I guess they feel rejected, which I understand since we book lovers do identify with our books.  But I mean no offense.  It’s really quite simple.  I will buy any book I can sell (and quite a few I can’t).  But I will not knowingly buy any book that I can’t sell and that is, unfortunately, a huge percentage of all books that exist.

We work hard at selling them too.  We sell on the Internets.  We sell in our Outlet Store.  We sell to TV producers and designers.  We sell them cheap.  We sell them dear.  But some just can’t be sold. Period.

And when I cannot buy books that I am offered I’m like a fisherman hauling in a net filled with dogfish and tin cans.  It’s not fun. It’s work with no reward and it does not feed my kids.  It simply means  I cannot sell the books you have (And I’ve been at this so long that probably no one can) and even if I wanted to I can’t give you money for books I can’t sell because the Feds don’t bail out booksellers. So don’t take it personally.  Don’t complain on yelp.  I’m not happy about it either.  Of course if you have taken the time to drag your books in we will buy what we can and happily recycle the ones we can’t.

Yep this about sums me up perfectly. HAPPY READING!!!!

How do I get textbooks?

One of the most common is to purchase books from the JMU Bookstore or the University Outpost Bookstore.  To cut down on your cost and be “green,” try to purchase used books or rent books. The JMU Bookstore does offer a low price guarantee on new textbooks.  You can also look at online retailers, like Amazon or Barnes & Noble to shop around for new and used textbooks.  Just remember, the longer it takes to get to you the longer you will have to wait to do your class reading. (And waiting on a textbook isn’t a good excuse to give to your professor when you’re unprepared).

How do I know which textbooks to purchase?

If you want to get an idea of what textbooks you might want to purchase before you come to school (even if you don’t want to buy the books online), log-in to MyMadison to view the books associated with your courses. Check out this quick tutorial to learn how to access this information:

You can also wait until the first day of class when the instructor will review the books you’ll need along with the syllabus. The bookstore does an excellent job organizing books so you can find the texts you need when you go to the physical and online locations.

When should I purchase my textbooks?

The first thing to note is a faculty member might change his/her book selection before the first day of class and you might change classes, so purchasing books early might mean you need to return or exchange them later. You can wait until the first day of class to see what the professor discusses for purchasing textbooks when they review the syllabus in regards to required and recommended books. If you need to return a textbook, the bookstore has a deadline of September 4 to return any new, unused textbooks. You must also have a valid receipt with your return.

Packing List

You are going to college. You aren’t going to Antarctica. It’s important to pack  the essentials and forget the excess. So, here are some of my suggestions for what to pack and what to leave at home.  This list will help you identify things that are easily forgettable or may make your college life a little easier.

Things to Bring

 Bedding - Most standard twin sheets are too short for residence hall mattresses. So, you’ll need to buy extra-long twin sheets and bedding. Depending on how often you plan to do laundry, you may want to bring a couple sets of sheets.

Entertainment - Decide who will be bringing a TV, DVD player, gaming equipment, etc. If you plan to bring DVDs, pack them in a portable binder to take up less space.

Dining - Remember, you have a great meal plan through JMU Dining. So, there’s no need for you to bring a full kitchen setup for your room. The Office of Residence Life only permits one refrigerator per bedroom, so talk with your roommate(s) to discuss who will bring one. Microwaves and other appliances are prohibited from residence hall rooms. But, there is a community microwave and kitchen area in every residence hall. So, bring a few microwave-safe plates, bowls, basic silverware, a coffee mug, water bottle, plastic cup, dish soap, and a can-opener. The more dishes you bring, the more you have to keep clean.

Studying - Every room is furnished with a desk and chair. You may want to bring a small desk lamp or clip lamp to use when your roommate is asleep. Nearly all college students bring some type of computer to campus. See if your roommate wants to share a printer (don’t forget the paper and extra ink!) and power strip to maximize the use of the electrical outlets. If you’re a caffeine junkie, consider bringing your own small coffee maker (must have an automatic shut off) to help you get through late night/early morning study sessions. And, obviously, don’t forget all the basics – pens, pencils, highlighters, paper, binders, etc.

Washing/Cleaning – You will likely share a bathroom, so don’t forget a sturdy pair of shower shoes/flip flops and shower caddy that will hold your shampoo, body wash, and other necessary shower toiletries. Pack a few towels that dry quickly, and a robe, if that’s your style. Don’t forget a hamper, laundry basket, detergent, and money to do laundry. Typically, a housekeeper will clean your bathroom about once a week, but cleaning your room is up to you and your roommate. Pack those Clorox wipes, paper towels, a few sponges or rags, and any other cleaning items you prefer.

Decorating/Organization - Your new home may be small, but it’s important to make it feel comfortable and cozy. Many people choose to bring a small whiteboard or cork board to organize information or post on their door for others to leave messages. The floors will all be tile, so consider talking with your roommate about  bringing a rug to warm things up. Don’t forget items that will help you make use of all available space – hooks, hangers, over-the-door organizers, etc.

Clothes - Don’t feel the need to bring everything. Pack for the seasons knowing you’ll have a chance to swap out wardrobes during university holidays and breaks. Bring your favorite clothes, comfortable shoes, workout clothes, pajamas, a couple nicer outfits for fancy dinners or interviews, and rain boots/jacket and an umbrella.

Miscellaneous - Don’t forget important documents, your course catalog, chargers for your phone, laptop, camera, and other electronics, a first aid kid, over-the-counter medication, small fan (not all residence halls are air conditioned; check here to see if your is), combination lock, flash drive, small tool set, and 3M removable sticky strips to hang things on your walls.

Leave at home

Ironing board/iron (unless you already regularly use one), candles, any appliance with an exposed/open heating element, expensive stuff that could make you a target for theft, high school stuff (e.g. prom dress, letter jacket), space heaters, anything in bulk (your tiny room isn’t Costco)!

1. Free Four by Veronica Roth (BN.com)

Free Four is a short story that was originally available only on Facebook. Although, to call it a short story is extremely generous; in reality, it’s a scene (just a couple of pages in length) told from Tobias’s point of view. If you are a fan of Divergent, I would recommend reading this. I really enjoyed the additional insight into one of my favorite characters. Since reading on the computer bothers my eyes, I immediately preordered a copy when the e-book version was announced. I don’t mind buying something I’ve already read if I know I’ll want to read it again. And for $0.99, this was a cheap addition to my library.

2. Skinny by Diana Spechler (BN.com)

This was an impulse buy, for the most part. I follow most of Harper Collins’ imprints on Twitter, and they are always posting e-book deals. When I read a tweet about a $0.99-sale on a bunch of their titles, I had to check it out (maybe I’ll find something great, you never know…). None of the titles were YA, but the cover of this one caught my eye. Skinny is a contemporary fiction about a young woman who winds up at a weight-loss camp, where she must learn to take control of her life before it consumes her. I don’t know when I’ll get around to reading this one, but it was cheap and the story sounds interesting.

3. Wondrous Strange by Leslie Livingston (BN.com)

I was so excited when I heard about this one! I’ve wanted to read it for the longest time, but I never got around to it. Another tweet from Harper Collins (seriously, I love this publisher!) alerted me to the discounted price ($1.99). Wondrous Strange is the first in a bestselling YA urban-fantasy trilogy about faeries. All of the books are currently available so you don’t have to worry about waiting for some to be published.

4. Seize the Night by Sherrilyn Kenyon (BN.com)

At $7.99, this book wasn’t on sale, but I had a gift card so I didn’t feel too badly about buying it. I’ve been reading Anna Karenina for one of my book clubs, and I needed a break from Tolstoy’s writing. I recently started reading Sherrilyn Kenyon’s paranormal Dark-Hunter series, and I’m totally addicted. Seize the Night was a great escape from Russian literature. What I love most about the Dark-Hunter novels is that they have a great story in addition to the romance. Kenyon excels at developing her characters, and I can’t wait to read more of this series. (I finished this book this morning, and I hope to have a review up soon.)

5. Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë (BN.com)

This was a big impulse buy. I’ve already read Wuthering Heights, and I have a copy on my nook. I also had a paperback copy, which I donated to the library. However, I saw this edition in Barnes & Noble last week, and I couldn’t resist. I think the cover perfectly captures the mood of the story, and it’s gorgeous. The pages were a bright white and easy to read. It felt great in my hands, so I had to get a copy for my bookshelf. With my employee discount, it wasn’t too expensive ($6.25). If you’re looking to get caught up in Catherine and Heathcliff’s tragic romance, this is the book for you.

6. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (BN.com)

I bought this book when I got Wuthering Heights. I’ve always wanted to read To Kill a Mockingbird, so I picked up the little paperback for $5.60. This book is not available as an e-book (at least, not that I noticed), so I had to get a physical copy. I don’t mind having the book, though…it’s a classic.

Total for the week: $23.81

I went a little overboard with my book shopping this week. Those impulse buys get me every time! However, most of the books I got were discounted, and I’d wanted to read them for a while.

Some of you may know I had a birthday this past week (yay!), so naturally, I wanted to treat myself to a couple of books.

1. Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman (BN.com)

Anansi Boys is a humorous mythological fantasy about a young man who learns his father is the Trickster god, Anansi. I’m actually very excited about this book because I’ve heard a lot of good things about the author, and I enjoyed Tamora Pierce’s Daughter of the Lioness series, which features a version of the Trickster god. Also, do you see that cover? It’s pretty spectacular, and even though I know I shouldn’t, I tend to judge books by their covers.

I bought this book because it was the winner of one of Barnes & Noble’s Summer Weekend Reads contests (on Nook’s Facebook page, you vote for one of two books to be discounted for a weekend during the summer: e-book version only). The e-book was $3.99 on sale; normally, it’s $9.99.

2. Red-Headed Stepchild by Jay Wells (BN.com)

“In a world where being of mixed-blood is a major liability, Sabina Kane has the only profession fit for an outcast: assassin. But, her latest mission threatens the fragile peace between the vampire and mage races and Sabina must scramble to figure out which side she’s on. She’s never brought her work home with her–until now. This time, it’s personal.” (Summary from Goodreads)

This was another bargain e-book, so I couldn’t resist. Each month, BN.com features an author (in this case, Jay Wells) and offers one of her books (e-book version only) for 99 cents. The featured title is usually the first in a series because the promotion is designed to introduce readers to the author and hopefully get them to buy more of her books. If you want to take advantage of the discount too, you have until the end of August.

I don’t buy just any discounted book…I have to be at least somewhat interested in the story. Red-Headed Stepchild is a paranormal romance, and I’m intrigued with the description. The story reminds me of Richelle Mead’s Georgina Kincaid and Dark Swan series, so I’m pretty excited about this read.

3. The Iron King by Julie Kagawa (BN.com)

“Half human. Half faery. Fully endangered. Meghan Chase is about to come into her legacy….The Faery realms have always weathered the clash of Summer and Winter fey, the Seelie and Unseelie Courts. Now a new breed of faery has emerged to challenge both—to their peril. Forged by Man’s insatiable pursuit of technological superiority, the terrifying Iron fey are massing…and the fate of all faeries hangs in the balance. The greatest weapon in this epic magical war? A half-human teenage girl.” (Iron Fey website)

The Iron King was my book splurge of the week, and at $5.49 for the e-book, I think that’s pretty good. Julie Kagawa’s Iron Fey series has been out for a while, but I’ve never gotten around to reading it. Since the last book, The Iron Knight, was recently released, now is the perfect time to get caught up. A romantic YA fantasy, this series could end up being one of my favorites!
4. The Last Romanov by Dora Levy Mossanen (BN.com)

“She was an orphan, ushered into the [Russian] royal palace on the prayers of her majestry. Yet, decades later, her time spent in the embrace of the Romanovs haunts her still. Is she responsible for those murderous events that changed everything? If only she can find the heir, maybe she can put together the broken pieces of her own past-maybe she can hold on to the love she found. Bursting to life with the rich and glorious marvels of Imperial Russia, The Last Romanov is a magical tale of second chances and royal blood.” (from BN.com)

On August 3rd, The Last Romanov was the featured “Free Friday” e-book from Barnes & Noble. It had been a while since I was interested in any of the selected Free Friday titles, but when I read the description for this story, a historical fiction with a hint of fantasy and romance, I couldn’t wait to download it! Also, the fact that the book takes place in Imperial Russia during the time of Anastasia (one of my favorite movies, FYI) didn’t hurt.
5. Crux by Moira Rogers (BN.com)

Crux was an impulse buy, plain and simple. After I downloaded the Free Friday (see above, #4), I searched Barnes & Noble’s website for some more decent, free ebooks. Crux, the first book in the Southern Arcana series, is a paranormal romance about a shapeshifter in New Orleans. Well, you all know I’m a sucker for a good paranormal romance, so my search for another free read ended here.

I don’t often read straight-up romance novels, but I like a fun, easy read every now and then. Variety is the spice of life, or so they say. Since this book was free, I’d say it’s a win-win.

Total for the week: $10.47 (Not bad for 5 books!)

So, what do you think of Confessions of a (Book) Shopaholic? Is there anything you would change or add? Since it’s a new series for my blog, I’d love to have some feedback!

Also, let me know which book you’re most interested in reading (or if you’ve read it already)…I may bump it up on the to-be-read shelf.

“You know that thing when you see someone cute and he smiles and your heart kind of goes like warm butter sliding down hot toast? Well that’s what it’s like when I see a store. Only it’s better.” ~Rebecca Bloomwood, Confessions of a Shopaholic (2009)

Have you ever read Sophie Kinsella’s bestselling Confessions of a Shopaholic? It’s a hilarious book chronicling the misadventures of compulsive-shopper Rebecca Bloomwood. I like to watch the movie every now and then because I identify with the heroine (OK, Hugh Dancy may be another reason I like to watch!). While Becky dreams about silk scarves and Gucci boots, I lust after bestsellers and paperbacks. Whenever I step into a bookstore and see the beautiful hardcovers on display, I want to scoop them all up and bring them home. Since I actually work in a bookstore (and I don’t have unlimited funds), I must exert some willpower.

According to my Goodreads page, I own over 200 books that I haven’t read yet. These include ebooks and books that I’ve either bought myself or received as a gift. I read an average of 50 books per year, so I currently have enough books to last about four years. But that doesn’t stop me from acquiring new ones: I can’t resist a good bargain, and Barnes & Noble offers plenty of deals for e-book readers.

With that information in mind, I would like to introduce a new feature to this blog: Confessions of a (Book) Shopaholic. Every week or two, I’ll feature the books that I’ve recently bought or received. It may be a while before I get a chance to read them, but I don’t want you to miss out on something interesting. Maybe you’ll want to add one to your library as well. Look for the first entry tomorrow!

Not only are the books toe curlers and attention grabbers, but the chapters are not more than two or three pages so it feels like you’re reading it quicker than you would think. The characters are so real and not only do they have problems with whatever mystery they are trying to solve at the moment, but they have real life problems. James Patterson makes these women (there are four of them: a police officer, a reporter, a lawyer, and a person who does the autopsies) so life like that they almost become your friends. You want to know what happens to them, and you want to see them safe. You get sucked into the story and don’t want it to end. Then when it does end, you want to pick up the next book right away.

I would definitely recommend all of these books for any reader. Although the main characters are women, the story is not geared towards women. Even men would like this series, I’m sure of it. So if you’re looking for a  bunch of summer reads that will also keep you at the edge of your seat, I totally recommend these books. You can’t go wrong!