The One Where I Binged All of the Shows (and Read None of the Books)

July 7, 2016 by Alyssa

Hello, beautiful friends! How is everyone? Things have been pretty quiet for a while around the blog, eh? I feel like every year I hit a point mid year where I am like whoa…haven’t posted in a while, maybe I should do a mid-year check-in so people know I’m alive and well! So here it is…it’s summer and things get crazy, work is busy with summer reading and life is busy with love and just all good things! So let’s catch up…

What I’ve been doing:

So much! January brought me to ALA in Boston with Amy and Brittany, and we were able to see our PEOPLE and it was glorious and wonderful. I got a pretty good haul, too!

Then of course we had BEA in Chicago this year and I got to hug Kiki again much to her dismay! I went to fun dinners and outings and got to spend time with some of my very favorite people in all the land and it was lovely.

I got a new tattoo that I am in love with, as you know I am very much into the idea that you make your own choices and are Queen (or King!) of your own life and that’s what the tattoo represents! Speaking of Queens, Alexa and Kelly came to see me and we spent the day at The Book Barn and walking around the town of Niantic. Always fantastic to spend time with people who just get you and offer no judgment on who you are on the inside ❤

Hmmm what else…Oh! I am running a summer reading program that I created from scratch at work and it’s tons of work. Like…cue weekly panic attacks over it lots of work. So far we have done Cupcake Wars and Trivia Night and both have gone over very well so I am pleased but still have to hope that I come out on the other end unscathed.

Dr. Seuss FTW!

What I’ve been watching:

Ohh so I am currently obsessed with playing The Witcher! By obsessed I mean that I will play for HOURS for DAYS and then won’t pick it up for a month…but it is SO. GOOD. Also I am so behind on reading (as I’ll show you below) so I have been binging too many shows, such as:

Twin Peaks: OMG why did it take me so long to get into this?! Could. Not. Stop. Have made multiple people start watching so we can discuss WTF is even HAPPENING.
Preacher: I read a few of the comics and it doesn’t seem to follow the story TOO closely but hoo boy is our Preacher good lookin’ I am completely on board.
Lucifer: I tried to get into these comics and it just wasn’t working for me, but the show is fantastic. Also again with the handsome male lead.
Game of Thrones: This season has been SO. GOOD. I don’t want to spoil even though I hope people are caught up by now but oh man….I was on the edge of my seat every episode. It was a VERY different experience being that it was the first season that surpassed the books so I didn’t know what was coming but still saw some theories come to light and it was just amazing *sheds a little tear*
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Quick, fun and hilarious. Everyone recommended this to me because I love The Mindy Project and New Girl (though I am SO MANY episodes behind on both that it’s shameful) and they weren’t wrong. Loved it.
Downton Abbey: It’s over! I can’t believe it! I was honestly sad to see this one go, but will definitely be going back to re-watch. I thought the ending was superb, I loved how things were tied up.
Gilmore Girls: Ah! My re-watch before the miniseries comes out! I am on season 4 now and just had some MAJOR Jess feels! I will say it is so strange to watch this now and relate to Lorelei instead of Rory! It is a totally different experience but I love it so.

#amreading

I am so so behind. I have lowered my Goodreads challenge TWICE and I am still two books behind. I am in a slump! Since I have only read 23 (ugh) books this year lemme share!

I finally read Alanna!

I binged the entire Mara Dyer series and loved it

The Smell of Other People’s Houses was surprisingly wonderful

Romancing the Duke was my first try at those so called “bodice rippers” and SIGN ME UP, I loved it so!

I finished The Lunar Chronicles, Winter took me ages but it was worth it and Stars Above gave us the very best epilogue ever *swoon*

Ghostly Echoes was possibly my favorite of the three Jackaby novels, I loved learning about Jenny!

I finally got the courage to read The Rose and the Dagger and finish the series and it was so beautiful. It took me so long because I just kept re-reading passages over and over.

Me Before You was not as good as the movie (GASP!) In fact, I had a hard time liking the novel on the whole

I read the BFG to prep myself to see the movie with my niece. Unfortunately, I hate read most of it and will be writing a post all about the why!

Currently I am reading The Gunslinger and I am really liking it which is great because I generally do not enjoy King’s writing. I am also reading and LOVING My Lady Jane and Lost Gods which was one of my most anticipated books of the year. Also! I was just approved on Edelweiss for an ARC of Yesternight by Cat Winters and I cannot WAIT to delve in!

What’s to come:

Hmm…Our next round of Secret Sister (omg round 5!!) starts in just a few weeks. Amy is coming to visit at the end of the month. Soon it will be FOOTBALL SEASON aka pumpkin flavored everything season aka scarf season aka holding hands while traipsing through a pumpkin patch season aka THE BEST SEASON! I’ll hopefully review some of those books I’ve been reading…or not cause I am very “I do what I want” and sometimes reviewing feels like a chore, what can I say? Oh and in November I will be heading back to Illinois for Friendsgiving with Amy and Britt which is basically the highlight of my year, every year. That’s pretty much it for me…As you all know I give too much away on Twitter and share too many pictures of my books and cats on Instagram! ❤

Love-A-Thon (3)

February 20, 2016 by Alyssa

loveathon

Hey there lovelies!! I am sure most of you know that the lovely Alexa over at Alexa Loves Books is hosting her annual Love-A-Thon, it is just another way that some of us are trying to focus on the cheer and positive aspects of our book blogging community. I will have a few posts on the blog throughout the weekend, and will be participating as much as I can on Twitter using the hashtag #LoveAThon so make sure to stay tuned! Happy reading, friends!!

What’s your name?

Alyssa, but honestly so few people call me that as I have so many nicknames from my loved ones. I go by “A” in the blogging world mostly.

Where in the world are you blogging from?

New England – I WAS PROMISED SNOW, WHERE IS IT?!

How did you get into blogging in the first place?

I was actually in graduate school for my MLIS a few years back and we had to observe different resources for reader’s advisory, one of which being blogs. I had been following a few (The Book Smugglers, and Broke & the Bookish being two!) and I thought about how fun it would be so I started one, and convinced my friend Heidi from Bunbury in the Stacks that it was a good idea that she start one as well!

How did you come up with your blog name?

I wanted something that was meaningful to me, that spoke of my feelings regarding books and how important they are. I have always felt that books took me away from the drama of the real world and you can become immersed in the fictional world for a little while and forget whatever it is that needs forgetting. Thus Books Take You Places was born.

What genre do you read and review the most on your blog?

I read a lot of fantasy, it makes me the happiest!

What other types of posts do you do on your blog, apart from reviews?

Hmm I have been known to write some Disney posts ranking the swooniest male leads and villains. I also write some “non-traditional” reviews for my On the Same Page feature that I do with Amy (Tripping Over Books) and Brittany (The Book Addict’s Guide)!

Best blogging experience so far?

Hands down, the best blogging experience has been meeting my best friends. I like to call Amy and Brittany my “better thirds” because they make me a better person overall. I often think about how lucky I am to have found soul friends through the power of THE INTERNET 😀 Honestly, I couldn’t make it through a day without these two. With these two, I have created The Secret Sister Project which does its own to foster positivity in the community, that is probably the blogging experience of which I am most proud.

Favorite thing about the blogging community?

THE community is my favorite thing about the community!! Though we have those negative moments, for the most part everyone works hard to promote positivity and importantly, LITERACY. As a librarian I am a huge advocate for ALL THE READING!! It honestly brings me glee that I can hop on an app on my phone, send out a message or inquiry or even sad thought and have so many people reply back with an array of assistance.

Name the 5 books you’re most excited for this 2016!

-THE ROSE AND THE DAGGER by Renee Ahdieh (GIVE. IT. TO. ME. NOW.)

– The Thorn of Emberlain by Scott Lynch (please please be this year)

– Yesternight by Cat Winters

– Heartless by Marissa Meyer

– The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater (because now I can start and binge the whole series YAY)

Name the 5 books you want to read this 2016 that you didn’t get to in previous years!

Hmm this is harder…

I am going to binge read the entire Raven Boys series

….and The Mara Dyer series

I have to finish Winter…oops.

Six of Crows is still waiting for me

…and I still never started Shadow Scale

What’s an underrated book or series that you think everyone should read?

The Caged Graves by Dianne Salerni. I loved it so much. It encompasses so many wonderful elements. If you’re looking for an immensely atmospheric, mysterious, and romantic read, I highly recommend that you pick this one up immediately.

Which book boy or girl would be your book BFF?

Sybella from Dark Triumph, I think. Though we are so very alike so I may need to choose Ismae instead so she can even me out a bit…

Which book boy or girl would be your book boyfriend/girlfriend?

AHHHHH….Bran from Son of the Shadows, I think…though I think Red is probably better for me as he is more patient than Bran and I am in need of a life partner with patience 😉

Who would you recruit for your apocalypse squad (5 characters max)

Karou from Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor for ALL THE REASONS

Agnieszka from Uprooted by Naomi Novik because duh, magic

Door from Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman because duh, she can make doors and we might need them on the other side

Snow White from Fables by Bill Willingham because she is a fighter and basically never loses

Liadan from Son of the Shadows by Juliet Marillier because she is a skilled healer

Apart from reading, what are your other hobbies or interests?

Hmm I binge watch a lot of shows (currently the last two seasons of Downton Abbey), I spend hours and days playing video games, and then don’t play again for ages (currently The Witcher), I do puzzles and just started loom knitting like a proper old lady. When it’s warm, I hike and Letterbox and sometimes Geocache…but for the most part, I read.

Apart from book shopping, what else do you like shopping for?

Hmm…makeup, I suppose. I don’t really shop for myself, though I spend a lot of time buying fun presents for other people!

At a party, the DJ suddenly changes the song – and it’s your song. What song would be playing?

Oh lawd…I don’t know! This depends on who I am with, you know? Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You” is a song that I will sing no matter where I am when it comes on, can we count that?

Pick out either a book you want turned into a film/TV show, or a film/TV show you want turned into a book.

I think….The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. Of course, this is only if it can be made PHENOMENAL. Like, Harry Potter adaptation phenomenal.

What would your dream library look like?

Actually it would look like my personal library…I work very hard to make it the coziest place ever!

Author you want to meet and sit down to tea with?

Definitely Neil Gaiman! This is the obvious choice, right? It isn’t just because of my obvious obsession with his works, I think that he is incredibly brilliant. I would love to talk to him about all things in life, and I think we would have enlightening conversations! After I got over my definite nervousness, of course!

The Secret Sister Project (4)

January 16, 2016 by Alyssa

secret sister project

I cannot believe that it is already time for round FOUR of #OTSPSECRETSISTER!!

Let’s first get some housekeeping things out of the way…

The two most important things to do when signing up to be a part of this project are:

Head over to the google form which coincides with your monetary tier and fill it out in full. NOTE: IF YOU FORGET TO DO THIS THEN YOU WILL NOT BE PAIRED. THIS IS LITERALLY WHAT WE ARE USING TO PAIR YOU UP, IF YOU AREN’T ON THE FORM, WE CAN NOT PAIR YOU.
BEFORE scrolling down to the questions, and BEFORE signing up to be a part of this project please THOROUGHLY read our FAQ and Rules post. Memorize the rules and refers back to it throughout the project. We are going to have to put more strict standards in place this round and therefore there is little leeway for tolerance of people not abiding the “rules.”

Just to cover all of our bases let me reiterate a few things, but please keep in mind that this is just a basic glossing over of these rules, we go more in detail and clarify everything in the main post that we are asking you to reference.

First, please remember that this is a commitment. By signing up to be a secret sister you are promising to send at least one small card AND/OR gift to your secret sister a month depending on the “monetary group” you sign up for. IN ADDITION to this, you are also asked to send letters and or/postcards to foster positive communication. Many people asked for their to be an emphasis on the pen pal aspects of this project and we have been working hard to remind everyone that it’s not about the gifts, and this seems like the perfect way to do so. It is very important that you don’t sign up for this unless you are willing to follow through. Please think of how sad (and unfair) it would be for someone to be working hard to make their secret sister feel special and not receive anything themselves!

Last thing, sign-ups run from January 16 to midnight on January 29! Continue reading →

Bard on the Blogs: Guest Post by Emma from Miss Print

April 26, 2015 by Alyssa

Hello there, friends! Today, we have Emma from Miss Print chatting all about one of my favorite sonnets by William Shakespeare, Sonnet 130! After you are done reading, head on over to check out Emma’s blog and Twitter and head over to a Rafflecopter giveaway and enter for a chance to win a Shakespeare retelling of your choice!

What’s the first word that comes to mind when you hear the name William Shakespeare?

For me, the immediate answer is “poet.”

Considering the iambic pentameter of his plays, it makes sense that Shakespeare was also a brilliant

poet who wrote 154 sonnets

over the course of his lifetime. In each sonnet, he drew out beautiful imagery and sentiments from the

rigid form that follows a specific line structure and rhyme scheme.

One of my favorite Shakespeare sonnets, one I refer to often when trying to improve my own writing, is

Sonnet 130.

Sonnet CXXX

My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun;

Coral is far more red, than her lips red:

If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun;

If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head.

I have seen roses damasked, red and white,

But no such roses see I in her cheeks;

And in some perfumes is there more delight

Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks.

I love to hear her speak, yet well I know

That music hath a far more pleasing sound:

I grant I never saw a goddess go,

My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground:

And yet by heaven, I think my love as rare,

As any she belied with false compare.

Like the best poems, Sonnet 130 is layered. Instead of showering his mistress with false comparisons,

the narrator suggests that he loves her all the more fiercely for seeing her clearly–a beautiful thought

that is as relevant today as it would have been in Shakespeare’s own lifetime.

The interplay between what is overtly stated and what is left unsaid here works as a primer for how to

write and how to do it well. This sonnet never calls the subject of the poem beautiful or any other

niceties. Still, by the end, it’s impossible to think the narrator feels anything but a deep love for the

subject.

Sonnet 130 challenges everything readers think they know about love poems–and it does so with

humor. Being a sonnet is impressive enough, but also being funny and conversational? Being timely and

relevant while being more than four hundred years old? Astonishing.

Like a magician diverting the audience’s attention, Shakespeare’s Sonnet 130 is a misdirect of sorts as he

uses simple language and plain ideas to give voice to an abstract concept. And, really, isn’t that the

standard to which every poem, not to mention every writer, should strive?