2020 Big Game’s On Read-a-thon: Half-Time!

Posted on February 2, 2020 by Jenn

 

Half-time is here! It’s is time to reminisce on what you’ve read so far today.  How has your reading gone so far?  What snacks have you partaken in?

Despite all of my attempts, I wasn’t able to start a book on our drive home from Philadelphia.  That said, I did start reading as soon as the game came on!  I’m reading The Chill by Scott Carson! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As far as food, so far we’ve partaken in: pizza, wings, buffalo chicken dip, potato skins, pigs in a blanket!

While there won’t be any official posts until the wrap-up tomorrow, keep us updated on your progress in the comments below or, if you are on Twitter, use the hashtag #biggamereadathon!

Game on!

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2020 Big Game’s On Read-a-thon: Kick-Off!

Posted on February 2, 2020 by Jenn

It’s finally here, the kick-off for The Big Game’s On Read-a-thon!  Although the official Superbowl kick-off isn’t for several hours yet, I wanted to give everyone the opportunity to start reading if they choose! There’s still time to sign-up if you haven’t already!

Please enter the link to your kick-off post below.  Discuss the books you are planning to read, the food you are planning to snack on, etc.  Since this is a completely laid back, relaxed read-a-thon, feel free to do it any way you chose! No blog, no worries! Just share your plans in the comments below, on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter. Just make sure you use the hashtag #biggamereadathon so we can keep track of your posts!

We’re in Philly heading back to DC today, so while my reading will start early, the food part starts when we get home!  Pizza, wings, appetizers and buffalo chicken dip are the plan!

What is your reading/food line-up!?

 


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2020 Big Game’s On Read-a-thon: Pregame

Posted on February 1, 2020 by Jenn

It’s Superbowl Eve! Before the big game begins tomorrow, I wanted to go over a few “rules”, which aren’t really rules per se but to go along with the whole football game theme I’ve got to stick to the terminology! 

The read-a-thon officially runs all day tomorrow, February 2nd.  Sign up here!

You do not have to spend the entire day reading. Read an hour here or there, no pressure.

A kick-off post will go up tomorrow at 6 am.  Again, no pressure, just do your post whenever you feel like it.

Mini-challenge posts will pop up periodically throughout the day.  Feel free to participate in as many as you like, but again, these are not mandatory.

A wrap-up post will go up first thing on Monday morning.

Ok, I think that covers it!  Easy peasy, right? Check back tomorrow morning for the official kick-off post!

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2020 Big Game’s On Read-a-thon!

Posted on January 28, 2020 by Jenn


It’s that time again!! It’s not rare for me to come up with excuses reasons to spend obscene  amounts of time reading.  With Superbowl Sunday just around the corner, I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to curl up with a good book, or two.  I’m not a huge fan of football, and while I love the commercials & the food, I’d rather be reading!

 

The details:

  • No rules, no guidelines, just read
  • No start/end times, just read at your leisure.
  • Mini-challenges will be created to break up your reading time. Participating in these challenges is not mandatory, but you will be eligible for a number of great prizes!

To sign up, link up below. I will create a separate kick-off link-up on Superbowl Sunday for all participants as well! No blog? Feel free to sign up directly in the comments section. If you want to participate on Twitter or Instagram, I’ll be using #biggamereadathon!


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Book Club: Favorite Reads of 2019!

Posted on January 15, 2020 by Jenn

OMPBookClub

 

The fiction book club I lead at One More Page Books kicks off the new year by talking about our favorite reads of the previous year.  We call it a book club potluck: instead of food we bring book recommendations! This aren’t necessarily book club picks, but books we’ve read outside of book club that we’ve really enjoyed. Additionally, they don’t have to have been published recently, simply books we’ve read in the last year. This is my favorite meeting of the year; we always come up with quite the eclectic list of books!

Without further ado! The link will take you to a page to purchase it from my favorite indie; they will ship to you!!

Heartland: A Memoir of Working Hard and Being Broke in the Richest Country on Earth by Sarah Smarsh

Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother’s Will to Survive by Stephanie Land

Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid: this was one of my favorite reads as well.  I personally preferred the audiobook.

The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow: Another favorite of mine! I listened to the audio, which was fantastic.  The only downside is there were so many quotes I would have highlighted; I’m sure I’ll break down and buy the print version as well.

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee: This was one of our book club picks. We all loved it; such a phenomenal title!

The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell by Robert Dugoni: Another book club pick.  This title has so many discussion worthy topics!

We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter: This one has been on my to-read list for a while. Time to bump it up the list!

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles: Yet another book club pick! This seems to be a favorite of many!

The Giver of Stars by JoJo Moyes: One of my first reads of this year! This is a good one! Quite different than her other books but most definitely worth the read.

Becoming by Michelle Obama: This one goes without saying. Such a phenomenal read (or listen).

Welcome to the Goddamn Ice Cube: Chasing Fear and Finding Home in the Great White North by Blair Braverman: If this title doesn’t grab you, I don’t know what will.  This is another I’ve added to my must-read list!

Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston: A favorite of this bookstore, and of mine as well. Such a great book!

Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe: This one came with a recommendation NOT to listen to the audio. This one was already on my  must-read list so I’m bumping it up a few spots!

Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams by Matthew Walker, PhD: In which I learned that my glass of wine right before bedtime isn’t really helping me sleep. I mean…are they sure!?

The Overstory by Richard Powers: Recommended, but with the caveat that it’s not a book for everyone.

The Valley of Amazement by Amy Tan: I just love everything Tan has written. It didn’t surprise me this made the list!

 

Not all of my personal favorites are listed here; you can see a complete listing here.

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Review: Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid

Posted on January 6, 2020 by Jenn

I received this book for free from the publisher (egalley) in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: Such a Fun Age by Kiley ReidSuch a Fun Age by Kiley Reid
Published by Penguin on December 31,2019
Genres: Coming of Age, Fiction, Literary, Racial Issues, Women
Pages: 320
Format: eARC
Source: the publisher (egalley)
Goodreads
Alix Chamberlain has made a name for herself by blogging about products she's tried. Early on, she'd write a company asking for something she wants, and they'd sent it to her, no charge.  She quickly learned that she can get anything she wants, just by asking. She grew up in an affluent family and never really had to do without.  She's shocked when Emira, her daughter's babysitter, is confronted by a security guard one night. She'd rushed to the Chamberlain's aid while she was out with her friends, so her attire and her skin color instantly led the guard believe she was up to no good. Everything is caught on camera by a bystander.  Outraged by the incident, Alix is determined to make it up to Emira.

At twenty-five, Emira has no idea what she wants to do with her life.  She's about to age-out of her parent's health insurance. Working as a sitter barely sustains her; daily she's forced to confront her status in life compared to that of her employer.  After the incident, she's well aware of Mrs. Chamberlain's attempts to take her on as her newest project.  Deep down, she knows this isn't the life for her, but what alternatives does she have?

When the video of the incident is released, both women are forced to come to terms with their own realities.  The result of this confrontation will impact one more than the other in this dual "coming of age."

 

In looking for my first book to read of 2020, I found many examples of praise and acclaim for this title.  The premise is certainly timely and I found myself quickly immersed in Emira’s story.  For all of her life, she’s struggled to succeed and to find a true purpose in life.  It’s not ironic that she finds herself working for a women who can literally get anything she wants.

To the Chamberlains, Emira is a project. Their treatment of her is a direct reaction to the incident that caused Emira to be at a corner grocery store with a toddler: a rock being thrown through their front window in reaction to a racist comment made by Mr. Chamberlain, a news anchor. Emira reluctantly agrees, knowing that she doesn’t have many options.  It sickened me to see how Emira was treated, like a wound that could be fixed by applying a few bandages. The end result was ultimately worse than the original incident.  Emira must awaken and embrace her own self worth before she realizes that one shouldn’t sacrifice their own value in order to succeed in a society that is truly based on the survival of the fittest.

Racial issues is just one of the many  issues addressed in this book, and clearly the one that stood out for me the most.  It certainly has a vast array of themes that make this a novel filled to the brim with discussion worthy topics. You better believe it will become one of my book club’s selections when it releases in paperback!  I can’t wait to read more from Reid; she clearly has a fresh voice who needs to be heard!

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Favorite Books of 2019

Posted on December 31, 2019 by Jenn

It’s been a challenging year, to say the very least. I spent the first few months of the year in bed, suffering from a horrific case of pneumonia.  One would think that would lend to a lot of reading time when, in fact, it did not.

One of my goals of 2020 is learn to manage my time better.  This has come to be a struggle, especially with working two jobs.  Rather, I want to spend more time doing what I enjoy: spending time with my family and truly immersing myself in books.

While this is probably the shortest year in review posts I have done (except for last year; I didn’t do one at all!) I feel it is a rather eclectic list!   I don’t claim that these are the best books of 2019, they are simply my personal favorite.  I’ve linked them to my review (when applicable).

Without further ado (present in no specific order!):

We Met in December by Rosie Curtis
Saturday Night Ghost Club by Craig Davidson*
Imaginary Friend by Stephen Chbosky
The Remaking by Clay Chapman
Pachinko by Min Jin Lee*
Good Talk by Mira Jacob
Anatomy of A Miracle by Jonathan Miles*
A Ladder to the Sky by John Boyne
City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert

Audiobooks
Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Circe
The Whisper Network

 

 

*book club selections

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Review: Three-Fifths by John Vercher

Posted on December 30, 2019 by Jenn
Review: Three-Fifths by John VercherThree-Fifths by John Vercher
Published by Polis Books on September 10, 2019
Genres: Crime, Fiction, Mystery & Detective, Thrillers, Urban
Pages: 133
Format: Hardcover
Source: personal copy
Goodreads
Twenty-two year old Bobby Saraceno has passed for white his entire life. Growing up, the only glimpse Bobby had of is father's race and culture was through his grandfather's bigoted eyes.  It wasn't until he was an adolescent that he uncovered the truth. Fearing his safety and freedom, he continued to live as a white young man, hiding this secret from everyone, including his childhood best friend Aaron.

Now, Aaron has been released from prison.  They were once quite close; Aaron served as his protector and shield from bullies in school.  The Aaron that returns home from prison is a newly radicalized white supremacist.  The secrets that Bobby kept from Aaron come rushing forward, as he's now forced to confront the secret he's held so close for so long.

Yet on the night of their reunion, Bobby is a witness to Aaron brutally assaulting a young black man. Aaron claims he was doing it to protect Bobby, yet Bobby knows this attack was fueled by racism.  Not only does he have to keep the secret of his mixed race from Aaron, he must too find a way to hide his involvement in the crime.

This is most certainly a one-sitting read.  I read it during a particularly long (15+ hour) car ride. I was immediately drawn to it for personal reasons; my own two boys are biracial. Bobby’s character is a truly sympathetic one; despite the fact that he hid a large portion of his identity from those around him, I sympathized with him based on the world in which he was raised.  To his grandfather, African American boys were trouble, free of any sort of good intentions.  Though on some level his grandfather wanted to protect him from those seemingly destined to do him harm, the life he lived in was certainly more caustic and detrimental than the life he could have led with his father.

I personally felt that readers would benefit more if we were granted a deeper access into Bobby’s childhood and what shaped the young man he became.  What we are granted just skims the surface; I feel there is much more there that could add Bobby’s overall character. While I did experience a sense of connection, it would have been stronger had there been more.

That’s not to say that I didn’t gain anything from reading this book, for I most certainly did. These are the type of books we should be seeing more on bookshelves, stories that, until now, haven’t been granted a voice. This is the sort of book that generates discussions, for race relations in our country during this time were riddled with memories of the Los Angeles riots and the OJ Simpson trial.  Giving these stories voice will only aid in the progression and change that our country so desperately needs.

Posted in Crime Fiction, Review | 1 Comment

2019 #ThankfullyReading Weekend Wrap-Up

Posted on December 1, 2019 by Jenn

ThankfullyReading

 

Another year of Thankfully Reading Weekend has come to an end! While I never get as much reading done as I’d like, I did quite enjoy the time off with my family!

For those of you interested in doing a wrap-up post, I’ve included a link-up below.

Don’t forget, challenges are still up:

Thankfully Reading Weekend Bingo!
What’s the Menu for a Good Book? 
Which Book Are You Most Thankful For?

Small Business Saturday Challenge

Thank you again to all who participated. Get those last few hours of reading in!!


Posted in Thankfully Reading Weekend | 8 Comments

2019 #ThankfullyReading Weekend: Day Four!

Posted on November 30, 2019 by Jenn

 

ThankfullyReading

It’s Day Four of Thankfully Reading Weekend! Can you believe how quickly the time has flown by?

Today, I encourage you to take a small break from reading to participate in Small Business Saturday.  Have a local independent bookstore? Pay them a visit and let them know how much you appreciate them!  As the owner of my own small business, I do appreciate the importance of shopping local!

Though we’re traveling, I’ll still be shopping online from my favorite independent bookstore,  One More Page Books in Arlington, VA!  My sister and I are taking my Mom out today so we may hit up a few local small businesses here as well.

Today’s challenge is easy! Did you visit your local indie today? Share a pic of your purchases!  Include the post with pic or list of books you picked up in the link up  below!

Don’t forget to take part in Deb’s BINGO challenge over at Readerbuzz!  Win a $25 Book Depository gift card!

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