Site Event: Challenges Update

Aug17

In the beginning of this year I began three reading challenges. Goodreads reading challenge and reading 32 books each of both title and last name of the author for each letter of the alphabet.

My Goodreads count can be found on my Goodreads profile. My Alphabet challenges can found on my ‘Challenges‘ tab at the top of my blog.

As it currently stands for Goodreads, I thought 60 would be a good number to hit for the year. I attempted 80 last year and wasn’t successful, but as it turns out I surpassed my current goal in July! (although to be honest there are a couple of knitting books and Goosebumps, which shouldn’t count) Therefore I have chosen to increase my books for the year. I’ve doubled them to 120! I still thinks it’s achievable, but we’ll see how I get on.

As for my alphabet challenges, I have come to realize that I now need to be paying attention! Last month NONE of my six books counted, which is a problem! I’m at 13 out of 32 for both A-Z challenges! That’s not even half way! I want to participate because I know it’ll help me branch out for genres and authors. I’ve already got some acceptable books in the works so I’m hoping to make more progress in the next months to stay on track!

What about you? Are you currently doing a reading challenge? Is anyone else progressing nicely for Goodreads? Let me know!

Cheers,

Ashleyisee

Book Signing Adventures: Kat Richardson

Aug8

There is a writer that I have admired since Uni. I’ll never forget how I saw her first book being cradled in the hands of a sorority sister. ‘She’s a great writer.’ She stated. ‘I think you’d really like her, and she’s local.’

The year was 2006 and like clockwork every August, each book in Kat Richardson’s fantastic Greywalker series is published. It’s my favorite time of year.

Since the beginning of her series I have always gotten her books from the Seattle Public Library. I couldn’t purchase them because I knew I’d be moving to England in the future. ‘One day,’ I thought, ‘I will have a lovely collection of her books.’

One of the best things about moving back is that the one day has begun.

This week the University Bookstore (hurray for being an alumni!) did a release party for her eighth book in the Greywalker series, Possession. I got there early and noticed a bit of humor from the staff.

Well done mates.

I snatched my copy of Possession and strolled through the bookstore waiting for the event to start. I had bought the first book in the series elsewhere, due to being unemployed I wasn’t able to snap up all of her books. I felt that by slowly taking advantage of Richardson’s frequent appearances around Seattle, that I would built up my library of signed books in time. Hopefully she won’t think I’m a crazy stalker. I wasn’t going to make her sign all eight books with different things, that’s asking way too much. She had others to sign for and I wanted to respect her time.

Book 8 (Left) Book 1 (Right)

I went alone. When she arrived I became giddy and overwhelmed with how long I had waited for this moment. Richardson was so exceptionally kind, sweet and real. She spoke to crowd as if we were all old friends, with lots of laughter and the feeling of fun in the air.

She read a couple of passages from the new book.

She gave us some spoilers for the ninth book (seriously can’t wait!).

Richardson knows so much about Seattle and it’s one of the best things about her writing. She really gets out there and knows her stuff! Her books were the biggest comfort I could turn too whenever I was having a hard time in London. I am grateful to my friends that posted me her books as she was dropped from her UK publisher. (TRAGIC MISTAKE) Her writing is home and I’m so lucky to have discovered her work early on.

Then came the best part of the evening. The book signing!

Unlike my two previous book signing adventures, of Neil Gaiman and E. L. James, for Richardson I had the chance to speak to her for more than a few seconds! I had an actual conversation and it was difficult to not cry during the joyous moment.

Me trying to not act/look/sound stupid.

I was a complete and utter fan girl.

The best part was that she remembered one of my tweets from last year:

As if the night couldn’t get any better.

It was inspiring to be around such a talented writer from home, who writes extremely well about monsters and creatures and Seattle things that go bump in the night. Full of mystery, spookiness and adventure. I’ve always highly encouraged anyone and everyone I know to read her series.

I couldn’t be happier to have the chance to meet her in person.

She signed my books with grace and words that made me weep and smile. I kicked myself because I had another one of her books but forgot it at home!

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you Kat Richardson for making such a silly fan like me so happy! I can’t wait to start reading!

Ashleyisee

August Reads

Aug3

It’s time to get moving on some of my reading challenges! As it is summer it’s also time to while away some summer reading with some children’s classics!

This month I’ll be working through:

Prophecy of Sisters by Michelle Zink

Insignia by S. J. Kincaid

A Midnight Summer’s Scream by R. L. Stine

Velveteen by Daniel Marks

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

Z for Zachariah by Robert C. O’Brien

Three Goosebump titles: Deep Trouble II, The Ghost Next Door and Beast from the East.

Lastly I’m really excited:

Over the Rainbow by Brian Rowe (ebook- ARC)

What’s everyone else reading this month??

Discussion: Battle Royale vs. The Hunger Games

Aug1

Finally the time has come for me to weigh in on my opinion!

There is nothing that aggravates me more than people who make assumptions without DOING THEIR RESEARCH!

For example: ‘I don’t need to read Harry Potter because I’ve seen the movies’.

Me: ‘GET OUT OF MY FACE BEFORE I RIP YOUR THROAT OUT.’**

**If you don’t understand my reaction, then we will never be friends.

I’ve wanted to read Battle Royale ever since the Haters on The Hungers Games claim it’s stupid to read HG because BA came first. Are the similarities uncanny? Yes? Is it stealing? I can’t say because I’m not the author of The Hunger Games. Both are good books, and together they help expand the level of readers. BA is more for adults whereas HG is young adult. This allows for all different ages to enjoy both books throughout a lifetime. I don’t see what’s wrong with keeping people reading no matter their age.

My bottom line: Battle Royale is definitely the better written/overall book, BUT The Hunger Games is just as enjoyable and I feel it’s an updated version of BA. Which means that it most likely won’t be the last book to take a swing from BA’s original idea of children killing children.

If you want to read how one blogger weighs in between the two books – check out her criteria – I found it quite enjoyable.

The Hunger Games main difference is that it’s a series, and it’s more than just kids killing kids. It’s about a revolution that swarms out of control – a fact that is wished upon by a character in Battle Royale, but doesn’t get expanded on.

The Hunger Games is futuristic and I think some of the appeal throughout the series is this science fiction future that’s created. The brilliant colors of the Capital and the silly things the citizens do for fashion deserves it’s own series. The science experimentations is another thing that sets the book apart, what else is the Capital going to come up with next? The final ‘obstacle’ for Katniss to overcome at the end of the first book is truly frightening in a way that BA is separate from. It’s a small detail, but it’s a detail none the less that helps HG stand on it’s own.

I do have such a fondness for the series and I agree that the first book is very much on par for the YA world, but I don’t feel that way for the rest of the books in the series. I love them just as much but they are so much more adult and the level of grief is hard for most teenagers (or most people in general) to understand. Amongst the slim survival rate, you invest in the characters as a reader when they die (as is also very true for Game of Thrones), a little of you dies with them. HG gives you the opportunity to care more about the characters than in BA. It’s just another difference that doesn’t discredit either book, but a difference that’s worth noting.

I loved Battle Royale. Really, really loved it. It’s gripping, harsh, gory and fast paced. The idea is so horrendous. You’re fifteen with 41 one of your school classmates – forced to kill each other until one person is left. Remember when you were 15 and the people around you. They were the ones where you learned to love, learned about yourself and perhaps knew your whole life. It’s different than being thrust into an arena where everyone else is a stranger. There are relationships in BA, obvious and secret.

Not only that, but Battle Royale’s happen ALL OVER the country! Something around 40+ Battle Royale’s occur EVERY YEAR.

My favourite chapter was in the beginning with the couple that took matters into their own hands. A true love scene that rivals Romeo and Juliet.

My favourite sentence was about how Shuya felt about Battle Royale overall. The Program is never far from their minds, but sometimes all you have to do is hope that your year isn’t the one selected. It’s kind of like a modern day cancer, there isn’t a whole lot you can do to prevent it (for certain types, I’m not saying this about all cancer), and you just hope that you’re going to make it through the end.

Battle Royale is going to stick with me forever and I can’t wait to find a vintage copy to add to my bookshelf! I want a really nice hardback collection of the HG series as well, but I’m going to wait until the final films roll out to choose from which collection is best.

What do you think? Is it worth only reading one, or both? I think it’s worth reading both if you’re going to hate on either of them, but in the end shouldn’t we just be glad that people are still reading? Let me know your thoughts!

Ashleyisee

Take Part: Seattle Book Summit, Timberland Library Tour and Kat Richardson book signing

Jul25

A couple of events happening around Washington State this week and the next coming weeks!

This week:

Marissa Meyer, author the Lunar Chronicles series, is doing a six library book signing tour around Western Washington.

*Covers are from Goodreads

Her schedule is as follows:

July 25, 12:00 p.m.: Ocean Park Timberland Library
July 25, 6:00 p.m.: Aberdeen Timberland Library

July 26, 2:00 p.m.: Winlock Timberland Library
July 26, 7:00 p.m.: Olympia Timberland Library

July 27, 11:00 a.m.: Centralia Timberland Library
July 27, 3:00 p.m.: Shelton Timberland Library

I wish I could go but I’m unable to travel the distance at the moment. I’m hoping to catch Meyer in a couple of months when her third book, Cress, is published.

August 1st:

PR for People is fronting the 3rd annual Seattle Book Summit event at Seattle’s downtown Central Library branch.

*Photo is courtesy of PR for People.

Tickets range from $35-$75 and yours truly will be volunteering at the event!

Lastly, one of my absolutely favorite authors, Kat Richardson will be doing two book signings whilst promoting her latest published work, Possession, the eighth book from her outstanding Greywalker series. Richardson is a local Seattle writer and I personally can’t wait to meet her in person!

*Photo is courtesy of katrichardson.com, cover is from Goodreads

The info:

1st signing:

August 6th at the Seattle location University Bookstore from 7pm. No tickets required, just have a copy of the freshly published Possession, or buy it before the signing.

2nd signing:

Richardson is being an absolute star and popping over to the Seattle Mystery Bookstore for an hour ONLY on August 10th at 12pm to 1pm SHARP. She’ll be at another event beforehand but has graciously offered to sign books during her lunch hour. No tickets required, just have the latest book and she’s happy to sign it for you!

That’s all for now! If there are any events you know of and want me to write about, I’m happy to promote all things literary!

Until next time,

Ashleyisee