Influence

So I saw this little meme over on another blog and decided to try it. Yes, I do realize that it says Thursday on the picture, and my post won't go up until Friday, but the blog stated you could answer them anytime. So there!

Anyway.......

This is today's question:

Do other people influence what you choose to read? When a family member recommends something, or a friend says they hated a book you were planning to read … does it affect your reading choices?

Yes, I'd have to say yes.

Sometimes.

Last fall my cousin told me about Jayber Crow and said it was a great read and I should check it out. So I did. I didn't go out and read it as soon as he told me about it, but it did go on my radar until I was ready for it. Other friends have recommended books to me, and if they're really enthused, I usually do try the book at some point.

Also, I review books on this here blog of mine. And I had been reading loads of reviews long before I decided to add my two cents. So it's pretty safe to say that what other people think will affect my view of a book.

BUT!

This isn't necessarily true of every single book I've read. There have been moments when I'll read a bad review but decide to try the book anyway. And there have been moments when a book comes really highly recommended but I never do read it. Or perhaps I should say I haven't ever read it yet, but I have no plans to either.

So really, what it boils down to is that it just all depends. Mostly on my own fickleness.

Take for instance, Cinder. All the excellent buzz about that book most definitely convinced me to try it. (And I was so glad I did!) On the other hand, there have been many, many positive reviews on If I Stay, but I just can't get enthused about reading it for myself (Please don't hate me!) (I will admit to flipping through it at the store). And there's no certain reason for that, other than just me being fickle.

What about you? What influences you to read a book or not read one as the case may be?

Toodle-loo kangaroos!

A Wintery Wednesday Hodgepodge

1.  Chinese New Year will be celebrated on February 10th, and 2013 is the year of the snake. When did you last see a snake?  Are you okay around snakes or do they give you the shivers? 

I do NOT like snakes and yes they most certainly give me the shivers! I don't remember the last time I saw a real one, probably in some zoo or some such place, but I try not to go looking for them. If they have some on display somewhere, I usually make a very wide circle around them so I don't have to look. I know they used to get into my parent's barn and hang out until dad would figure out a way to get them to leave. (Nothing like having to look up in the rafters every time you went inside the barn!) I also will never forget one showing up on our back deck and mom was busy so dad required me to help him corner it so he could kill it. Let's just say I still vividly remember that moment and I'd really rather not.

2. The color red in Chinese culture usually means good luck.  Do you believe in luck? 

No, I believe in God's timing, which is always just right. :)

3. sledding-ice skating-building a snowman...if given a choice, which activity would you choose?  Which of the three have you done most recently?  

I would absolutely choose ice skating! I love it. :) I remember many times growing up when we were able to go to a friend's pond and ice skate. Good times! The most recent time I've been would have to be a few years ago (not much snow in CA!). A group of us went to Yosemite National Park and ice skated with a spectacular view of Half Dome. It was a gorgeous day and we had so much fun! Unfortunately I recently heard that they are doing away with the ice skating rink there, to make room for more parking or something I think. I was so sad to hear that. But I'm thankful I got to experience it a couple times. :)

This is not a picture from that trip. But it is a picture of Half Dome! I couldn't find one from that particular day we went ice skating.

4.  Ralph Waldo Emerson is credited as saying, "The years teach much which the days never knew."  Where have you seen this quote played out in your own life?  

This one requires some thought! Mostly I'd say that quote has played out in my life through dealing with my mom's situation. I know I've mentioned before (Probably several times! Sorry that I'm repeating myself again.) that mom has Parkinson's and with that comes many, many challenges. One of which put her in the hospital for a week a couple years ago. In the daily moments of worry and concern, it was so hard to see the bigger picture. (Still is some days, I have to admit.) It was entirely too easy to get bogged down with worry and forget to trust what God was doing. But on this side of it, I can see things much clearer and understand some things better. There were things that happened, really good things, that I couldn't see while I was in VA that week. Does that make sense?

5. When was the last time you ate a cupcake?  

I can't remember the exact time, but I know it was at work. My office mates (and me too) usually bring in goodies around any holiday. Or really just any old occasion. There never has to be a reason to bring in chocolate or my Carmelita's! Anyway, cupcakes show up now and again and I don't usually turn them down, especially if there are chocolate ones. Which usually there is! :)

6. What's something you can't say no to?  

Reading a book! But it's also hard to turn down a Dr. Pepper or chocolate or a cookie. Or a friend in need. Many things obviously!

7.  Are you a doodler?  

Not so much at home, but I've noticed that when I'm on the phone at work, I'm usually drawing or writing something. Or just filling in the bubble letters on my desk calendar. It's simply so convenient to have paper and pen right there to use. At home I don't have paper readily available, it has to be dug out of the drawer, so no doodling happens. :)

8.  Insert your own random thought here. 

Source: ebay.com via Kara on Pinterest

I'm not a coffee drinker. Coffee and I don't get along so well unfortunately. But I am a hot tea drinker! I've been enjoying Starbucks Orange Blossom tea recently. I mentioned this to a friend of mine, and she talked me into taking a tea class offered here in town. Last Friday was our first one and there will be two more. It was so much fun! I learned some very interesting tidbits on tea.

 Did you know:

• When tea leaves are opening up in the water as they brew, this is called "the agony of the leaves"?
• An official cup weight of tea leaves is 2.25 grams?
• That tea sinks and coffee floats?
• That along with tea cups and coffee cups, there is such a thing as a chocolate cup?
• That all tea comes from the same plant and it's part of the Camellia family?
• That almost all tea leaves the world over are still picked by hand?

There! Now you know some interesting facts you can throw out to someone the next time you need a conversation starter! ;D

Toodle-loo kangaroos!

Review: Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

Seraphina (Seraphina #1)

About the Book:

Four decades of peace have done little to ease the mistrust between humans and dragons in the kingdom of Goredd. Folding themselves into human shape, dragons attend court as ambassadors, and lend their rational, mathematical minds to universities as scholars and teachers. As the treaty's anniversary draws near, however, tensions are high.

Seraphina Dombegh has reason to fear both sides. An unusually gifted musician, she joins the court just as a member of the royal family is murdered—in suspiciously draconian fashion. Seraphina is drawn into the investigation, partnering with the captain of the Queen's Guard, the dangerously perceptive Prince Lucian Kiggs. While they begin to uncover hints of a sinister plot to destroy the peace, Seraphina struggles to protect her own secret, the secret behind her musical gift, one so terrible that its discovery could mean her very life.

My Thoughts:

Well, this story deserves all the praise it's been getting! Incredibly well-written with beautiful prose that draws you into Seraphina's life. She is a fabulous heroine! A lot of female roles in stories have the women brave in the face of danger whether without or within. But Seraphina truly embodies her bravery, so much so that she isn't even aware that she's being courageous. She has lived all her life with this huge secret and she actually sees herself as pretty cowardly. Since we spend the entire time in her head, we view her the same way because we are so invested in her character and who she is. It's not until someone else points out what she actually does and how she reacts that she (and we) realize how amazing she is (her responses and actions are just so second nature that she can't see them for what they are). And she has to use a tremendous amount of that courage every day, just to simply live her life. She is inspiring to all those around her and makes (almost) anyone like her instantly. Yet her secret wears on her; it's exhausting for her, and she hates all the lies she has to tell every moment. But there are lots of secrets abounding in this story and most of them you don't see coming. Ms. Hartman weaves her tale very intricately and leads you around this extraordinary maze of characters and world-building until you are completely immersed and trusting where she's taking you! Also the dragon lore is quite fascinating. The contrast between the emotionless dragons then taking on a human form that feels things is well done. Watching the inner conflict of some of the dragons as they deal with this is fun! They can't seem to wrap their minds around feelings and emotions and how to deal with them. Seraphina herself has tremendous inner conflict to deal with also. Her trajectory and where she ends up by the end is truly part of Ms. Hartman's amazing expertise. 

You may want to have a dictionary handy when you're reading this because you're vocabulary will be expanded! Ms. Hartman knows her words and exactly how to use them. I also liked the fact that there wasn't a huge cliffhanger at the end. It does leave you in a place where you want to know what's going to come next for Seraphina and her friends, yet ties up the major loose ends enough to satisfy you. And don't let the thickness of this book dissuade you either. It goes relatively quickly, mainly because once you start it, it's really hard to put down. Read it! :)

A Favorite Passage For You:

"My love of music eventually lured me from the safety of my father's house, propelling me into the city and the royal court. I took a terrible risk, but I could not do otherwise. I did not understand that I carried loneliness before me on a plate, and that music would be the light illuminating me from behind."

Toodle-loo kangaroos! Happy reading!

Deja Vu Review {A Freebie}

The Deja Vu Review is hosted every Sunday by Brittany at The Book Addict's Guide.  It's a chance to write a mini-review for books that you read in your pre-blogging days!

Today's topic is: A Freebie



Turnabout's Fair Play by Kaye Dacus

My Thoughts: I confess that I couldn't seem to ever finish one of Ms. Dacus' books once upon a time. Something always kept me from enjoying them completely. But I kept on trying them because I thought, "Surely I'll like this one." Alas no such luck....until this book happened! I think it had me once I found out the main character writes fanfiction. Yes, you read that right. Fanfiction. (I'll also confess that I'm a reader of fanfiction. Not all the time, but it is a great deal of fun! And there are some fabulous writers of fanfiction out there. ;) It was such a great quirk that I had to read more about this gal! Flannery is quite nerdy in fact, but she doesn't like to admit it out loud. And Jamie is perfect for her, but both of them hide so much from each other that it takes a while for them to realize exactly how much they have in common. But that's part of the adventure! Add in two matchmaking grandparents who think they're being subtle when they're really not, and you have a very fun few hours of reading enjoyment. You should read it!

This book does happen to be part of a series, and it also happens to be book number three of that series. But each book is about a different character, so they all can be read as stand-alone's. However if you're one of those people who has to read a series in order, here's a link to all three books just for you.

Toodle-loo kangaroos!