Shadow Falls: The Beginning

Have you heard about Kylie Galen?  How about Shadow Falls, the camp for supernaturals and paranormals of all types?  If you haven't, then here's your chance to get into the story from the very beginning. 

You'll get...

..and...

...in this neat little package!

While I love and adore the splendid natural beauty of the first two books, this is a great opportunity to take advantage of and get two books for the price of one!  Pretty sweet deal, right? 

So if you know someone who loves supernaturals or if you've been dying to get into the Shadow Falls series, now's your chance to get the first two books! 

Shadow Falls by C.C. Hunter

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

Lunar Love Giveaway Hop!

Lunar Love Giveaway Hop

March 8th through 13th

Hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer & Bookworm Lisa

I'm giving away a paperback copy of Marissa Meyer's Cinder in celebration of lunar love (though readers shouldn't love the Lunars represented here!)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure to check out all the other blogs participating in the hop!

Top Ten Tuesday: Series I'd Like to Start But Haven't Yet

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week a new Top Ten list will be posted by one of the bloggers at The Broke and the Bookish. Everyone is welcome to join, just make sure to link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND add your name to the Linky widget so everyone can check out other blogger lists. Have fun!

Top Ten Series I'd Like to Start But Haven't Yet

While there's a lot, I'm going to list those that have been on my TBR list the longest time.

1) The Darkest Powers by Kelley Armstrong

2) Legacy of Tril by Heather Brewer

3) Medusa Girls by Tera Lynn Childs

4) All Souls Trilogy by Deborah Harkness

5) Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins

6) Newsoul by Jodi Meadows

7) The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare

8) Royal House of Shadows

9) Healer Trilogy by Maria V. Snyder

10) Immortal Beloved by Cate Tiernan

Wandering the Archive

Deep within the archives of a home library, there lurks title upon title of books accrued over half (or more) a lifetime. Nobody knows just why a bookshelf grows out of proportion or why it needs to be expanded except... the bibliophile. And even then, she might have forgotten the reason somewhere along the way. But now, thanks to the intrepid explorer (my beau), these titles will slowly be unearthed and examined here for any who dare to wander into... DJL's personal archive. 

What is it?

The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff (1982)

The Wisdom of Pooh.

Is there such a thing as a Western Taoist? Benjamin Hoff says there is, and this Taoist's favorite food is honey. Through brilliant and witty dialogue with the beloved Pooh-bear and his companions, the author of this smash bestseller explains with ease and aplomb that rather than being a distant and mysterious concept, Taoism is as near and practical to us as our morning breakfast bowl.

Romp through the enchanting world of Winnie-the-Pooh while soaking up invaluable lessons on simplicity and natural living.

Where did it come from?

Ironically, this book came from a guy I dated while in library school. Since he couldn't find any new copies (so he claimed), he gave me his (slightly beaten-up) copy. 

Why did it get picked up?

I had told said guy about my grad school profession and that while I was interested in Eastern philosophy (such as Taoism), I'd never read one of the most widely-known books on relating Eastern philosophy to Western culture. It was nice of him to give me his copy.

When was it read?

While I haven't read The Tao of Pooh in its entirety, I have read various passages that I felt related to what challenges were going on in my life at the time. I did obtain it in 2007.

To whom should it be recommended?

Anyone interested in philosophy or who appreciated A.A. Milne's Winnie-the-Pooh series. 

Will it be kept?

Yes, because I want to read it completely, and it will be nice to have such a book on hand.

Stacking the Shelves (14)

We are all book lovers and the need to share our enthusiasm is sometimes overwhelming. Stacking the Shelves, created and hosted at Tynga's Reviews, is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in stores or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts, and of course ebooks!

Gifted:

The Dark Unwinding by Sharon Cameron (Signed)

Rock On ARC by Denise Vega

Monument 14 ARC by Emmy Laybourne

Beneath a Meth Moon ARC by Jacqueline Woodson

Whispers at Moonrise ARC by C.C. Hunter 

All of these and an awesome wolf bookmark came from 
Marla at Starting the Next Chapter. Thanks, Marla!

Won:

Seraphina ARC by Rachel Hartman (From Marla)

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer (From Courtney at Fuzzy. Coffee. Books. and signed!)

Bought:

Cinder by Marissa Meyer (Signed!)
The Arcived by Victoria Schwab


Big stack but I received all of these over quite a few weeks. ^_^

Reader's Advisory: The Big Question

Earlier this week, I had a library patron ask for a particular title, but then she asked me what my favorite book was.  I said that was a hard question, and she then rephrased it to who my favorite author was.  Also a hard question, but I told her a few of my favorites and Maggie Stiefvater caught her attention.  She asked if there was a book by Maggie that I would recommend to her, and I immediately suggested The Scorpio Races since it is a standalone and a great book (in my humble opinion).  The patron was amazed by the brief description I gave of the story, and she took one of our copies, thanking me for making her day. 

While this is a good example of reader's advisory, I wanted to discuss the idea of reader's advisory in an unfamiliar area.  One of the main reasons I am a blogger is to stay in the know about various titles, but what happens if a patron is looking for a book suggestion in a genre I'm not familiar?  I do try to read in different genres so I can offer advice when patrons ask, but there are times I'm just at a loss on what to tell the patron.  Case in point, a patron came in and asked for a book suggestion.  I immediately pointed out the new bookshelves which had a copy of Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo front and center.  However, the patron said, "Oh, I don't like fantasy" at which point, I asked what genres she did enjoy.  Needless to say, the patron was not very forthcoming in what type of book(s) she wanted.  This might have been a specialized case, but they do happen on occasion.

Sometimes, I also find myself recommending books that I have heard good reviews but haven't had the chance to read it myself.  I usually prefer to recommend titles I've read, but there's only so much I can offer that others have yet to read as well.  When that happens, I will inform the patron that while I haven't read it, I have heard friends speak well of the title in question.  My main question is would you (a librarian) recommend only books that you have read or would you suggest unread titles that are within the same genre as what the patron is asking for?  And would you (a patron) prefer recommendations read by the librarian you're asking for book suggestions? 

How do you handle reader's advisory?

Wandering the Archive

Deep within the archives of my home library, there lurks title upon title of books accrued over half (or more) a lifetime. Nobody knows just why a bookshelf grows out of proportion or why it needs to be expanded except... the bibliophile. And even then, she might have forgotten the reason somewhere along the way. But now, these titles will slowly be unearthed and displayed here for any who dare to wander into... DJL's personal archive.

Okay, now that the dramatics are finished, I wanted to start something new in which I basically look through my home library, select a title at random (hopefully older titles I've had for awhile), and then ultimately answer why I currently have it in my library. I've wanted to find something different to post about regarding books, and while I'm sure there are other bloggers who likely have such a post already in place, I will simply call mine "Wandering the Archive." On to today's selection!

What is it?

The Nymph King by Gena Showalter (2007)

Females young and old, beautiful and plain crave Valerian's touch. None can resist his blatant sensuality and potent allure... until he steals Shaye Holling from a Florida beach and holds her prisoner in his underwater kingdom.

The cynical Shaye wants nothing to do with the mighty warlord, but she's inexplicably drawn to him. For underneath the warrior's arrogant beauty lies a complex and powerful man. A man whose caress is like fire...

Now Valerian must fight for the privilege of claiming her as his own. Because there's one thing Shaye doesn't know... That when a nymph discovers his true mate, she's his for life.

Where did I obtain it?

I bought this copy from a Borders in North Texas. How I miss having Borders!

Why did I pick it up?

The cover, such a shallow answer, but it's true. It's such a gorgeous shade of blue, and Valerian (if that IS him on the cover) isn't that bad on the eyes. But the story also intrigued me, which is why I bought it.

When did I read it?

I think in 2007 while I was in library school. Once I started reading I couldn't stop. 

Who would I recommend reading it?

Anyone who enjoys paranormal romances or ocean-themed stories. Ironically, I really enjoyed the side-story romance more than the main story between Valerian and Shaye. It's not that their story was boring, I just knew it was a matter of getting past their unresolved tension. Joachim, Brenna, and Shivawn's story was much more intriguing, most likely from the triangle, and the outcome was amazing. 

Will I keep it?

Most definitely. It's my first Gena Showalter book and one of the best paranormal romance novels I've read.