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Paper Fury

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Social Media || Do we really have to do it all?

Book blogging can be extremely boring if no one reads your posts.

Especially if your reasons for blogging are a) discuss books with other likeminded worms*, b) make friends to flail over books with, and c) want to be famous.**

You need to connect with people. 

That’s where social media comes in handy.

* I say “worms” instead of “bookworms” because it’s easier and I’m definitely an efficient person. Plus I want to call people worms and get away with it.
** No shame, friend, no shame.

There are many social media sites that are useful for book blogging. 

Facebook. Pinterest. Goodreads. Google+. Bloglovin’. Twitter. Instagram. Phewf. It can get a little exhausting. And different people like different sites, so if you want to hook them ALL into your glorious blog: YOU MUST DO THEM ALL!

Do you? Really?

Not to be Rip Van Winkle or anything, but I like to sleep occasionally and I don’t physically have time to maintain all the social media sites. I also don’t want to.

When I started blogging seriously (about a year ago…before that I mainly loafed) I signed up to all the things and proceeded to maintain them. After all, the tips for “how to increase your blog audience” said to. After doing it all, I humbly disagree. Yes, they do increase your blog audience, but there’s more to that story (which could be a whole post, actually).

When donning your One Ring To Rule Them All through social media, I think the key is to pick a few outlets and maintain them consistently. 

Now you definitely want to know what I do, don’t you? Of course. And I’m always happy to please my little blogglings.

Twitter is my favourite way to promote my blog. Although I usually forget to tweet my links…

So how does that make twitter a good blog promo?!

Hopefully: entertainment. I like to tweet funny things. I like to tweet about my fandoms, what I’m researching (like, you know, brain surgery), which superhero is best, random life thoughts, and how passionate I am about a book I’m reading.

If people know me and think I tweet interesting things in 140 characters, they’re more likely to click on my blog posts!

Writing to-do list: 1. Explode a spaceship. 2. No…explode 2 of them. 3. Burn the moon. 4. Mwhaha. #amwriting
— Cait (@NotebookSisters) October 19, 2014

So I wrote a review for #TheGhostsofHeaven in Ratatouille gifs. Yes. That just happened. #amblogging
— Cait (@NotebookSisters) October 21, 2014

I believe in love at first sight. When I was in Ikea I yelled “THERE IT IS THAT IS THE ONE” My bookshelf and I have been together ever since
— Cait (@NotebookSisters) October 15, 2014

Facebook is one I don’t use anymore. Yes, we’re on there, but I haven’t updated it in a year. When my “pageviews” were around 12 people per post? I mean…what is the point?!! Facebook messes with the stats too much and I got too angry. BUT. The page is there if I want to revive it.

This is how mean facebook is to me, despite having 100+ likers.

Pinterest is amazing. I LOVE IT SO MUCH. And, while I’m an insane fan and have 3,300 followers…I don’t actually use Pinterest for my blog. I might pin a post of mine once a month? If that. There is, however, a direct link to my blog in my pinterest profile. Very important. Always do that.

So I suck at promoting my blog through pinterest…but still. I have done literally nothing on there but pin for my book ideas and KABOOM. Followers.

Goodreads is LIFE. I cannot even begin to sum up how much I love goodreads. (I pick it over facebook any time, because there are less people posting annoying things…and all anyone wants to talk about is BOOKS. It’s heaven.)

Again, I don’t actively post links to my blog in my goodreads reviews, but my profile has all my updated blog information and direct links. I have 700 friends. I know a lot of people don’t like a lot of goodreads friends…but I figure if my reviews show up when they look for a book? That’s positive! And gosh, I only post reviews every second day. (I read a lot, okay?!)

Bloglovin‘ is my number #1 source of followers now, with 800+! It took me a while to sign up to it…but I’m extremely glad I took the plunge.

If you’re not familiar with bloglovin’. It’s basically a blog-feed site, to replace Google Reader (which was rumoured to close down at one stage). You can follow ANY blog/website through it! It’s awesome to smush wordpress and bloggers together because bloglovin’ doesn’t discriminate between the two.

I’m very new to Instagram! I like it a lot, but I often forget to update it (probably because I’m still very new). I have nearly 250 followers but don’t have a lot of interaction with the comments yet (again: I’m new). My profile has a link to my blog, but because it’s designed for a phone, it’s incredibly hard to leave links just anywhere. Which actually makes finding people’s blogs through instagram HARD. But whatever. It’s fun.

Out of all the social media sites, I use…um…3 properly. 

Twitter, Instagram, Goodreads are ALL I use for my blog. So I am not a social media queen. I am not an expert. But, I:

a) have fun
b) am doing okay

Maybe I would do better if I utilised facebook and pinterest properly, and added in tumblr and booklikes and google+. BUT I DON’T BECAUSE I ONLY HAVE ONE BRAIN. And this brain doesn’t like to be stretched all over the place.

I don’t think we should feel pressured to upkeep ALL the sites.

Be consistent. Have fun. And don’t just promote. Those are my top tips. Promotion is what it’s there for, but I think people are more likely to click on your links if they think you are a) interesting, b) prone to be surprising, and c) fabulous. Be fabulous. It will solve all your problems.

okay, peoples, your turns! which social-media sites do you upkeep? which ones do you prefer? and (let’s be honest) which ones do you suck at? for me, it’s absolutely facebook. i never remembered to link to it even when I was trying to use it. do you have any advice about using social-media efficiently/properly/fabulously? 

Cait has made the executive decision to take this week off writing and read up before NaNo begins. Her TBR is huge. If she lets it fester by itself, it may fall and kill innocent bystanders (like herself). She’s going to tackle The Spook’s Apprentice next and perhaps The Death Cure. And some Roald Dahl. She is not too old for Roald Dahl. 

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Stacking the Shelves #35 || I mostly flail in this one.

I hereby decree it: City of Flails Weekend!

There are copious reasons for this including a) Sarah J Maas cover reveal ajdfkalsdfa!!!! b) Age of Ultron, and lastly c) my ownership of many City of Awesome books. I am a huge Cassandra Clare fan. I know, I knooow…her series was so 5 years ago. But I’m catching up, okay? I am a wild, wild fan.

[Made For You – thanks HarperCollins!][Circus of the Unseen – thanks Hot Key Books!][Spark – thanks Walker Books!][City of Bones – City of Ashes – City of Glass – which I am squeaking over because I got 3 of them as a box set for $5 at a garage sale!* My collection is now only missing one book!!][City of Heavenly Fire – thanks Walker Books again!]

After I ate the library last week, I’m being conservative. (I have already read the first 3 Cassandra Clare books but I have delicious rereading to look forward to one day. You know. When I’ve caught up with the millions of books of the world and have time to reread. HA HA HA.)

* Being a handy translator, as I am, I believe Americans refer to garage sales as “Yard Sales”. Or “car boot” sales? Or “jumble sales”??! I don’t even know. 

What happened this week?

Monday: I spill aaall about my NaNoWriMo novel. It involves ghosts and coffee shops.
Tuesday: I reviewed The Sky So Heavy and told you all with my apocalypse survival plan.
Wednesday: Here are 10 series I want to start…mostly because of their gorgeous covers.
Friday: I have ALL the tips for you to write 10,000-words in just one day this NaNo!
Saturday: I wasn’t so fussed on Conjured...but it was creepy.

These Are The Books I Ate:

The Discworld Graphic Novels: I was scared to try Terry Pratchett…so I took the picture book option. It was awesome. [4-stars]

Second Star: I love Peter Pan. That is all. [4-stars] 
Spark: Superheroes done right…and I also may have a super secret awesome surprise concerning this book coming soon. [4-stars]
The Ghosts of Heaven: Well. I did not get this at all. But it’s pretty to look at. [3-stars]
Circus of the Unseen: Um. Creepy but cliche. Bit of a fail for me. [3-stars]
City of Fallen Angels: WELL THIS WAS THE BEST CASSANDRA CLARE BOOK YET. I HAVE FEELS FOR THESE ADORABLE SHADOWHUNTERS. [5-stars]
The Intern: It’s like a paperback chick-flick movie, including Catastrophic Coffee Spill. [3-stars]

Also, I would like to point out that a) I read very diversely across the genres yes I am fabulous, and b) I’m preparing the creative juices for NaNo! And also don’t want to be…flattened by my TBR.

This is basically me all of October. PREPARATION. 

Elsewhere, other bloggers made glorious creations.

Emily @ The Loony Teen Writer is celebrating her 2nd bloggy birthday! Showers her with cake and confetti.
Kelley @ Oh The Books asks if you keep your blogging and internet life separate?
Sophie @ Ravens and Writing Desks recaps meeting awesome authors. Which makes me sufficiently jealous! 
Jeann @ Happy Indulgence talks about accepting when people don’t like your favourite book.

Also. Did You Hear? The Internet Exploded.

Many many things went down this week on the internet. Some glorious. Some shockingly painful. 
You’ve probably heard of the Author-Kathleen-Hale-Stalks-And-Harasses-Blogger debacle, haven’t you? It took me a while to catch on because noooo one would link to the article! FAIR ENOUGH. It doesn’t deserve more pageviews. But if you’re super curious, you can read the article here.  I’m absolutely sickened by the whole thing and will not be supporting the author. Um…ever. If you want to read some response articles, I recommend:
Amanda @ Book Badger lists all the laws Kathleen Hale broke.
Amanda @ Elfswood went through the article really logically (I admire this!) and I loved her thoughts as well.
Nichole @ YA Reads posted her side of the story…she got caught in the middle.

But there are happier things that also exploded the internet…

HYDRA LEAKED THE AGE OF ULTRON TRAILER!!!! IT’S OKAY. WE CAN FLAIL ON THIS AND FOR ONCE NOT HATE HYDRA. It is so so brilliant I’m just going to shriek, okay?
And Sarah J Maas’ new series, A Court of Thorn and Roses (it’s a Beauty and the Beast retelling!) had it’s cover revealed. IT IS GORGEOUS BEYOND BELIEF. And we have to wait until May to read it…such pain. Such agony.

And Lauren DeStephano is my new hero after this tweet:

I throw like a girl. I cry like a girl. I drive like a girl. I wrote 8 books contracted to two major publishers in my 20s like a girl.
— Lauren DeSpookaboo (@LaurenDeStefano) October 21, 2014

I’m linking up with these memes: Because they’re awesome.

The Sunday Post

so, phewf. exciting week, huh? what do you think about the fiasco with an author stalking a blogger? and WHAT ABOUT THE AVENGERS 2 TRAILER?!! flail with me, blogglings! oh and tell me what series you’re crazy about at the moment??

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How to Write 10,000-words in One Day

I am a speedy writer. 

Unfortunately, isn’t because I’m talented or have super powers. They might still be coming in though. It’s because of these very uninspiring reasons:

a) I have a terrible memory and if I don’t write fast enough I forget what I’m talking about and my sentences end with cranberry.
b) I learnt a few sneaky secrets.

Sneaky secrets are fabulous.

Like Gollum, sneaking is is a golden pastime of mine. Yes, I am Slytherin too, if you’re curious. I often sneak in shorcuts when I’m writing. WAIT! I know what you’re thinking! Shortcuts in writing are really evil, Cait. Well, yes and no.

But I’m going to be super specific here. My post is about first drafts. Not editing. Not rewriting. First ugly drafts.

SO! Let us begin! I will shed light on my secret with my sneaky ways. And therefore, unfortunately, show you peoples that I do not have superpowers. Although you can think I do if you want.

1. You need the whole day to yourself. 

If you have 2 million activities planned for the day, writing 10K ain’t gonna happen, my friend. You need a day completely for yourself. (And I don’t mean don’t talk to people….I mean don’t plan a huge activity that involves hours away from writing.) Also: don’t worry! You’re not going to write for 12 hours straight. Ha, ha, ha! Can you see me doing that? Heck, no. I have the attention span of a small goldfish.

2. Decided on mini-goals. 

I love ticking things off a list. I like to complete things. Saying, “I’m going to write until I can’t type another dot” is way too hard. Half the time I feel like that after 100 words. SO. I need small goals.

If I’m aiming for a 10,000-word day, then I mentally map my day. I need to write 3.3K in the morning (for me that’s like two chapters). After lunch is another 3.3K. Then after dinner is another 3.4K. Once you complete your goal, you have a mini party! And that’s were rewards come in…

3. You need rewards. 

I don’t just mean food either! Food is awesome, but if you eat a piece of cake for every 1,000-words you write? Well, it can a) get expensive, and b) your pants might not fit. Lucky for us, there are all sorts of ways to reward yourself.

Some ways I like to reward myself are: 

– Pinterest: very useful. A 5 minute browse does wonders for the inspiration, especially if I search for stuff that relates to my project.
– Go for a walk: Stretches them ol’ bones, if you know what I mean. Sitting can be boring. A 30 minute walk does wonders for refilling the creative tank.
– Eat: Well, duh. I’m not an advocate of “a chapter before breakfast”, but it IS a fabulous motivator to say “no-lunch-until-you’ve-got-two-chapters”.
– Drink: After you write a chapter, you get a hot chocolate or a tea or swig from the fountain of youth.
– Watch Youtube/TV: All you need to keep in mind is the time. Spend 20minutes. Not 5 hours.

Things I do NOT do in breaks:

– Read: it makes me feel like my own writing is horrible beyond belief (which it is, but I don’t need to be reminded right now).
– Play computer games: Anything that’s hard to stop, because believe me, you sometimes it’s hard to go back and write.
– Blogging/emailing: I’m not saying isolate yourself! I’m saying “guard thine fingers”. They’ll get tired.

4. Don’t think. Just write. 

(Remember: we’re talking about 1st drafts!) First drafts don’t need huge amounts of thought. (Some is nice, of course, but yeah, don’t sprain a brain cell.) I write WILD and I write MESSY. No thinking. Just spew words onto the page and you can fix them up later. If you’re fussing over every sentence, you won’t be able to write enough.

THIS IS THE KEY RIGHT HERE, OKAY?! Write messy. Throw words around. Just. write.

Technically I can write 100 words a minute. (Go typing tests!) Which means I should knock over 1,000-words in 10 minutes, right?!!

Haaaaa.

Don’t worry. I don’t. But I’d like to think I could knock over 2,000-words in 1.5 hours.

5. Enlist humans to keep you accountable/encouraged. 

You can do this so many ways. Like:

a) tell your writing buddy you’re doing 10K in a day and keep them updated
b) update twitter. Remember that funny sentence you wrote? Keep it handy and paste on twitter/facebook in your break.
c) are you in a writer group? Update them! (Possibly even recruit them to do a 10K with you.)

The key is telling someone. It makes you feel like you’ve accomplished something! And bonus if they can give a few words of encouragement too.

(And I know I said “avoid humans” for #1, but this is different. #1 means don’t go scuba diving on the same day you plan to write 10K. Duh.)

source

So how often have you written 10,000-words in a day, Cait?

Well, firstly, I’m so glad you asked. I have done it several times. In my perfect writing world, I would like to average 5,000-words a day. Hey. I said perfect. When I wrote Them Hungry Bones I averaged at 7K. And then, another day, did my BEST WORD COUNT EVER at 13K! But, gosh, was I exhausted after that one.

But, when I was rewriting another of my WIPs, I averaged 2K a day. It’s completely different when you’re first-drafting to when you’re rewriting/editing. So say I. But when am I wrong? Ha…don’t answer that.

I have churned out 10K days several times. Pros and cons? It’s obviously exhausting, but it really gets you through a manuscript.

And if you’re still looking at me blankly thinking, “there is no way I’ll ever be able to do this,” then give yourself the ulimate motivation: dare yourself.

You were saying, Gollum?

so, have you ever written 10,000 words in one day?! tell me about it?! exhausted or elated or both? just think: if you write 10K every day for 5 days you’d win NaNo! okay, okay, ignore me then. if you haven’t, do you plan to try? is my list helpful or maddeningly frustrating?

Cait would like to confess she’s been averaging only 2K a day during her round of sci-fi rewrites. It’s hard. Her brain hurts. She thinks she belongs in fantasy and away from sci-fi techno terms….but what’s life without a challenge, right? In other news, she just finished SPARK and has a delicious surprise coming with her review. It will be glorious. You will be surprised. 

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10 Series I Wish To Eat But Haven’t Because I Have Not (Yet) Cloned Myself

I have a confession: I rarely finish series.

Although I believe I have confessed this before…so I’m just airing my dirty secrets repeatedly. I have what I call the Squirrel Syndrome. I see a book, I read it, I forget about it being in a series, I see a new book…etc. There are SO many books out there to read! HOW DO I FIT THEM ALL IN?

Cloning is a possible option.

But I do like the thought of series (if not the commitment), and I have good intentions to finish them…or start them. One day. Maybe? Ha ha. Probably not.

This week’s prompt is: Top 10 New Series I Want To Start

1. Curse Workers by Holly Black

I’m going to specific and say these covers. Aren’t they gorgeous? I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE SERIES IS ABOUT! I assume it’s about freaky supernatural things because a) have you seen the covers? and b) it’s by Holly Black.

I love Holly Black.

She’s a genius of all things creepy and unique. I loved The Coldest Girl In Coldtown so much.*

* I also really love Spiderwick, but because I’m, like, a hundred years too old for that series, I have to keep it as my small secret. I really, really love children’s books.

2. The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

Despite the last cover reminding me a delicious biscuit, I like the sound of this series. Did someone say “frightening abilities they can’t control”?

Professor X understands. Let’s groove with these mutants.*

* I actually only assume they’re mutants by the use of “frightening abilities”. I haven’t read the books yet, so I could be wrong. Duh.

3. The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare

I LOVE CASSANDRA CLARE, TOO. I’m nearly finished The Mortal Instruments series* and therefore need to move onto this one. Lots of people have told me it’s even better. I’m 98.3% confident I will enjoy the socks off it.

Also I’m having serious cover-love palpitations here.

* A phrase here which means “Omg, I have just realised how freaking big book #6 is and I may pass out”.

4. The Lotus War by Jay Kristoff

If my dragon doesn’t come through as a yard-friendly household pet, I also want a griffin. Apart from that I have no idea what these books are about except they’re Japanese! Let me cheer! I like when books venture outside of America/Australia/Britain.

I am struggling with the author’s name though.

Basically everything relates back to Frozen these days.

5. Dante Walker by Victoria Scott

I’ve heard it’s insanely witty. Plus the blurb starts “Dante Walker knows is flippin’ awesome, and he knows it.” I feel kinship to him already.* Obviously he has wardrobe issues as he only owns one shirt in the first two books and loses it completely in the third.

* Since I, too, am flippin’ awesome.

6. Dust Lands by Moira Young

I keep borrowing book #1 from the library and it just sinks to the bottom of my TBR…and ends up going back unread. It is a huge shame. I need to finish it! Or, well, start it!

I know it’s a letter different…but the author’s name makes me think of The Mines of Moria every. single. time.

7. The Iron Fey by Julie Kawaga

They’re pretty. (Okay! I promise I’ll stop making that my first reason of why I want to read a book!) Also, faeries are delightfully horrible little creatures and I enjoy reading them. Maggie Stiefvater’s versions are my favourite, but I need to expand my horizons at some point.

And the covers are really pretty.

8. Fairyland by Catherynne M. Valente

But seriously? The series is all “The Girl Who…” and then a boy comes along and totally loses the plot. Pfft. Boys.

I’ve been recommended this a lot, plus I own the first book! Why have I not started it yet?! What is wrong with me?

9. BZRK by Michael Grant 

It’s the only series of his I haven’t read yet! Considering I blather* about how much I adore Gone and hugged Messenger Of Fear (to name a few) I should really just read this. 

I have the first book on audio from the library, so possibly when I’ve finished listening to Disruption** I will read BZRK!

* But you love it. You love my recommendations. You love the way I tell you to read books that will rip out your heart and stomp on it. That’s why we’re friends.
** While we’re on topic, Disruption is amazing. I didn’t think I’d like it…but then I did.

10. The Wicked Years by Gregory Macguire

My sisters are in a plot to make me read this. One sister bought book #1 for me, and the other insists on belting the Wicked musical songs ALL over the house. I GET IT, GUYS, I GET IT. I will (and do really want to) read it…I just…

I don’t know. Why haven’t I read it yet?

I obviously need a clone.

so, my funky friends, i will take your recommendations now. any of these I should really really reeeeeally bump up the TBR and devour fast? did I list any of your favourites? and how about you: series finisher or series abandoner? and, yes, i want to read all of this basically based off cover alone. but that’s normal, right?

Cait is still rewriting her book. Ha! Actually she’s writing this post to procrastinate writing her book because writing is hard. It took her 2 hours to write 2,000-words, which is unokay. SHE IS UNOKAY! SHE NEEDS A BREAK. Her mind is breaking. So she’s given herself a moment to read more of THE GHOSTS OF HEAVEN which is a sad and miserable book where everyone dies.

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I have an obessesion with the End of the World || Also about The Sky So Heavy by Claire Zorn

I have this mild interest in the END OF ALL THINGS. 

What? I can’t help it. It interests me. (It whispers bookish ideas to my writer brain.) If there’s an apocalyptic movie, I want to see it. If there’s a book, I need to read it. And (since I have eaten a lot of theories) I have developed small plans of survival.

It’s the little things that get you to the next day. *

– I always wear comfortable shoes. If a zombie charges at you, there’s no way he’ll pause while you get into good Katniss-approved running shoes.

– I have entertainment in case we lose power. It’s called books. Movies in your brain. I have an entire BOOKSHELF of them, and while people may judge me for the many ones I have unread…what if we have an apocalypse?! I need unread books for those times.

– I love peanut butter. This…this will help me survive. I’m sure of it.

– I have watched copious episodes of Bear Grylls. He does weird survival things like eat spiders and jump off waterfalls.**

– I am okay with the Hermit Life. What? Introvert here. While people are tolerable*** I think I could handle a life like Lynn had in Not A Drop To Drink where she drank water and shot at people if they looked suspicious.

– I know important things. Like zombies die with head shots. How to filter water (with rocks). How to catch fish. Don’t anger bears.**** Don’t eat weird berries. How to light a fire. And how to behave if you’re on a small raft with a tiger.

* I probably stole this from somewhere, but since I can’t remember, we could pretend that is a highly motivational survival-of-end-times quote from me, right?
** It’s like Bear Grylls has this thought of: “if I do this Thing which could possible kill me, how could I survive it?” which are good questions to ask yourself, I assume.
*** …from a distance.
**** This doesn’t really apply in Australia.

So I read this book called The Sky So Heavy. 

It’s like Tomorrow, When the War Began…but so much better. For starters, they use cereal as currency. Isn’t that ingenious? This book and I were destined to be friends.

 But they went hungry a lot in the book, which (obviously) made me hungry. I craved cereal and pizza as I read.

PS. I apologise for the Les Mis gifs. They just happened.

What if the world randomly and suddenly ended in ice and snow? 

Especially in Australia where we’re not really versed in freezing to death. (Although we do get snow.) The Sky So Heavy explored a lot of survival questions and emotions (darn those little emotions)… although it didn’t answer a lot of questions. 

I do get bothered when end-of-the-world situations aren’t fully explained. There’s zero closure for this book, and there’s not a lot of answers. Like exactly what the country’s survival plan was? Towards the end of the book, the army keeps everyone in lockdown…all numbered and accounted for. They don’t want refugees from other towns coming in. WHY. Just for control? It a little floppy to me. The story focused on characters instead of plot.

Speaking of plot: it’s not so much action and fighting as…hiding and attempting not to freeze to death. 

Admirable intentions, but I actually thought the teens would be running around with guns screaming, “Viva la revolution”. Instead they took the End of The World with a more logical how-long-can-we-survive-on-creamed-corn-and-cereal approach. I was a little disappointed at the lack of action.

The characters were obviously the gold of the book. 

It’s narrated by Fin, who’s looking after his 12-year-old brother Max since their dad went out the night the missiles hit and didn’t come back. Fin is “Mister Steady”. Max is “Mister Hyper”. I loved them both, a lot. Then we meet Lucy (luuuurve interest, of course) and Noll (the kid everyone bullied but hey, he’s got food, so suddenly everyone’s friends…I felt so sorry for him). They’re a fabulous group, although I felt I’d met them before (in John Marsden’s version). Noll was a favourite since he was so calm with just a shred of bitterness.

Yes I wanted more action but instead got cereal and awesome characters, so I enjoyed myself immensely. 

It’s dying for a sequel though. The ending is as open as a box of cornflakes and I NEED CLOSURE. Because the last 50-pages hurt. Stuff goes down that makes you close your eyes and whisper, “No, don’t do this”.

Thank you UQP for the review-copy! The Sky So Heavy by Claire Zorn hit shelves in January, 2013.

For Fin it’s just like any other day–racing for the school bus, bluffing his way through class, and trying to remain cool in front of the most sophisticated girl in his universe. Only it’s not like any other day because, on the other side of the world, nuclear missiles are being detonated. When Fin wakes up the next morning, it’s dark, bitterly cold, and snow is falling. There’s no internet, no phone, no TV, no power, and no parents. Nothing Fin’s learned in school could have prepared him for this. With his parents missing and dwindling food and water supplies, Fin and his younger brother Max must find a way to survive all on their own. When things are at their most desperate, where can you go for help? This haunting dystopian novel thrillingly and realistically looks at a nuclear winter from an Australian perspective.

Go forth and eat your cereal, blogglings. While you can…

so, i’m curious: do you have a personal apocalyptic survival plan? how comfortable are your shoes? legit question here…needs answering. have you read The Sky So Heavy? i think you should, by the way.

Cait is currently eating a cupcake and finalising this review at the last second. The cupcake was delicious, thanks for asking. She’s spent most of today rewriting her sci-fi monstrosity. She usually tweets updates, like how it is not a good idea to nearly-kill-your-character too early in the book. OH! And she hit 800 followers which made her smile like a psychotic Cheshire cat. Currently she’s reading THE GHOSTS OF HEAVEN. 

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Do You Want To Hear About My NaNoWriMo Novel?

This is it, blogglings. I’m doing NaNo. THIS IS NOT A DRILL.

I’ve nearly done NaNo every single time it’s happened, but something always stopped me. No excuses this time. I will NaNo or expire trying. Okay, well, a little dramatic, but I am a writer. I’ll tell you all about my glorious WIP (work-in-progress) with the aid of Beautiful Books — which is a meme (hosted by yours truly and Sky) designed to help us plot our books for NaNo.

And if you are clueless to what NaNo is, let me aid thee. It’s short for “National Novel Writing Month” wherein hundreds of people across the green globe write 50,000-words in 30 days.

By the way, if you want to be buddies with me, my username is CaitGrace. LET US WRITE AS ONE, FELLOW AUTHORS!

Also feel free to grab these 15 questions from the linkup, answer them on your blog. We want you to. Your presence would be awesome.

1. What came first: characters or plot idea? Are you a plotter or a pantser?

I am a planster, which is a fabulous combination of plotting and pantsing. I usually write 2-pages of synopsis before writing (plus some character charts) and then I’m off!*

I almost always get the plot first. This one was mildly inspired by Supernatural, Inkheart, and the question “if someone threw a hardback book at my head, would it kill me?”**

*I used to be a dedicated plotter, though. I once wrote a 10,000-word plot. Yep. You heard me.
** Don’t look at me like that. I know you’ve asked that question before too.

2. Do you have a title and/or a “back-cover-blurb”?

It’s called…ready for it? I call it: The Dead Boy and the Paper Cut (hereafter called TDBatPC…gosh, who titled this thing?)

I’ve got a little somethin’…

Seventy years ago 16-year-old Thomas Murphy was murdered with an orange hardback book. With his ghost bonded to the 457-pages, he becomes a cantankerous poltergeist. (Kill a cat. Break a window. Mild stuff.) But it’s eye-for-eye. If he kills his murderer, his ghost will rest. Except Thomas can’t move his own book.
When Moxie Smith, deaf and lonely, picks up the orange hardback, Thomas haunts her home. If he can convince her a) not to burn his book and b) help him find his killer, he’ll be on the way to freedom. And, bonus: Moxie’s deafness doesn’t apply to ghosts.
As they track down Thomas’ murderer, the two build a friendship on books, coffee beans, and lessons on how-to-walk-through-walls. Moxie can hear again! Her life is perfect!
Until she realises she just signed up to help a ghost kill a dude who’s about 80-years-old.
It sounded better in her head.

3. What wordcount are you aiming for when your novel is finished?

The aim of NaNo is 50,000-words. That sounds good to me.

4. Sum up your novel in 3 sentences.

A boy is killed by a book.
A deaf girl wants to hear.
Coffee is slurped.

5. Sum up your characters in one word each.

I love this question. Just sayin’.

Narrator #1 – Thomas Murphy: angry
Narrator #2 – Moxie Smith: curious
Dad – Jon Smith: weary
Youngish Uncle – Luca Smith: bounce
Moxie’s BFF – Khalida Gola: nerd
Thomas’ sister – Ava Murphy: hermit
Thomas’ killer – Unnamed: gone

6. Which character are you most excited to write? Tell us about them!

This is so hard. I’m desperately excited for both my narrators (yep, it’s dual narrated), Thomas (the ghost) and Moxie (the deaf girl).

I’ve been researching deafness and sign-language and lip-reading and accents…and I get to write a bookworm? YES PLEASE. But Thomas is a snarky, angry, vengeful little guy and will writing him causing a ruckus? Sign me up.

Can I plead both?

 

7. What about your villain? Who is he, what is his goal?

I can’t tell you who he is, because it’s Thomas’ Big Secret. BUT YOU WILL FIND OUT. But the dude killed a 16-year-old with a book. Who does that?!

8. What is your protagonists’ goal? And what stands in the way?

Thomas’ goal: find his killer. Bop him.
Problem with that goal: Thomas is attached to a book he can’t pick up and can only go 25 metres from.

Moxie’s goal: get her hearing back.
Problem with that goal: reality

9. What inciting incident begins your protagonists’ journey?

Moxie walks into the library where Thomas has covertly organised his book to go “missing” under the shelves. She finds his book and decides it looks interesting.

Thomas begins his snarky commentary on the degeneration of her hair.*

Moxie hears him, which she should not be able to do, and (once heartattck is finished) adopts this wayward ghost.

Thomas continues snarky commentary.

*There’s nothing wrong with her hair. Thomas is just mean.

10. Where is your novel set?

‘Straya, mate. There aren’t enough Australian books in the world. I mean to change that with my magnanimous genius and superpowers.

It’ll also be in a city. Probably unnamed. Because I haven’t been to many cities.*

*Fun fact: I’ve been to the capitol of China, but not the capitol of Australia. 
Funner fact: There are more people in the capitol of China than in THE WHOLE OF AUSTRALIA.

11. What are three big scenes in your novel that change the game completely?

a) Moxie enlists the help of her nerdy friend, Khalida, (who is coincidentally from Pakistan if you’re interested) to help her figure out how to get rid of a ghost. Khalida suggests burning bones. Thomas declines.

b) Moxie’s uncle (who runs a comic-book-flavoured coffee shop) makes a mint mocha the day someone is murdered.

c) Thomas informs everyone he is living proof that books do, in fact, kill.

12. What is the most dynamic relationship your character has? Who else do they come in contact with or become close to during the story?

While I consider it equally Thomas and Moxie’s story…I have to admit, Moxie has more to work with. She has a great relationship with her dad and uncle*. And Moxie has a fabulous friend who will solve all her problems.

But Moxie and Thomas have the most electric relationship, since they depend on each other hugely. Moxie can hear when Thomas talks. And Thomas can’t go far unless Moxie carries his book.

* She also has a good relationship with their delicious coffee shop…gosh, she has a fabulous relationship with their chocolate chip biscotti.

13. How does your protagonist change by the end of the novel?

Moxie grows a little taller. Thomas doesn’t because he’s…you know…dead.

I’M KIDDING.

I also hope Thomas learns manners and Moxie realises she can still have a wild and glorious life even if she’s deaf.

But no promises.

14. Do you have an ending in mind, or do you plan to see what happens?

If I get inspired, I’ll change it. But for now…OH MY SWEET WOOLLEN SOCKS! I do have a wicked ending. It includes:

– a graveyard
– a family reunion
– a Batman coffee cup
– another murder

15. What are your hopes and dreams for your book? What impressions are you hoping this novel will leave on your readers and yourself?

I really like supernatural things. I like things that don’t exist. IMAGINATION. That’s what will stay with me — I can imagine anything I want to and make it a story.
Hopefully my readers will learn a) don’t throw books in case you kill someone, and b) if a book has blood on the cover DO NOT BORROW IT. PUT IT BACK ON THE SHELF AND WALK AWAY.

 

 

it’s possible you’ve already blogged about your upcoming books, but if you wish to humour me…tell me what you’re writing in november?? and if you’re not doing NaNo, what writing projects do you have on the go at the moment? your opinions on my project are also most welcome. i’m mildly fond of it myself. particularly the fact that i’ll get to write about cake and coffee.

 

Cait is neck deep in edits of her sci-fi. She meant to write it to limber up  her fingers for NaNo. But…she grossly overestimated her abilities. She’s got 20K down, and 50K to go. Calculations indicated she needs to write at least 5K a day and HA. Let’s just say that ain’t happening. She just finished a Terry Pratchett graphic novel. She’s thinking about coffee.

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The 10 Types of Book Bloggers

Book bloggers are fabulous creatures. (Especially when you get to subtly make fun of them.) And, being a book blogger creature myself, I thought some analysation was needed of how different people approach book blogging.

Although, before we jump in, question: Why do we still say “book blogging”? It takes so much time. Why hasn’t it been shortened to “bogging” yet? Or “bookogging”?

Anyway. Food for thought. You may continue reading.

1. The Once A Week Wonder

These bloggers are marvellous at quality content. They put up some of the juiciest posts you’ll read all week…and then they disappear into their mysterious world of Real Life to be fabulous. And leave you refreshing their blog hopelessly. THEY NEED TO POST MORE.

2. The Review Ruler

How about a review? Or three? Or six? The thing you keep asking is how the heck does this blogger read so many books?! They always have fresh reviews on the blog. Plus their reviews are detailed and interesting… If you say, “Hey have you read” there’s a 99% chance they’ll say, “Yep. Read it.” What wizardry do they use?

3. The Bookish Photographer

Because being sickeningly talented as a book reviewer is not enough — THEY CAN ALSO TAKE BEAUTIFUL PHOTOGRAPHS. (No I’m not mildly jealous of this book blogger.) Their posts are adorned with pictures of their paperbacks doing everything from picnics to dancing ballet. (Well, let your imagination stretch a little, okay?) Their posts hold the most eye candy. And their instagram account is the best one you follow.

4. The Question Asker

We all like a good discussion — and this blogger has us covered. They think up ALL the awesome discussion topics. They ask questions about subjects you didn’t even know you were passionate about. It’s not just the old “do you like love-triangle” topics either. They’re digging deep and analysing character instincts and then asking us (us!!) what we think of their findings. They demand audience interaction and commenting on their blog actually makes you feel like your opinion is noted.

5. The Organised Strategist

They put the rest of us to shame. How do they do it?! What time machine do they possess? But, honestly, they have their blog scheduled like 3 weeks in advance. They’ve got the right ARC reviews up. They’ve got posts for all the top linkups. They do blog hops and giveaways and tweet links and connect with everyone. While the rest of us get our post up 3 seconds before midnight…

6. The ARC Eater

source

Similar to the Organised Strategist, but this blogger has contacts. Not only do they know which books are coming out when, but they manage to land all the hot ARCs. (Are we jealous? Pfft. Of course not.) They get themselves to book expos and comic cons and author signings. They know the publicist by name.

7. The Fangirl

BRING OUT THE GIFS. This blogger knows how to a) party, b) flail, and c) write posts of epileptic gif proportion. They aren’t afraid to show which fandoms they belong in. Geek and proud. Their blogs aren’t limited to books, because, hello, there’s a world out there of movies, comics, and tv series. And they can gif like you’ve never seen a gifer gif. They’ve got the perfect reaction images in their reviews. Plus shipping? Oh they have more OTPs than passengers on the Titanic. Which is conicdentally how most of their OTPs end up. Sunk.

8. The Too-Awesome-For-This-Area Elitist

They’ve been blogging for…forever, basically. They’ve been on every blog, done every linkup, worked with ever publisher, met all the authors. They’re not weary of blogging, but they have a firm direction and (with a couple thousand followers under their belt) they’re happy to cruise. Answering comments and visiting newbie bloggers isn’t the top of their agenda. And it’s freakishly hard to break into their clique. But you admire them. OH. You so admire them. They’re the pinnacle of Blogging Majesty. 

9. The Ideas Queen

They exhaust you with the pure amount of content they put out. And it’s never consistent. Reviews, lists, life posts, discussions, memes…are they intent on doing it all?! Just watching them makes you want to take a nap. Yet, their blogs are exciting. You never know what’s going down because they keep NO schedules. 

10. The Omnipresent Master

This is the blogger you truly take your hat off to. They don’t post a million times a week, but they sure get around. They’ve already commented on a post before you get there. If they join in a linkup, they visit like every link. They visit your blog and answer comments and chat on twitter. In a word: friendly. In another word…are they stalking you? Just kidding.

what do you think?! did i miss a “type” of book blogger? (add to my list!) and OH! which one do you fit into the best?

Cait enjoys laughing. At books, or movies, or herself, or others (although, as Lemony Snicket says, you shouldn’t laugh at other people unless they’re wearing a really ugly hat, and then it’s okay to laugh). Currently she’s laughing at herself because she thought she could rewrite a 70K book before November. Bah hahaha. No. It’s not working out for her.

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Since You’ve Been Gone by Morgan Matson || Proof that lists solve every problem

I am the queen of lists. 

If you’ve been reading this blog for any length of time (actually, yesterday I wrote a list, so literally ANY length of time) you know I like lists. I LOVE THEM.

So when a book presents it’s pretty face to me and says, “Hello, human, I am a List Book and you should read me” — I’m not arguing. In fact, I’m clutching the book and dashing for a quiet spot and devouring it all at once.

(Also there is the matter of Engie @ Musing’s From Neville’s Navel saying it was brilliant. I’m congenial. I like recommendations. Even though it wasn’t necessarily recommended at me. I still took it.)

Now I have something very important to say, so take note:

I LOVED THIS BOOK.

It’s about a shy girl. I am a shy girl. I connected to Emily (our narrator) so fast I just wanted to scoop her out of the 450-pages and make her my best friend. (I was wickedly jealous of her BFF, Sloane, I tell you.) And when a bookworm connects to a character SO tightly? I know for sure this is going to down as Awesome Book Of The Year.*

*Well, moment, because, I actually have read a lot of awesome books this year. 

I was worried the bottom line of Since You’ve Been Gone would be Emily’s new friends trying to “fix” her shyness.

It happens. It saddens me. At the beginning, yeeeeeah, they were. There were a few comments indicating that living life not being an extrovert was a sad thing. IT’S NOT TRUE. Being extroverted doesn’t solve all your social problems (it can create them too, you know). Since You’ve Been Gone settled into not trying to change Emily from being shy, but making her comfortable with her friends and her decisions. I liked that. 

 It’s more about being who you are, than changing yourself. At the beginning of the book Emily wears clothes she knows her friend Sloane would approve of…but by the end, she changes out of the cute dress and wears just a simple skirt and white singlet and feels more herself. 

The romance is squeak worthy. 

Literally. I FEEL LIKE SQUEAKING. It starts as friendship (as any relationship should) because Frank has a girlfriend (mwhaha, famous last words) and he and Emily are “just friends”. Oh, stahp. You’re adorable. 

 It goes from Emily spending a summer alone, to having Frank and his best friend Collins, and Dawn (who Emily met at work) being the Super Foursome and doing the List together. I love books about friends! But, of course, feelings change between Emily and Frank…and then it gets all messy and sticky and sad. But I just sat there quietly shipping. 

Anyway.

The book starts with Sloane (Emily’s BFF) being “missing”. But she left a list. 


We only meet Sloane through backflashes. But I so felt for Emily. As a shy person, the best thing you can do is befriend someone extroverted. THEY DO THE SCARY THINGS FOR YOU. (Although, arguably, this book actually stomps on that theory since it takes away the person [Sloane] that Emily is most dependant on.) They were the best of bestest friends and then suddenly Sloane is gone. Poof. VANISH.
All she left is a list of things for Emily to do.*
*Which personally I think is a really awesome thing to do and I’m thinking up taking Professional List Leaving for people.


 I moved a lot in my youth.* So I completely understood Emily’s flailing lost feeling of having friends direct your life one minute and then — BOOM — you suddenly have to learn who it is to be you without them. 

 * My “youth” was like, um, 3 years ago.

So, yeah, I thought this book was okay. 

HA! I loved it freakishly much. It had me laughing. (Out loud! Honest, ask my sister, I’m sure she thought I was watching VlogBrothers, but no, I was reading this incredible book.) It made me feel braver since I’m a super shy introvert myself and it made me remember how important friendships are. 

 (I feel like YA books sometimes delete friendships in favour of romances. Don’t get me wrong! Romances are fine. But friendships are really important too.)

I only had one problem…the title. 

There’s a lot of song lyric references in the book so the title completely makes sense. But every time I look at this book….

Pitch Perfect. Every. single. time.

Thank you Simon and Schuster Australia for the review-copy! It came out in May, 2014.

The Pre-Sloane Emily didn’t go to parties, she barely talked to guys, she didn’t do anything crazy. Enter Sloane, social tornado and the best kind of best friend—the one who yanks you out of your shell. 
But right before what should have been an epic summer, Sloane just… disappears. No note. No calls. No texts. No Sloane. There’s just a random to-do list. On it, thirteen Sloane-selected-definitely-bizarre-tasks that Emily would never try… unless they could lead back to her best friend.
Apple Picking at Night? Okay, easy enough.
Dance until Dawn? Sure. Why not?
Kiss a Stranger? Wait… what?
Getting through Sloane’s list would mean a lot of firsts. But Emily has this whole unexpected summer ahead of her, and the help of Frank Porter (totally unexpected) to check things off. Who knows what she’ll find?
Go Skinny Dipping? Um…

in case i wasn’t clear: GO READ THIS NOW. also, let us talk, my fabulous fellow blogglings. do you often find books where you really “click” with the main character? and do you think there are enough YA friendship books out there? i totally think we need more. opinions on since you’ve been gone? and TELL ME you’ve seen Pitch Perfect?!!!!

Cait is having a few blog technical issues with her homepage. Stay with her! She’ll sort it out (or, regrettably, will delete the problem post…which sucks, because she liked that one). Besides wailing over her blog problems, she’s also rewriting. She spent today googling fine dining and got seriously hungry looking at restaurant menus. (RESEARCH, duh.) So far in her rewrite, she’s not used a single sentence from the first draft. Life is like that.

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10 Places That Make Me Yell “Pack my bags, minion, I’m living in a book!”

I have bookish wanderlust.

A huge reason I love reading is because I can go anywhere. LITERALLY. One minute I’m at Hogwarts, the next Paris, the next Panem. Although the latter isn’t getting on this list of places I want to go to. Trust me. In reality I’ve been only been all over Australia and seen a big hunk of China…but I long for Paris.

It is really hard to explain how much I desperately need to go to Paris. And Europe. I might as well have titled the post “Places In Europe Cait is Subtly Relocating Herself Too”.

I’m linking up with The Broke and the Bookish for their incredibly awesome meme: Top Ten Tuesday. This is a meme involving lists, peoples. LISTS! I love lists.

This week’s prompt is: Top 10 Places Books Have Made Me Want To Visit

1. Paris, France

[Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins]

Obviously this is destination uno numero. There are so many reasons my soul belongs here. Mostly because all writers either live in Paris or visited there at one stage. Hello Ernest Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Stein, Miller, Victor Hugo, Oscar Wilde, and Charles Dickens.

Victor Hugo even said, “To err is human. To loaf is Parisian.” I hope he’s referring to the bread. I like bread.

Plus from it being Characteristic Of An Author, there’s also coffee and croissants to think about, as well as places to see, the beautiful language to hear, and glorious Parisian wonder to soak in.

I even studied French in highschool! Well…a little. I quit. But I can still say many words like fromage (cheese), pain (bread) and I know the difference between un and une. SO THERE.

2. Somewhere in the Mountains, Japan 

[The Girl From The Well by Rin Chupeco]

I like the sound of Japan. I like rice. I don’t mind sushi. (Pass on the raw fish ones, but yes to the vegetable ones.) I particularly LOVE noodles.

Freaky Japanese ghosts? Of course I don’t mind them. Would it scare me? Pfft. Please. I’ve got my salt and skills.

3. Prague, Czech Republic

[Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor]

I’m not one hundred percent sure I want to go to Prague while Karou was wreaking havoc. Maybe when she’s left? But those passages describing that cafe they liked to go to, eating goulash and drinking dark coffee? UM. YES.

I would probably die of the cold, though, because I am a wimp. I freeze at 10 degrees Celsius (which is 50 Fahrenheit for those that care) and I’ve never ever seen snow.

4. Tampere, Finland

[As Red As Blood by Salla Simukka]

I TOLD YOU: OBSESSION WITH EUROPE.

I liked this book because it mentioned black liquorice, and also ice and snow (which sound pretty) and dark streets when it should be light (sounds like fodder for a writer in my humble but wonderful opinion) and it’s pretty. I may need to grow wings to see views like this, but I can do that.

5. Amsterdam, Netherlands

[The Fault in Our Stars by John Green]

I want to see Anne Frank’s house. I ride in a boat on the canals. I want to also kidnap a bike and ride it around too. I would like to walk around at night. I would like to eat oranges (because orange is a Dutch colour, so I’ve heard) AND…hello?! The Fault In Our Stars was there! I don’t really need any more reasons than just being a nerd and standing in the conversation where Gus and Hazel said:

Hazel: Thank you for letting me hijack your wish.
Gus: Thank you for wearing that dress which is like woah.

This just downright adorable.

6. Wherever-there-are-castles, Germany

[The Book Thief by Markus Zusak]

Technically I should say Himmel Street, but I want to see ALL of Germany. Castles particularly. I know, I knoooow, castles are drafty and damp…but it doesn’t take away from the fact that THERE ARE REAL LIVE CASTLES IN GERMANY.

Well…kind of live.

Don’t be so literal.

7. The moors, Scotland

Because I wish to change me fate, and Scoootland is the place to do it, me wee bairns. (You’d better be reading this bit in a Scottish accent or I will come over their and glare at you.) I don’t actually want to pedal over there in WWII, though. Scotland today. That’ll do nicely.

I’ll wear a kilt! I’ll eat haggis! I’ll learn bear! JUST TALK ME TO SCOTLAND, YE WEE WILL O’ WISP.

8. New York, America

[Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer]

Okay! I confess! I actually only want to go to New York because it’s the hot-spot for alien attacks and I do want to see one in action. And also…I wish to see the Avengers in action. The amount of times New York gets struck down in the movies? I’m sure something terrible and Armageddon-worthy will happen while I’m trotting down the streets.

9. Jerusalem, Israel

[Broken Bridge by Lynne Reid Banks]

Heck yeah, I want to go here! Come on, Jerusalem?! It is so freakishly old and the architecture would be phenomenal. Plus seeing Roman roads and all the temples. PLUS THE MOUNT OF OLIVES. Plus the approximate places where Jesus walked and did super awesome stuff. PLUS FOOD, PEOPLES, FOOD. Shwarma and falafel and cheese and olives and flat bread and —

Okay, I realise this whole post is me basically saying, “I wish to see the world and eat all its food.” But, hey, I’m not ashamed about that. I do want to eat all the food. Seeing tourist attractions is also cool.

(By the way, I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned Broken Bridge on this blog but it’s an incredible book. I must’ve read it fifty-two million times when I was in school. It’s about family and murder and Israel.)

10. London, England

[Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman]

Oops. We’re back in Europe again. My bad. I’d apologise but: LONDON.

I particularly want to see 221 Baker Street which I know was only made for stupid tourists like me, but I’m not even ashamed. London is for Sherlock. London is for red buses. London is for delicious chips.

(I would’ve actually attached a Sherlock book to this picture, but…I haven’t read Sherlock. I’ve read Father Brown mysteries though! That counts, right?!)

Obviously I listed all the really awesome places (because I have impeccable taste).

But I’m sure you have bookish places you’d like to visit too. And I want to hear about them! The comment section is yours, my fair friends. Tell me where you want to go. Tell me if you like where I’m going. Link me to your TTT posts.

And what’s more important: seeing the tourist attractions of a particular country, or eating all their food? If you had to choose.

Cait is hungry. Darn this post. And now her feet are kind of itchy and she wishes she could just get in her private jet and dash all over the world to eat the food and see the sights. Paris is top of her list, though. ALWAYS. And she wouldn’t say no to revisiting China, actually, because you haven’t lived until you’ve eaten street market noodles. Just sayin’. Currently she’s reading SINCE YOU’VE BEEN GONE.

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Shouldn’t You Be In School? (#3) by Lemony Snicket || ANSWER THE QUESTION

You probably know this already, but let’s yell it to the wild anyway, shall we?

I am a Lemony Snicket fan.

I am, perhaps, ten years too old, but I don’t even care. I collected his first series avidly and, yes, I was off to a late start with his new spin-off series (about Snicket himself and his journey into VFD!) but I am equally addicted. Not obsessed. Just healthily addicted.

Can you look me straight in the eye and tell me you don’t care what VFD stands for? CAN YOU?! If you read A Series of Unfortunate Events (about the misfortunate lives of Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire) then you need to know what VFD stands for.

Peoples. Shouldn’t You Be In School (book #3) has answers. IT HAS ANSWERS.*

…Aaaaand, I will not be telling you. So (because you’re deadly curious about the infamous VFD, as was I) you absolutely need this book in your life. You’ve been told. Shoo now.

*Although I did cautiously glare at the page when I read it because I don’t believe it. There have been so many red and purple and orange herrings I don’t even know what to think anymore. Do I trust Mister L. Snicket? Not really.

I’m kidding. Stay here a moment. I have other things I wish to say.

Important things!

Like: Sarcasm.

Lemony Snicket (the 13-yaer-old version particularly) is the master of very dry sarcasm. The adults of his world have senses of humour as developed as a small seed — that is to say: NONE. So Snicket is wickedly sarcastic and no one even notices.

“And I’d rather not have that kid around here either,” her husband said.
“I’d rather not have you call me a kid,” I said.
“I’d rather not have my apprentice talk like that to the police,” Theodora said.
“I’d rather not listen to my husband boss people around,” Mimi Mitchum said.
“Sorry,” I said, “is it my turn? I have a long list of things I’d rather not do.”

It’s a very particularly strain of humour, and it always cracks me up. Like the scene of Josephine’s cameo (yes! Josephine from The Wide Window book #3 of A Series of Unfortunate Events):

Josephine caught my eye and gave me a signal we’d used for years to indicate that one of us had to leave. The signal was mouthing the words “I have to leave” and pointing at the door.

What? Leave me alone in my giggling hilarity.

Other Things I Deign to Tell You:

– The adults are all rather stupid and the children are brilliant.
– We still don’t know what the S stands for in Theodora S. Markson.
– Everyone insists on calling Lemony a “little boy”, just to annoy him.
– Lemony continues to butt heads with the stupid bully, Stew Mitchum, and gets in some golden comebacks.
– Lemony also gets his head hit in by said bully.
– I ship Lemony and Moxie, the reporter.
– Count Olaf has a cameo.
– Someone is going to do something nefarious to the children in the school. But what is it?
– And shouldn’t you be in school?

I’m pretty sure Lemony Snicket can do no wrong. 

This is another work of brilliance, sarcasm, and delicious breakfasts. And the fourth and final book comes out next year…which is quite sad. I was hoping for another 13-book series. Why hasn’t Beatrice been mentioned?? Why does Lemony have such a thing against coffee??

I DON’T THINK ANYONE SHOULD BE IN SCHOOL.

Thank you Hardie Grant AUS for the review-copy!

Is Lemony Snicket a detective or a smoke detector?Do you smell smoke? Young apprentice Lemony Snicket is investigating a case of arson but soon finds himself enveloped in the ever-increasing mystery that haunts the town of Stain’d-by-the-Sea. Who is setting the fires? What secrets are hidden in the Department of Education? Why are so many schoolchildren in danger? Is it all the work of the notorious villain Hangfire? How could you even ask that? What kind of education have you had?Maybe you should be in school?

okay, blogglings, tell me you’ve read something by Lemony Snicket before?! YOU HAVE RIGHT?! do you prefer his first series, or this spin-off? and also: do you think it’s possible to grow out of children’s books? (and aren’t these quotes the best?!)

Cait has been asked this famed question of “shouldn’t you be in school” multiple times in her life because…she never was in school. (Homeschooled, yes.) It is definitely the WRONG question. The right question to ask her (any time, if you like) is “do you work in a organisation that keeps secrets and spies on people”. You will like the answer to that one better. She just finished reading THE SCORCH TRIALS.

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2018 Reading Challenge

2018 Reading Challenge
Cait (Paper Fury) has read 12 books toward her goal of 200 books.
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