Top Ten Tuesday: Spring TBR Books

Top Ten by The Broke and the Bookish

Top 10 Spring TBR Books:

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It’s officially Spring, though Spain has not gotten the memo, since it’s FREEZING outside!  Oh well, that’s just better weather to curl up with a book, and perfect timing because today’s Top Ten is all about the books on my to-be-read list for this Spring!  Enjoy!  :)

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Soldier Dogs by Maria Goodavage - I will start with this one since it was featured in my Link of the Day today.  I’m very excited to read this book.  Soldiers willingly put themselves in danger when they go to war.  Human soldiers know what they are getting themselves into, while dog soldiers do not.  So it is so nice that their story, which they are unable to tell for themselves, is being told.

Tell Me Where It Hurts by Nick Trout - My first dream profession was to be a veterinarian.  Now, it is to be a wildlife journalist, and while I will be helping animals by telling their stories, I won’t be helping them like vets do.  I am still very interested in the lives of veterinarians and all they go through, so I am extremely ready to read this book from the acclaimed vet and author, Dr. Nick Trout.

The Great Animal Orchestra by Bernie Krause - I have just finished When Elephants Weep (review coming soon), and one of the topics covered was about animals enjoying their own noises – birds enjoying their songs, elephants their trumpets, lions their roars, etc. – and I was truly intrigued by the idea.  Needless to say I was extremely intrigued by this book of how important each animal’s sound is vital to their existence.

Wildlife Heroes by Julie Scardina - This book was also featured in another of my Links of the Day, and I instantly added it to my TBR list.  I admire people like Jane Goodall, Louis Leaky, and Dian Fossey, and hope to some day do my own part to help animals, so I’m very interested in learning about other people who help out the animal kingdom!

Not So Funny When It Happened by Tim Cahill - After reading No Touch Monkey, I just needed more travel misadventure.  So when I found out about this book, I just had to add it to my TBR list!

Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin - I wanted to read this book since I first heard about it when I was in high school.  I think I’ll finally get to it this Spring and am excited to start it!

Farm Sanctuary by Gene Baur - When I was 16 I became a vegetarian.  That lasted for 3 years until I craved meat too much (sad, I know) and quit, going back to being a carnivore.  Lately, I have been going through some inner-changes, and have decided to become a vegetarian again, and this time stick with it for the long run.  This book looks crucial to my success at being a lifelong vegetarian, and is definitely going to be read very soon.

Rickie and Henri by Jane Goodall - Written by my hero, Jane Goodall, this is a story about the love and friendship between a dog and a rescued chimp.  It look like such a heartwarming story, and I would love to read it this Spring!

Love, Life, and Elephants by Daphne Sheldrick - I first heard about Daphne Sheldrick’s orphan elephant sanctuary in an issue of National Geographic.  I became so obsessed with following her site and newsletters of how the orphaned elephants were doing, that my dad and step-mom gifted me with becoming a foster parent to two of the elephants at Daphne’s sanctuary.  So I am extremely excited to read her book, and learn more about the amazing work she has done to save and help some of the most beautiful and interesting creatures in the world.

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern - OK, OK, I’ll add a fiction novel to my list!  I’ve actually been wanting to read The Night Circus since it came out, and after continuing to read great reviews on it, I thought I would buckle down and read it this Spring.

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I know there are TONS of animal books on my list, and only one fiction.  But animals are my passion, and non-fiction is my reading preference, so hopefully, even if you are more of a fiction reader, you still enjoy my list!

Hope all of you have a Happy Tuesday!

What are your Top 10 TBR books for Spring?

Top Ten Tuesday: Book Covers

Top Ten by The Broke and the Bookish

Top 10 Favorite Book Covers:

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I know the list is supposed to contain 2012 covers, but I’m going to include my favorite covers from all years.  These are in no particular order, but here they are.  Enjoy!  :)

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No Touch Monkey by Ayun Halliday – Come on, how could you not love this cover?!  I mean just look at it!  The main reason why I bought this book was because of the cover, and I’m so glad I did because the book exceeded my expectations.  Check out my review of this book here.

The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein - I am extremely biased with this book because it’s one of my favorites.  But I do love the simple cover and if you read it, then you will understand how powerful this cover truly is.

Life of Pi by Yann Martel - I could literally stare at this cover for hours.  It provokes such wonderment and imagination, and trust me this is just not another “pretty cover” because the book is absolutely AMAZING.

Unlikely Friendships by Jennifer S. Holland - Awww…just Awww! Do I need to say more?!  Check out my review of this book here.

Modoc by Ralph Helfer - This cover brings tears to my eyes.  I remember staring at this cover after I finished the book and the words I had just finished reading came flooding back in my mind.  The cover isn’t even half as good as the book, but it’s definitely one of my favorite book art.

Running with Scissors by Augusten Burroughs - Such a great book, and such a great cover.  I just love it.  It really captures the words that are on the pages.

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen - Anyone who has read this book knows how amazing this cover is in person.  It’s such a great design that it instantly attracts you into reading the book.

Tales of a Female Nomad by Rita Golden Gelman - I remember stroking this cover when I first picked this book up, waiting desperately to read it.  This cover is so cool.  Screw Eat, Pray, Love, this book deserved its own movie.

The Devil’s Teeth by Susan Casey - I asked my mom to get me this book for Christmas based on the cover alone.  It’s scary as hell, but also extremely intriguing.  The book was great, but I think the cover is just a tad bit better.  Check out my review of this here.

Moby-Duck by Donovan Hohn - I haven’t read this book yet, but it’s definitely on my TBR list.  And it’s on there for the most part because of the cover.  It’s so cool, isn’t it?!  Can’t wait to see if the book lives up to the cover.

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The cover art are sometimes my favorite part of the book, and it really is something that draws you into the book.

So this is my list, and hope all of you have a Happy Tuesday!

What are your Top 10 favorite book covers?

Booking Through Thursday: Falling in Love

Booking Through Thursday by Booking Through Thursday

Q:

Have you ever fallen in love with a fictional character? Who and what about them did you love?

A:

I love this question.  I thought I was a weirdo when I was reading The Perks of Being a Wallflower, one of my all-time favorite books, and I feel in love with the main character Charlie.

I loved everything about him.  His timid personality, his obsessive (but not obsessive stalkerish) personality, his intelligence, and I pictured him physically as my dream guy.

I always keep this book close to my heart.  Not only is the story amazing, but the author produced such a vivid and relateable protagonist that I did really end up falling for him, wishing the book would never end.

It’s odd how much you can connect with a fictional character; someone who will never actually exist.  But I did, and I love that this question was even brought up, because it means at least someone else has thought the same way.

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Has anyone else felt the same way?  Please let us know in the comment section below!

Happy Thursday All!

Booking Through Thursday: Book Blogs

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Q:

What do you look for when reading a book blog? Does the blogger have to read the same genre? Do you like reviews? Personal posts? Memes? Giveaways? What attracts you to a book blog?

A:

It’s hard for me to find a book blog that I follow regularly.  There are very few I really like since most of them focus around science-fiction, fantasy, paranormal, and Twilight-kind of books.  I’m more of a non-fiction reader, and still have yet to find a really good non-fiction based book blog.  If you know of any, let me know!

I also like book blogs that have memes – like Booking Through Thursday, of course! – and ones with good reviews.

Booking Through Thursday: Characters vs. Plots

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Q:

What’s more important to you? Real, three-dimensional, fleshed-out fascinating characters? Or an amazing, page-turning plot?

(Yes, I know, they are both important. But if you had to pick one as being more important than the other?)

A:

This is a hard question.

Both are extremely important for a well-written and enjoyable book, however if I had to choose just one, I would rather have an amazing page-turning plot.

For me, even with the best, three-dimensional, realistic characters, by the end of the story I start getting sick of them.  I don’t care how planned out, how constructed and believable they are, sometimes I will stop reading a book because I want to reach my hands inside the book’s pages and strangle the neck of the character for whatever reason.

With a page-turning plot, that never happens.  I don’t think I have ever complained about a good plot, a good climax; though I have complained about a good character and their idiotic actions.  A plot is what makes us keep reading, keep coming back for more, and without that, there would be no book.

So hands down, an amazing plot is more important than a fascinating character.

Booking Through Thursday: Mood Reading

Booking Through Thursday by Booking Through Thursday

Q:

Do you find that your mood affects the things you read? Like, if you’re in a bad mood, do you tend to indulge in reading that will support it or do you try to read things that will cheer you up? Do you pick different types of books on dreary, rainy days than you do on bright sunny ones?

For that matter, does your mood color what you’re reading, so that a funny book isn’t so funny or a serious one not so deep?

A:

Actually, if I am in a bad, sad or pissy mood, I don’t want to read.  I know that should be a time when I should dive head first into a book and block my troubles out, but during those mood swings, my brain will not concentrate on anything but my problems and troubles.  So there has been times when I try to read a book to take my mind off of everything, and the next thing I know I’m 20 pages in and literally have no clue what I just read.  I space out, it’s normal.

I do love reading curled up with a hot tea on those cold, rainy days.  During those days, my mind is fully immersed in whatever book I’m reading, so I do try to choose a book that I will enjoy and one which has been on my TBR list for a while.  These are the days when I get some hardcore reading done!

And actually, if I’m in a happy, giggly, go-lucky mood, where everything is funny, a funny book is more likely to be 10X funnier for me.  If I’m in a depressed, I-hate-my-life mood, 10X more tears will be shed if I’m reading a sad book.  And if I’m very pensive that day, a serious or deep book will have me in deep thought even more.  So pretty much, if I read a book which matches my mood, my reaction to that book will be tenfold what it normally would be.

Top Ten Tuesday: Books on my Winter TBR List

Top Ten by The Broke and the Bookish

Top 10 Books on My Winter TBR List:

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My TBR list has been overflowing since I started NaNo.  Now that I have finally reached the 50K, it’s time to get back into the reading game.  I bought some very good books before Borders (RIP) closed and before I left the States, so I am excited to dive into some of those, along with new ones I just HAVE to read.

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Born Free by Joy Adamson – I know of Joy Adamson because of the book: A Lion Called Christian, in which Joy and her husband, George, were the ones to rehabilitate Christian.  When I found Born Free during the closing sale of Borders, I just had to get it, and now I look forward to reading another one of Joy Adamson’s exciting adventures with lions.

In the Shadow of Man by Jane Goodall - Yes, Jane Goodall is a hero of mine, so when I found this book that talks about her early days when Louis Leaky discovered her and she began her adventures with chimps, I just had to get it!  Now, I just have to read it!

Hope for Animals and Their World by Jane Goodall - Yep, another Jane Goodall book, however, this one is about all animals.  Jane Goodall talks about the endangered species, the environment and how it’s affecting us all, and positive approaches to protecting animals and our world.  This is one I can not wait to read!

Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson – Yes, I have heard that the author fabricated the story, much like another one of my favorite books: A Million Little Pieces, however, I have wanted to read this book for awhile.  And if it really isn’t true, then I’ll just read it like it’s an amazing fiction story!

Heat and Light by Mike Wallace - I bought this book because I plan on going into journalism, and Heat and Light is all about “advice for the next generation of journalists”.  It actually looks pretty good and informative so I’m excited to read it!

First Comes Love, Then Comes Malaria by Eve Brown Waite - What’s better than a funny travelogue?!  I actually just recently found this book and it looks so good and hilarious that I may just bump it up on my TBR list!

Babylon’s Ark by Lawrence Anthony - I know this book is going to bring me to tears, but honestly, I don’t care.  This book looks so amazing that I just have to read it!  Plus, there are some other books by Lawrence Anthony that I have found which I want to read, so I think I’ll read this one first, and then read his others.

 

The Year of Living Biblically by A.J. Jacobs - This book looks laugh out funny, but also very informative as the author tries to follow the Bible as literal as possible.  Maybe I’ll read this book after I read Babylon’s Ark so I can get some humor in!

The Devil’s Teeth by Susan Casey - This book looks downright scary yet intriguing as I read about the author’s obsession with Great White Sharks.  I myself, have a fear of sharks but I have always been intrigued by them and how people would want to be even in close proximity with them.  This book could either turn my fear into a positive, or make me even more afraid of those monster-looking-big-ass fish!

Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie - OK, OK, I’ll indulge in a little fiction.  I have been wanting to read this books for a while now, but have not gotten around to it.  I’m hoping to end my winter TBR list with Ms. Christie,  one of my favorite, and only, mystery authors!

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Don’t worry, it’s not surprising to see only one fiction book on my reading list.  I’m a huge non-fiction fan and read fiction only when the book captivates me from the beginning.

So, this is my winter to-be-read list.  It’s actually much longer than this, and will probably last until next winter!

What books are on your TBR list?

Booking Through Thursday: Thankful

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Q:

What book or author are you most thankful to have discovered?
Have you read everything they’ve written? Reread them?
Why do you appreciate them so much?

A:

I discovered a little book titled: The Perks of Being a Wallflower some many years back, maybe when I was 15 or so.  I randomly spotted it in a small store in Lexington, Michigan, and for some odd reason, I just had to have it.

That book turned out to become very special to me.  I have reread it numerous times, almost memorizing the words where I don’t necessarily need to be looking at the pages to know what’s going on.  The characters became very important in my life, and I would sit up at night “talking” to them as if they were my best friends.

I would like to say that the book changed my life, but I really don’t know if it did or not.  All I know is that it was one of my favorite books, still is, and will probably be a book I will pass down to my kids.

However, unfortunately, like Hollywood does with all good things, they are making a movie out of my favorite book.  You will not see me in any of the theaters watching that movie, though.  That book is too special and dear to me to ruin it with someone else’s images.  But please, if you see the movie, just promise me that you WILL read the book before seeing the film.

So, today, on Thanksgiving, I am thankful for my favorite book, The Perks of Being a Wallflower.  Thank you Stephen Chbosky, whom I have not read another book by, for writing this one special book and allowing me the pleasure of reading it.

Happy Thanksgiving Bookies!

Top Ten Tuesday: Authors I Want at My Thanksgiving Dinner

Top Ten by The Broke and the Bookish

I have just found this Tuesday meme from The Broke and the Bookish.  It looks fun, so it shall now be added as another one of my weekly memes which I will participate in!

Top 10 Authors I Want at My Thanksgiving Dinner:

J.K. Rowling - Uhm, who wouldn’t have her over for Thanksgiving dinner?!  In between shoveling food in my mouth and stuffing my face with stuffing, I would be asking her all about how she came up with the idea for Harry Potter, who her personal favorite character is, and all about her writing habits, motivations and inspirations.  Oh, I would pummel her to death with questions and shout outs of “I’m your biggest fan!”

Susan Orlean - While I still have yet to read any of her books (they are all on my TBR list), I feel like I know Ms. Orlean.  Her website is amazing, and if Adaptation is one of my favorite movies, and it’s based off of her book, The Orchid Thief, then duh, I will love her.  Plus, she seems like she would bring some humor to the dinner table.

Wade Rouse – I would invite him for my mom as much as for me.  We both love Wade Rouse and fell in love with him through his book, At Least in the City, Someone Would Hear Me Scream, and have since went on to read his other books that kept us laughing out loud.  Not only is he gay, and would bring his partner Gary to the dinner, but he would definitely keep us all laughing through the night!

Stephen King – Do I need to say anything more?!  Yeah, I didn’t think so.

Jane Goodall – Not only for her books, but also for the animal lover, supporter, and researcher (I don’t like the word scientist) that she is, Jane Goodall would definitely be invited to my Thanksgiving dinner.  I would question her endlessly about her times and experiences with the  chimpanzees, and I would obviously force her to become my new best friend.  :)

Yann Martel – Life of Pi is one of my favorite books so of course Mr. Martel would be invited.  I will of course ask him how he came up with such a brilliant idea, and I would probably sit him next to J.K. Rowling.

Nellie Bly – Many people don’t know Nellie Bly (that was her pen name), but as you can see in my About section, she is one of my role models.  She was one of the first female journalists and would stop at nothing to get the story, even committing herself to an insane asylum which she writes about in her book: Ten Days in a Mad House.  She would be of course seated next to me and Jane Goodall, so both could complement one another on what pioneers each were in their own fields.

Gary Paulsen – I love this man.  I first found out about him when I did a project in school on the Iditarod (the Alaskan dog sled race), but then I discovered his books and fell in love with them.  He has had such an amazing life, and his adventures and experiences radiate throughout his books.  I would probably sit him next to Susan Orlean because they both have had some cool experiences.

Suzanne Collins – I would invite her and place her next to J.K. Rowling and Yann Martel.  Of course I would ask her how she came up with The Hunger Games trilogy idea and I would discuss non-stop with her about her books.  Yes, Ms. Collins would definitely be invited!

Bill Bryson – Of course we need a hilarious travel guru at the table.  Bill Bryson would complete the entire dinner.

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Well, this is my list of the authors I would invite to my Thanksgiving dinner.

Who are some authors, or famous people if you so incline, whom you would invite to Thanksgiving?  Leave your answers in the comment section!

Happy Almost Thanksgiving All!

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