Romance Recommendations for Valentine's Day!

Love it or hate it, it's almost impossible to avoid the pink-and-red explosion of goodies that invades our lives every February so why not make the most of it and also treat your shelf  and yourself to some romance?

Romance gets a bad rap for being formulaic and homogeneous but I'm here to tell you that's not the case! Romance has something for everyone and then some. Not sure where to start? Below are some of my favorite romance reads so far:

New to Romance and not sure where to start? Try the Scandal and Scoundrel series by Sarah Maclean?

Sarah Maclean is a great gateway drug into romance. Her series always feature kick-ass feminist characters, a side of sass and are just all-around fun. Not up for a whole series? try the second book in the series: A Scot in the Dark (my personal favorite). You can normally read romance series out of order or as standalones!  

Are you a fan of YA? Try: The Wrath and the Dawn by Renée Ahdieh!

This is a YA retelling of 1001 Nights and is actually the first part of a duology. It follows Shahrzad as she volunteers as tribute to be the Caliph's bride, except the Caliph kills his brides one day after their wedding, but not all is as it appears...

Do you enjoy heart-pounding historical fiction adventure stories? Try An Extraordinary Union by Alyssa Cole!

Civil War spies! Adventure! Tension(sexual and otherwise)! and by far one of the most amazing kick-ass heroines I've read in a long time. This story will have you biting your nails until the last page!

Do you like PoC centered narratives and/or westerns? Try the Old West series by Beverly Jenkins!

Well, really try anything by Beverly Jenkins but this is her most recent series and it is as hot as the southwestern setting that her stories take place in.

Do you like suspense/thrillers? Try Radio Silence by Alyssa Cole!

Yes, I am recommending a second Alyssa Cole book because she is just that good! This book is set in a (dystopian?) setting where the US has lost all reception, and wholly mole does Cole put you through the wringer as we follow our protagonists trying to survive in the frigged woods of upstate New York.

Do you like intergenerational family with a good dollop of drama? Try Hate to Want You by Alisha Rai!

Alisha writes more 'angsty' romance than average if you are not into the sugary sweet but like complicated, fully developed characters grappling with deeper issues like family relationships and mental health this is the one for you.

Looking for something to give you the warm and fuzzies? Try Moonlight Over Manhattan by Sarah Morgan!

If angst is not really your wheelhouse try Sarah Morgan's Manhattan series, I have only personally read Moonlight over Manhattan but if it's any indication of her writing the whole series should be amazing. This book follows an overworked ER doctor and the dog-walker turned dog-sitter he hires to watch his sister's dog for a week. It is just adorable.

Looking for something sweet but feeling meh on the sexy? Try Twelve Days of Christmas by Debbie Macomber.

Debbie is a bit of a legend for the sheer number of books she produces especially her Christmas-themed books which she has published each year, pretty much consistently each year since 1986. Although Christmas has passed, I think this one can be read all year around. It centers on Christmas grump whose next door neighbor decides to 'kill him with kindness' and blog about her experience but then feelings happen.

What am I reading next in Romance? I am picking up The Wedding Date by debut novelist Jasmine Guillory! Getting stuck in an elevator and a fake date to an ex's wedding turns into something more? I can't wait to find out! 

  

Take a Virtual Walk through Literary New York!

So this is super cool! According to Time Out New York, Harper Collins is celebrating it's 200th year this year and has released an audio walking tour of places around NYC where some of the most renowned Harper Collins authors used to frequent. There are eight audio clips in total, each about 7 minutes long. The featured authors are James Harper, Mark Twain, Zora Neale Hurston, Betty Smith, Harper Lee, Edna St. Vincent Millay, Richard Wright and Maurice Sendak.


You can find the link to the audio tours here! 

Happy Listening! and Walking!

DUMBO

Book Con 2017 + 5 Tips for Making the Most out of Your Book Con Experience

So this year I got to attend my first Book Con ever and it. was. crazy.

Crazy amazing that is! I haven't felt that much collective bookish energy since I attended a midnight Harry Potter releases. Just being around so many people that shared a common love for books and being able to embrace my book nerdiness unabashedly was wonderful. It was certainly an event worth experiencing. If you are curious about Book Con or wondering if you should attend, here is a break down of my Book Con experience:

Before Book Con

I found out about Book Con late last year when researching bookish events around the city and it was close enough to my birthday that I though, why not treat myself and go? I purchased Saturday and Sunday passes for myself and a friend early February 2017 and as the date approached I checked on the Book Con website as they released more guest speakers, authors and events. I received my passes in the mail about a Month in advance.

Passes? Check! Metro Card? Check!

Prep Time

Being the type A book nerd that I am I spent couple of days before Book Con researching everything from the floor layout of the Javits center to MTA delays and best practices as explained by Book Tubers who had previously attended Book Con. I'm definitely glad I spent some time researching before hand otherwise I wouldn't have know to activate my pass, print my tickets for ticketed signing and what signings required purchases vs gave away free books, and the difference between a Main Stage event and panels and how to line up for one.

Needless to say it's a lot of information so I am glad I had everything ready to go beforehand including a map, my tickets and my schedule printed before hand and  my tote bag(s) ready which made the day of the convention run much more smoothly.

I love spreadsheets!

Book Con!

I live in NYC which is great because I didn't have to worry about hotels or flights. I do however live in Queens which means an early start. On Saturday I woke up at 4:00am and left my apartment at 4:30am. My book buddy and I arrived at the Javits center at around 5:30am to find it closed and a small line of about 30 sleepy bookworms already lined up around the corner. We took turns doing Dunkin' Donuts runs for breakfast and coffee. I was glad I had brought a mass market paper back to keep me entertained through the long waiting lines although chatting with my friend and other people in line made the time go back faster.

At around 7:00am the line began to move and go through a security check still set up out side the Center. We were then corralled into another waiting line closer to the Center doors. At 8:00am the doors were open and we were lead to a large room in the bottom floor of the center where you could choose to line up for a Main Stage event or for the Show Floor. My friend and I chose the latter and we joined more book fans in a corral like line for 2 more hours. At 10:00am we were lead to the show floor. It was madness! People were power walking and cheering as we flooded the Show Floor, snapping up ARCs and forming lines within the first 15 minutes like there was no tomorrow.

Despite the best laid plans, being flexible was key since some events started early, lines filled up and there would be spontaneous arc drops or giveaways. Some of the best experiences I had were unplanned interactions with booksellers, publishers and of course fellow fans. I spent most of the time on my feet on the show floor between attending panels and signings. The vast majority of the time I spent in line waiting for an event or signing and by the end of the day I was exhausted but happy and somehow managed to drag myself out of bed on Sunday as well to do it all again. 

SFF Resist Panel

Attending Book Con for the first time was a surreal and awesome experience. There was also a lot of things I learned about making the most out of your experience! After some thought, here are the

 5 Tips for Making the Most out of Your Book Con Experience:

1. Check the Book Con website and social media constantly for updates!

Things change last minute. Events are switched, new panelists and events are announced or canceled and the lining up system changes every year. Following the official Book Con website, social media pages and downloading the Book Con app will keep you updated of any changes. It's definitely to check in with these sources once in a while as you get closer to the event date.

2. Bring a Buddy with you!

If possible go with a fellow bookworm! There are so many ways that going with someone makes the experience better. Having a buddy makes the hours you spend waiting in line fly by,  it lets you coordinate for bathroom/coffee runs, it means you have someone to gush with and share the excitement with and some one to hold your totes while you need a break.

3. Make a schedule...

There is just WAY too much going on at Book Con to do it all (as much as we might like to!) Events, signings, panels and meet ups overlap and you would do well  to schedule at least 30 minutes of waiting time if not more for popular events. This means that making a plan is crucial to get as much out of your day as possible. You don't have to have a color coordinated spread sheet like some crazy people (me) but knowing how you want to prioritize your time, which events are most important to you and having a plan B and C is worth your time.

4. But be flexible

You would be hard pressed to find anyone whose Book Con schedule went completely according to plan and that's ok! Some of the best experiences I had were attending unplanned meet ups and running across random book drops. Lines are long and your time is limited and sometimes things just don't work out. Take it in stride and have fun because ultimately that's what we're here for!

5. Talk to your fellow Book Nerds!

Mingling with Book Nerds is really what made my experience at Book Con great fun. It can feel daunting for an introvert but everyone is there because they all love books too! You already share a common interest and almost everyone is incredibly friendly so talk to everyone! Please standing in line with you, attend meet ups, talk to book sellers and publishers they have incredible insights, anecdotes and advice. If you're extra nice they'll let you know when their next book drop will take place. You also don't know who you might run into! I stumbled into Gabby Rivera the author of Juliet Takes a Breath and of the new America #1 Marvel comic in the bathroom. Of course I just melted into a blubbery mess of awkward admiration but she was super nice about it.

All in all it was a wonderful experience! I can't wait for next year, I hope you get a chance to go too!

Bookish Bonanza!

 

Dewey's 24 Hour Read-a-thon [April 29th-30th 2017]

I will be updating this page constantly throughout the read-a-thon, so check back for updates!
Check out my other Social Media pages for more updates!

Twitter
Instagram
Litsy @NYCBookOwl
Goodreads 



Hour 24 (The End) and now to sleep...


I'll admit at the end I ran out of steam..I stopped doing the hourly challenges and posting the IGreadathon posts on time. I stopped posting on litsy although I did tweet occasionally. I watched Bill Nye Saves the World instead of reading, read 3 of the graphic novels I had meant to space out in row and slept a fulfilling 6 hours straight instead of the 20 min naps I promised myself.

The result? I still had a ton of fun! I did complete the IGchallenge albeit more in spurts that consistently. I made some new twitter and IG connections and I did bump up my April wrap up to the highest it's been this year! Most of all I learned to relax and enjoy doing what this readathon was meant to encourage, reading your books!

Closing Survey!
1. Which hour was most daunting for you?
Probably the second when I realized I had been reading for 2 hours and barely made any progress in my book! But then I eased my way into a 'just read what you can' mentality and found my rhythm.

2. Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a reader engaged for next year?
 Graphic novels (like Saga!) are a must!

3. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next season?
Nope

4. What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon?
Using different social media platforms to accommodate each  reader's preferences

5. How many books did you read?
Five

6. What were the names of the books you read?
The 39 Steps by John Buchan
The Disappearance of Signora Giulia by Piero Chiaro
No Mercy Vol 1 &2 by Alex Di Campi
Nimona by Noelle Stevenson

7. Which book did you enjoy most?
Definitely Nimona! It's just absolutely adorable.

8. Which did you enjoy least?
Probably No Mercy, they're quite good but I was looking for Nancy Drew read alike not Battle Royal Lite

9. How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time? 
Definitely! I would like to host a mini-challenge if possible this time :) those were so much fun!

 

14th Hour (9:54pm)

After a second graphic novel break I think I'll try some non-fiction! (bell hooks maybe?)
But first here is my entry for the Create a Story in your Stack Challenge!

My kind of Haiku poem is:

Behold the Dreamers
All Grown Up
Perfect Little World

12th (8:00pm) HALF WAY THERE!

I'm halfway through!
It's been super fun although I haven't gotten as much reading done as I expected to, but there's always the second half!

Halfway there!

Here is my entry for the...

 Mid-Event Survey! 
1. What are you reading right now? - Feminism is for Everybody by bell hooks

2. How many books have you read so far? 3 (2 novels and 1 graphic novel)

3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon? - More graphic novels! (I'm saving Saga until last!)

4. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those? Yes, with a hyperactive companion and a trip to my local indie there have been a lot of interruptions but I've been ok with that, it gives me a nice break!

5. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far? - How nice everybody participating and cheering everyone on is! It's been super fun!

11th Hour (7:02pm)

For the One Night Read challenge my pick is Ready Player One! I could not put this books down. If you are a sci-fi fan or interested in VR, video games, 80's geek culture or just a romping good read, definitely pick it up!

On a side not, today is also INDEPENDENT BOOKSTORE DAY!
Since I am doing the readathon, I am not participating in the book store crawl :(
BUT I did stop by my local indie and picked up these two great books on the recomendation of my local bookseller/indie store owner. Go give your indies some love!

Mini Haul from my local indie!

9th Hour (5:11pm)

Book and Snack Challenge! I am currently snacking on pear wedges sprinkled with cinnamon. Yum!

My new favorite snack!

8th Hour (3:42pm)

It's so hot my brain is melting...

Here is my entry it to the Books to Empower Challenge!

Empowering Reads

7th Hour (2:41pm)
Oh baby! It is HOT in NYC today! I took a break to read outside and to go to my local indie to celebrate Independent Bookstore day and I had to get some ice cream on the way back! Keep hydrated everyone!

Here is my entry in the Show us the Weather Challenge!

Hot + Humid = Ice cream time

4th Hour (12:18pm)
It's been a bit of a slow start with coffee and breakfast. But I've finally finished my first book! The 39 Steps by John Buchan, a spy/thriller classic turned into a Hitchcock movie too! My edition was 88 pages. I'm going to take a break and participated in the 6 Word Story Mini Challenge!

Here is my entry:

Readathons make for the perfect Saturday!
<3


NYC Start time: 8:00am

T-Minus 15 minutes to the Read-a-thon! (7:45am)
Books? check!
Comfy clothes? check!
Social media? check!
Just going to go brew a pot of coffee to kick start the day and the readathon!


Hour 0 Mini Challenge - Opening Survey

1) What fine part of the world are you reading from today? NYC!
2) Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to? Saga vol.2
3) Which snack are you most looking forward to? Dried Mango
4) Tell us a little something about yourself! I'll read anything but fantasy and mystery/thriller are my favorite genres.
5) If you participated in the last read-a-thon, what’s one thing you’ll do different today? If this is your first read-a-thon, what are you most looking forward to? This is my first time! I'm looking forward to participating in the mini-challenges and making a dent in my TBR

Dewey's 24 Hour Read-a-thon TBR and Prep!

I am so excited! This will be my first time participating in the Dewey's 24 Hour Read-a-thon! If you are not familiar with this read-a-thon, it is pretty much what it sounds like: a 24 hour span to read as much as you can! It is hosted on the official website as well as on other social media platforms like Goodreads, Twitter, IG and Litsy, and Facebook just look for #readathon. It takes place during the same 24 hours around the world so different countries have different starting times and there are prizes, challenges and sprints to keep everyone excited!

Basically it is a frenzy of book nerd awesomeness! This year my schedule is clear to participate and I am very excited to start! As a first timer/type A book nerd, I felt the need to make some preparations beforehand.

TBR

 I've compiled a pile of books I want to read during the read-a-thon. Well, not quite a TBR since I don't expect to get through all of them, but rather I want to have a 'pool' of pre-selected books to choose from during the read-a-thon. All of these books are fairly short from <100 - 300 and include fiction, non-fiction, essays and graphic novels although the majority are mysteries because that's how I roll.

Can't wait to dive in!

FOOD

Food is probably my second favorite thing after books and I'll need both to get through this read-a-thon. Luckily  my supportive and bookish significant other has promised to cheer me on through this challenge and supply me with comestibles but snacks are a must when you feel your focus lagging so I picked up these goodies:

Nom nom nom!

CLOTHING

If I could get through life never wearing pants I probably would. The next best alternative however are leggings and a baggy sweatshirt and fuzzy socks. Always fuzzy socks.

Gettin' comfy!

SOCIAL MEDIA

This will probably be a double edged sword! Connecting with people who are also participating will be great motivation to keep going. At the same time, I'll have to resist the temptation to check Facebook and IG constantly. The platforms/pages I will be using throughout the read-a-thon are

Goodreads 

Litsy (@NYCBookOwl)

Twitter

IG

This page!

~

Happy reading everyone!

4 Types of Book Clubs to Try Out!

Book clubs! They are a great way to get social with your reading, add a little more motivation if you're feeling slumpy or just catch up with friends (with wine of course!). Although the idea of a book club is very basic at its core: you read a book with a group of people and then talk about it. There are so many different ways and social functions that this structure can fit. Currently, I am part of 4 different book clubs (excessive, I know, but it keeps me reading for sure!) and I realize that each one serves a very distinct purpose in my reading/social life and that there are pros and cons for each one.

1. The Friend Group book club

  

Completely unrelated photo of books and coffee

This is your basic group of friends or friends of friends getting together to chat about a book. This usually happens monthly, bi-monthly or quarterly and may include comestibles and/or alcohol. I've been in a couple which have been organized around a particular theme (e.g. we would only read books by women of color) or just a general get together where people rotate choosing books they want to read, either way you get to spend time catching up with friends.

• Pros: The social atmosphere of getting together with friends on a fixed schedule with wine!
• Cons: Depending on the dedication of the group it can be difficult to keep the conversation centered around the book and lack of consistency can also lead to the dissolution of the group.

2. The Long Distance book club

Turkish coffee and book. Also irrelevant

I am very lucky to be part of a family that is full of book nerds. Every time we get together we talk about our favorite books and give each other recommendation. Unfortunately since we are scattered all over the world this does not happen as frequently as we would like. One way in which my mother and I keep in touch is by reading a book at the same time and then discussing it via Skype when we finish.

• Pros: Keeping in touch and sharing bookish time with a loved one/family/friend who lives far away. Beats sending a postcard!
• Cons: Generally works better with a smaller group of people unless you want to start a...

3. The Online book club

A sprinkle of irrelevant cinnamon

Online book clubs come in all forms of organizational platforms on a variety of social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Goodreads and Litsy are some that I've seen just to name a few) They can be just for a private group of friends that are scattered geographically or open to for anyone to join.

• Pros: Finding a group of people interested in reading the same book or types of books as you who are interested in having conversations about said book.
• Cons: Not meeting in person (or this might be a pro too?)

4. The Work book club 

I like my coffee with cookies and irrelevance

This can be a great way to get to know your colleagues and network across departments in a more casual way or to talk about books at work (yay!).

• Pros: Bringing a little fun into your work life/potential workplace friendships
• Cons: Having to bite your tongue sometimes/watch your alcohol consumption, they are still colleagues after all and the last thing you want 

Are you part of any book clubs? What do your book clubs look like?