Monthly Rewind: February (and Some Questions for You Bloggers)

I almost don't know where to start on my Monthly Rewind - February was . . . Intense.

At any rate, it's March (the month of appropriately mad weather for Michigan), which means it's time for the monthly link-up with Nicole at Feed Your Fiction Addiction. Instructions on how to join are here.

You may or may not have noticed that I was pretty absent for most of February. There are a few reasons - 

First, I picked up a second part-time job a couple weeks into the month, and both my time and internet access have become even more limited than normal. That being said, I'm still here! 

Working two jobs has also upped my caffeine intake, and made me seek out coffee from less savory places (like the gas station). I'm normally pretty spoiled because the coffee at the bookstore is amazing. Not so amazing at the gas station. But hey, it's coffee. I think.

Secondly, I've been having an endless amount of annoying problems with Blogger and Google+. They are currently refusing to let me comment on anyone's comments, or even read them when I'm logged into my blog. 

I didn't realize what a goldmine TOP* gifs were . . . until now ^^

Ugh. 

Anyhow, after much deliberation, I'm considering moving my blog to a different platform, or possibly my own domain.

Which leads me to these important questions:
1. Is it worth buying an actual domain name?
2. What blogging platform do you use, and why? Do you like it? Is one better than the others?

Any advice/feedback would be really appreciated! (Oh, and since I can't read your comments - note the contact form on the top right-hand side of the blog- thanks!)

And now that I have that out of the way - February in Review!

On the Blog and Reading fronts, my hectic schedule made hash of things - and I only managed 5 posts :(

-Current mood-

• Beautiful People - Couples Edition - the Writer Link-Up, helped me investigate two of my characters from The Butler Did It and determine if they were in a relationship or not. They still say "no." But you'll have to read it to decide for yourself ;P
• Continuing the inevitable February theme, I posted a list of my Top 10 Favorite Literary Couples. And there was some gorgeous fanart, as the cherry on top.
• Maybe my favorite Top Ten Tuesday ever - The Top 10 Songs that Need to Be Books. They all need to be written already!
• Top Ten Books I Ended Up Liking (In Spite of Myself) I included plenty of reasons, and a few disclaimers. And I totally restrained myself from gushing about Tom Imura.**
• I ACTUALLY FOUND TIME TO WRITE A REVIEW of Stars Above (The Lunar Chronicles) by Marissa Meyer. 4 stars

My reading count for this month was even worse - I started about 15 books, and finished only two of them! 

The first was Stars Above, and the second was The Guest by
Hwang Sok-yong. I'm not sure if I'll review it or not. It's about the 52 day massacre in the Hwanghae Province of North Korea during the Korean War. It was moving, disturbing, horrifying, and profoundly important if you're looking to understand a little more of the North/South Korean relations, the relationship of Korea with the West (especially the U.S.), and the two huge "foreign guests" of Christianity and Communism. It wasn't light reading, but I was glad I read it. I'm just not sure how to explain it in a review! (A funny place for a writer to be in, let me tell you).

I am also reading through a manuscript for a friend, so that's taken plenty of time and attention. 

And if you're interested, here are some of the books I'm currently reading:

Without You, There is No Us by Suki Kim

Passenger by Alexandra Bracken

The Star-Touched Queen (ARC) by Roshani Chokshi

Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys

H is for Hawk by Helen MacDonald

Small Data by Martin Lindstrom

Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard

Also in reading, Intisar Khanani's (novel-length!) follow up to Sunbolt, Memories of Ash, has a release date!! This is easily one of my most anticipated books of 2016. It's out May 30th - so just 3 months to wait!! In the meantime, there will be a cover reveal on March 16th, and it will be up for preorder on that day as well.

Off the Blog:

• I started the second job (at a new local brewery)
• I started yet another novel (I have very bad habits.) More about this in a minute.
• I turned 27
• I made lots of kimchi and discovered kimchi stew (soooo good. And kimchi fried rice is almost better!!)
• I basically did a lot of cooking, now that I think about it . . .
• One of my best friends got engaged and I get to be a bridesmaid (my second time)!
• The only movie I watched was Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (Because Matt Smith - Eleventh Doctor as MR. COLLINS)***, I watched none of the Oscars, and watched an unhealthy amount of YouTube videos when I should have been sleeping after 12-16 hour work days. 
• And to be honest, if anything else happened in February - I don't remember it. I was probably sleeping. My ability to fall asleep anywhere on anything at anytime just turned into a superpower.

Looking Ahead:

Hopefully I'll finish a few of those books this time around, and have some time for reviews! I'm also thinking of doing a series of editing posts on The Last Coffee Shop - to help me actually edit it, and because it would be fun. Thoughts? My major goal for March is to do at least one edit through.

Oh, and that book idea I mentioned above) - it won't go away. So I started writing it. It's basically a vintage sci-fi + western + Hallyu wave + high fashion novel in the world of TLCS (though not a sequel). The MC's voice is stuck in my head - he's an angry teenage model (yes, that's he) on the run from a truly freaky family situation. He takes refuge at a greasy spoon space diner, which is run by a posse of (former) warrior women who specialize in fried chicken. Because I just can't write anything normal. If you'd like to see a glimpse into it, here's the link to my Pinterest board.

Also, I plan on plugging away at The Butler Did It, and reading everyone else's wonderful posts (I did a lot of reading posts in Feb, but rarely had the energy to comment, lol)

So that's it for me folks. How was your February? Do you have any big plans for March? What are you reading? And please tell me your thoughts on the blog move idea/domain name :) I'll give you all the virtual cake if you do!

Footnotes:

*From BIGBANG. SO MANY GIFSSSS

**Yes, I know he's fake. No, I will not get over it.

***Not as bad as I thought it would be, and Matt Smith was hilarious. 

TBR Book Tag! (With gifs, because, why not?)

For once, I am getting to a tag really quickly. If the world goes out of orbit, or something explodes - I wasn't involved . . .

Bogdana the Booknerd tagged me for The TBR Book Tag. And honestly, it's probably the easiest tag yet (my to-read list is HUGE). So, thanks Bogdana, and be sure to check out her great book blog here! (All images and gifs belong to respective copyright holders. Book cover photos are from Goodreads.com)

1. How do you keep track of your TBR pile?

Shikamaru is my spirit animal (and I love this gif)

Uhhhh . . . I don't really keep track, it's too much effort. But Goodreads helps a lot! It tells me what I want to read, so I don't have to be bothered to remember ;P

2. Is your TBR mostly print or ebook?

Print. I have a few ebooks to read, but I usually ignore them unless I am stuck in an office waiting room, or standing in a super long line (both things I try to avoid, as a matter of principle)

3. How do you determine which book from your TBR to read next?

I stage a mini Hunger Games.
Actually, I just grab a handful, read the blurbs, and then decide on whatever looks the most interesting.

4. What book's been on your list the longest?

Probably Anna Karenina. I think it's been on there for about 11 years. I just haven't found the time.

5. A book that's on your TBR list just because of the cover?

I'd love to say that I never judge a book by it's cover, but we'd all know that's a lie. Usually I am a cover + blurb + subject person, but here is the last cover that caught my eye. I basically check out anything with samurai, ninja, or otherwise Asian inspired. This cover was an instant addition.

<---- Child of Vengeance by David Kirk

It's a novel inspired by historical samurai Musashi Miyamoto. Sold.

6. A book you recently added to the list?

The Girl with Ghost Eyes, by M. H. Boroson. I stumbled across it thirty seconds ago. Go read the description and pre-reviews - it sounds awesome.
Aaaaand, it isn't out until November.

7. A book [on your list] that you never really plan on reading?

Well, usually I only add books that I plan on reading. But I'm not so naive as to think I'll actually get to all of these books (a girl can dream). *Flicks through Goodreads looking for likely candidates . . .*
Probably The City of Ember. It's MG, and I've heard pretty mediocre things about it. And though I've been a lifelong dystopian fan, I'm starting to get sick of the genre (sad, isn't it?).

8. A book on your TBR that everyone has read but you?

I don't know about everyone . . . but The Host by Stephenie* Meyer has been on my TBR for 4 years,  and I have a bunch of friends who loved it (even if they despised/didn't read Twilight). I read Twilight, had a good laugh, and proceeded to forget about it. I'm not really interested in any more Meyer books, but because my friends love The Host so much, I feel like I should give it a shot, you know?

9. A book on your TBR that you're dying to read?

Still cracking up at the gif*


Winter by Marissa Meyer. I have loved every second of The Lunar Chronicles since I snatched an early copy of Cinder. I'm really excited to see how everything finally goes down.

10. An unpublished book on your TBR that you're excited for?

Other than Winter, the book that I'm the most excited about is Anne Bishop's Marked in the Flesh (The Others #4). Every time I think about it, I'm in agony. I want the book to come out, but I don't want it to be March, I just want . . . the book to come out now.

11. A book on your TBR that everyone recommends to you?

Dune by Frank Herbert. It's another one that I've been planning on reading but never quite get around to. And everyone I know (that's read it), thinks I would really like it. It's not that I don't believe them, it's that I think "Okay, if I'll like this, why don't I save it and pick up something totally unknown." I love the unknown.

12. How many books are on your Goodreads TBR shelf?

As of today, 505. And that isn't even counting the ones that I was too lazy to add.

So, have you read any of these books? What book has been on your TBR list the longest? Is there a book that you want to read (but you think you never will)?

*Did you know that she spelled her name Stephenie instead of Stephanie? I had no idea.

TTT: 10 Characters I Couldn't Connect With (and gifs!)

Between computer problems and internet problems, I have had my blogging fingers tied for about a week now! But I'm back today for Top Ten Tuesday, the fun meme hosted and created by The Broke and the Bookish. Want to participate? Click here.

Normally, there is at least one character I like in a book (well, except in most adult fiction, but that's another story). Sometimes there are characters I love, and sometimes there are characters I hate. More frequently, there are characters that I wouldn't know from Adam, who make me sleepy with apathy. And since this week's theme is "Top 10 Characters I Didn't Click With," I picked a random assortment. And because I am me, I decided to illustrate my list with gifs. Because they make everything better.* (Disclaimer: All images belong to respective copyright holders, and are not being used to generate money or profit of any kind)

So, in no particular order:

Top 10 Characters I Just Didn't Connect With

1. Emma Bovary from Madame Bovary

Actually, I didn't click with anyone in this novel. They were silly, self-absorbed, and they were terrible with their money. And they all could have used a constructive hobby. There was a scandalous affair in there somewhere, but most of Madame Bovary was actually Emma accruing a horrifying amount of debt.

2. Celaena from The Throne of Glass Series by Sarah J. Maas

For some reason, I see TS when I think Celaena . . .

Celaena is the Mary Sue of assassins. Beautiful, deadly, not-sorry-I-accept-my-own-awesomeness, and with all the gifts; I doubt she cares about my lack of admiration (likewise, Taylor Swift). She didn't irritate me as much as Prince Dorian, but I just didn't care a whit about her. *Yawns*

3. Peeta Mellark from The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins

Throw me some of that bread

Face it, he's the dead-weight that never gets the chance to really shine. He's also manipulative, and vaguely annoying. And he's a baker's son named after bread. And I couldn't remember who he was for most of The Hunger Games. I kept going, "This guy, why does Katniss know him again?" And then there is that lackluster love triangle . . . pfft . . . I could have put Gale on here too, but at least I remembered him, you know?

4. Augustus Waters from The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

The delightfully pretentious Gus, designed to play upon your emotions. I almost felt bad for feeling nothing at all. While I have the utmost faith in the intelligence of teens, very few things about him rang true to me. He gave me a few chuckles, but let's face it: if I hadn't been reading this for book club, I wouldn't have been reading it at all.

“I’m in love with you, and I know that love is just a shout into the void, and that oblivion is inevitable, and that we’re all doomed and that there will come a day when all our labor has been returned to dust, and I know the sun will swallow the only earth we’ll ever have, and I am in love with you.” 
― John Green, The Fault in Our Stars

5. Dee Moray from Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter

Another book I read for book club. I don't go in for sweeping romances in general, and this is why. Though it's technically literary fiction, that doesn't excuse the tepid, irritating characters who never learned from their mistakes or figured out that they caused most of their own problems. I was 100% done with everyone in this book, after the first few chapters. It never got better.

6. Roran from Eragon by Christopher Paolini

I am digging deep, deep back into the vestiges of my algae-covered memory for these characters, but it would be hard for me to forget just how irritated by Roran I was. I basically skipped every part with him in Eldest just so I wouldn't have to keep falling asleep. I fell asleep every chapter with him as viewpoint character. He's an irritating macho type and I couldn't make myself care what happened to him.

7. Ivanhoe from Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott

I love this novel, but honestly, I doubt there is anyone who really connected with Ivanhoe. He was your average nice, charming, knight fellow with little depth. Nice. Very nice. But that's all. (Rowena,  you too)

8. Percy Jackson from the Heroes of Olympus series by Rick Riordan

Scratch that - everyone from these books. I tried, twice. The writing, the characters - flat and clumsy and inconsistent, and . . . zzzzzzz, *sleeping in chair*

And I don't care if the internet comes after me with tar and feathers, the only way I am touching another one of these books is if you pay me to.

9. Thomas Ward from The Last Apprentice Series by Joseph Delaney

Yes. Yes you are. I never knew that a monster book could be so boring. How in the world was this supposed to scare someone? I felt cheated. And Thomas, I'm so sorry, but you are duller than my carving knives. We will probably never meet again.

10. Dane from Stitching Snow by R. C. Lewis

Stitching Snow was a sci-fi Snow White, so of course I read it, but I couldn't get behind the token "prince" character, Dane. He was determined, principled, devoted, in love with the MC, and . . . nothing else. Sorry Dane, but I had to use Google to find your name so I could write this.

Do you agree (or vehemently disagree) with any of my picks? I'm sure there have been characters you didn't connect with! What makes you like a character?

Well, it's good to have internet again! Stay tuned for more character features from my debut novel, Knight of the Blue Surcoat. And hopefully some book reviews (!)

Footnotes:

*I am completely unashamed of my love of gifs.

Character Spotlight: Melora From "Knight of the Blue Surcoat"

So, just in case you didn't know, I have a novel coming out Summer 2016. Knight of the Blue Surcoat is historical fantasy, and you can find a brief description here.
I am planning a series of posts to introduce the novel to everyone, and what better way to do that than by character interviews?

Melora, King Arthur's daughter, is the the main character in Knight of the Blue Surcoat (or KotBS), so it's only right that we start with her. I'm so excited about this, and I hope you end up loving her as much as I do! (All pictures are either in the public domain, or my own, and were inspirations for Melora)

J. W. Waterhouse (public domain) Source

Who is Melora?

Melora is the sixteen-year-old daughter and only living child of King Arthur and Queen Guinevere, of Britain. Though her parents rule a large territory, it is in the section known as Cymru (or Wales) that Melora spends most of her time. The Red Hall, one of Arthur's residences, is where the action in Knight of the Blue Surcoat begins.

Melora's older brother (Amhar) died in a hunting accident when she was younger, leaving her terrified of horses and tearing a major rift in her family. As Arthur's heir, she has many suitors and admirers, but she has no idea if any of them are sincere, or if they only want her kingdom. And she really isn't ready to get married yet. The pressure is on as Melora tries to be her brother, a future queen, and herself, but all at the same time.

A quiet, studious girl, Melora loves to read classic works (her unconventional parents made certain that she could), play her harp, and spar with her father and rambunctious cousins.

Britomart (from the Faerie Queene, named after Britomartis)

Melora's Family:

Amhar was the center of young Melora's world. He was her teacher, confident, playmate, and best friend. Melora measures herself against him and his accomplishments, but she is also comforted by her treasured memories of him. Nevertheless, his violent death still deeply affects Melora and their parents.

Her cousins, the Orkney brothers, are her closest companions and friends. Sir Gawain, in particular, has filled a bit of the hole that Amhar left, though he is wild, brash, and significantly older than Melora.

Though Gawain is important to Melora, no one holds more sway over her than her father, the legendary King Arthur. He is her hero and her role model, and she resents herself for not being the heir he needs to carry on his legacy. Though they are close, they rarely speak about Amhar, and Melora constantly wonders if Arthur compares his two children like she does.

Though Melora is close to her father and cousins, she is finding it harder and harder to relate to her mother, the beautiful Guinevere. Guinevere is elegant, poised, gracious - which gives her little in common with Melora. Naturally, Melora loves her mother, but she feels inadequate and awkward in the Queen's presence, and they both have trouble opening up and sharing their feelings.

Britomart again

Merlin, Sir Mador and Prince Orlando:

Merlin is Arthur's confidant, friend, and closest adviser. He is also a skilled mage and wise man. Melora is intimidated by him, but she knows that he only seeks the best for the royal family. However, he sometimes takes this too far. Merlin seems to think anything is justified if it's good for the kingdom (and his definition of good).

As Arthur's heir, Melora has many suitors, even at her young age. However, the chief suitor (and only really important one) is the Spanish knight, Sir Mador. Eloquent and dashing, Mador frightens Melora with both his dogged pursuit and his polish. Still, she's flattered by his attentions, and he isn't a fool or a fop, so she's reluctant to discourage him.

Orlando is newly arrived at The Red Hall. He's from Thessaly (Ancient region of Greece), and the youngest of three (so he's the spare). Unlike most of the younger men, he has zero interest in finding a wife. He's much more concerned with proving himself as worthy as his older brothers. His interests include studying philosophy, eating, and horses. Melora finds him bold, rude, and alarming, especially when he rides a giant horse into the hall itself. (Bad. Breeding.)

Melora and the Witchwood

Outside of The Red Hall is a massive forest. Though most of it is normal trees and average dangerous, the forest also straddles the border of The Otherworld - the realm of spirits and the Faye. As nights grow long and dark in The Red Hall, King Arthur sends restless, hot-blooded knights into the forest to seek "a wonder," some strange occurrence to regale the company with at feasts. Melora wants to enter the forest, but she's not a knight, and she's far too valuable for such a risky enterprise. Still, she chafes at home, surrounded by so many expectations, and she wishes she could prove herself (as Amhar certainly would have) as worthy to serve her king as any of the knights.

Public Domain. Found here

A note on the names and setting:

The Knight of the Blue Surcoat is a novelization of a Irish-Arthurian ballad. All of the main characters' names come from this ballad and Arthurian lore, but I've basically anglicized them, or used a more standardized spelling. The Red Hall (my equivalent of Camelot) is in early medieval Wales, and the rest of the books locations are also based on real world, early medieval locales.

A quick cartoon sketch of Melora (that I did a few minutes ago . . .)

TTT: Top Ten Authors I Will Buy Every Book From (Even If It's Just a Cookbook)

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created and hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. If you'd like to participate, there are details here.

This was interesting, considering that most of my absolute favorite authors are deceased. So unless they truly become ghost writers,* I've bought everything they'll ever write. I tend to hesitate before I fork out my scant spending money on unknown books. Even if I love an author, I may not like everything they've ever written (i.e. Garth Nix's Keys to the Kingdom series), or I might prefer their Adult to their YA, or vice versa. So this was actually hard for me! But I finally managed to narrow it down. A little.

So, in no particular order:

The Top 10 Authors I Would Even Buy a Cookbook** From:

1. Robin McKinley

Anyone who's read this blog probably knows how much I love Robin McKinley. If it has her name on it, I will shove money over faster than you can blink.

2. Chris Bradford

I haven't read his bodyguard series (yet), but I love his Young Samurai series so much that I will read those bodyguard ones and anything else he decides to write. Like McKinley, he lives in the UK, so that means I have to obtain English editions, grrrr . . .

3. Neil Gaiman

Another one that is probably obvious. I discovered Gaiman when I was a younger teenager, and fell in love with his witty, beautiful writing. He is one of my few actual insta-buys.

4. Megan Whalen Turner

So far, she only has The Queen's Thief series, but I've obtained every one as soon as they were out, and I would instantly buy any other book she wrote

5. Intisar Khanani

One of my most recent discoveries - I have purchased everything she has out there, and I am anxiously awaiting Sunbolt's sequel.

6. Marissa Meyer

The Lunar Chronicles. Each one is an instant purchase for me, and I cannot wait to read whatever Meyer does next!

7. Matthew Pearl

Historical fiction that really makes you feel like you're there. And he can make just about anything exciting.

8. D. M. Cornish

An Australian author who also illustrated his awesome Monster Blood Tattoo trilogy. If he ever publishes anything else, I'll be in line to get it.

9. Markus Zusak

The second Australian - and I'm going on the assumption that everyone knows who he is. The Book Thief  was beautiful and stirring (and Death the narrator-so perfect), but I also love I Am the Messenger. I eagerly await anything more from this guy.

10. Garth Nix

The final Australian - and another author who I have sung the praises of all over the place. Despite the fact that I am less than thrilled by his MG stuff, his YA is A++.

Footnotes:
*Corny jokes











**Or how about a cookbook that they all contribute to? Or cookbooks from their invented worlds? That would be epic.

So, do you have any authors who are insta-buys, or are you reluctant to so easily part from your hard earned cash?

Adult Books Versus Childrens Books and Where I Fall in the Divide

Adult Fiction Versus Childrens Fiction

Image copyright here

If you don't know, I am twenty-six and I work at a bookstore/coffeeshop/cafe. I am also an author, and I read a lot. I have trouble not reading - just leave a piece of paper with writing on it anywhere near me and I'd have to use massive amounts of willpower to refrain from reading it. I'm a compulsive reader, and if something interests me, I'll give it a try.

Until a few years ago, when I was taking a course on writing for children, I never really looked at the "age designation" of a book. I just glanced at the cover, flipped it over and read the blurb, and then read a few pages to see if it was the kind of thing I might like. That course assigned me the task of finding books that were marketed specifically to certain age groups. I had to read them, dissect a few, and basically sum up what the course was teaching me: there really are books written for distinct age groups, such as middle graders or working adults. 

It also showed me that I hadn't ever examined this idea in relation to myself.

Of course, one of the byproducts of being homeschooled was the fact that I wasn't in a specific "grade" or "age group." I read what I wanted outside of school reading lists. If I wanted to read Homer's Iliad when I was eleven, there was no one around to tell me it was more of a high school thing. If I preferred a dry textbook on the mechanics of writing to a fun book on writing that was aimed for younger kids, no one noticed. This same thing happened when I "hung out" with other people. If I wanted to go sit with the grandparents, I did. If I wanted to play with younger children, I did that too. I didn't have a designated friend group, and I really didn't hang out with many people my age. And I was always completely fine with this. In fact, I've always enjoyed independence (maybe too much!).

Which leads me back to that reading thing. Some of you might have read Ruth Graham's buzzed about Slate article from last year. This one. It was around the release of The Fault in Our Stars movie, and she was bemoaning how adults were no longer embarrassed to be reading "books that were written for children." Honestly, that article (and all the spleen-filled or rational ones that popped up refuting it or affirming it) just made me laugh. I agreed with Graham about The Fault in Our Stars. I even found myself nodding along to some of her points. And it still didn't make a whit of difference when I sifted through pages of books that looked interesting on Goodreads.

I just don't care if a book was written for my demographic (working, single, female, mid-twenties) or not! 

This led me to the question: Why do I read? At first glance, it's like asking why you breathe, or eat, or sleep, or anything else natural. But I know it isn't that way for everyone.

So I came up with 5 really basic reasons:

1. I read to learn more about the world and the people who live/have lived in it and the times they lived in.

2. I read for the sheer pleasure of a good story: the anticipation and excitement of the beginning, the emotional connection to the characters, the breath-holding panic that it isn't going to turn out right, and the satisfying warmth at the beautiful, perfect ending.

3. I read to relax or unwind, to forgo worries, tasks and daily concerns at far less cost than a trip to the spa or a vacation.

4. I read to challenge my brain. Whether it's tricky plots or new ideas, or intricate examinations of the truth or substance of a thing, working out your brain is just as important as working your body.

5. I read to write. So many authors, from Stephen King to Margaret Atwood, recommend reading as one of the first and best things to do if you want to write. Which sort of builds on reason #4, above.

So, keeping all those reasons in mind, what does this have to do with the Adult books versus Children's books debate?

Not much.

If a book fulfills any one of those reasons, I will consider it worth a look. Whether it was written by Dr. Seuss or James Joyce makes no difference to me when I pick it up.

Granted, I judge books on a different scale. I won't fault Mo Willems because his hilarious and fun Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! didn't explore the themes of childhood like Peter Pan, which in its turn, didn't explore adolescence like Hatchet, which doesn't quite capture the struggle for existence like The Call of the Wild. Because books are written for different ages and maturity levels, and tastes. But I don't think that means that you should be embarrassed to read a book because you aren't the target audience. I think it goes a lot deeper than that.

And adult novels? I'm not really sure if I'm the kind of adult they had in mind . . .

While I can't really relate to YA or MG protagonists, I almost always cannot relate to Adult protagonists.

In the advance review program I'm currently participating in, it is all adult literature, and predominantly fiction. I turn to the nonfiction for a breath of fresh air (I love Adult Nonfiction!).
When I pick up the second (twentieth) adult novel, it contains many (or all) of these things I cannot relate to:

Protagonists who:

• Are really, really, wealthy. And that's really all there is to them.
• Have lives consisting of drugs, parties, and waking up in strange places - and that's the book's plot.
• Are trying to decide if they really love their spouse/significant other, or that random person they met through "serendipity"at [insert event here]
• Are businessmen who deal with lots of important assets and can't find time for their families, and are therefore depressed and considering drastic options
• Are extremely foul mouthed, irresponsible, beautiful, talented, and magically retain their jobs
• Randomly super-attractive people who show up at just the perfect moment
• Are college students who party, do drugs, and can't figure out who they are, who still . . . keep their jobs, finish their classes, and manage to be admired by their friends/picked up by the best looking person in the room. Really?
• Are incredibly gifted and tragic young people who are squandering their gifts left and right, who have parent-issues and spiral into artistic demises.
• Have oodles of affairs. With everyone in the book. Why? I have no idea.
• Are so confused that they go through life in a haze, hoping random events or people will give them meaning. Ends with them deciding it was all worth it, and me being really confused as to the point of this exercise in complete futility.

I don't know about you, but I can relate to these people far less  than I relate to the average second grader.
But that isn't my main point. I can't really relate to Harry Potter either. And someone can probably relate to one or some of the things above - but not me.

I don't read novels based on how much I think they might resemble or can impact my life. I don't read books just because the protagonist is like me. I know me-I'm far more interested in reading about different kinds of people, or things I don't know and haven't experienced.

If it's a good book, it's worth reading. And I'm not going to get into good vs. bad books, because that wasn't the point of this post. I'm also not questioning the fact that not all books are appropriate for all people (I wouldn't hand a nine-year-old The Road or The Goldfinch, etc.)

Personally, I don't care if a book was written for middle-aged parents, retired teachers, or preteens. You can't judge a book's worth on its intended audience. This insults the readers and the authors.

Are there mediocre (and even bad) books? Yes. But I doubt that had anything to do with their target audience. Ultimately, I think that if you refuse to read a book based on who it was written for, you could be missing out on something brilliant, and that's sad.

The power of a good story is universal. And I think that is something we can all agree on.

So what makes you read one book over another? Have you ever put a book back because you realized it was written for a different audience than you first supposed? Do labels like YA, Middle Grade, or Adult Fiction help you or hinder you in your search for good books?

Top Ten Tuesday: The Last 10 Books That Have Come Into My Possession

Again, it's Tuesday. It seems like every time I look up, it's Tuesday.*

Anyhow, my summer has been so full that these Top 10's are most of the blogging I can manage right now! I love how fun and simple they are. And the creators of the meme (over at The Broke and the Bookish) always have such creative themes to help me out. If you'd like to know more about TTT or how to participate, click here. (Fabulous images are from Goodreads.com. Gifs belong to original copyright holders. A.K.A. not me)

So this week's theme is The Last 10 Books I Have Acquired:

1. Bel Canto by Ann Patchett

I recently took a very quick trip down south, and was finally able to visit Parnassus Books in Nashville, TN. Parnassus is owned by Ann Patchett, so every book of hers is signed, which is very cool. I didn't catch a glimpse of the NYT bestselling author, but I did scoop up a copy of Bel Canto, which I have been meaning to read for ages.

2. The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick

I loved this book so much that I bought a signed copy at Parnassus. And then I found out that Matthew Quick had been there two days earlier, signing them. I almost wish they hadn't told me! Even worse, Emily St. John Mandel was going to be there signing Station Eleven in a few days . . . sigh, it must be great to be Ann Patchett.

3. Mourning Cloak by Rabia Gale

This is actually a novella, but it still counts! I literally just bought this off of Smashwords because indie author Intisar Khanani** gave it 4.5 stars on Goodreads. And it was free. I have no idea what it's about, but I am going to read it.

4. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Uhm, yes, I do realize that I am really late to the party on this one. It's been on my TBR list since before it was actually published, but I just never got around to it. I figured I would love it (loving it so far). And it's actually an audiobook, narrated by JIM DALE (who also narrated HP audiobooks, and more importantly, one of the best shows ever, Pushing Daisies).

5. Princess of Thorns by Stacey Jay

And now I want pie . . . in lieu of that, I'll go back to the book pile. This is a Sleeping Beauty retelling that caught my eye last year. I never got around to requesting it through inter-library loan until now. If you can judge a book based on the font, then I'm in for a good read. We shall see.

6. Here Come the Dogs by Omar Musa (ARC)

I just received a review copy of this for an early review program I am doing, and I don't know how I feel about it. The synopsis doesn't sound very me, but who knows? It's gotten really good feedback, and it's the debut novel of an Australian author.

7. The Seventh Tower (Seventh Tower #4--#6 Omnibus) by Garth Nix

Despite my deep and abiding love for anything Garth Nix, I have only read the first Seventh Tower. I liked it, and then promptly read other things. So why, you may ask, did I end up with a pristine hardcover copy of books 4-6? Because it was one dollar at a yard sale, naturally. So now I will have to read the rest of the series and catch up to this point. Someday.

8. Lois Lane: Fallout by Gwenda Bond

I confess that I have never given much thought to Lois Lane. And other than Batman and Green Arrow, I'm not much of a DC person. (Marvel Girl here) But none of that mattered when I first read about this book. It sounds great, other reviewers I trust have said it is great, and I am really excited to give Lois Lane a second look.

9.City on Fire by Garth Risk Hallberg (ARC)

This book was very hyped at BookExpo, but advance reviews are divided. I have no idea how I'll feel about it, but it sounds interesting. Either way, I feel like all of it's 944 pages are staring at me, daring me to find the time to read them.

10. Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo (ARC)

I bypassed all the craziness involving this book at BookExpo, and then found one in the store's White Box*** so, lucky me. (I think). I haven't read Leigh Bardugo's Grisha series, but it's on my TBR pile. Still, when I realized that this book was about a heist in a fantasy setting, I had to have it. That basically has me all over it. Soooo, I will really love it, or fall off the cliff of disappointment. I'll have to read it before I know which one.

So, what are you reading? Have you just acquired any interesting books? Tell me in the comments (I can add them to my TBR pile, which is more like a bucket list).

Footnotes:

*Tuesday is great, don't get me wrong. Sometimes I just expect to hear Asia playing, that's all.

**If you haven't witnessed my love for Sunbolt and Thorn, then this must be your first time here ;)

***If you don't know, the White Box is like Christmas, but filled with ARCs, and it comes once a month from the wonderful people at the ABA and their publisher partners. They need an award, and chocolate.