Oh the times they are a changin'

Now, this is the story all about how
My life got flipped-turned upside down
And I'd like to take a minute, just sit right there
I'll tell you how I fell into blogging despair

Catchy right? So, many of you I'm sure have noticed my absence and whether you mourned it or relished it, I'm here to apologize. I grossly underestimated graduate school, work, & my personal life. I thought that reading and posting would continue, maybe a little slower than usual, but I didn't expect it to stop completely. I am truly sorry for abandoning you dear readers and authors. For a long time now y'all have been a constant source of fun and entertainment & I have been so thankful to be a part of the blogging community. I still am thankful and I think it's time I get back into the swing of things.

I'm hoping to get a new background soon & the content of the blog will change slightly. Most notably will be the addition of movie/tv show reviews (which have been a wonderful source of entertainment & reward for completing homework assignments) & more personal posts. I don't read quite as much as I used to, but what I do read is still YA so look for those book reviews too.

I can't promise I won't relapse again. I can't promise anything really, but this blog was once a place of enjoyment for me and I want it to be that way again. So hold on to your hats & enjoy the ride with me!

Where have the posts gone?

So I'm sure you're all beginning to notice the decrease in posting. I just thought I'd give you a heads up that things will be slowing down around here. I was accepting into graduate school for Student Personnel Administration & am taking 6 hours this semester. While I fully intend to keep up with my Genreflecting posts & Waiting on Wednesdays, regular review posts will be sporadic as most of my time is spent reading for class and/or writing papers.

I'm still around & don't plan on going anywhere, but things will be a bit more sluggish than usual.

Armchair BEA Day 2: Blogger Developments & Genre Fiction

Welcome back to Armchair BEA! If you're not sure what it's all about be sure to visit the Armchair BEA headquarters.

Today we're focusing on how we develop ourselves as bloggers. Having blogged since July of 2009, I'd like to say I've seen a lot of things change over the years. I got into blogging right before it became the new way to advertise. I honestly have to say that my style & personality haven't changed much since I started.

This isn't a way for me to make additional income (at the moment) and it's not the most stress-reducing thing I do to relax. My blog is my outlet for my bookish thoughts. While I've tried participating in readalongs & reading challenges, for some reason my brain just felt like it was back in school being forced to read something; it took the joy out of the activity. So over the last four years I have come to figure out that I should read what's calling me at the moment & just express myself as openly as possible.

Once I was fairly well established, I started requesting ARCs and really trying to stay ahead of the game on what were the newest & greatest books. That started to feel like too much work and effort for so little return. I'm not saying I'm not grateful for those wonderful publishers who did send me books and for the struggling new authors who have sought me out as a venue. Words do not describe how incredibly humbled I have been to have people seek me out and choose me as a reader and reviewer. But at the same time there are so many larger bloggers and media outlets to choose from that I didn't feel like I could compete because, to be quite honest, I didn't really want to compete. Now I simply let the public library, Goodreads, & Twitter keep me up to date on what's coming up and currently available.

Another thing that hasn't changed is my stance on e-books & e-readers. I know that a lot of people nowadays work at a computer all day. I am one of those folks. As a cataloger I look from print to screen all day to do my job. At the end of the day my eyes are so tired from looking at a screen that I just want to focus on paper right in front of me. I have a NetGalley account & am participating in the NetGalley Wellness Challenge, aimed at helping some of us struggling users to optimize our accounts, but it still will be a very select few books that I choose to request electronically. One day in the nearish future I'll make the switch, but for right now, I am hooked on what I still call "real" books. ;)

Today's bookish focus is on genre fiction. As you can tell, this is a primarily Young Adult book review site, but that doesn't mean I don't read outside my preferred venue. As I continue to grow as a reader, I am finding myself pulled in multiple directions. Occasionally I will post "What Else Have I Been Reading" posts featuring the outside-my-reading-comfort-zone books that I've read (or at least attempted to read). For the most part though I stick to urban fantasy, paranormal romance, contemporary fiction, & issues books. My preference for realistic, believable characters is my driving force. If I can't get in with the characters or feel anything for them, it doesn't matter what genre they're in. I do love good recommendations both within & outside of the Young Adult parameters, so be sure to sound off in the comments with your recommendations.

Welcome to Armchair BEA Day 1: Introductions & Classics

Welcome to the first post in a series for Armchair BEA! If you're not sure what it's all about be sure to visit the Armchair BEA headquarters. They sum up the event with:

Armchair BEA is an online conference that runs in conjunction with Book Expo America in New York City. There are a large number of people around the world that are not able to join in the literary celebrations in the Big Apple, so Armchair BEA brings the celebration to you by allowing networking among other book bloggers, authors, and publishers as well as special coverage of the event, all from the comfort of your own comfy armchair.

Posted from Armchair BEA Registration is Open

I used to get really bummed out this time of year when I realized that once again I had not accomplished my goal of attending BEA. With Armchair BEA rapidly growing in popularity, I think I enjoy this more than I would walking around a giant convention center with thousands of people. This gives me the chance to save up my precious vacation time from work for more family-oriented events throughout the year.

1. Where in the world are you blogging from? Tell a random fact or something special about your current location. Feel free to share pictures. 

I am blogging from a small Illinois town outside of St. Louis, MO. I moved here in the fall of 2011 after my husband found better work here. As a born & bred Tarheel, with founding families on both sides, I am the first person in my family to move out of state! Fun fact: the town that I currently live in is actually the town that my husband grew up in before moving to North Carolina.

2. What are you currently reading, or what is your favorite book you have read so far in 2013?

My favorite book is a three way tie. I adored Stay with Me by Paul Griffin, Just One Day by Gayle Forman, and If You Find Me by Emily Murdoch. I hadn't read any books by the first two, so they were first time authors for me. All of these books took my breath away and were very different from one another. Fans of Simone Elekeles will like Stay with Me, fans of Jennifer E. Smith will like Just One Day, and fans of gritty/heartwrenching/heartwarming realistic fiction will like If You Find Me.

3. Tell us one non-book-related thing that everyone reading your blog may not know about you. 

I don't own a television. It's true. I sold my television in June of 2010 & haven't owned one since. Don't get me wrong, I'm not one of those "I refuse to have a television" types, it's just not been practical to own one for a long time. Now that I've adjusted to life without it, I happily enjoying watching my television programs at my leisure. I've been able to discover so many more shows since I got rid of my television thanks to Netflix & the public library that (since I'm all caught up) I can watch them online (more that 90% for free). Some of current favorites are: Supernatural, The Vampire Diaries, Doctor Who, Revolution, Covert Affairs, Army Wives, Once Upon a Time, & Bones. All of those (with the exception of Doctor Who) air online within a week of the live airing & are held in a queue for approximately 4 weeks, so even if I miss a week, I can just let it roll into the next week & then I get two episodes!

4. Which is your favorite post that you have written that you want everyone to read? 

I'm going to kind of cheat on this one. If I had to direct you to a series of posts that I want everyone to read, it would be anything with the Genreflecting tag. I decided to do an educational experiment with genres & subgenres. One of my favorite (and most useful) tools when I did teen reader interest surveys was the Teen Genreflecting book. It contained the descriptions of the genres, the subgenres, & so many examples divided out. If my teen said they really wanted a book about survival adventures, I could pull this book out & give them a list. For each month of 2013, there will be a specific genre that will be analyzed. On Fridays there will be a basics post, a details post with author excerpts, and 2 reviews of books in the genre with a giveaway in the final post of the month. I'd love some input on your thoughts about genres, subgenres, & what they really mean for readers.

5. If you could eat dinner with any author or character, who would it be and why? 

I gotta say, I've had the great fortune to meet some awesome authors: Maggie Stiefvater, Sarah Dessen, & Patricia Briggs just to name a few. Last year I said I'd love to meet Jennifer Echols, but this year it's a tie between Jackson Pearce & Rachel Hawkins. Both of these women are bada$$es for creating such incredible worlds for their books. Jackson Pearce has brought fairy tale retellings into a whole new ballgame. Her twists on the classics tales & the way she interweaves details connecting them all is incredible! Rachel Hawkins has a witty sense of humor that shines through her books so well. I feel instantly connected to her characters and enjoy their adventures. I was sad to hear that Hex Hall was ending, but ecstatic to hear that it got a spinoff in School Spirits.

As for classics, I am a lover of traditional classics & newer agey classics. While I wasn't thrilled with being forced to read & over analyze books in high school, I do appreciate the breadth that we covered over my four years. I loved Shakespeare from childhood, but found myself falling in love with the more contemporary books that I read in class like Nectar in a Sieve & All Quiet on the Western Front. For quite some time I hosted a feature here on Tattooed Books called Nostalgic Fridays where I covered a classic YA or middle grades book or series. While working on that feature I realized just how many classic books I had read that I really liked. From The Inheritance by Louisa May Alcott to The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. I even covered authors in general because I couldn't choose just one book to cover (Lois Duncan & Roald Dahl being my biggies).

I think what makes a book a classic to me is it's ability to be timeless. When I say timeless, I don't necessarily mean that it's so generic that it can't be pinpointed as belonging to a certain era; I mean that the premise of the story & the point of the story is timeless. The message that you take away at the end of the book & the way that it makes you feel should be always be able to happen no matter when someone reads the book. With that in mind, I have no qualms about calling some newer books (newer agey is my technical term) as classics. Things like Delirium by Lauren Oliver, Hate List by Jennifer Brown, The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson, & The Luxe by Anna Godbersen are all classic YA books to me. I cannot fathom a time when these books will cease to stir something within the reader. 

Now that I've give you my humble opinion, what are your thoughts? Do you stick with the traditional classics or have you expanded your definition to suit the changing climate of reading?

Waiting on Wednesday: Criminal by Terra Elan McVoy

Waiting on Wednesday recognizes that we as bookies pine for books. This post is about what I am impatiently waiting for right now. It was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Today I am featuring someone very important to me. In my former days as a teen program coordinator for a public library, I often got to attend author events hosted at other branches. At the time I was toying with the idea of starting a book review blog since I've been writing book reviews (for my personal use) for years. Terra Elan McVoy happened to be the author event that I got to attend. With her speech about her debut novel Pure Terra captured my attention. Since it was a small event, there was plenty of time for chit chat afterward. Terra really encouraged me to give blogging a chance & to allow my voice to be heard. Three and a half years later, I'm still at it! I will tell you, I was fortunate enough to see Terra a little over a year later & it's amazing the difference a year makes! There was a large crowd gathered at the book store to hear her talk about After the Kiss. 

Now that you have the backstory, on with the book! Criminal by Terra Elan McVoy is scheduled for a May 7 debut. This one sounds completely different from her other works & I couldn't be more excited about it! I have yet to be disappointed in her work and I'm sure this will be no exception. 

A searing and gripping read that explores the depths of desperation true love can inspire, from the author of Being Friends with Boys.

Nikki’s life is far from perfect, but at least she has Dee. Her friends tell her that Dee is no good, but Nikki can’t imagine herself without him. He’s hot, he’s dangerous, he has her initials tattooed over his heart, and she loves him more than anything. There’s nothing Nikki wouldn’t do for Dee. Absolutely nothing.

So when Dee pulls Nikki into a crime—a crime that ends in murder—Nikki tells herself that it’s all for true love. Nothing can break them apart. Not the police. Not the arrest that lands Nikki in jail. Not even the investigators who want her to testify against him.

But what if Dee had motives that Nikki knew nothing about? Nikki’s love for Dee is supposed to be unconditional…but even true love has a limit. And Nikki just might have reached hers.

From Goodreads

How incredible does that sound? I don't think I've read anything like it before. I'm quite interested to hear this couple's backstory because that is a lo of devotion to another person. What do you think about it? Can you think of anything else like it?

Happy Holidays & Radio Silence

Just a quick post to let y'all know that I'm wishing you all a safe and happy holiday season. Enjoy family, friends, and good food. Cherish every moment as they don't come by often.

I'll be spending my downtime getting organized. No seriously. Goal setting, planning home projects, getting my professional/educational decisions narrowed, and most importantly working on a better blog. I love this blog to death, but I know that I need a better management system to keep me on track & ahead of the game. I'll be pre-writing A LOT of posts and hoping to get myself set up for success.

I'll see y'all in 2013, ready & raring to go!

Opinion Poll! Would you participate in a Genreflecting reading challenge?

I'm sure most of you are wondering what the heck Genreflecting is exactly. Genreflecting is a wonderful book used to help YA librarians (and readers in general) find more books in a particular genre they like. It also explores what it means to be in the genre, how it has changed, and what some of the challenges/situations that might appear within the specified genre.

I love this book so much because it helped me to discuss so many more books that I had not considered reading. It really opened my eyes to several more choices that I had ruled out because I "didn't like it" or "that's just not my preferred style." Needless to say, I have expanded some since the beginning of this blog and while I haven't enjoyed everything I've read, I have enjoyed the experience of saying "I tried and will continue trying."

So back to the question at hand. I have this idea rolling around in my head about doing a challenge surrounding the chapters in the latest Genreflecting book (c2011). This is the rough breakdown I currently have ready:

For each month of 2013, there will be a specific genre that will be analyzed. Each week there will be a post about the specific genre of the month on Friday. The schedule will be as follows:


Week 1 Monday: Definition of genre with example of subgenres. There will also be a quote from an author (or authors) in the genre or one of its subgenres. This will be the day that the book choices will be unveiled. The goal is not only to understand the genre, but to see how the genre has changed over the years. In order to do this, TWO books will be selected from a list of at least six books. Three choices will represent older books and three choices will represent newer books; you will need to choose ONE from each set. While not absolutely required, it would make the discussion of the genre easier if we’ve all read the same books. If you’ve already read the listed books or you have difficulty finding them, simply choose something more accessible.

Week 1 Friday: A link up post will be generated so that you can share your book selection choices. If you have chosen to participate and do not have a blog, simply leave a comment with your selections. We will read the older book first and the newer book second.

Week 2 Friday: This day we will discuss some of the common elements of books in this genre and explore the subgenres that fall under the larger genre heading. There will be examples and a discussion about the subgenres.

Week 3 Friday: This is the day we’ll discuss the older book and how well it fits into/represents the genre.

Week 4 Friday: This is the day we’ll discuss the newer book and how well it represents the genre and how it compares to the older book.

The genres of the month will be as follows:

January- Contemporary life
February- Romance
March- Issues
April- Adventure/Thrillers
May- Mystery & Suspense
June- Fantasy
July- Science Fiction
August- Multicultural Fiction
September- Historical Novels
October- Paranormal & Horror
November- Alternate Formats (verse, diaries, etc)
December- Christian Fiction

By the end of the challenge you will have read 24 books in 12 different genres and have attained a clearer understanding of your reading choices! 

So how does that sound? Does it sound like too much? Is there a better way to present the material? Would participation levels (Newbie 1-3 genres, Intermediate 4-6 genres, etc) affect people joining up?
I was planning to work on this over the majority of my Christmas break (lining up authors, gathering materials, etc) but I don't want to do all that without some hope that there will at least be a few people playing along.

Sound off in the comments to let me know how you feel!

Happy Halloween/Samhain!

I hope that, if you celebrate or participate in any way, that you have a Happy Halloween/Samhain!

At the very least, be watchful as you go about your day. There will be lots of creatures and characters out and about tonight. They may not be as careful as they could be and accidents are bound to happen. By being alert and attentive we can make this a safe and happy event for them and all involved.

I leave you with an embarassing, but fun picture of me as the Mad Hatter from 2 years ago. It's a homemade top hat and just some wacky clothes I found. :)

What else have I been reading?

If the blog has seemed a little emptier than usual, I apologize. A lag in my ability to obtain YA books from my library has led me to read in other sections of the library & wade my way through the books I picked up when Borders was going out of business. GASP! While I may have enjoyed some of the titles I dabbled in, these are some of the lesser successes. Not many of them were complete failures mind you, but none of them really hit the mark with me.

First Kill by Heather Brewer
I resisted trying the Vlad Tod series because I just couldn't stand another vampire book. I go through spells where they're all I'm into, but this just never satisfied my need. When First Kill appeared as a book from the slayer's point of view I thought that it might bring me around. Alas it just didn't suit me. I found myself unable to really connect with the characters. Maybe I should have read the Vlad Tod series first... Who knows.




Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
I've heard a lot of people say that this book was amazing. It looked a little iffy to me since it's about a horribly blessed woman going through a rough patch in her life and how she decides to travel the world in search of something to believe in. While I loved Frances Mayes's Under the Tuscan Sun, Elizabeth Gilbert's Eat, Pray, Love felt trite in comparison. I know it's her "memoir" so it should be self-centered, but I just couldn't stomach her belly-aching. After a while I just wanted to scream at her. While the settings were incredible and the people were fascinating, I just couldn't deal with this woman.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
Having worked in a public library when this book came out and was ridiculously popular, most people are surprised I haven't read it. I'm that way about most popular books; either I read them before they are popular (like The Help) or I shy away until the hype dies down. Many people warned me that this book took a while to get into, but I just never did. I read the whole thing to the end just to see if there would be something to catch me & it just never happened. Maybe it's because I'm not much of a mystery (in the traditional sense of the genre) reader or maybe it was the utter confusion I felt about some of the more graphic/violent scenes. Either way, I can at least say that this was not my cup of tea.

Deja Dead by Kathy Reichs
I know that viewers often have issues adjusting their perception from film/tv to book format of something they love, but I was hoping that wouldn't be the case for me. I really admire Kathy Reichs for her work (since the books are based on her own experiences as a forensic anthropologist) and love the tv shows Bones, but I just couldn't get into this book. I only read about 1/3 of the book, so I may give it another shot at a later date, but it's painfully obvious that this is a new writer still working out her rhythm. I was even more surprised at how different the characters were. I was expecting replicas, but it's now obvious just how many liberties have been taken in the creation of the show.




Have you ever experienced this? What are some books you just couldn't get into? Sound off in the comments!

What else have I been reading?

If the blog has seemed a little emptier than usual, I apologize. A lag in my ability to obtain YA books from my library has led me to read in other sections of the library. GASP! While my target audience is teenagers & young adults, I think these books will be of particular interest to the young adults. I know some of the titles will be boring, but I've learned a lot recently about varying subjects and would encourage you to occasionally read outside of your comfort zone. You never know what you might discover you like or even love! These are the books that I enjoyed. Look forward to the post about the ones that didn't hit the mark.

Millionaire Teacher: The Nine Rules of Wealth You Should Have Learned in School by Andrew Hallam 

This book gives your financial life a wake-up call. The author really is a teacher who has a portfolio valued at over a million dollars. There's nothing fancy about what he has to say, but he gets you on board at the ground level. Andrew lays it all out on the board: debt, savings, investments, sage advice. You name it, this book has it. The plain language he uses to cover all these seemingly head-spinning topics allowed me a clearer understanding of just where I want to be in my future & what I need to do to get there.



The Acid Reflux Solution: A Cookbook and Lifestyle Guide for Healing Heartburn Naturally
by Jorge E. Rodriguez, Susan Wyler, Susan Wyler, MPH, RD

Acid reflux is on the rise. Millions of Americans suffer with this painful ailment needlessly. I was recently diagnosed with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) & eosinophilic esophagitis. GERD is a fancy way of saying persistent and frequent heartburn & the esophagitis is a slightly more severe symptom where my esophagus is having a sort of allergic reaction. Immediately after my diagnosis I went in search of things to help soothe my stomach and throat. This wonderful book was such an eye-opener. There are so many possible causes & triggers that I found myself overwhelmed, but this book helped me pin-point some of my harder to name triggers. It also contains many recipes that (with some personal tweaking) were great to add to my GERD & low-fat friendly recipe repertoire. If you or anyone you care about are suffering from frequent heartburn, be sure to see a doctor.

Living The Savvy Life: The Savvy Woman's Guide to Smart Spending and Rich Living by Melissa Tosetti, Kevin Gibbons

This is another plain-speaking money book, but it's about more than just money. This book is also about living your life to the fullest. There are ideas about vacations, lifestyle changes, & planning for the future that I wouldn't have come with on my own. This book teaches you not to be a tight-wad, but how to cut your spending in unnecessary places so that you can spend it how you'd like in other necessary places. You choose your priorities without judgment in this book and learn how to live with satisfaction. It's got a very European feel to it.

The Doula Book: How a Trained Labor Companion Can Help You Have a Shorter, Easier, and Healthier Birth by Marshall H. Klaus, John H. Kennell, Phyllis H. Klaus

I'm at that point in my life and marriage where many of my friends are starting to have babies. While we don't feel we're up to the challenge yet, it has gotten me thinking about what I believe. There are so many choices in life that it makes sense that you should have options when it comes to birthing and raising children. This is one of the required reading books for doulas to become certified, so I think it gives the clearest picture of what to expect from a doula. A truly moving book, it really helped to put into perspective everything that a pregnancy involves & just how special and magical a time it can be for not only the mother, but the newly-emerging family.


Survival Mom: How to Prepare Your Family for Everyday Disasters and Worst-Case Scenarios by Lisa Bedford

I've been following The Survival Mom for quite a while. She was featured on Doomsday Preppers a while back and seemed to be one of the most level-headed folks I'd heard of talking about prepping. I enjoyed her book for the lessons I learned. She strongly recommends making 3 lists: to do, to buy, & to learn. I wholeheartedly agree with these lists. Since I live in the Midwest I figured it might be a good idea to be prepared for several difference emergencies and her book laid out what I needed to think about and how to get myself together.

So there you have some of the better, non-YA books I've been reading. Any recommendations? Anything is welcome as I'm learning to embrace the unknown in the publishing world.

Armchair BEA Day 5: The Future of Book Blogging

Welcome back to Armchair BEA! If you're not sure what it's all about be sure to visit the Armchair BEA headquarters.

The future of book blogging. Does that sound omniscient enough to anyone else? I feel like we're getting ready to hear a graduation speech about how the world is your oyster & the future is what you make of it. While at least that last one is true, I don't honestly know what to say about the future of book blogging. In the three short years I've been blogging I would never have expected it to flourish the way it has. I mean, we have our own convention tied to BEA, that's real y'all!

I don't think we can talk about the future of book blogging without discussing e-books. This nifty little invention has opened up a whole new world not only to blogging, but to the literate population in general. In regards specifically to blogging though it has allowed a wider audience access to books early enough to really get the hype up. With memes, blog tours, & Twitter word spreads like wildfire about books & authors. While I don't think it's a make-you-or-break-you kind of deal, the blogging world does have a hand in success.

Everyone knows that negative things travel faster than positive ones, but I find that in the book blogging world we have a tempered opinion. Books are a very subjective thing, so no one really takes one person's word for it anymore. There are so many people's opinions to ask that there is no way that one person can really lord over all.

What I would like to see in the future of book blogging is more camaraderie. There have been several nasty incidents in recent months that are causing fractures in our community. These pursuits, while for the most part noble, are helping to tear us apart. I think more frank, open discussions & more inclusiveness is a must. There is no way that we can be taken seriously (and there are those who take this seriously, as in it's not just a hobby) with publishers, authors & editors if we are fighting amongst ourselves & behaving irrationally.

I personally see blogging gaining an even stronger foothold in the media field. Provided we can conduct ourselves professionally while still making our community fun & inviting, I think we'll go a long way. For my blog personally I hope to change up my layout, host more author interviews & get back into Nostalgic Fridays. I'm also hoping to look at joining an affiliate network. If there's one thing we've learned during ABEA week it's that none of us can do it all alone. For book blogging to be successful we have to succeed as a community. I look forward to the new relationships I plan to build around that principle.

It has been such a wonderful pleasure meeting A LOT of bloggers this week with Armchair BEA. I have learned so much & found new blogs to follow that I wasn't even aware existed. I want to give a big shout out to committee who brought us this wonderful event. These folks have worked hard to make this a wonderfully exciting & educational experience for those of us unable to attend BEA in NYC. I look forward to next year's event & hope you have a fun & prosperous year!

Armchair BEA Day 1: Introductions First

Welcome to the first post in a series for Armchair BEA! If you're not sure what it's all about be sure to visit the Armchair BEA headquarters. They sum up the event with:

So, what exactly does being a[n Armchair BEA] participant entail? First and foremost, you'll be able to celebrate and participate in an event that happens each year in New York City, Book Expo America, from the comfort of your very own home, hopefully a snugly armchair! Secondly, and we hope equally as important, you'll be able to meet new book bloggers and join together in a celebration of the wonderful community that comes out of book blogging. Last year we had over 600 participants, so you're bound to meet some new great bookish friends! Lastly, it means participating, however you're able to. This can be by posting, tweeting, discussing, or even by simply reading and commenting on participating blogs. Your level of participation is entirely up to you, but we hope you'll find something to get you involved in this fabulous event! 

Each of us has an entirely valid reason for not being able to make to BEA in NYC, including many of the organizers. Because of that the organizers and publicity team are working hard behind the scenes to give you an event that you won't soon forget!

-Posted from 2012 Participant Registration Now Open

Needless to say, for another year I am unable to attend BEA. Having recently moved 800 miles from my home state of North Carolina to the corn-filled fields of Illinois, it just wasn't in the budgetary plan to spend a long weekend in a very expensive city. One of these days I will make it. In the meantime I am perfectly content to sit at home in my green, oversize, covered-in-cat-hair armchair with my tea & computer to participate in Armchair BEA.

Now down to business for the day! It's introductions day so here are my five self-interview questions.

Please tell us a little bit about yourself: Who are you? How long have you been blogging? Why did you get into blogging?

So there is a little bit of confusion surrounding who I actually am. My handle usually says loreleimarsh & my blog URL is lisettebes. In reality these are both variations on my real name. My name is Laura. I'm a 25 year old, cataloging assistant at a private college in the Midwest. I started Tattooed Books in the summer of 2009 as a way to get my opinion about books out into the world. At the time I was a YA program specialist in my local public library. Teens found it easy to relate to me & often asked my opinion about books. As I have been writing personal book reviews since elementary school, it was only natural for me to transfer my thoughts into a digital format. I will admit though that it took the convincing of the lovely Terra Elan McVoy for me to finally take the leap & commit to blogging.

Tell us one non-book-related thing that everyone reading your blog may not know about you.

I have been with my husband for 12 years as of this fall. That's right, do the math. Accounting for the fact that my birthday is before our anniversary, I was 14 when we started dating. He was 17. We are that sickening couple that despite all our time together still act as though we're newly dating. It helps that we are both the children of older parents, so many of our values & ideals are a little old fashioned for our contemporaries & we just seem to get each other. I truly hope our future children can find that same kind of happiness & support.

Which is your favorite post that you have written that you want everyone to read?

It's hard to believe that I wrote it over 2 years ago, but my post on Age Appropriateness & Content is my favorite. After working in libraries for several years, you expect all sorts of issues, but working with young adult/teen readers lends itself to a special set of rules or rather guidelines. There are no hard & fast rules for what books are appropriate for specific age groups at any particular time. There are a number of factors to be included in the decision making process & this post highlights that issue as seen from a public library worker's standpoint.

If you could eat dinner with any author or character, who would it be and why?

It took me FOREVER to decide on this one. Obvious answers would be Shakespeare, Harry Potter, or Scout (from To Kill a Mockingbird), but I decided to go with the author Jennifer Echols. While I have met some incredible authors and there are so many more I would like to meet (Ellen Hopkins, Rachel Vincent, Patricia Briggs to name just a few) I can't shake the desperate wish that I could meet Jennifer Echols. I have reviewed several of her books & I can't imagine a better lunch/dinner discussion partner. She creates such strong, independent characters, even if they don't start out that way. I really would have given almost anything to have some of those kinds of characters in my books at a younger age. Seriously, realistic fiction for teens doesn't get more powerful than her writing.

Have your reading tastes changed since you started blogging? How?

When I first started this blog I was reading YA almost exclusively. I just didn't like "adult" books because the ones I had been exposed to were murder mysteries, psychotic thrillers & hum-drum "woe is me" fiction. As I spent more time exploring my options I found several adult authors who carried on the themes & character-driven books that I found myself drawn to in the YA genre. I've even read somethings outside of my comfort zone & preferred reading niches just so I can say that I've tried them. Some I've liked & some I haven't. While my reading tastes are ever-evolving, I try to review books that are still mainly geared toward teens & young adults looking for books to help bridge the gap between children's books & adult books.

There you have it folks! Please feel free to ask me any questions you like & I'll be sure to give you the best answer I can. You can find me on Twitter & Goodreads as well. Let the Armchair BEA fun begin!

The Money Saving Mom's Budget by Crystal Paine review

So as my first post back into blogging, I'm taking us down an unfamiliar road. You see, I've been hiding a secret. I am one of those coupon people. Not like the tv show, but I have managed to slash my grocery budget & nix spending in other areas too thanks in part to the Money Saving Mom. What started as a simple blog has blossomed over the years into a thriving website with more than just coupons & good deals. Even better is that the mom herself, Crystal Paine, has been able to write a book based on her knowledge.

This wonderful non-fiction, how-to guide is one of the most user-friendly books I have read in quite a while. Leaning on principles taught in many money saving systems, Crystal quickly & efficiently outlines what you need to do in order to get yourself back on track financially. What's so wonderful about the book is its all-encompassing nature. Crystal doesn't just fling numbers & formulas at you, she helps you understand how each aspect of your life (from your time management to your tidiness) affects your finances & how to regain control.

My favorite part of the book though are the worksheets. Crystal has featured her worksheets on her website for quite some time, and while some of them are a bit daunting in their detail, I think they are the most thorough & logical worksheets I have seen. They cover several key aspects for successful management. Not only are the worksheets great, but Crystal is such a natural cheerleader. Throughout the whole book she is doling out tips & tricks & offering encouragement. She knows that the subject matter she is tackling is sensitive & difficult for many people to work on, so she allows you to goof up & jump right back in.

While it might be too late to get this book for yourself or a loved one for Christmas (hard to believe that sneaked up on me) I would definitely keep this in mind for birthdays or any special occasion. It's great for busy moms & even for stressed college students. I think the sooner in life one can get their hands on this book the better. I hope you enjoy it & be sure to check out MoneySavingMom.com!

*crickets chirping* I promise I'm still around

I've been doing a lot of thinking about my blog recently. I still love it, but I'm planning to update things around here & while I'm planning that out I'm refraining from posting. Things are ridiculously wacky around here. I've been in a transitional phase since mid-September with an 800 mile move & then obtaining a crappy early morning job. I work from 5 AM to early afternoon & go to bed around 10-10:30 every night. During my off time I've been crafting more & enjoying being reunited with my husband.

I have been fleetingly reading a few books, but nothing that I am addicted to at the moment. Things may be quiet around here until late November, so please be patient with me while I sort things out. Hopefully by then I'll have things cleaned up around here & have some great reviews for you! Thank you for your support & understanding.

Patricia's Particularity's Halloween Bash: How KatnissEverdeen would celebrate Halloween & GIVEAWAY!

I'm proud to say that I am fortunate enough to participate in Patricia's Particularity's Halloween Bash. She'll be hosting giveaways & guest posts throughout the month of October. Be sure to check out the schedule of spooktacular fun!

I chose to explore how our favorite Hunger Games tribute would celebrate Halloween in her world. I'll be describing how I think she would participate in the Halloween festivities before we meet her in The Hunger Games.

Katniss Everdeen, our 16 year old heroine, will think that she has outgrown the kiddie faux-holiday that is Halloween, but will be obligated to take her little sister Prim around the neighborhood to collect their meager gifts. Over the years, more and more houses have stopped leaving their lights on to let the kids know that there are treats available. Even more kids have stopped going out because their families simply can't afford the luxury of a costume. Luckily Katniss & Prim's mother is a miracle worker & pulls together a simple, yet cute owl costume for Prim to wear made from old clothing scraps.

As they get ready to head out, Prim decides that Katniss needs to dress up too. Sure to please the young one, Katniss grabs a few bags of herbs from her mom's storage area to tie around her belt. When she returns announcing she's read to go, Prim exclaims that Katniss still isn't dressed. Katniss is sure to inform her that she is dressed as an apothecary, complete with medicinal herbs.

Gale shows up then to escort them around the neighborhood. There's really not much to see in The Seam since all the families here are coal miners, but there are a few houses where people are generous enough to spare an apple or slice of bread. The real score is in town at the merchant families' houses. While no one really has an easy life in District 12 (one of the farthest districts from The Capitol) the merchants seem to be doing better than everyone else because they have an actual product to sell. The miners just get what they can based on the hours in their shifts.

Prim starts to get quote excited to see all the other kids running around giddy & hyper because it's one of the few times she gets to interact in such a jovial manner. Things are quite regimented in the districts with lots of runs that must be followed. Prim enjoys just getting to be a kid. While everyone thinks she is oblivious to what's really going on around her, she knows that Katniss is doing a lot more than she should have to in order to provide for the family. Prim just wishes she could be more like her big sister.

As they wander the streets, moving from house to house, they come upon the Mellark family bakery. Despite having beat her son when he gave away their bread to a starving family, Mrs. Mellark is handing out warm sweet rolls to all the children stopping by. They smell divine & Katniss can't help but think back to the night that Mrs. Mellark's son Peeta saved Katniss's family by giving her some bread. Even now she looks around for him & finds him hard at work inside the bakery making the next batch of sweet rolls. Each of them takes a roll & thanks Mrs. Mellark right before the announcement is made that the curfew has not been extended & all citizens should return to their homes.

Gale walks the girls back to their mother thinking about how this wasn't the "huge waste of time" that Katniss had predicted. Actually, he rather enjoyed the respite from the daily grind of hunting, foraging & trading at the Hob. It was nice to think about what it will be like when he & Katniss get to walk their own children around the district.

So how about it folks? Do you think I hit the nail on the head with that dream? I sure hope so. It was a lot of fun to imagine myself as Katniss & to think about her emotions in such a serious way. I don't do much fiction writing, but after this I may start to think about taking it up as a hobby. There are a few stories I have started over the years (from English & Creative Writing classes), but nothing that I've thought about it years.

Now on to the real reason you might have stopped by. :D There will be 4 winners in this contest.

Grand Prize:
A Hunger Games wordle t-shirt from ParamountPacific on etsy.com
It comes in sizes Small to XL

Three runners up win:
Hunger Games bookmarks from sotheysay on etsy.com

To enter, go to Patricia's Particularity's Halloween Bash page. There are several giveaways going on, so be sure to enter as many as you'd like!!

Things will be choppy for a bit...

I just completed my 800+ mile move from NC to IL, so things will be a bit wonky around here. I've got a few posts lined up, but then things may be quiet for a bit. Not too sure. I'll be setting up our temporary housing & getting paperwork in order while looking for a job.

Wish me luck & know that I'll be back at it really soon!

Biblioburro Special on PBS

On Tuesday, July 19th, PBS will be airing a wonderfully heartwarming documentary about Luis Soriano & his Biblioburro. In one of the poorest & most violence-riddled area of Columbia, this teacher decided to bring books the children in the hopes that it would inspire them to reach for more than what life handed them.

Be sure to check your local listings to see when the Biblioburro special will be airing in your area.

Blog Tour & Interview: The 2011 Book Blogger's Cookbook!

I am deeply honored to be a stop on the blog tour for The Book Blogger Cookbook! Christy Dorrity from Dearest Dreams got the craziest idea in her head to put together a cookbook with recipes & blurbs related to books!

The Book Blogger’s Cookbook has 25 different book reviewers from every corner of the blogosphere. It bridges the gap between author and reader—putting you in touch with book reviewers who can separate the 5 star books from the mediocre.

The Book Blogger’s Cookbook showcases great reads and provides an interactive experience with links to author and book reviewer websites. The cookbook is created for those who like to experience what they read long after they’ve closed the book.

The Book Blogger’s Cookbook tells why each recipe complements its companion book. Recipes and books combine to make the reading experience satisfying and entertaining.

Your's truly is one of the lucky 25 reviewers whose opinions are included in this wonderful book! I've even got Christy here for an interview:

1. How did you stumble upon book blogging? Did your blog start out as something else & become about books or has it always been book-centered?

When I found an online community full of people who read and write about what they read, I knew I wanted to be a part of it. I wanted to combine my loves of reading and good food in one blog and from the very first book review, I began giving books a recipe. When food and reading fuse together, the reader can experience the world of the book in their real life.

2. What’s your favorite part about the book blogging community?

I am continually amazed at the generosity of book bloggers. They read books, and write reviews about them with no compensation other than a review copy of the book. Their willingness to share doesn't end with the book reviews. Book bloggers swap books with each other, hold giveaways and author interviews, attend book signings and cross promote each others' blogs. I've never seen such an amazing group of people who are willing to share and help each other out.

3. If you could have known only one thing that you know now, that you didn’t know when you started blogging, what would it be?

I think I've learned to pace myself. In order to maintain a blog, a writer needs to have consistent content, but it doesn't have to be a daily chore. I aim for at least a post per week and try not to feel guilty if other things in my life need more attention. One other thing I have learned is to record notes on a book as soon as I finish it, even if I don't write the actual review until later. You'd be surprised how fast you forget what you liked/disliked about a book.


4. You’ve recently published The Book Blogger’s Cookbook. What made you want to put that project together?

When I came up on my one year blogoversary I thought it would be fun to put together a simple PDF cookbook that included all of the recipes on my blog. The more I thought about it, the larger the project grew. I wanted to try my hand at self publishing and The 2011 Book Blogger's Cookbook was the right project to try it out on. Including books and book reviews in the cookbook was a natural progression. I am so happy with the way the cookbook turned out and the many wonderful friendships that I've forged in the book community.

5. Describe your book in three words.

Reads. Eats. Reviews

6. What’s your favorite recipe in the cookbook?

Now that's a hard one. Today I am in the mood for "Poor Dyer's Bread", the companion recipe to The False Princess by Eilis O'Neal. And with all of the fresh fruit available right now, I am inclined to make "Tadpole Soup" from Kersten Hamilton's Tyger, Tyger. Each recipe in the cookbook is one of my favorites.

A BIG thank you to Christy for stopping by to let us in on this fun, blogger-driven book! You can purchase the book on Amazon & don't forget to enter for a chance to win a Kindle!!

Grand Prize Giveaway: Kindle, Wi-Fi, Graphite, 6" (the kind without the ads)

Plus Five Copies of The 2011 Book Blogger’s Cookbook

All you have to do is leave a comment on this post or any of the great blogs that are participating. Then, if you want more entries into the contest, Tweet, Facebook, or blog about the cookbook and leave a separate comment telling me what you did. You can say something like: Win a Kindle at the launch tour of The 2011 Book Blogger's Cookbook http://tinyurl.com/3vurm3a #bbcb Winners will be drawn using random.org on July 21st.

Happy 4th of July & a patriotic reading list

I hope you are all planning a safe & festive Fourth of July! I'll be enjoying grilled food & a local fireworks show myself. In honor of this great day I've compiled a mixture of fiction & non-fiction books celebrating this great nation. I hope you get a chance to read at least one or two of these at some point in time.

My Brother Sam Is Dead by James Lincoln Collier
Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper
The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane
Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier
True North: A Novel of the Underground Railroad by Kathryn Lasky
Common Sense by Thomas Paine
A Stitch in Time by Ann Rinaldi
Founding Mothers: The Women Who Raised Our Nation by Cokie Roberts
Rise to Rebellion by Jeff Shaara

My favorite part of this holiday is the chance to reflect on our nation's history & thanking those who continue to serve & protect. Be sure to thank any police officer, fire fighter, EMT paramedic, soldier, or any other service worker. I'll leave you with another favorite quote of mine:

“This will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave.” Elmer Davis

My Take on the Wall Street Journal Article craziness

I usually reserve my opinion until things cool down, but I must admit that I kept an eye on the Wall Street Journal article situation. In case you've missed out on all the fun, Meghan Cox Gurdon wrote an inflammatory opinion piece about YA book content in the Wall Street Journal. This launched a reaction from the YA community (including the #YAsaves on Twitter) & several authors writing in to voice their opinions on their works' importance & validity. Well Ms. Gurdon is at it again writing in response to the reaction her piece drew. You can read that response here. And now it's my turn.

While I do understand Ms. Gurdon’s opinion, I can’t believe that she was so naive to think that the YA community would not be upset by her generalizations of a very diverse genre. It is very true that right now the more popular books do include sensitive subject material. Ms Gurdon maintains that, "It is true that so-called problem novels may be helpful to children in anguished circumstances. The larger question is whether books about rape, incest, eating disorders and 'cutting' (self-mutilation) help to normalize such behaviors for the vast majority of children who are merely living through the routine ordeals of adolescence.”

I would have to state that (in my opinion) these books are not normalizing these experiences, but rather validating the experiences that young adults are facing today. An easier way to say that is that the books are NOT causing these issues, the issues are giving rise to the books.Young adults are narcissistic & they want to read about people like themselves. That being said, with the age of the first sexual encounter getting younger & younger & with teens experimenting with a variety of “activities” (for lack of a better word), these books shed some realism on these taboo subjects. There are not always happy endings in these books & sometimes the reality that everything won’t be okay is enough to get through to these young adults.

Another thing to note here is that Young Adult DOES NOT only include teens. Young Adult books are meant for high school through probably mid-twenties. Granted, the majority of the readership is about 14, but I honestly can’t think of a better age to approach these subjects because I think they also serve as cautionary tales. They provide a glimpse into what could be, not what should be. Also, I don’t think there is anything worse in these books than a young adult could read in the newspaper or see on the evening news.

My main complaint would be, where does it end? If these subjects are too touchy for teen books, where do they belong? What are you going to take out of video games & music? When do I need to line up for the chip implantation? Seriously, just because the books are not as “innocent” & “pure” as some would like them to be does not mean they are not valid & worthwhile. They have an audience & a place & that place is on the shelf. There are still a plethora of books for more sensitive readers & I’ll be the first to show them to you in my library, but don’t generalize YA books in such a negative light.

And now I will leave you with a favorite quote of mine. It's from the movie American President with Michael Douglas:
“You want free speech? Let's see you acknowledge a man whose words make your blood boil, who's standing center stage and advocating at the top of his lungs that which you would spend a lifetime opposing at the top of yours.”

Sound off below. What do you think of Ms. Gurdon's opinion? What do you think of my opinion? What are your thoughts on the situation?