Buy the Book

One of my first posts was on why you should always carry a book with you. I still abide by this philosophy. After all, you never know when you’re going to have five minutes to get in a couple pages or if somebody’s going to end up at an appointment, only to drag you along with them, and now you’re bored. Always bring a book.

What I haven’t talked about directly, though I’ve certainly put a lot of thought into and hinted at here and there is book buying. Now, I come from a military brat family. That means for my whole childhood, I’ve had to move around a lot. As a result, I’ve had to keep my books to a minimum. While I may have more than the average person, I don’t own as many books as your avid readers. Over the past couple of years, I’ve been trying to change that, honing my personal library. Here are just some of my motivations.

 

Rereads

Have you ever heard the phrase: I have enough books to survive the zombie apocalypse? For me, it’s true. Owning a bunch of books that I’d previously enjoyed helped when during the COVID shutdown I ran out of library books. I’d been preparing for this my whole life! Ultimately, though I probably wouldn’t be satisfied reading the same material over and over. And over. I’m like my dragon. I like shiny, new things.

All the same, I love revisiting my favorites. It’s like talking to an old friend. People who think rereading is ridiculous have obviously never watched the same movie twice. Or listened to a song again. Or told their favorite story more than once. That would just be ridiculous and repetitive. Why would you want to do that?

I actually don’t buy books I’ve never read before, with a few exceptions, because I’ve been disappointed all too often. That and I read far too much. But, if I happen to read a book and thoroughly enjoy it… If I give it 4-5 stars… If I like the author’s previous work… If I know there will be more in the series that I must read, I’ll go out and buy the book even if I just returned the library copy.

 

The Aesthetic

If this one sounds a little vain, that’s because it is. I know you shouldn’t always judge a book by its cover, but sometimes the covers are just pretty (see my post Don’t Judge a Book by its Cover). Thank you, cover designers! Even if you can’t afford to buy all hardcovers and all you own is a bunch of used paperbacks with loved spines, it’s still delightful to see them sitting up on a shelf all cozy together.

Why do I have books 1-7, then 9? (bottom left) Book 9 is the second series. 
I have the rest in e-books and am working on obtaining the collection in print.

Supporting Authors and Bookstores

Did you know that buying books supports authors? Of course, there’s also leaving book reviews and checking out their books from the library, but sales in publishing can help with an author’s career. Every now and then, I’ll branch out and buy a debut book that I’ve never read before. The books don’t always suit my taste, but at least I know I supported the authors.

Not only does buying books support the authors, but it also supports bookstores. I like shopping at indie bookstores, but when they’re not available to me, I’ll shop at your good ol’ brick and mortar Barnes & Noble (or Waterstones in the UK). I’m not a huge fan of Amazon, though I do like its subsidiary Book Depository. I’ll only buy books from them for three main reasons. 1) The book is only available on Amazon/Book Depository. 2) I’m living overseas and shipping from a specific bookstore is difficult/impossible. 3) I have a gift card, and I want to support indie authors.

There you have it! Just a few of the reasons I like buying books. I realize other readers may have different motivations, but those are mine.

Let’s chat! What are some of the reasons you’ll buy books? Do we share any in common?

 

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Similar posts: Are Book Dragons a Dying Breed?; Pre-ordering, Boarding the Hype Train, & Letting it Pass; and Bring the Book

Poem: The Smell of Earth

When you think of the word “Earth,” what do you think of? If you’re a sci-fi fan or into astronomy like me, you might think of the planet, with its big blue oceans and smattering of continents buried under white clouds. Or if you’re into gardening, you might think of the green plants that go into the brown soil—or sometimes reddish-brown depending on where you live.

For this poem, I decided to flip my own expectations, and focus on a color I don’t necessarily associate with Earth—the color white. That’s the fun thing about poetry, I suppose, turning expectations on their heads.

 

The Smell of Earth

white, the way the worm 

writhes beneath my fingertips 

submersing young roots

 

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Let’s chat! What did you think of the poem? Any fellow gardeners out there? What’s the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of the Earth?

Similar poems: Cathedral Caverns, Copper Coated Autumn Leaves, and Down South 

Book Review: The Ten Thousand Doors of January

“I hope you will find the cracks in the world and wedge them wider, so the light of other suns shines through; I hope you will keep the world unruly, messy, full of strange magics; I hope you will run through every open Door and tell stories when you return.”

The story is so lyrically delightful I fell in love with the writing style from page one. I just love it when stories make you want to fall in love with words all over again. It even introduced a few new words I can add to my vocabulary like *checks smudged writing on palm* muffins? That can’t be right.

 

Book: The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow

Genre: Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Young Adult

My rating: 5/5 stars

Awards: Hugo Award Nominee for Best Novel (2020), Nebula Award Nominee for Best Novel (2019), etc.

Mini description: portal fantasy

 

The Ten Thousand Doors of January opens with a humble introduction to the power of Doors and their influence upon the world. Or shall I say worlds? At first, the story started off at a meandering pace, but right around the part where I started to wonder whether or not Doors were a metaphor for stories or maybe some magical realism element, the narrative really picked up and started to clarify my questions.

The world building is simply stellar. As it should be. It’s one of the key focuses of the book after all. From the various cultures of Earth to the islands of the Written, I find myself wanting to travel again.

Then there was the element of in-betweenness, which has dual meaning in a book like this. The first one, January’s bi-racial heritage, is introduced early on, but the other element, which is slighty spoiler-ish, crept up on me. I thought it was beautifully done.

The characters themselves were incredibly complex. I particularly liked Yule Ian the scholar, Adelaide the explorer, and of course January and her dog Sinbad “Bad”, who wants to bite everybody. Finally, a pet that isn’t nothing but friendly. Though none of my dogs have ever wanted to cuddle like Bad does, they’ve always leaned toward protection rather than trustworthiness.

Last but not least, the themes were stellar. Ten Thousand Doors addresses complex elements like absent family members, discrimination because of one’s skin color, and having the courage to stand up for one’s self.

“Let that be a lesson to you: If you are too good and too quiet for too long, it will cost you. It will always cost you, in the end.”

That’s not to say the book doesn’t have its lighthearted parts. It’s just intense at times.

In all, I gave The Ten Thousand Doors of January 5/5 stars for stellar narrative, world building, and themes. I’d recommend the book to anybody who likes young adult fantasy, particularly portal fantasy. I know publishing likes to compare books, and I’ll add more recommendations below, but this one was refreshingly original for me.

Interested in the book? Have you read it yet? You might also enjoy these books: The Cruel Prince by Holly Black, Fawkes by Nadine Brandes, and Inkheart by Cornelia Funke.

Let’s chat! Has The Ten Thousand Doors of January made it to your TBR list yet? Have you read it? What’s your favorite portal fantasy?

 

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Similar book reviews: A Conspiracy of Stars, The Astonishing Color of After, and The Snow Child

7 Sci-Fi/Fantasy Book-to-Movie Adaptations I Enjoy

I’ve talked before about why I like some book-to-movie adaptations, but I haven’t talked about which adaptations I enjoy. Time to change that! To narrow it down even more, I’ll specifically be talking about sci-fi fantasy books to movies. There are plenty of contemporary adaptations, but I’ll try to keep this list short-ish.

What I will not be talking about: The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. I think we can all agree that the former is excellent and the latter (casting excluded) is terrible. Okay, maybe not terrible. Cringe-worthy, maybe? Yeah, let’s go with that. LotR is a work of art in film and book forms, but I’d like to focus on some other noteworthy stories today.

The pros and cons listed apply to the movie adaptations, not their books.

Ender’s Game

Pros: CGI, stellar casting, general plot accuracy, excellent character portrayals

Cons: ending inaccuracy, plot feels rushed after reading the book

Do you ever have those moments where you watch the movie first and it makes sense, and then after you’ve read the book, you re-watch the movie, and the film makes less sense? I had that sensation with Ender’s Game. But as far as films go, the movie still does a great job.

The visual depiction of Battle School along with the battle simulations is stunning. The imaginative portrayal in the movie really helped me where my imagination fell short while reading the book.

I only wish they would have delved more into Ender’s perspective. It started off strong, but as the movie goes along, I felt it lost the connection to the character in favor of wrapping up the plot. If you’re looking for more great character development, I highly recommend the book as well as the rest of the series.

Ender: In the moment when I truly understand my enemy, understand him well enough to defeat him, then in that very moment I also love him.

 

How to Train Your Dragon (1-3)

Pros: character and dragon designs, intricate world building, characters, dragons

Cons: minor historical inaccuracies, inappropriate references and some problematic relationships

I haven’t actually read all the books yet, though from what I have read, they’re incredibly different in plot and even some characters. From what I gather, the movies have kept the general heart of the story.

That being said, the dragons are awesome, the music is amazing, and Hiccup is incredibly relatable. I really wish I could befriend a Night Fury. I particularly like how the story blends a warrior society like the Vikings with a compassionate intellectual like Hiccup. Then there’s the intricate world building that just gets more dynamic with each film. I haven’t seen any of the spin-off shows yet, but I’ve heard they’re great.

I just don’t care for some of the side characters, especially the twins and Hiccup’s cousin Snotlout. That’s right. His cousin. Am I the only one who finds it disturbing in the third movie that Snotlout starts hitting on Hiccup’s mom? And the movie never addresses it? Come on.

Stoick: With love comes loss, son. It’s part of the deal. Sometimes it hurts, but, in the end, it’s all worth it. There’s no greater gift than love.

 

John Carter of Mars

Pros: great themes, music, and characters

Cons: lack of xenolinguistics

I know this movie didn’t do so well in theaters, but in my family it’s a favorite. We could probably quote the entire thing. I especially like the character development and the element where the girl saves the guy and vice versa several times throughout the movie. Then there’s the dynamic cultures of the “Red Men” and Tharks, and Woola the dog-like monster.

The soundtrack is stellar, and I like to listen to it on its own. Michael Giacchino is one of my favorite composers.

My only complaint is that they skipped over the language aspect rather quickly whereas the first book did not. I understand that viewers may not necessarily want to read subtitles the entire movie, but you don’t just drink a magic potion that helps you understand another language. That’s not how language works, not even in the books.

Dejah Thoris: Most warriors change their metals, but not their heart.

 

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and Prince Caspian (Disney, 2005 and 2008)

Pros: amazing music, great casting, stunning CGI

Cons: some inaccuracies, only three adaptations of a seven-book series

I’m not going to talk about Voyage of the Dawn Treader because I’m not actually a fan of the film adaptation. When The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe first came to theaters, my dad took my brother and I to see it a ton. I remember getting all giddy when the train would chug across England, and I’d get swept away into the beautiful land of Narnia.

Although we didn’t watch Prince Caspian in theaters half as much, I was still in love with the story. Growing up, I went back and forth between Prince Caspian and The Silver Chair being my favorite books. I guess I like the concept of returning to a fantastical world with characters familiar and new.

I particularly liked the casting for Prince Caspian and only wish they would have included Caspian’s nurse. The movie was less lighthearted than the books. Trumpkin lost his sense of humor and didn’t get tossed in the air by Aslan. There was no holiday at the end of the book. In that sense, I think the movie seemed a little more grown up than the books had intended.

Lucy: I wish you’d all stop trying to sound like grow-ups. […]

Trumpkin: I am a grown-up.

 

A Monster Calls

Pros: beautiful art, great casting, incredible themes

Cons: will rip your heart out

I can only watch this movie or read the book at certain times. It’s that intense. But the way it combines CGI with live action reminiscent of the black-and-white sketches in the book is just beautiful. So artistic.

The story itself is so heartbreaking. It doesn’t always make sense, blending fantasy with reality so sometimes they’re hard to tell apart, but it’s an excellent story all the same. Intensity aside, I have no complaints.

The Monster: […] humans are complicated beasts. You believe comforting lies, while knowing full well the painful truth that makes those lies necessary. In the end, Conor, it is not important what you think. It is only important what you do.

 

Series of Unfortunate Events

Pros: important themes, satirical, pokes fun at plot conventions

Cons: incredibly irritating, very unfortunate to the point of being synonymous with 2020, unsolved plot points

I’m referring to the Netflix series, not the stand-alone movie, which had too happy of an ending if you ask me. I know the show is technically a series, not a movie, but this is my blog so I do what I want. Each book in the series gets two 40-minute episodes, so it’s like a full-length movie. Right? Maybe I’m just writing in circles, which is a phrase here that means I should move on and really be starting a new paragraph.

I read the books in-between watching the episodes when they first released, so my experiences of both are rather intertwined. The episodes follow the books much closer than the initial film adaptation, the primary difference being the added influence of VFD and all the Easter eggs like that stupid sugar bowl. Oh yeah, and Lemony Snicket is twice as annoying in the show and not half as funny. Maybe it’s because I’m more of a bookwyrm than a show fanatic and appreciate the way the books poke fun at books themselves.

Of all the books/episodes, I really like book two (episodes 3-4) with Uncle Monty (The Reptile Room). Being a bearded dragon mama, I could see myself one day having a reptile room of my own. Though if I happen to take in some orphans, I’ll be sure to listen to them and flee the country immediately.

 Uncle Monty: Life is a conundrum of esoterica.

 

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets

Pros: CGI, compelling plot, great characters (mostly)

Cons: playboy pursues the female scientist (can we just kill this trope already?)

This graphic novel series adaptation is actually one of the few where I enjoyed the movie more than the books. While the books doubtlessly lean more on the scientific aspects of science fiction, the movie did a much better job on character development and storyline. If anything, the characters in the books just annoyed me, and I got bored with the plot.

In both the movie and the books, the world building is excellent. I also like how the casting for the film defied the typical casting. Usually when the guy has a deep voice like that, he’s a villain, not the protagonist.

My only complaint is the romance. I know I usually complain about romance in general, but I actually find the one in this story to be problematic.

Doghan-Dagui: We know how humans work.

Doghan-Dagui: They’re all so predictable.

Laureline: Clearly, you’ve never met a woman.

 

Honorable mentions: Bridge to Terebithia, The Hunger Games, The Neverending Story, and The Princess Bride

 

Let’s chat! Have you seen any of these movies and/or read their books? What did you think of them? Have any sci-fi/fantasy book-to-movie adaptations to add to the list?

 

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Similar posts: Are Book Dragons a Dying Breed?, 7 of my Go-To Authors, and Why This Bookworm Enjoys Book-to-Movie Adaptations

Poem: Cathedral Caverns

It’s been a little over two weeks since my poetry collection released! *throws confetti* *cat tries to eat confetti* *chaos ensues* Now, I’m actually having a hard time figuring out which poems I want to share on the blog. I’m not sure why. It just happens sometimes, I guess.

As I was thinking about the poems I’ve written this year, I realized I hadn’t written much about what it’s like to live in the American south. I thought about some of the places my dad and I have visited lately, and the Cathedral Caverns came to mind.

Before we went, I was really skeptical. I mean, I’d seen Carlsbad Caverns before, a massive expanse of caves in New Mexico. I’d seen some rather disappointing lava tubes on the Big Island of Hawaii, and the sandstone caves carved out of the rock beneath Nottingham Castle. When we were kids, my dad used to take my brother and I exploring in the amazing lava tubes by Mount St. Helens. What could Alabama possibly have to offer?

The answer: a lot, at least when it comes to caves, hiking trails, and the history of space exploration. Cathedral Caverns actually did remind me of some of the European cathedrals, and it was a pleasure to visit. I had almost forgotten how much I enjoy caves.

 

Photo credit: Michael T. Klein

 

Cathedral Caverns

The way I remember the difference
between this word and that
is by word play—
stalactites cling tight to the ceiling,
and stalagmites act like little mines on the floor,
Though I recently heard they might one day reach higher up.

I don’t recall the drip, drip
of water here so much as the murmur
of the creek below.
shhh
take lighter footsteps
and don’t speak louder
than a whisper
Shhhhh
can you hear it?

After we turn around the column
aptly named Goliath and larger than my house,
past the heard of stone elephants
tromping through the water,
we reach the Stalactite Forest,
and I am stunned
by the way this one
looks like the jellyfish
carved into ice in Sweden,
or how that one resembles
a turtle, a Viking, an eagle,
all stone that would make
the dwarves of Erebor gape.

How I wish I could swim
to the top, but I am stuck to the floor,
pinned by gravity and soon—
total darkness.

Breathe in—
can you see it?
Nothing.
Breathe out—
blink and behold
the starlight
that illuminates
the walls like a three-D model.

Breathe in—
the dark.
I can’t see my hand
in front of my face.
But it’s not the dark I fear,
nor the winter shelter for the bats,
nor even the thought
of being alone.

I am not afraid today,
though I know this tour
is nothing like the great escapades
of Verne or Tolkien,
but I relish the moment
and breath out as the lights come back on.

 

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Don’t forget to check out Dandelion Symphony, my poetry collection. If you’ve already read it, if you could post a review on your favorite site (Goodreads, Amazon, and/or Barnes & Noble), I would appreciate it a lot!

Let’s chat! What’s your take on caves? Do you have a favorite?

 

Similar poems: Down South (Audio), Ode to Winter (Video), Cathedral

4 Books I Initially Disliked but Came to Enjoy

I was talking with one of my bookwyrm friends the other day, and we ended up on the topic of books that we once liked that the more we thought about them, the more we disliked. Which is an unfortunate part of being a reader. But then again, there’s always the reverse—books that we originally didn’t like but came to enjoy.

Normally, I don’t reread such books. If I didn’t like it the first time, why on earth would I read it again? The reasons differ, but usually it’s because I see the book in another light, whether it be from a sequel or a film adaptation. So I may give the book a second chance.

The following list is not to be confused with books that I’ve started, didn’t finish, and came back to. That’s a whole ‘nother list for a whole ‘nother time.

Books are organized by author’s last name.

1) Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card

This one may come as a shock considering how much I rant about how much I enjoy the series. But actually, when I first watched the movie, I thought it was okay. When I first read the book, I thought it was rather dull. When I read the rest of the series, I was hooked. I like the way the later books developed various alien species and explored concepts like religion, morality, and the meaning of sentience. 

Only after I finished the series could I go back and appreciate the original story, Ender’s Game, for its military strategy and psychology. 

2) Inkheart by Cornelia Funke

I read this one as a teenager and disliked it. Then I did a terrible thing. One of my best friends bought a copy, and I asked her why she would do that? Didn’t she know how dark it was? Fast forward a couple years, and I gave the book a shot again and enjoyed it. I even went on to read the rest of the trilogy, and I bought it. 

For me, I feel like there should be the phrase: “Don’t judge a book by your teenage impression of it.” Nowadays, if I find one of my reader friends enjoys a book that I didn’t care for, I may state my opinion on it, or I may not. Most of all, I try to offer some sort of encouragement and not influence their decision. 

3) A Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket

I can’t say I read this one as a teenager and disliked it. No. Rather, I read it as a teenager and hated it. Hated is a word here that means I thought the book was incredibly depressing and why would any stable person want to read the entire series? 

Fast forward to my time studying for my M.B.A., and the Netflix adaptation came out. I gave it a try and reread the first book, then the rest of the series. Suffice to say, I’m not stable. The series itself is something you either enjoy tolerate, or you hate. I tried to get my sister to watch it with me, but she hates it. 

4) The Fellowship of the Ring by J. R. R. Tolkien

I hope nobody hates me for this one. I read a lot when I was a teenager, but not near as much as I read now. Very rarely did I read lengthy epics. Though I was a fan of the Lord of the Rings films (extended editions only, thank you very much), I had a hard time getting into the books. It wasn’t until after the fellowship left Rivendell that I claimed the book really picked up and got interesting. 

Now, after several years, I’ve decided to reread the books and am loving The Fellowship of the Ring. The pace may not be your typical YA novel, but it’s in no sense dull. If anything, I don’t remember the book being as suspenseful as it is. I find myself constantly asking, “How are Frodo and company not dead yet?” That being said, I’ve also come to enjoy all the poems, especially after memorizing the films and the songs and being able to place where the lines originally came from. 

While a lot of the songs are included in the films, some of the more obscure ones have been done by YouTubers. If you haven’t listened to Peter Hollens’ Lord of the Rings and Hobbit songs, you should do so now. My personal favorites are all of them “Gollum’s Song,” “Into the West,” and the “Hobbit Drinking Medley.” 

If I’m going to be completely honest, though, I don’t make a habit of rereading books I initially dislike. More often than not, they don’t end up on my bookshelf, except for the brief time that I check them out from the library. I suppose you could say this list is an exception. But it’s also a reminder that sometimes opinions change. While there are plenty of books that I didn’t care for as much the second time around, it’s exciting when I find a new treasure in a book I didn’t used to like. 

Let’s chat! What are some books you initially disliked and came to enjoy? Have you read any of the ones I listed? How often do you reread books? 

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Similar posts: 7 Popular Sci-Fi Novels I Enjoyed; 8 Popular Fantasy Novels I Enjoyed; and The Joys of Rereading

Dandelion Symphony Release Day!

Fall is in the air in the Northern Hemisphere, except maybe in the southern US. I could go outside and get sunburned if I wanted to, though I did wear a sweater earlier this week. It’s Friday, the 25th of September to be precise, two days after Frodo left Bag End. Do you know what else today is? Release day! Dandelion Symphony is out!

I actually found a dandelion in my yard!

 

… pages of this life—

these books take root

in the otherwise hardened patio of the mind.

 

What does it mean to be from multiple places? How does perspective change over time? What happens when a bookworm enjoys the outdoors? How does a situational introvert handle interaction with other people? This collection of poems is an exploration of the life of an army brat living in Europe. From studying abroad in England and travelling in Italy to living and working in Germany, these poems explore settings both extraordinary and ordinary alike.

 

As promised, here’s a quick video of me reading one of the poems from the book and a clip of me unboxing my proof copy.

 

 

Get your copy today!

Barnes & Noble (US, e-book)

Amazon (international, e-book and print)

Signed print (US only)

Let’s chat! What did you think of the reading? How about the “unboxing?” What’s your favorite season?

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Similar posts: Dandelion Symphony Blog Tour, Dandelion Symphony Cover Reveal, and My Process for Writing Poetry