Bookish Blog Hops - A Bookish Summer Blog Hop: New Beginnings/Starting Over
Summer is the perfect season for fresh starts, so welcome back to another stop on the A Bookish Summer Blog Hop! Today we’re diving into stories all about new beginnings and starting over—those uplifting, emotional, sometimes messy moments when characters reset their lives and rediscover who they’re meant to be.
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A Bookish Summer Blog Hop: Books That Celebrate New Beginnings and Fresh Starts
The first book that came to mind for this was Starting Over by Sheri Levy (check out my review of the book here). This book is teen/YA and part of the A Trina Ryan Novel series. It touches on building new friendships, and also letting go and being able to move on.
What my book blogger buddies had to say:
Leslie Conzatti
I mentioned it earlier, but when I think of starting over--albeit in a kind of darkly comedic, ironic fashion--I think of the series that has long been my favorite, the Grave Report novels by R. R. Virdi. The series features Vince Graves, a soul whose body died an undetermined amount of time ago, but he’s been selected by the Powers-That-Be to get constantly reincarnated in the body of supernatural-related circumstances, whether somebody cracked the wrong ancient seal, or awakened a dark entity from the netherworld. Chock-full of gallows humor, cynical sarcasm, and a great deal of heart (I mean, it would take a lot of heart to have to live someone else’s life to give their soul and their loved ones closure!) all the way through--and every book is essentially a “new beginning” so I think it counts!
Brandy Potter
Visit her website here: www.brandypotterbooks.com (updated 16/11/2025 no longer active)
I have a toss up, same author, three different books. Nora Roberts. Montana Sky - three sisters who have never met have to discover each other and rediscover themselves. The Liar is about a woman whose husband dies, only she finds out he was a conman. The Witness is about a woman who witnesses a murder as a teenager and has to go into hiding.
Casia Schreyer
Visit her website here:
Traitor’s Hope by Virginia McClain. This is the sequel to Blade’s Edge. At the end of book 1 the main characters achieve their goal and overthrow a manipulative, lying government. Book 2 is about the new beginning for all of them, as individuals and as a country.
Have you read any of these books?
If you love stories about reinvention and second chances, tell me your favourite ‘fresh start’ book in the comments!
A Bookish Summer Blog Hop: Where Do You Buy Your Books?
Today I'm hosting another stop on the A Bookish Summer Blog Hop. This time the question is "Where do you buy your books?"
I get a lot of books for free from publishers and authors. Some approach me directly requesting a review, others I get via Net Galley. I do a lot of reading on my kindle app on my ipad now and get a lot of books from Amazon. Whenever I go back to the UK for a visit I check out the charity and discount shops for bargain books. I have to limit myself though or my hubby moans about my books taking over our home. He prefers it when I get ebooks as our flat isn’t really big enough for a lot of bookshelves. My dream is to one day have a house with a big library like the one Belle had in Beauty and Beast ;)
What the gang had to say:
I actually only buy maybe 2% of the books I own. I’m gifted a lot from publishers and indie authors who reach out to be through my blog, but the majority of books I read are through my library. The only flaw to that plan is when all ten of my holds at random times become available at once and I cry a little bit because I can’t possible read all of them in the two weeks they grace my presence. I usually end up buying books when I have already read them and I want to keep a copy to read again or in case any of my friends decide to enjoy reading miraculously, so I can share a copy with them. The library thing usually works out great though with a book or two coming in once a week and helps regulate and provide an incentive to keep up with my reading because of their due dates.
For the longest time, I would depend on the generosity of others to get books. Especially before I had a job, since that meant I also had no money. As I would review more and more books on my blog, I would get review copies from authors who wanted their books featured, or I would follow an author I was interested in until they posted a discount/giveaway, at which point I would swoop in and make off like a bandit! I have downloaded a lot of books from Amazon, and just recently I discovered the joys of buying books online from Barnes & Noble, so I’ve used that to try and round out my personal library. But the only books I actually buy are books I’ve read before, since I know they’re worth the money I’m spending! I don’t buy a lot of books sight-unseen; if a book looks interesting, I’ll check it out from the library first. If I like it, I buy it. If an author whose ebooks I’ve read and loved offers signed copies for a fair price, I’ll take them up on their offer!
I get most of my classics from yard sales and goodwill. The more contemporary stuff I get from Amazon. However I have the propensity to get them at the library or audible before I buy them. I used to just buy every book I wanted to read and I found that was a waste of books and money. However, I did find a great place to take those books. We have a place here called The Book Thing. It’s in the inner city and allows anyone to come in and take books for free. It burned down just before my wedding and I donated every book that I was keeping just because I can’t bear to part with books to them.
I get a few free books from publishers and I’m always on the lookout for sales on Amazon to buy Kindle books. This year I went to the BookCon in NYC and got a lot of free books there also!
Where do you buy most of your books? Let us know in the comments below.
A Bookish Summer Blog Hop: Bookmarks or Dog Ears?
Welcome back for another stop on the A Bookish Summer Blog Hop. Today's topic has been dividing book lovers for years and caused more than a few arguments... bookmarks or dog ears?
I personally can't bring myself to dog ear a book. It gives me chills if I see someone else do it. Unsurprisingly I'm also not a fan of cracked spines or writing notes in books either. I like to take care of them and keep them looking pretty. Sure I'll stuff them full of paper and post-it notes, but never anything that will damage the book.
Here's a little fun fact about me, I collect bookmarks. I have so many of them! Some have been sent to me by authors and publishers along with copies of books to review, some came as part of a swag pack, some I've picked up at events, and some I've purchased. This doesn't mean I won't use an old bus ticket or random piece of paper as a bookmark though if I don't have my collection to hand.
I've also made a few bookmarks with my kids. We love doing creative craft projects and whenever they make a bookmark they suddenly feel the need to read something so they can use it. #Winning ;)
Here's what the gang had to say on the topic:
Kelli Quintos
I am 100% not an advocate of supporting the dog ear. That hurts my heart a little bit, that people might crinkle their book on purpose. I usually am caught using straw wrappers, ticket stubs, currently a wedding invitation that I still haven’t RSVP'd to. I can always find something to use as a placeholder. I’ve only recently discovered that bookmarks can be gorgeous and not just trash, so I don’t see how anyone could not be excited and choose bookmarks over dog ears. I’ve bought rainbow gorgeous long bookmarks and cute little harry potter themed magnet ones. They come in all shapes and sizes, so go look around and try a bookmark, for the sake of your poor book.
Leslie Conzatti
Umm, why is this even a discussion? Get yourself a bookmark, if you cannot possibly recall the page number. Dog-ears? Are you some kind of monster? I guess dog ears are better than flattening the spine… But still! Marring the book in any way just speeds up the deterioration, and if you read a book enough that the corner eventually falls off, what then? You’re better off using a bookmark.
Brandy Potter
I’m afraid to answer… don’t hurt me ladies. I am playing. I used what I can to avoid doing a dog ear, but if I can’t find something, I would rather dog ear than flatten the spine. I have books from my great grandmother and she definitely dog-earred. She has “The Life of Thomas More” from the 1700’s and aside from the dog ears’ it is in decent shape.
But I also have books from the other and they are falling apart, because she was a lay-it-face-down-on-the-table-and-break-the-dag-on-thing-er. Which sucks because she was WWII nurse and one of the first people to join the Edgar Casey foundation, so they are great insights into that time, but her books are falling apart and I am desperately trying to preserve them and get them fixed one at a time.
I try so hard to use bookmarks, but I always seem to lose them! So I am guilty of digesting my books!
Now it's your turn, bookmarks or dog ears? I promise we won't kill you if you choose dog ear ;)
The schedule:
Join us late? No problem!
Today is the first day of the A Bookish Summer Blog Hop! This blog hop is organised via the Facebook group Bookish Blog Hops and runs from 1st- 31st July 2018. During the blog hop members of the group will be coming together to answer bookish questions (you can find the complete schedule for the blog hop down below at the end of this post).
And now on to today's question...
What are you currently reading?
I just started reading Pressure by Betsy Reavley. I got sent a copy of this book by the publisher via Net Galley. I'd seen it pop up a few times on other book bloggers TBR's and the reviews all seemed quite good. Plus I love psychological thrillers :)
About the book:
When the submarine departed, none of the ten people on board knew it would turn into a nightmare.
Trapped on the sunken vessel and unable to escape, one of them is discovered dead. The tension escalates as the survivors realise there is a murderer among them, who is preparing to strike again and again…
With mounting desperation, people begin to turn on each other. While they struggle to identify who is responsible, each must contend with their own past and the secrets they are hiding.
But who is who? And which of them will be next to die?
This is the cover as shown on Net Galley which I personally prefer to the alternative cover that is showing on Amazon:
I'm only at 16% but already liking it.
Now let's see what the rest of the gang are reading...
Kelli Quintos
I have only just started reading in these past few years and decided to dedicate this year to classics to try to play catch up to the more seasoned readers. I’m spending most of the year making my way through Harry Potter for the first time, but each month I try to have a side project. This month I’m going to read the Narnia series. I only thought it was a single book...no idea it was an entire series.
Brandy Potter
I am currently reading Phantom Evil by Heather Graham for like the hundredth time. Why? Because I read the new Krewe of Hunter’s series book Face to Black and I needed the original Krewe. Love Me some Jackson Crow/Angela Hawkins.
Leslie Conzatti
I used to be able to read more books in the course of a month, but that seems to have slackened in recent years! Currently, I have started to read two books at once: The Fix by David Baldacci (always a favorite!), and All The Crooked Saints by Maggie Stiefvater (because SHE WRITES MAGIC). In the realm of indie e-books, I’m finally getting around to reading Dreamtime Dragons, an anthology I actually participated in… but I never got to read all of the other submissions, so I very much want to do that!
Rachael Beardsley
I’m currently reading Sophie’s Choice by William Styron. My to-read list is full of all the well-known books I’ve never made it to, but I’ve been excited to read this one for a while. So far, it seems like a story that’s rich in plot with lively characters (almost too lively at times). It’s a long book, but I can’t wait to get deeper into it. Styron’s writing easily pulls me in.
Hannah Dadd
With YALC coming up (ahh!) I’m reading as many YALC author’s books as possible, hoping to read Things a Bright Girl Can Do and I’m about to start Children of Blood and Bone!
Casia Schreyer
I’m currently reading The Emotional Wound Thesaurus, part of the Writers’ Guide Thesauruses series by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglist. Not exactly a fun read, but I’ve been wanting to explore ways to create deeper characters without relying on so many cliches. There are 6 books in the series exploring settings, emotions, positive and negative traits, emotion amplifiers, and emotional wounds.
Marcia Marques
I’m currently reading Sadie by Courtney Summers, which already is one of the most buzzed about YA thrillers from 2018 (the book will be published in Sept 2018). I actually met Courtney at the BookCon NYC and got a signed copy of the book. I can already see that I will be reading her other books as well...
What are you currently reading?
The schedule:
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