It's 3:40 PM on my side of the World (Berlin-Amsterdam-Paris time zone).
Kicked off this April's read-a-thon with a bit of cheering on other's blogs.
Now...I'm going to dedicate my time to reading.
See you in the next hour.
Currently reading:The Axiom Esti by Odysseus Elytis
Books finished: -
Pages read: 32
Running total of pages read: 32
Amount of time spent reading: 20 minutes
Running total of time spent reading: 20 minutes
Snacks: Pizza and lemonade.
THE READ-A-THON BEGINS!
First first first off, here's my book line up : D
And here's the first hour meme:
1) What fine part of the world are you reading from today?
Among the cows and sheeps of Papenburg, Germany.
2) Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to?
A Game of Thrones and A Thousand Splendid Suns
3) Which snack are you most looking forward to?
PIZZA! and coffee and that really awesome green tea I bought yesterday.
4) Tell us a little something about yourself!
My name is Georgia, I graduated from FIU with B.A. in English Literature and certificates in both Japanese and Professional and Technical Writing. I am, on a regular day, a mess. I live in Germany with my parents and am taking German class jeden Tag. My immediate goal is to become fluent in German and, secretly, write a book in German : O I'm fluent in French, Spanish and, well, English. And I love to read. Yup. Hello :)
5) If you participated in the last read-a-thon, what’s one thing you’ll do different today? If this is your first read-a-thon, what are you most looking forward to?
What I will do differently? I signed up to be a cheerleader so that's definitely different from last time. Just be more involved and sit down and read until the 24 hours are up.
GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE! Take breaks when you feel hazy, if you've lost interest in a book don't force yourself, just put it down, stretch and start a new one. Don't be afraid to re-read old favorites (there's always something new and exciting to notice and learn). Change positions, locations, eat when hungry, drink! And HAVE FUN!!!
Sunday, April 20, 2014
Good evening everyone! (or morning or afternoon if you're not in the same west European time zone as me).
The rules of this are the following: thank the blog who nominated you, list 11 facts about yourself, answer the 11 questions that they asked you, ask 11 questions that your nominees have to answer and nominate 9 blogs with under 200 followers for the award that are not the one that nominated you. The questions for my nominees and the nominated blogs are at the end of the post.
11 Facts about me:
1. I love manga and anime and I am currently in love with Attack on Titan/Shingeki no Kyojin. My love extends to Hajime Isayama, the wonderful creator/writer/artist of this series.
2. I follow the Welcome to Night Vale podcast (religiously listen to it).
3. I was born in the U.S. but grew up in France and now live in Germany.
4. I have a B.A. in English literature, which occasionally equates to earning skills in the art of writing, bullshitting, procrastinating without failing and having knowledge of many random, unimportant (yet oh so very important) things.
5. My goal for the end of this year is to be as articulate and eloquent as I can be in German. Hopefully, in two year, I will be fluent.
6. I am fluent in 3 languages (English, Spanish and French). I learned Japanese in Uni, but I'm completely out of practice. Fun fact: I speak English with a very subtle, odd, Spanish/French accent.
7. There's something that I love and hate about every season, but Autumn always feels like coming home for me (I can hear the ... "oh she's another fall love" jokes in the distance). I hate raking leaves though: if you don't do it daily, they pile up, but you expend so much energy raking leaves one day only to have more fall the next day.
8. I am impartial to ice cream.
9. I love cakes as long as they're not overly sweet (I'm starting to sound like a stuffy old, grumpy person aren't I...?)
10. I crochet more than I knit.
11. I laugh like I have to get rid of all the air in my lungs at once.
1. Do you make part of any book club? If so how did you come to join it, if not is there any that tempts you?
No, I don't. To be honest, I don't of any book clubs in my area or on the internet.
2. What is your least favorite genre, the one you just can't seem to like at all?
I think there's always a book to like from every genre, so I don't have a least favorite genre.
3. Do you listen to any bookish podcasts? If so which one and why?
No, no bookish podcasts. Only "Welcome to Night Vale" and "Radiolab."
4. What is your favorite place to read?
Oh no, I don't have a favorite place to read either. I can literally read anywhere, especially when I get in "the zone." I sort of forget where I am when I'm truly enthralled by a story, so the surroundings matters naught.
5. What is your stand on Audio books?
It's recorded story telling, reminiscent of the times humans would sit together and tell stories and listen to stories. Except this is recorded: you can rewind, pause, stop and listen to it anywhere.
6. As a kid, what was your favorite book?
As a little kid? Peter Rabbit. Later on? Anything that fell under the mystery/crime/detective genre. I did have a penchant for Voltaire and Moliere. And at around 11 years of age? Harry Potter : D
7. Do you write in books? If no, how do you manage the notes for your reviews?
Oh hohohoho...no. I'm even careful not to open them too much for fear of damaging the spine. BUUUUT...uni changed that habit a bit. You can tell what books were required reading and which books I bought for pleasure. Books for school are riddled with notes and dog eared. Leisurely books have post its in them.
8. What is the book that you haven't read but everyone keeps saying you should?
A Song of Ice and Fire series. And other stuff that I can't remember right now.
9. Have you ever lied about reading (or not) a book? Why?
Yes. For class. Procrastination and the inevitable "lazy student" syndrome that would hit me square in the brain every once in a while.
10. What is the best bookish gift you have ever received?
Any book I have every received. My friend made me a few book marks once. Gift card to Barnes and Nobles. Every fancy notebook I have ever received. Can't pick one, all bookish gifts are best.
11. Do you have a goal of books per year? How do you determine it?
No goals. I used to read copious amounts of books each week prior to Uni. During uni I didn't have much time and now...now I feel like a lost puppy.
1) Have you ever gotten into an argument with a friend over a plot point or character or anything in a book? If yes, which book and what was the argument about?
2) Name three books: one book that you love, but have only read once; one book that you love and have read multiple times; one book that you love and have not only read multiple times but lend and suggested it to other people.
3) What book arrived in your life during a time when you really needed what was written in it? If you feel comfortable sharing: what were you going through and how did the book help?
4) Do you ever get so wrapped up by a story that reaching the end leaves you hollow and out of commission for at least a few days?
5) Have you ever fallen in love with a character from a book you've read? Which book, which character?
6) List one or two for this question: which book can you recall had you so ensnared in the plot that you couldn't put it down and when you did put it down to go to sleep, you would, first thing in the morning, resume reading it?
7) How long does it usually take you, in hours, to read a book?
8) Which book would you want to see turned into a movie?
9) Has a book ever inspired you to write a story of your own, paint, draw, write a song...anything...meaning has a book ever inspired you to create something of your own? If yes, which book and what did you create?
10) Has a book ever brought you closer to someone? Which book, to who and how?
Holly Black is to me what coffee is to a readaholic; a necessity in my reading life. She sparked my interest in faeries, folklore and New York (the iron city). Her novels took me to new places that felt real and close to me. Tithe: A Modern Faerie Tale was her first solo work I read (not counting Spiderwick) and I can honestly say every time I read it, I learn to appreciate Holly Black's craft and artistry. The descriptions of both places and characters are simple and to the point, but leave you with a very palpable taste. She knows how to show her audience anything without using too many fancy words whether it is through dialogue or narration.
This book came into a very strange, twisted and confusing time in my life. The character, like many of Paulo Coelho's characters, was on a journey and I felt as though for the time I was reading it, I too was on a journey to find myself. Paulo Coelho's philosophies and wisdom took me by surprise and kept me going when I thought reality was too much to bare. Honestly? An amazing read, all of its knowledge, whether you agree with it or not, is heavy and almost requires to be read a second, third, or tenth time.
I'm almost laughing and crying as I post this picture up. Of course Harry Potter would be on my list of re-reads! I just wanted to save it for last for two reasons: for one, again, OF COURSE! and two, it is one of the dearest series to me. J.K.Rowling, the Harry Potter series, the HP fandom, all of it framed my childhood. I see one or more of these books, and I am immediately taken back to the first time I came out of the movie theater after watching "The Sorcerer's Stone" (and yes, I am one of THOSE fans who was taken under the HP wing through the first movie), this is going to sound corny, but I could feel the magic, the connection, the importance this story would play in my life. Harry Potter nestled deep in my heart, and almost nothing can take its spot. It is a world I don't mind going back to over and over again.
"Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home" :)
In the midst of our 17th hour within the world of readathon, Stella has asked avid readers to take a break and post a picture up that represents the book that they're reading.
I'm reading Gone by Michael Grant, a book about a town where all the adults disappear and the children are left alone to deal and wonder what has happened. Right now I am still at the part where the parents have just vanished. It's the first night alone and they're confused, afraid but also hopeful that their parents will return. I found this image of a sad child seating by a window to show that the kids are still hoping for the return of normalcy.
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