libraryoddities

[libraryoddities]

how is it possible to love fictional characters this much and also have people always been this way?

like, did queen elizabeth lie in bed late sometimes thinking ‘VERILY I CANNOT EVEN FOR MERCUTIO HATH SLAIN ME WITH FEELS’ 

was caesar like ‘ET TU ODYSSEUS’ 

sometimes i wonder

[libraryoddities]

2017 YA books with Muslim protagonists:

The Gauntlet by Karuna Riazi  That Thing We Call a Heart by Sheba Karim  Amina’s Voice by Hena Khan  Saints and Misfits by S.K. Ali  Mirage by by Somaiya Daud  The Secret Lives of the Amir Sisters by Nadiya Hussain  The Authentics by Abdi Nazemian  The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty The Other Half of Happiness by Ayisha Malik  The Promise I will Keep by Aisha Saeed 

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So apparently last year the National Park Service in the US dropped an over 1200 page study of LGBTQ American History as part of their Who We Are program which includes studies on African-American history, Latino history, and Indigenous history. 

Like. This is awesome. But also it feels very surreal that maybe one of the most comprehensive examinations of LGBTQ history in America (it covers sports! art! race! historical sites! health! cities!) was just casually done by the parks service. 

[libraryoddities]

READING SLUMPS AND HOW TO GET OUT OF THEM

I’m in a reading slump so regularly, it feels like I hardly read anything at all. They’re honestly one of the reasons why I’m a slow reader and why I don’t read that many books in a year.

Weeks go by where I don’t pick up a book and it’s sad that I don’t want to do something I love. Soon as I’m in a slump, I’m in no mood to read, I’m not tackling my overflowing TBR and things are spiraling out of control!

I feel like I’m being over dramatic but I can see the pile of ARCs and review books I need to read… People ask how I manage all the ARCs that need reviewing and the truth is, I don’t. I just have to take my time and read whenever I feel like it.

I’ve noticed a lot things can easily put me in a slump and affects how much I read or if I want to read. But I have some tricks I try when I feel like that. Sometimes they work and sometimes they don’t but I thought I’d make a post about them - it might help if you’re prone to reading slumps like me.

Here goes!

1. Sample A Chapter

If there’s a book you’ve been meaning to pick up for a while, or there’s a few books on your TBR that have been there for ages - pick it up and read the first chapter. I have this strange habit or reading the first few pages whenever I get a new book, just to get a taste of what it’s like. And usually, those few pages make me want to keep reading. Just sample the first couple pages to see if it hooks you right away. If it does and you find yourself wanting to read more, that’s great! But if it doesn’t, just put down and read the first chapter of another book. This isn’t starting and DNFing a book just after one chapter so, don’t think of it as that. Because in future, you’ll pick it up again and possibly enjoy it a lot more than you would have in a slump. 

So, if that chapter isn’t working for you, don’t keep reading it or forcing yourself. You’ll dislike the book just because of your slump and it’ll ruin what potentially could have been an amazing book if you’d read it any other time. 

Just reading a first chapter has helped me a lot. Not every book with be interesting, so I pick up another one hoping it’ll keep me reading. It’s like letting the book give a 60 second pitch as to why you should read it next. Maybe it’ll work for you, maybe not.

2. Re-read A Favourite Book

There’s something comforting about re-reading a favourite book because I know I’ll love it, and I’m always excited to dive back into a familiar world. I’ve picked up the Harry Potter books or The Infernal Devices since I love those series and it would get me back into a routine of reading again.

If you have a favourite book that’s comforting, just pick it up and read it. You’ll be happy to be back with those characters. I feel like I could grab any Harry Potter book and sink into the story, I don’t need to go in chronological order if I don’t want to, but just enjoy the familiarity.

It probably won’t help reduce your TBR and you might not like re-reading when you have so many new books to get through, but there’s something about re-reading a book you really love.

Can’t find a new book to read? Might as well enjoy one you know and love.

3. Listen to Audiobooks

I will always stand by Audiobooks since they’re a fantastic way to read. They’ve helped me out of slumps, and made me read more and quicker than I usually do. I even recommended listening to books on my Being A Slow Reader blogpost so, make sure to go check that out if you haven’t. 

I always listen to music when I’m out, on the bus, or on my way to work that I’ve started listening to books instead. I can read a chapter, maybe more during my journey and it’s such an efficient way to read.

It can help with slumps too. You can multitask whilst listening, or maybe you’ll enjoy the fact someone is reading the book to you as it can be quite calming. You can bump up the speed and read a book faster. Because it’s such a quick way to read by listening, you’re instantly immersed in the book and you’ll be hooked before you even know it. Honestly, just listening to a book has gotten me out of slumps without realising it. I always found myself putting my headphones in to continue the story.

You should give audiobooks a try. It’s a new format of reading and maybe you’ll like a change from physical books or ebooks. But remember to sample the narration before getting an audiobook and make sure you like it. It’s something I always do because the narration can make a difference to your reading experience. 

4. Pick A Hyped Book

I see hyped books all over my social media. New releases or upcoming books that people are loving. I’ll see this book popping up everywhere and everyone is raving about it, for good reason.

Whenever this happens, I trust a book to live up to my expectations. It’s so highly praised, I know there’s a bigger chance of me enjoying it like everyone else did.

I’m not saying everyone loves the same books, there are plenty of popular books I don’t like. But the book’s been getting great reviews for a reason - and a good book that’s been getting 4 and 5 stars is what you need to get you out of a slump. 

I read Caraval by Stephanie Garber after a ton of people could not stop talking about it and telling me how amazing it was. I ended up reading it and yes, I loved it. My timeline was filled with praise for Caraval that I went in with high hopes, trusting that I would like it and I did. After I started reading it, I couldn’t stop and now I’m waiting for the sequel. 

Pick up a book that everyone’s enjoying and hopefully, you’ll love it, too. It’s worth a shot!

5. Don’t Force It

Don’t force yourself to read when you’re in a slump. You’re already in no mood to pick up a book and making yourself read will feel like a chore.

You can try these little tricks in this blogpost but if they don’t work, you’ll have to wait until you naturally feel like reading. 

This last one isn’t a tip but some advice, I guess? It’s like when you had to do required reading at school and it was the last thing you wanted to do. Forcing yourself to read isn’t fun.

__________________

And that’s it for my tips! I hope you found this helpful, or let me know if you already do some of the things I listed.  I’d love to know your thoughts or how you get out of your reading slumps if I haven’t mentioned it above.

Thank you so much for reading, I really appreciate any likes, reblogs and comments!

FIND ME ON

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[libraryoddities]

One way to pitch in against the consequences of mass incarceration… 

Check out the Amazon Wishlist maintained by Chicago Books for Women in Prison and support an amazing organization sending books on everything from criminal law to healing trauma to crossword puzzles to women incarcerated across the country (this includes trans women incarcerated in men’s prisons). The books are sent in response to direct requests from prisoners.

[libraryoddities]

The librarian leans in close. “Books… unavailable to the average citizen, warlock? I believe I can help you.” She leads you through winding halls until you come to a tiny doorway. Surreptitiously, she slips a small key into the lock and motions you in. Torches flicker, and as your eyes adjust to the light, you see that the room is full floor-to-cieling with… gnome erotica.

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[libraryoddities]

Paul Doherty’s Historical Mysteries

Paul Doherty is a historian who writes murder mysteries set in a variety of historical periods. He has series based on ancient Egypt and Rome, Alexander’s Greece, the Canterbury Tales, and the wars of Medieval Europe.

Series list here

[libraryoddities]

Last night I was talking to my boyfriend, and I couldn’t think of the word ‘library’, so I said ‘book ranch’. He thought it was hilarious and started making up alternative names for ‘librarian’.

“Cowbook! Like cowboy! No…Readcher? Like Rancher? No, fuck this is hard…”

and just now I heard him yell “BOOKAROO” from the other end of the apartment in the most triumphant tone of voice i’ve ever heard

[libraryoddities]

The Hamilton Affair by Elizabeth Cobbs

If you can’t get enough of Hamilton, try this novelized retelling of his love for Eliza.

Set against the dramatic backdrop of the American Revolution, and featuring a cast of legendary characters, The Hamilton Affair tells the sweeping, tumultuous, true story of Alexander Hamilton and Elizabeth Schuyler, from passionate and tender beginnings to his fateful duel on the banks of the Hudson River. Hamilton was a bastard and orphan, raised in the Caribbean and desperate for legitimacy, who became one of the American Revolution’s most dashing—and improbable—heroes. Admired by George Washington, scorned by Thomas Jefferson, Hamilton was a lightning rod: the most controversial leader of the new nation. Elizabeth was the wealthy, beautiful, adventurous daughter of the respectable Schuyler clan—and a pioneering advocate for women. Together, the unlikely couple braved the dangers of war, the perils of seduction, the anguish of infidelity, and the scourge of partisanship that menaced their family and the country itself. With brilliantly drawn characters and an epic scope, The Hamilton Affair tells a story of love forged in revolution and tested by the bitter strife of young America.

[libraryoddities]

5 Famous Female Authors Who Wrote Under Male or Androgynous Pen Names

Throughout history, authors in all genres have used pseudonyms for a variety of reasons, sometimes writing under as many as three, or four–or more!–pen names. Today, in honor of International Women’s Day, we’ve compiled a list of some of the most influential women writers who have had to write under male or androgynous monikers at some point in their careers:

1. Zeb-un-Nissa

(1630-1702)

Zeb-un-Nissa was an Imperial Princess of the Mughal Empire in India. She was a dedicated scholar, and fluent in three languages (Persian, Arabic, and Urdu). She is said to have loved reading so much that her personal library became the best in the Empire. 

Keep reading

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Coffeehouse Mystery Series by Cleo Coyle (Alice Alfonsi and Marc Cerasini)

Full series list

Cleo Coyle's bestselling Coffeehouse Mysteries are amateur sleuth murder mysteries, which feature a cast of quirky characters who work at the Village Blend, a landmark coffeehouse located in the picturesque, historic district of New York's Greenwich Village. Because Cleo's books are also culinary mysteries, each includes the added bonus of recipes for many of the foods and drinks mentioned in the stories...

Clare arrives at work to discover the assistant manager dead in the back of the store, coffee grounds strewn everywhere. Two detectives investigate. But when they find no sign of forced entry or foul play, they deem it an accident. Still, Clare is not convinced. And after the police leave, Clare can't help wondering...If this was an act of murder, is she in danger?

[libraryoddities]

A Child’s First Book of Trump by Michael Ian Black, illustrated by Marc Rosenthal

What do you do when you spot a wild Trump in the election season? New York Times bestselling author and comedian Michael Ian Black has some sage advice for children (and all the rest of us who are scratching our heads in disbelief) in this perfectly timely parody picture book intended for adults that would be hysterical if it wasn’t so true.

Chalk this up to one of the many books published before the election results that I don’t think expected the outcome we got.

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Gandalf breaking all the rules. 

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New Harry Potter book covers published by Scholastic

Illustrated by Kazu Kibuishi, of Copper and Amulet fame.

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Biblioteca do Palácio de Mafra // Library of Mafra’s National Palace

Finally got to see this beauty in person. Kind of bitter I couldn’t just reach out and open some of the books. The binding is so beautiful.  

[libraryoddities]

Happy New Year! We are back from Winter Break. Until the students come back on the 16th, we will be on our special holiday hours (9am to 5pm, Monday through Friday).