Bill Willingham has created an elaborate modern fairy tale world in his graphic novel series, Fables. Of the multitude of characters, one of the most famous is Jack . . . Jack of the Beanstalk, Jack Frost, Jack Be Nimble, etc. All of these characters are one and the same man, and this man is TROUBLE! It only makes sense that Willingham would create a Fables spin-off featuring Jack.
Jack of Fables contains nine volumes, and it is recommended that you read them in a particular order, in conjunction with the original series. Kelly of The Written World has an elaborate how-to-read guide for this series that I recommend you check out. For the purposes of my review here, I leave you with a simplified version of the volumes:
#1: The [Nearly] Great Escape
#2: Jack of Hearts
#3: The Bad Prince
#4: Americana
#5: Turning Pages
#6: The Big Book of War
#7: The Adventures of Jack and Jack
#8: The Fulminate Blade
#9: The End
Jack is a man that only desires women and money, with the latter being his ultimate priority. All of his adventures focus on these two things, with frequent reminders from Jack himself about how amazing, handsome, and perfect he really is. In reality, he is quite the opposite as the women in his life always find out in the end.
Jack of Fables is a fun read, despite my constant annoyance with Jack. Willingham’s other supporting characters (notably the Page sisters) make up for what Jack is lacking. As the series progresses, I do believe the series improves … for the most part. Maybe that is because of the fate of the infamous Jack and the increased appearances of Jack Frost. The second to the last book in the series (Volume 8, The Fulminate Blade) proved to be one of my favorites of the series because of the focus on the Page sisters and this new hero, Jack Frost. However, the ninth and final volume of the series left me completely empty. Once I get over the initial shock, I think I may just be disappointed in The End.
Overall, the series is an entertaining read, but it pales in comparison to the original Fables. Some of this is because the story shies away from Fables into Literals. Some of it has to do with the likeability (or the lack thereof) of Jack, the main focus of the series. I still recommend the series, however, for two reasons: (1) to fully appreciate the world that Willingham has created and (2) to better understand the Fables series when the crossover occurs.
Have you entered Jack’s world? What are your thoughts about Jack and/or his adventures?
At the end of the 2013, I had asked my readers to share opinions on a number of topics and I heard you loud and clear when it came to sharing links. Throughout the week, I randomly share literary links via Facebook and Twitter. The links can vary from serious research articles to just silly fun. Once a month, I will be sharing those links with you here, possibly with a few extras. Without further ado, I give you the first round-up of Literary Link Love . . .
Americans say they still love their libraries, even if their not using them via PBS (Unfortunately, the original link no longer works for this article, but I do have a copy of it saved. Comment with your email address or email me directly if you are interested!)
Many of us grew up with the beloved movie, The Wizard of Oz, starring the beautiful Judy Garland as Dorothy. We can sing along to Somewhere Over The Rainbow and may have even found ourselves a time or two clicking our heels together, repeating "There's no place like home." We see magic in ruby slippers and wish we had our own yellow brick road. The question remains . . . how many of us have actually experienced the original; the one through the eyes of author L. Frank Baum?
I have previously read Baum's classic years ago, before the blogging began. I was excited, however, to pick it up again when my kids found a copy at the library. I picked it up willingly, delighted to revisit it, this time with my kids.
The three of us ventured first into Kansas, then flew into the land of Oz. We watched as Dorothy slipped on those silver shoes (yes, they were originally silver!). We walked the yellow brick road alongside Dorothy and Toto as she met her friends: Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion. We were in awe of the Emerald City, without wearing the green spectacles. We traveled amongst the dangers on the way to defeat the witch and on the journey Dorothy took to find her way home.
My kids requested I read more frequently and to read just one more chapter. They wanted to discuss the differences from the movie that is so familiar to them. And, they wanted to pause and admire the artwork by W.W. Denslow before reading on. The fact is we finished this book quicker than any other chapter book we have read before. That alone speaks louder than all the praise I can continue to write. Now, we just need to continue to discover the rest of the series together.
I shared Judy Garland's version of Somewhere Over the Rainbow above, but just for fun I leave you with one of my personal favorite versions of this song. Enjoy!
Have you experienced the real Oz? What is your favorite part of Baum's world?
Last week proved to be a productive week! I have been able to get posts scheduled out as far as the middle of February right here at Tif Talks Books AND I have been working to get the re-launch ready for Book Bloggers International, getting posts scheduled and arranged for the entire month of February! With all this productivity, I am rewarding myself by participating in another readathon this week, getting in a bit more reading time than usual. Of course, I could use a bit more reading time because it has been slow the last couple of weeks!
If I can finish both of these books, then I will move on to another book club read of Divergent by Veronica Roth.
If I happen to get through all of these ... and I don't think I will ... I will just grab something off my shelf. I have no idea what it will be!
For anyone wondering about my reading for the last week, I did finish two books: From A Buick 8 by Stephen King and Stitches by David Small. Reading was definitely better than it has been!!
What do you have planned for this week? Are you participating in the readathon? What books are on your agenda?
Another Bloggiesta has come and gone! It was another wonderfully productive weekend! Actually, yesterday was productive, but today was not so much!!
Let's take a look at my original list of tasks and where I ended up for the weekend . . .
Back-up Blog &Template
Update Books Read in 2014
Update A-Z Review Index
Graphic for New Feature
Write Requested Guest Post
Book Bloggers International (Marketing, Arranging, and Scheduling Posts)I got a lot done here, but if you want in on the action, I do still have slots left for blog introductions and guest posts!!**
I also added a few more items to the list throughout the weekend . . .
I didn't get everything completed that I had wanted to, but I am still going to consider this Bloggiesta a success!! I will very likely extend my Bloggiesta weekend through tomorrow to finish up my list. For now, I'm going to reward myself with a little SHERLOCK!!
How did you do this weekend on your Bloggiesta tasks?
A few months ago, I started Vaughan's newest series, Saga. It was not a series I would have normally picked up on my own, but I had heard good things and I have enjoyed Vaughan's previous work. I gave it a try and I enjoyed it. I knew I would want to read Volume 2 at some point.
Finally, that point came. The book I had requested came into the library and was waiting patiently on the shelf for me. I rescued it, then it sat on my shelf for a couple of weeks. I eventually opened it and didn't shut it until I was finished! Why did I wait so long?!?
Marko and Alana are star-crossed lovers from different worlds - worlds that are at war with each other. They are trying to escape in the hopes of finding a better place to raise their newborn daughter. In the process of escaping, Marko's parents suddenly appear. They thought that there adventures were complicated before this appearance. Just wait until you see the twists that arise when the parents/in-laws are now on the scene!
Readers may have thought the tension of war was bad in Volume 1. Add the tension of in-laws to the mix in Volume 2, and you have a story that you can't look away from. Vaughan brings us smiles and conflict, laughter and uncomfortable feelings of silence. He captures the human essence through the eyes of other beings, and he does it with style and grace.
I now must wait impatiently for the next volume to be released. Saga has quickly jumped to the top of my list of favorites. I leave you with a quick glimpse into why, courtesy of the beautiful artwork by illustrator Fiona Staples . . .
Have you met Marko and Alana? Do you love them as much as I do?
Bloggiesta is a quarterly event, allowing bloggers to work together on improving their blogs. This time around, it is a mini event lasting only two days, but still filled with some helpful tips and resources. For more information, I recommend that you check the official Bloggiesta website.
I have been trying to be better at staying updated so far in 2014, so my list of things that I want to focus on is not as long as my usual lists. Here's my hopes . . .
I think I can probably complete 4 of the 5 items. The final item is a work in progress. I am currently working to schedule two months worth of posts. Currently, I have approximately 1/3 of it already scheduled and arranged. It's a great start, but I would love to work ahead more if possible. Wish me luck!!
Are you participating in Bloggiesta? What will you be working on this weekend?
In Keeping a Journal You Love, Bender discusses the topic of journaling by example. She shares ideas, then demonstrates by leaving us real-life examples from other published writers.
In theory, this sounds like a great idea. In reality, I just don't think it was very helpful or interesting. I found one of the final chapters to be the most interesting where she shared practical strategies on how to generate writing ideas. The ideas shared were different and ones I look forward to trying. I only wish I had skipped the other chapters.
Life in Hand: Creating the Illuminated Journal by Hannah Hinchman
Life in Hand takes a different approach then the previous journaling books I have read by incorporating art. I am not an artist, unless you count my horribly drawn doodles or my painting via words. For this reason, this was just not the book for me. If you incorporate art (sketches, watercolors, etc.) into your journals, this one may be for you.
Through my adventures of reading about journaling and discussing it with others, I have learned that journaling can take a multitude of forms. Last week, I started a monthly feature to discuss journaling in all its forms, complete with audience participation. Be sure to check out the Journal Circle and join in the conversation!
Do you journal? What techniques or strategies do you use? Do you have any recommendations on journaling books?
It's Monday and it's late, and if I don't get this posted soon, it will no longer be Monday. Today has been filled with lots of different errands and activities and swimming lessons and emails and cleaning and laundry. Somehow, this busy day is okay because last night, there was SHERLOCK!!!
I have been highly anticipating the Season 3 Premier of BBC's SHERLOCK. This is one that even my husband was excited for, and he doesn't really get excited about anything TV. And, last night was THE night!! We settled down on the couch to watch, me complete with a cup of hot cocoa, barely blinking during the opening scenes. Then, out of nowhere, our stinky cable company decided to delete that channel after only minutes into the premiere. At first, my husband and I sat in shocked silence, but it then turned into panic and not-so-nice language. We quickly clicked through our channels in the hope of finding the channel somewhere else. My heart began beating way too fast; I felt the symptoms of hyperventilating coming on. And, we found the channel!! The picture was not as good as it was previously, but we could still watch our beloved show. Life was good again!
After the drama of the missing channel, we relaxed and thoroughly enjoyed the show. I loved that they showed us a number of the thirteen ways that Sherlock figured out how to fake his death. I loved that we finally got to meet Mary, the (other) love of Dr. John Watson. I loved the quirks that they inserted into the serious story line and the hints towards other short stories of Doyle's work. I am still left wondering about which way Sherlock really escaped. I am still left laughing at the comments about Watson's mustache and the questions about the relationship between Sherlock/Watson and Sherlock/Moriarty. Though I don't think that it was the best of the series thus far, I do still adore the chemistry between Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman. And, I appreciate the series even more after finally reading a portion of Doyle's works of Sherlock - how the series stays true to the classic.
Hands down, SHERLOCK is by far my favorite adaptation thus far, and my favorite television show right now!
Oh, and for those curious about my reading . . . I am still reading the same book I was reading this time last week -- From A Buick 8 by Stephen King. Reading was very light, but I'm hoping for better this week.
Are you a fan of SHERLOCK? What did you think of the premiere? And, if you are not a fan of my favorite show, how about you tell me about your reading instead?!?
The Frozen Deep was selected for a read-along over at The Estella Society for Wilkie in Winter. I have been wanting to read the work of Wilkie Collins for a while, so I jumped on in.
The Frozen Deep is a novella, consisting of only 123 pages, and originally written as an adaptation from a stage production. It follows the beautiful, yet strange Clara Burnham as she becomes engaged to her love, Frank Aldersley. On the same night, a childhood friend, Richard Wardour returns and also proposes unsuccessfully. Wardour becomes depressed, immediately jumping onto the voyage into the Arctic . . . the same expedition that Aldersley just so happens to be on. The question becomes . . . Will Wardour seek revenge or forgiveness?
My first read of Collins' work was a quick one and not disappointing. I found the love triangle was a bit predictable, but the ending was still satisfying, especially when you take the time period of publication into consideration (originally published in 1866). Collins' style of writing was enjoyable. However, I will say that it did also seem obvious that it was written from a stage production. Despite the predictability and the obvious adaptation, this little mini story has me intrigued for the second selection of Wilkie in Winter and one of his most famous works, The Woman in White.
I was first introduced to The Unwritten by The Written World, when she spoke about how to read the Fables series (both popular graphic novel series). In the not-so-distant future, a crossover is planned for Fables and The Unwritten. Upon this discovery, I knew I had to give this series a try.
Volume 1: Tommy Taylor and the Bogus Identity
In the first volume, we meet the infamous Tommy Taylor, a character in a bestselling series by Wilson Taylor. Wilson's son is Tom, and the rumored influence behind the fictional character. Wilson has disappeared and Tom has stepped out into the spotlight to promote his father's books. When he does so, his life is plaaced under a magnifying glass and his own mysterious past comes into question. The line between fact and fiction becomes blurred, and a loyal sidekick in an unlikely person helps Tom to navigate his adventures.
Volume 2: Inside Man
Volume 2 begins with Tom in a bind and being shipped off to prison. On his way, he meets another trusty sidekick that has a secret of his own. With the help of his new friend and the one from the previous volume, we discover more behind the trio, the mysterious history plaguing Tom, and Tom's father.
Volume 3: Dead Man's Knock
Our trio has escaped and is on the hunt to find answers. This hunt takes them to worlds beyond our own, leaving our main characters facing villainy in multiple forms. The authors even let us lead the way with a Choose Your Own Adventure chapter, creating an interesting dynamic for all involved.
Volume 4: Leviathan
In the fourth volume, our trio splits ways. Tom, setting out on his own to seek the truth, finds himself on a very unexpected journey that leaves him in over his head. The other two, left to find their own way, discover that more secrets must be revealed before moving forward.
Volume 5: On To Genesis
In Volume 5, the trio is reunited. They play catch-up on all that they have discovered on their separate journeys and some answers are shared publicly with the entire world. This does not please the powers that be. Tom and his friends thought they were in trouble before . . .
Mike Carey and Peter Gross bring us quite an intriguing story with hints of Harry Potter and references to multiple pieces of classical literature. Yet, it is filled with a modern twist of pop culture as well as a hint of the paranormal. With all these puzzle pieces, the reader has to wonder if and how the duo will pull this story off. Somehow, they do! I was sometimes left confused. At times, I felt like I was missing an important key to the story. However, it works and I could not stop reading. The puzzle is slowly coming together. The picture is beginning to emerge. And, I cannot avert my eyes!
Have you stepped into The Unwritten world? How were you left feeling?
Journal Circle is my new feature created to spend a bit more time chatting about journaling - the process, ideas, and more. It will be a monthly feature, appearing around the middle of the month, and will have a linky attached to each post for others to share their ideas, thoughts, photos, etc.
I have come to discover through recent reads and by starting my own a couple of years ago, that journaling has a lot of benefits and no restrictions. It can be a great way to vent after a hard day, record favorite quotes and your reactions to them, share family stories, document those silly things that come out of your children's mouths, and even help in the healing process after a hurtful or grieving situation. I have seen others incorporate doodling or other forms of artwork. I have been known to include postcards or letters into my personal journal, and even more recently (thanks to inspiration from others), I have started using washi/crafting tape to spice things up a bit. I have talked to others who keep a book journal to track their reading. I have encouraged my kids to keep journals, providing them with prompts or letting them do their own thing. I have even kept a travel journal with the help of my kids from our 27 day road trip this last summer.
With this new feature, I encourage you to join in the conversation every month to share what you have been writing about (you do not need to share details) OR discuss different ideas that you have tried. For those that incorporate art, I would love to see your personal masterpieces (because I have little to no artistic ability!). It's an open forum to just chat about all things journaling. You choose what you feel most comfortable sharing publicly.
For the kick-off post, I would love to hear about what type of journal you use. I will start by sharing with you my kind of personalized journal, complete with a step-by-step process of how to make your own. I will warn you, however, that all photos were taken with my smartphone, so the quality may not be phenomenal.
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How To Create Your Own Personalized Journal
Step 1: Prepare your materials. You will need a composition notebook, tacky glue (or other preferred adhesive), fabric of your choice, scissors/paper cutter, matching cardstock (2 pieces of 8x11), and ribbon (optional). When I purchase my fabric, I tend to get a half a yard at a time. You really do not need this much because I can usually get 2-3 journal covers out of this amount.
Step 2: Cut material to fit your notebook. I lay my notebook on top of my fabric and cut approximately 1 inch around the entire notebook.
Step 3: Glue the sides to the notebook. I start with the front and then move to the back. I would recommend that you wait until the front dries before moving on to the back. If you are not patient enough to wait, then place an extra sheet of paper between the cover and the first page to avoid warping the pages.
Step 4: Complete the front cover. Cut the corners as noted in the picture below. You will also want to cut the top and bottom at the center seam of the notebook in order to fold it into the notebook. Add your adhesive to the notebook and fold fabric into the notebook to seal. Set out to dry or place an extra sheet of paper between the cover and the first page to avoid warping the paper.
Step 5: Complete the back cover. Repeat Step 4 for the back cover.
Step 6: Trim excess fabric. There will be excess at the top around the center seam and possibly around the corners of the front and back covers. Trim as you feel it is necessary.
Step 7: Cut cardstock for inside covers. I recommended 8x11 sized paper, but your typical composition notebook is smaller than this. Using a paper cutter, I recommend you trim your paper down to 7 inches wide x 9 inches in length. This will give you a slight fabric border on the inside of your cover. You can adjust this size if you would like a smaller or larger fabric border on the inside (1/4 inch either way is recommended).
Step 8 (Optional): Add a bookmark. Cut a matching piece of ribbon, approximately 14-16 inches long. Go to the back cover and glue your ribbon 3-4 inches down from the top of your journal. You will want it to extend about 2-3 inches below the length of your journal to help it stay in place and mark your spot.
Step 9: Glue inside covers. Apply adhesive to one side of your cardstock and stick it to the inside cover. I recommend that you apply your adhesive as close to the edges and corners as possible as well as a bit in the center. You do not need it to cover the entire sheet.
HINT: If you notice the fabric is a tight fit, you can set your new journal under a heavy pile of books. If you usually follow my blog, then I am positive you have some books laying around to help you out with this! This trick will usually flatten it out perfectly.
Step 10: WRITE!!! Your journal is now finished, complete with your own personality shining through on both the inside and the outside! In the picture below, you can see a handful of the journals I have created, both for myself as well as for my children.
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As you can tell from my little tutorial, I prefer my journal to be lined. I tend to be a bit obsessive about writing in straight lines! I know others prefer a journal that has blank pages, similar to a sketchbook. Neither is right or wrong. It simply depends on your personal preference.
What kind of journal do you prefer to write in? Lined or blank? Do you have a picture to share of your prized possession? Do you have topics that you would like to see discussed in future editions of Journal Circle? Join in the conversation in the comments section or by posting a permalink below. Next Journal Circle: Thursday, February 20, 2014
This last week was all about Bout of Books ... at least, for the first half of the week for me! I kicked off the week with my initial kick-off post, including my goals for the week. Then, I shared a mid-week check-in, letting you know how things were going. I did get off to a great start, but the second half of the week slowed down a LOT! I started one book and only got a little ways into it. Let me share with you the final stats . . .
Pages Read: 528 pages
Books Read: 4
List of Books Completed:
The Frozen Deep by Wilkie Collins
Jack of Fables #8: The Fulminate Blade by Bill Willingham
Jack of Fables #9: The End by Bill Willingham
Fairest #1: Wide Awake by Bill Willingham
That's right. I only read a mere 39 pages the final days of the readathon!
You may be wondering what happened. The truth is my family was traveling. We are currently in the midst of trying to determine where our next home will be and where we will be moving to this summer. I thought that I would get a lot more reading done with long flights and layovers. Unfortunately, I did not. I ended up not feeling well and on one of the legs of the flight, we experienced such horrible turbulence that there was no way I was going to get any reading done without getting sick. I even thought the oxygen masks were going to drop at one point on that flight! Needless to say, I was very excited to get home and sleep in my own bed!
I am hoping this week will mean getting back into the routine, with no cancelled school and back to my writing and workout schedule. I have a number of projects I want to get done this week, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that all goes as planned. My kids' school activities start back again this week as well, including basketball. Have I mentioned that I somehow got signed up as one of the assistant coaches for this?!? I'm not really sure how that happened, so this is going to be an interesting adventure! I think I will need all the luck I can get on this one!!
Until next week . . .
How did you do for Bout of Books? Any exciting adventures on your horizon this week?
It is about half-way through Bout of Books 9.0 and I thought I would post a quick update with how my reading is going. (Click here for my original goals.) So far, so good ... BUT, I expect my reading to decline for the remainder of the week due to prior engagements.
Pages Read: 489 pages
Books Finished: 4
List of Books Completed:
The Frozen Deep by Wilkie Collins
Jack of Fables #8: The Fulminate Blade by Bill Willingham
Jack of Fables #9: The End by Bill Willingham
Fairest #1: Wide Awake by Bill Willingham
From here, I've decided to change up my books a bit. I will now be picking up From A Buick 8 by Stephen King and will likely finish up the readathon with this book. If not, then I will move on to Serial by John Lutz. Both of these are from my personal TBR pile and I decided to focus on a couple of those before returning to my final stack of library books.
Happy New Year! And, welcome to the *NEW* Monday Maunder here at Tif Talks Books! This past week has been devoted to the round-up of 2013 (The Books of 2013 and The Treasures of 2013) and looking forward to Tif Talks Books in 2014. One of the things I mentioned in the latter post is that Monday Maunder posts will be changing. I will still be covering reading, blogging, writing, and life topics, but I won't be sticking to such a rigid structure. Instead, I'm freeing it up with more rambling, maundering thoughts coming your way. I think it will ultimately be more interesting for you to read and for me to write!
Life this past week has been filled with taking down all the Christmas decorations and preparing for my son's birthday. We celebrated him in a low-key manner yesterday with some of his favorite foods and a whole lot of fun and relaxation. We decided not to go with a big celebration and I am so thankful for that. It was one of the best days we've had in a long time. The highlight of the day ... besides the boy, of course .. was this yummy Extreme Chocolate Cake, made completely from scratch. No boxes, no containers of frosting. All natural sweetness ... and, it was very sweet!
On the reading front, I kicked off the Bout of Books 9.0 Readathon this morning, and have already finished my first book, The Frozen Deep by Wilkie Collins. This means that I have officially completed THREE books for the year so far. The other two were Saga, Volume 2 by Brian K. Vaughan and Life in Hand by Hannah Hinchman. Saga was a perfect first read of 2014, but that is all I will say for now! I will leave the rest of the gushing for the review to come in the weeks ahead!
I am now off to work on a couple of those reviews before diving into my next read. I'm not sure which book it will be, but it will be one of those on my Bout of Books 9.0 list that I linked above. Until next week . . .
How was your first week of the new year? Are you kicking it off with Bout of Books as well?
It is time for another Bout of Books! I participated in my first Bout of Books Readathon last August and had a great time. When Bout of Books 9.0 was announced, I hesitated only because I have lots on my plate the latter half of the week this time. However, I have decided to dive in and see what I can do, especially the first few days. For more information on the event, here is a blurb from the Bout of Books 9.0 Sign-Up Post . . .
The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, January 6th and runs through Sunday, January 12th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure, and the only reading competition is between you and your usual number of books read in a week. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 9.0 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team
As I mentioned above, I do have plans the latter half of the week, so I anticipate the first half to be more productive. Either way, I leave you with a peek at all the books that I'm hoping to get to. Most of these are library books that I need to finish before their due dates and ones that I want to finish so I can concentrate on my own TBR mountain. The only exception is The Frozen Deep, which is one of my very own that I received as a gift just in time for Wilkie in Winter!
The Frozen Deep by Wilkie Collins
Fairest #1: Wide Awake by Bill Willingham
Jack of Fables #8: The Fulminate Blade by Bill Willingham
Jack of Fables #9: The End by Bill Willingham
Stitches by David Small
The Wednesday Sisters by Meg Waite Clayton
The Millionaire Next Door by Thomas J. Stanley and William D. Danko
I also hope to get some good listening in for my current audiobook (as long as I can still get it back since it just expired AGAIN!).
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
I will post one update here on the blog, probably on Thursday, but will also be sharing updates via Instagram, Twitter, and Tumblr throughout the week.
Are you participating in Bout of Books? What are your goals for reading during the week?
Over the last couple of days, I have shared The Books of 2013 as well as The Treasures of 2013. It is now time to look at what is in store here at Tif Talks Books in 2014. As with every other year, I am bringing some changes to the site ... but, no worries! I think the changes will only make the site better!
Let's first take a brief look at my theme for 2013 ... DISCOVER. I wanted to spend this last year making new discoveries, from spending more time reading what I want when I want to a new home, a new purpose, and myself in general. If you are a regular follower, I think you could say that 2013 was definitely filled with lots of discoveries as I moved to a new state, took a road trip, quit my job, and explored my reading and writing, among other things. In 2014, I intend to continue to DISCOVER, but also to take my discoveries one step further ... to find RESOLUTION. Just as the infamous Sherlock Holmes was known for his means to discover details, he was also known for finding the answers, even in situations when no one else could. I really cannot truly compare myself to the great Sherlock, but here are a few ways that I intend to try to seek the answers in 2014 . . .
READING
Reading is going to look very similar this year as it did last year. I plan on reading whatever strikes my mood when I pick up a book and participate in minimal challenges. These challenges will include the Goodreads Challenge (I am shooting for 75 books again this year!) and Readers Imbibing Peril IX (coming in the fall). This will be it.
There are two particular goals that I have in mind, however, in this category. The first is resolving to clear my TBR shelves. I will be focusing on the books currently on my shelves this year, with only a few books here and there from the library or purchased for my own collection. The second is finishing or catching up on the many series books that I am currently in the middle of. Thankfully, many of these are currently sitting on my shelves too!
BLOGGING
Last month, I posted a survey asking opinions of my readers. I have now officially finished reviewing the results and have decided what changes will be coming by way of the blog. I am really wanting to bring a bit more of my personality into my posts, though keeping with the usual theme of books, reading, and literacy in general. Before I get to the specific changes, here are a few notes from my reader survey . .
Readers like my Monday Maunder, book reviews, and book discussions. All of these will be staying!
Many readers did not care for guest articles or author interviews. I do not share many of these, and they will continue to be minimal in 2014.
Many readers like the organization of Monday Maunder and wish to see it remain the same. The general concept will be staying, but I will be changing up the format a bit.
Many readers want me to also share the links I share via Facebook and Twitter here on the blog.
Readers definitely want to see me return to fairy tales and photos, as well as discuss more about journaling.
Many readers are interested in more read-alongs, so these will definitely be a future possibility!
Many readers left very kind compliments about the site and myself. I cannot thank you enough for your generous words!!
So, what's changing?!?
Monday Maunder: This feature will remain, but I will no longer be keeping such a stringent format. Instead of dates in the title (i.e., Monday Maunder: December 30, 2013), I will instead add titles to depict what I'm chatting about (i.e., Monday Maunder: Saying Good-bye to 2013). I also intend to remove the sub-categories of On Reading, On Blogging, On Writing, and On Life. I still have every intention of discussing my current reading, but my ramblings about writing, blogging, and life will vary from week to week, leaving me with more freedom in my writing.
Literary Link Love: This *NEW* feature will likely be a monthly one sharing all those random links I love to share via Facebook and Twitter.
Additional Features: Readers will also see additional features popping up on a monthly basis. I am still working on confirming details and dates, but I plan on bringing back fairy tale chatter and some fun photo posts. I am also adding another *NEW* feature to chat about journaling in detail.
You can still expect to see posts approximately 3-4 times a week. You can still expect to see a diversity of reviews and book discussions. You can still expect to see me (Tif) behind Tif Talks Books. I just want to share a bit more of my personality than I previously have in years past.
LIFE
I expect life to be chaotic again this year, but to find a lot of answers along the way. I will be preparing for yet another move, hopefully more permanent, this summer. I will soon be finding out the location of our new home in the next month or so. Once I know where my family will be moving next, I can then begin to determine what my next step will be in my career and my hobbies, including my writing. Until then, I will continue to explore and discover as much as I can while I have more time on my hands!
2013 was about discovery. 2014 is more about finding answers and continuing to work towards a better blog and a better self. I can't wait to see what it may bring!
What do you think about what's in store for Tif Talks Books in the new year? What are your goals and/or resolutions for 2014?
Yesterday, I shared with you The Books of 2013, where I outlined the details of all the books I read last year. Today, I share with you the tops of the year, including my favorite reads, the popular posts here at Tif Talks Books as well as in my Instagram feed, and even the life highlights. Without further ado, I present The Treasures of 2013 . . .
THE READS
There were a number of books that impacted me in 2013. I have broken them up into a number of different categories.
I have re-read this book a number of times, but this time I started the year off with introducing it to my son for the first time. Then, I ended the year with seeing Peter Jackson's image of the classic. This story only gets better and better every single time.
I re-read this book after a very long time, and this time it was for a read-along that I hosted with my partner, Cheap Thrills. When I first read it, I did not completely understand the complexity and the development of the characters. This time, I did!
The Eyes of the Dragon by Stephen King
I had previously read this book probably about two decades ago. This time around, I listened to the book on audio, and connections were made that I was unable to make the first time around. When the book ended, I had such a powerful AHA moment that I was almost knocked off my feet. (Review coming in the near future!)
HONORABLE MENTION
Fables: The Graphic Novel Series by Bill Willingham
I caught up on this long series and adored every volume (though the volume pictured is the one that stands out the most for me). It didn't make my favorites list, but it is definitely still a series worth mentioning as a treasure in 2013!
RUNNERS-UP
These books did not make my favorites list, but they were still outstanding reads that I could not leave out of this list of treasures. You can click the titles for review links.
And, finally, my favorite reads of the year!! I could not decide which one was the best between these two because they both impacted me in different, but very powerful ways. I cannot rave enough about these books, and if you have not yet read them, I recommend you make them a priority in 2014! (Reviews are linked up for more information.)
The treasured posts can actually be broken down into two different categories. Let's start with the posts that received the most hits according to my Google stats tracker.
Even though these posts seemed to gather the most visits, I also like to take a look at those that actually generated the most discussion. Here are the posts that have the greatest amount of comments . . .
I also wanted to share my most liked pictures from Instagram. Please note that all pictures are taken and edited with my smartphone. I do not consider these to be high quality, but rather for candid enjoyment.
The Sugar Cookie Christmas Tree
Kicking Off The Doctor Sleep Read-along
The Book House At My Local Library
THE LIFE
Last, but not least, I thought I would also share the top three personal highlights of my year, this time in no particular order . . .
Moving yet AGAIN! This latest move was #3 since the birth of this blog in 2007, resulting in Tif Talks Books being written from my home in 3 different states!
ROAD TRIP!! I took a 27 day road trip with my kids this last summer, landing in a total of 6 different states and traveling more than 4000 miles.
SELLING our house! This was a bitter sweet moment because I loved my old home, but it also was a huge weight off my shoulders last month when we finally signed those closing papers!
Whew! Though 2013 brought us some difficult and challenging times, it also was quite a year, filled with lots of treasures!
What were some of your favorites, tops, and treasures of 2013? Did you write a year-end wrap-up post that you would like to share here?
