Saturday, February 4, 2012

Cute Book Stores Rule!

Last Thursday my boyfriend and I went to Downtown Riverside to check out the art show. There's a variety of very talented people there enthusiastically trying to sell their art to the general public. That evening I also came across a little used book store, as you can see in the photo. It was the most adorable little shop I have ever came across. Not only was the variety of books enormous, the prices were very affordable. Granted you rarely find new releases here, the books there all range from a year ago to long before books were invented, or a little after that. Outside the store are three racks of books. One for 25 cents, another for 50 cents, and the last one for 2 dollars. As you can see, most of these books are very affordable. Luckily for me, I had a dollar in my pocket and brought home 4 books! Yay! Go Downtowne Riverside's Used Book Store!

For the Readers of our Generation

Alright so I've been doing my usual internet searches relating to books and things to read and came across this website: Fridayreads.com. For those familiar to this site know it's a great way to find out what is being read around the world. Not only is it a fantastic way to be informed on what new books are out, but it is also easy and very compatible to your social networks! That's right, you can follow the site on twitter, facebook, and tumblr, as well as the app! Here's the link to the web site for those who are interest: http://fridayreads.com/. So go and share what you're reading to the world of readers!

UC Riverside’s 35th annual celebration of writers and writing!

For all those who live close by or are interested in any of the following authors are welcomed to go! You will probably find me there!

Tuesday, Feb. 7 — 1 p.m., novelist Charmaine Craig, author of “The Good Men” and visiting assistant professor; 2:30 p.m., novelist Ben Ehreneich, author of “Ether” and “The Suitors,” and winner of the 2011 National Magazine Award for feature writing; 4 p.m., Michael Jaime-Beccera, associate professor of creative writing at UCR and author of “Every Night is Ladies’ Night” and “This Time Tomorrow,” whose work has won the International Latino Book Award and California Book Award; and 5 p.m., novelist Susan Straight (Stephen Minot Memorial Reading), distinguished professor of creative writing at UCR and winner of the 2008 Edgar Award for Best Mystery Story, finalist for the 2001 National Book Award, and finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. Her most recent novel, “Take One Candle Light a Room,” was named one of the best novels of 2010 by the Washington Post, Los Angeles Times and Kirkus.
Wednesday, Feb. 8 — 1 p.m., author of the Maisie Dobbs mystery series Jacqueline Winspear, winner of the Agatha Award for Best Novel, the Sue Feder Award for Best Historical Mystery and the Bruce Alexander Memorial Award for Best Historical Mystery; 2:30 p.m., Pushcart Prize winner B.H. Fairchild, author of “The Art of the Lathe” and “Early Occult Memory Systems of the Lower Midwest,” whose work also has won the Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award, the National Book Critics Circle Award and the Bobbitt Award from the Library of Congress for the most distinguished book of poems published in the previous two years; 4 p.m., poet Bonnie Bolling (Distinguished Alumni Reading), author of “In the Kingdom of the Sons,” winner of the 2011 Liam Rector Poetry Prize; and 5 p.m., Pushcart Prize winner Frank Gaspar, author of “Leaving Pico” and “Stealing Fatima,” and winner of a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship in Literature, a California Arts Council Fellowship in poetry, and the California Book Award for First Fiction.
Thursday, Feb. 9 — 1 p.m., poet Christine Kitano (Distinguished Alumni Reading), author of “Birds of Paradise”; 2:30 p.m., poet Derek McKown, author of “Arrows in Hand”; 4 p.m., poet Mark Jarman, author of “Bone Fires: New and Selected Poems,” “The Secret of Poetry” and “Body and Soul: Essays on Poetry,” and winner of the Lenore Marshall Prize, the Poets’ Prize and a Guggenheim Fellowship in poetry; and 5 p.m., poet Garrett Hongo, author of three books of poetry, three anthologies and “Volcano: A Memoir of Hawai’i.” Hongo has won a Guggenheim Fellowship, two NEA grants and the Lamont Poetry Prize from the Academy of American Poets.

Diane Wakoski
Friday, Feb. 10 — 1 p.m., readings by poet Alexander Long, a seven-time nominee for a Pushcart Prize and author of “Still Life,” which won the White Pine Press Poetry Prize for 2011, and the chapbook “Still Life,” which won the 2010 Center for Book Arts Chapbook Competition; 2:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m., poet Polly Bee, author of “Scattershot”; 4 p.m., poet and artist Gary Young, the recipient of a Pushcart Prize and author of several collections of poetry, among them James D. Phelan Award-winner “The Dream of a Moral Life”; and 7:30 p.m., Diane Wakoski, whose poetry has appeared in more than 20 collections and many slim volumes of poetry.  Her selected poems, “Emerald Ice,” won the William Carlos Williams Prize from the Poetry Society of America in 1989.







For more information: http://ucrtoday.ucr.edu/2610

Friday, February 3, 2012

Novel of the Week #3

Novel of the Week #3
I know it's been a while since you've read about the Novel of the Week, but it's back! This week we're kicking off with The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky. One of my closest friends recommended this book; it is her absolute favorite. I am half way through the book and also came across some important information concerning this book, any one who has read it or plans on reading it would like to know. The movie based on this book is coming out pretty soon and like any novel's fan, the moment they hear there's a movie coming out, their mind blows up with excitement!

Before I get into the movie details though, let me give you some background on the book. This story begins with a high school boy that lives by the standards of an observer, always standing on the side lines watching and analyzing. His letters, more intimate than a diary, are unique, hilarious, and catastrophic. Although we may not know to whom he is writing, we are welcomed to view his world, and many people's world as well. Like many teens, he finds himself trying to live his life as well as try to run away from it. I recommend this book because I believe, like many teens who think they are alone, can relate to the context of Charlie's letters. Despite the fact that Charlie sounds like a socially awkward, whiny boy, I think he also portrays the way teens develop after living a life of a bystander.

This year the movie based on The Perks of Being a Wallflower will be coming out, and I am happy I got to read this book before I watch it. Yes! I am one of those loud people that goes to book-based movies and yells at the producers because they missed key ideas from the book. You may laugh at the thought, or you might despise me, but I just 99% of the time love the novels more than the movie. I pay for the movie, I think I should get my money's worth!

Looking at the casting of the movie, I am a bit disappointed. Here's the link so you can check for yourself http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1659337/. I am semi-satisfied that Emma Watson will be playing the part of Sam, as well as Logan Lerman playing Charlie, BUT when I read the book, I did not imagine Ezra Miller as Patrick! As well as other characters. But, like the old saying goes, Everyone's a critic! Tune in next week for the Novel of the Week! :D

I'm back!

Hello Fellow Readers!
I know it has been a very long time since I've posted up any new book reviews. I apologize! The good news though, is that I got the Blogger App for my Ipod; which means, I will be blogging alot more often where ever I am! Or, where there's wifi. So keep checking up on the blog for the Novel of the week every week as well as other new additions to the blog! Thank You for your patience! 
-Mitzy