Monday, August 22, 2016

Musing Mondays (59) Hobbies are Subjective & Random Weekly Question


Musing Mondays is a weekly meme hosted by Jenn at Books and a Beat, that asks you to muse about something book related each week.

My musings for the week...

Random weekly question from August 15th: What sequel do you have yet to read?

There aren't many books that I can think of that have sequels that I haven't read. Partly because the majority of the sequels I do want to read haven't been released yet. The wait does suck sometimes, but at least I have something to look forward to.

One sequel that I haven't read yet is the conclusion to the Daughter of Smoke and Bone series by Laini Taylor. I've put it off for a long time, and I don't know when I'll have the time to go back and finish the series.

Other Musings:

For my musings this week, I want to talk about hobbies. I rarely mention them even though I’ve previously discussed the relationships between main characters and the secondary characters—whether it was strictly platonic or romantic. I’ve even made a list of my favorite fictional friendships. Yet, I haven’t mentioned hobbies. I feel like it’s easier to get an understanding about any given character by his/her actions, combined with the dialogue and internal thoughts.

Hobbies are anything that a character enjoys doing on his/her off time, as long as it’s some kind of activity, to me, it counts. Yet, I rarely pay much attention to them. I see and remember them, but just move on when the story goes on.

I’ve seen a lot of hobbies, most noticeably art, photography, cooking, reading, writing, a sport of some kind, drama, etc.. There’s nothing wrong with seeing those in books, in fact, the majority of the time the author/authors put a good spin on them, making the hobbies unique to the character. And trust me, I have a lot of favorite characters, and some of them have similar hobbies.

I also like to see less common activities as hobbies too—and yes, I’m just waiting for Pokémon Go to make an appearance (just kidding :-p).

So, what are less common hobbies anyway?

I don’t think there’s a way to really pinpoint any one thing that’s less common than the other. I think it’s purely subjective. What might be common/less common to one person might be in reverse for another. One example of something less commonly found in books is dog grooming. I first came across that hobby in Love Fortunes and Other Disasters. That was the first that I’ve seen of it mentioned in a book, even though I know there are other works of fiction out there that have it too, but I just haven’t found it yet. See what I mean? Subjective.

What are your thoughts on hobbies and how they can build/add to the personality of a character?

Friday, August 19, 2016

The Friday 56 (74) Visual Reference Guides: Architecture by Jonathan Glancey

The Friday 56 is a weekly meme hosted by Freda's Voice where every Friday you pick a book and turn to page 56 or 56%, and select a sentence or a few, as long as it's not a spoiler. For the full rules, visit the the page HERE
10136656Synopsis from Goodreads...

Visual Reference Guides: Architecture, the definitive visual guide, allows you to discover 5,000 years of architectural design, style, and construction, from airports to ziggurats. You'll be able to explore the world's great buildings through amazing illustrations that take you right to the heart of the world's landmark buildings. Look beyond the façades and examine the materials and technology that shape buildings, and identify the key elements and decorative features of each architectural style. It's the perfect addition to any architecture enthusiast's library, whether expert or novice...

"Egyptian pharaoh Khufu ruled 2589-66BCE, and his tomb is the largest of three pyramids at Giza, standing farther north and east than the other two."--Visual Reference Guides: Architecture by Jonathan Glancey
Comments: This week, I'm reading a book on the architecture from around the world. So far, I really like this book. The setup kind of reminds me of how Women in Science was written, with little descriptions about each each place (kind of like a profile). What are you reading this week?

Wednesday, August 17, 2016

Review: Women In Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers who Changed the World by Rachel Ignotofsky

Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the WorldTitle: Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World
Author: Rachel Ignotofsky
Source/Format: Blogging for Books; Hardcover (review copy)
More Details: Nonfiction; Science
Publisher/Publication Date: Ten Speed Press; July 26, 2016
Goodreads     Amazon     Barnes & Noble     Book Depository

Synopsis from Goodreads...

A charmingly illustrated and educational book, Women in Science highlights the contributions of fifty notable women to the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) from the ancient to the modern world. Full of striking, singular art, this fascinating collection also contains infographics about relevant topics such as lab equipment, rates of women currently working in STEM fields, and an illustrated scientific glossary. The trailblazing women profiled include well-known figures like primatologist Jane Goodall, as well as lesser-known pioneers such as Katherine Johnson, the African-American physicist and mathematician who calculated the trajectory of the 1969 Apollo 11 mission to the moon. Women in Science celebrates the achievements of the intrepid women who have paved the way for the next generation of female engineers, biologists, mathematicians, doctors, astronauts, physicists, and more!
Last year, I read Rachel Swaby’s Headstrong, which turned out to be a great introduction to many women scientists I was unfamiliar with. I enjoyed learning about their major accomplishments, many of which I had no idea were discovered or invented by women despite being a part of everyday life. So, when I saw Rachel Ignotofsky’s Woman in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers who Changed the World, I was pretty excited. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on a copy.

I really liked this book. It had a lot going for it. This book is a lot like Headstrong with neat profiles about each scientist; although, limited to just two pages. Women in Science mentioned women like Barbara McClintock (pioneer in corn genetics) and Patricia Bath (invented the Laserphaco Probe which is used to treat cataracts). Some of the women mentioned I already knew about, but that didn’t detract from how much I enjoyed this book since there were others still unfamiliar to me. Women in Science also acknowledged the struggles many of these women faced as it did their accomplishments. It offered a brief summarized glimpse into their work life.

One of the main things I enjoyed was Ignotofsky’s use of information and illustrations to build the profiles. The profiles were informative and accompanied by fun illustrations that were colorful and eye-catching. They depicted the subject of the profile, as well as things that directly concerned their field in science and their respective accomplishments—this was everything from corn to telescopes.

Women in Science was a fun book to read. I think it’s a great way to get introduced to some of the women pioneers in science.

Some of my other favorite profiles…


Sau Lan Wu “Made important contributions in the discovery of the Gluon.”(p.102).

Annie Easley “Helped to create software for the Centaur Rocket.”(p.88).

Vera Rubin “Discovered real proof that Dark Matter exists.”(p.86).

Alice Ball “Helped to cure Leprosy with her chemical treatment.”(p.44).

Wang Zhenyi “Accurately recorded Lunar Eclipses & Equinoxes.”(p.12).

This copy of the book was provided by Blogging for Books (Publisher) for this review, thank you!
About the author...

Rachel Ignotofsky is an illustrator and author based in beautiful Kansas City, MO. She grew up in New Jersey on a healthy diet of cartoons and pudding. She graduated with honors from Tyler School of Art's graphic design program in 2011. Now Rachel works for herself and spends all day and night drawing, writing and learning as much as she can. Her work is inspired by history and science. She believes that illustration is a powerful tool that can make learning exciting. Rachel hopes to use her work to spread her message about education, gender equality and scientific literacy...

Tuesday, August 16, 2016

Netflix and Books Tag

To start out this week, I’m going to do a book tag instead of Musing Mondays. Recently, I was tagged by Gennifer Eccels @Ready, Set, Read to participate in the Netflix and Books tag. It seemed kind of fun, so, I thought I’d give it a try. So, thanks for tagging me Gennifer!

This tag was created by Erica from Novel Ink and Lauren from Bookmark Lit. You can find the original posts HERE and HERE. You can also find the rules for the tag on the original posts, so, if this seems like something you want to participate in, definitely check those out. And, with that out of the way, let’s get started.
Sleepy Hollow: series that should have ended earlier

Technically, Sleepy Hollow is still going but with all the recent changes I’m pretty much done with the show. Anyway, for this one, I picked the Morganville Vampire series by Rachel Caine. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed the opening installments of this series. But eventually, I just sort of stalled on this one. I haven’t continued on past the last book I have on my shelf.

Doctor Who: long series you loved

Looking back, I realize that I haven’t read many series that are too long. I’ve started some, finished a few, but the majority of them were trilogies. The two that I can think of off the top of my head are Mythos Academy series by Jennifer Estep and the Iron Fey series by Julie Kagawa. I liked Kagawa’s spin on the fey, and I enjoyed Estep’s take on mythology.

Friends: best cast of characters/friendships


I seriously loved the characters from The Spiderwick Chronicles by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi. I was a little sad when the series was over, but the adventures of the Grace siblings are still some of my favorites ever.

Supernatural: favorite paranormal/fantasy

For this one, I’m choosing The Cambion Chronicles by Jaime Reed, specifically the first book, Living Violet. I read that book a while ago, and it’s still one of my favorite paranormal novels.

Freaks & Geeks: left you wanting more


Rain: A Natural and Cultural History by Cynthia Barnett was thought provoking. It was a satisfying read, but I wanted more. I could read about the environment all day if it was approached in the same style that Barnett brought to the table for Rain.

Parks and Recreation: made you laugh out loud


Oh, this one is easy. Recently, there was one book that really made me actually laugh out loud. It was Wintersmith by Terry Prachett. Wintersmith had some genuinely funny moments that were unexpected and highly entertaining.

The Bernie Mac Show: best family or parents

Angel Seriki’s parents from Michelle Johnson’s Oleah Chronicles were definitely some of the best I’ve seen. Johnson did a fantastic job of setting up the relationship between Angel and her parents in a way that seemed ordinary despite the extraordinary—and supernatural—circumstances.

Liv and Maddie: should have a spin-off


I really enjoyed the Leviathan trilogy by Scott Westerfeld, the ending was a good one. It basically wrapped up the story in a way, but it was still a little open-ended. It left the characters at another beginning, and only hinted at more possibilities. I wouldn’t mind another book or two to see where the main cast ended up.

Mythbusters: couldn’t stop reading

Illuminae by Amie Kaufam and Jay Kristoff was one of the best books I read last year. I literally read it in one sitting and immediately wished I had the next book. Speaking of Gemina, I can’t wait for it to come out in October.
I only picked a couple of the prompts to do since there were a lot of them. Anyway, as usual, I’m not going to tag anyone specifically. If this seems like something you want to do, well then go for it, because I tag you….

Friday, August 12, 2016

The Friday 56 (73) Mortal Gods by Kendare Blake

The Friday 56 is a weekly meme hosted by Freda's Voice where every Friday you pick a book and turn to page 56 or 56%, and select a sentence or a few, as long as it's not a spoiler. For the full rules, visit the the page HERE
17561810Synopsis from Goodreads...

Ares, God of War, is leading the other dying gods into battle. Which is just fine with Athena. She's ready to wage a war of her own, and she's never liked him anyway. If Athena is lucky, the winning gods will have their immortality restored. If not, at least she'll have killed the bloody lot of them, and she and Hermes can die in peace. Cassandra Weaver is a weapon of fate. The girl who kills gods. But all she wants is for the god she loved and lost to return to life. If she can't have that, then the other gods will burn, starting with his murderer, Aphrodite. The alliance between Cassandra and Athena is fragile. Cassandra suspects Athena lacks the will to truly kill her own family. And Athena fears that Cassandra's hate will get them ALL killed. The war takes them across the globe, searching for lost gods, old enemies, and Achilles, the greatest warrior the world has ever seen. As the struggle escalates, Athena and Cassandra must find a way to work together. Because if they can't, fates far worse than death await...
"They'd have to bend their heads to go inside. 
"It isn't much," he said. The wind from inside was cold, and spoke of large, black caverns.
Aphrodite squeezed his hand, and they went in."--Mortal Gods by Kendare Blake
Comments: Mortal Gods was the first book I've read by Kendare Blake. It was a fun read. 

What are you reading this week? 



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