The Evolving Reader

Image courtesy of adamr at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

After starting up the blog again, I got to thinking about how my reading habits and tastes have changed over the years.

When I started my first blog, Biblioharlot's Bookshelf, I was reading mostly YA, I was still in college and still identified with a lot of the issues and themes addressed in YA lit.

Gradually, I began delving into the romance genre. This was during graduate school when I had a ton of reading to do for school and wanted light, easy reads that all ended happily. Romances are always good for an HEA!

Currently, I find:

• I'm getting too far removed from being a teen that I seem to have difficulty enjoying contemporary YA fiction. I'm still good with sci-fi/fantasy YA though.
•  I'm reading less romance. I have a few authors that I always look forward to their books, Jill Shalvis and Kristan Higgins are at the top of my list. 
• I'm gravitating more toward mystery, urban fantasy, and sci-fi/fantasy.

As far as my reading habits went, I hated not finishing books. Even if I wasn't enjoying it. I was determined to finish everything I began reading. I found, however, that this often led to reading slumps. If I wasn't enjoying a book that I wouldn't quit, I just avoided it. I also didn't read more than one book at a time. Hence, a reading slump.

Both of these reading habits have changed for me. Somewhere along the line I realized life was too short to waste reading something you didn't enjoy. I still feel a little guilty when I give up on a book but I do give up on books now. I also read more than one book at a time but so far it's usually only two books at a time.

I've also listened to more audio books over the years. Audible and the library make it really easy to listen with apps for my phone!  Also, e-books are amazing. Don't get me wrong I love me some actual books but e-books have made traveling and reading so much easier. Not to mention if I get them from the library, no fines!

Things that have always remained pretty constant in my reading habits:

• Not lending out personal copies of my books. People dog ear them, spill shit on them, lose them, etc.. I just don't lend books. That's what the library is for. 
• Utilizing the library - Free books, e-book, and audio books? D'uh. No brainer.  
• Reading books in order. If a book is part of a series I HAVE to read them in order. I remember one time, years ago, being half way through an SEP novel before realizing it wasn't the first book. I had to stop and go back to read the previous book before I could finish it.  

So, friends, tell me how have your reading tastes and habits have changed over the years?! 

Bitterblue & An Update

So I had to come out of hiding for this news! Kristen Cashore's Bitterblue finally has a cover! The release date is May 1st! Can't wait. If you haven't read Cashore's Graceling or Fire...what the heck are you waiting for. Graceling is easily one of my all time favorite reads and Fire is up there as well!

As for my absence in the blog-o-sphere. I have to admit I've had no desire to read YA or romance; with the exception of Lola and the Boy Next Door which I just picked up from the library and Maureen Johnson's The Name of the Star, hello, it's about Jack the Ripper. I'm so in! I've actually been reading a lot outside of my normal genres. My book club read the Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, which I loved and then devoured the rest of the series. Followed by a viewing of all the Swedish movies courtesy of Netflix.

I also read Devil in the White City about the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. The story alternates between the struggles of building the fair with the serial killer who used the fair to lure his victims. Sounds pretty interesting right? Unfortunately, it was fairly boring. The architecture portions were too long, the serial killer sections too short. Although there was a lot of really great info about Chicago. It was also interesting to read about some of the brands that first appeared at the fair. It contained a lot of interesting tid bits. For example, did you know that the "Blue Ribbon" in Pabst Blue Ribbon came from the blue ribbon it won at the World's Fair. Also, the White City is what influenced both Frank Baum's Emerald City in The Wizard of Oz and Walt Disney's amusement parks?! Fun stuff. But overall I found the book pretty tedious. However, Devil in the White City referenced the scandal surrounding Frank Lloyd Wright's affair that apparently rocked Chicago's world back in the day. That intrigued me so I picked up Loving Frank by Nancy Horan a fictionalized account of Wright's affair with Mamah Borthwick Cheney, the wife of one of his clients. It was really good as well.

I'm currently reading In Cold Blood by Truman Capote which is everything a non-fiction book should be: engaging, well-written, and utterly disturbing. Of course I keep telling people I'm reading In True Blood....oops!

I've started back to grad school as well. It's a Master of Education in Instructional Technology. I'm only taking one class at a time but class has definitely encroached on my leisure reading time and my desire to blog. But I wanted to let y'all know that I'm still here plugging away. I've been reading your blogs but haven't been commenting. Sorry, blogger friends! Hope all is well with you!

Update

In case you're wondering I'm still alive! I've been reading some but haven't felt inspired to review. I've been reading older books, mostly historicals. I've recently read:

Lessons in French by Laura Kinsale
Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase
The Forbidden Rose by Joanna Bourne

Loved them all and want more! I keep referencing my guest post during Ashley March's March Madness where I solicited recommendations for great historical romances with feisty, strong heroines and tortured heroes. So far the recommendations have been spot on.

Do you all have any recommendations for me that fit that bill? I love me some REALLY tortured heroes. I have Delilah Marvelle's series on my radar; I hear they're quite different and have deeply troubled heroes. I also like the friends to lovers troupe. So y'all, even though I'm not reviewing, I'm reading and I'm hoping for any additional recommendations along these lines.

Hopefully I'll get my reviewing mojo back here shortly!

Update

I've been busy and haven't had much time to update the blog. I need to write my reviews for the following books (and audio books)! So keep an eye out for them. Hopefully I'll have one up tomorrow!

Audio books:
Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green & David Levithan
Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning

Books:
Darkness Becomes Her by Kelly Keaton

Sneak Peak

For my upcoming blog-o-versary (in February) I'm working on  a new layout for Book Fare Delights. I love messing around with Photoshop and HTML...NERD ALERT, I know!

I'm having a lot of fun with it and I wanted to give you a little sneak peak of what's to come. Not that anyone else will be as excited as I am... but still! So here are some ideas I've been toying around with to use as a button or avatar.

Thoughts, comments, and feedback welcome! Let me know which ones you like, or don't!

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Do I need a border or something? I feel like they're still missing something!

Coming Soon...

The holidays were super busy and I have a lot of catching up to do! Look for posts on the following topics:

Best/Worst of lists and year in review. You know; you've seen them everywhere and I intend to put in my two cents as well!

I got my nook for Christmas! Yay! I've all ready read several books on it and need to get them reviewed. So look for upcoming reviews for the following titles:

Libertine's Kiss by Judith James

Cryer's Cross by Lisa McMann

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Night Betrayed by Joss Ware

Lastly, February marks my year blog-o-versary and I'm working on a new layout design ok well I'm using a free design and customizing my header and such but still! I've had this design for a whole year. That's impressive for me. With my old blog/s I loved changing my layout regularly!

So that's what's in store for Book Fare Delights...now, if I can find the time to get it all done!

Holiday Book Fairy

Angie of Angieville recently posted about her Holiday Reading & Giving and asked what books we're giving to others this holiday season. I love this idea and thought instead of just posting in her comments I would share what books I've bought for people. This year I've bought less books than I have in the past. I ALWAYS try to give at least one book to anyone I buy gifts for. Luckily, I have lots of friends and family who are voracious readers and are ecstatic to receive books as gifts.

I usually buy books for my mom that I haven't read yet but have been getting a lot of buzz in the blog-o-sphere. That way I can borrow them when she's finished! Thank you all for your fabulous book pimping skill because of all the books I've bought her, that I haven't read, she's loved! So thank you! I haven't read either of these but they sound excellent and I'm sure my mom will enjoy them:

For my dad I thought he would enjoy this book, which I also have not read but intend to borrow when he's finished!

I told one of friends about the Downside series because I thought it was something she would enjoy but she hadn't bought the first book yet so I did it for her. Also thought she would enjoy the Beautiful Creatures series as well!

My other friend loves J.R. Ward but hadn't picked up the second book in her Fallen Angels series so I got that for her.

So, as Angie asked, what books are you giving this year?

Slacking

Hello! I'm alive, I swear. I haven't been around much because I a) haven't been reading much b) have been super busy at work and in my personal life. I've been keeping up with everyone via my Goolge Reader, but I haven't been commenting as much either. But rest assured I'm still keeping tabs on you all! Even if I am slacking in the blogging department!

When I say I haven't read much, I'm not kidding. After struggling through The Replacement I lost my reading mojo. I hadn't read anything since then, until this weekend on my journey to and from Chicago, I started Joss Ware's Abandon the Night. I also finished All I Ever Wanted by Kristan Higgins in the last couple of days. I did finish Lover Eternal on audio and have moved on to Lover Awakened (my fav!). So I guess it's not too terrible, it's not like I haven't read anything at all but it's definitely not my usual pace!

I was in Chicago for my 28th birthday. My mom and aunt are identical twins and they've been taking their "retail therapy" trips to Chicago for over 20 years. They said one day my cousin and I (who also happens to be my roommate) would be allowed to join them. With my cousin turning 30 this year they decided we were ready to accompany them! It was a lot of fun hanging out with The Moms, as we refer to them. We did A LOT, and I mean A LOT, of shopping. I also have a bunch of college friends that live in Chicago so we met up with them on Saturday night for dinner then went to a martini bar...my new favorite martini is a Sinickerdoodle martini, yes it is as scrumptious as it sounds! I was bummed I didn't have anytime to schedule a quick meet up with Stacy, but maybe next time!

So that's what I've been up to. Hopefully, over the Thanksgiving break I'll get some stuff read! I won't be blogging much over the break either because I'll be at my parents and they're living in the friggin' stone age...no internet! Gah!

Big Easy Bound

I will be absent for the next week or so. On Wednesday I'm leaving for New Orleans will be down there until Monday the 23rd visiting a friend. I wasn't organized enough to have some posts set up to publish while I was gone. And the next couple of days I'll be busy packing and shopping for last minute stuff.

This will be my second trip to NOLA. My first trip I was only there for a weekend so this will be a longer stay. Just looked up the weather. According to the 10 day forecast it's going to be 90 degrees and scattered thunderstorms the whole time I'm there. Gotta remember to pack an umbrella! See y'all when I return!

Pirate's Alley from my 2008 trip!

Interview at Stacy's

Hey everyone, Stacy interviewed me for her Guest Spotlight. Go check it out! :)

Thanks for having me Stacy!

Slump

Just like in March, where I only finished ONE BOOK, I've been in a reading slump. So far in June I've listened to Graceling by Kristen Cashore on audiobook and I'm still reading Lover Avenged.That's it. So sad and pathetic. I've had NO time to read and/or when I find time I'm distracted and can't focus. This blows!

Last week, though, I got some great recommendations for audiobooks thanks to Jen at Devourer of Books for her spotlight on audiobooks!

Rowena of The Book Scoop gave me my first award, The Versatile Blogger Award! Yay! Thanks so much! Hopefully I'll have my post up soon handing out the award to others. Already have few people in mind :)

What are y'all reading?