Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.
Books I Put on my TBR Because the Covers are Purple
This week’s prompt is “Books with [___] on the Cover” and it comes with instructions. They are: Pick a thing (a color, an item, a place, an animal, a scripty font, a sexy person, etc.) and share covers that have that thing on the cover.
I’ll admit I often choose to read books based solely on how much the cover appeals to me. The cover’s the reason I first pick up the book to read the synopsis, getting the author’s foot in the door, so to speak.
Here are my top ten books I’m looking forward to reading (or I put on my TBR) because they have purple covers:
A couple of these books have been on my TBR for more than a decade. I’ll get to them someday … I hope, lol. Too many books, not enough time. Am I right? If you’ve read any of these books, please tell me which one I should read first in the comments.
I also want to share three books with purple covers I’ve already read and adored. They are:
I’m a sucker for purple and a gorgeous cover.
What about you? Which books with [___] on the cover are on your list this week?
Sunday Post and Sunday Salon are blog news memes hosted at Caffeinated Reviewer and Reader Buzz, respectively. It’s a chance to share news, recap the past week on your blog, andshowcase books and other things.
Feeling
I’ve been feeling a little bit sad again for the past couple of days. Like I said last week, I’ll be graduating DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy) in a few weeks. This means I’ll no longer go to group or see my therapist each week. My therapist will still be available if I need him. I just won’t have a set appointment day and time. I kind of feel like a fledgling about to be pushed out of the nest for the first time.
I finished reading DREAD NATION by Justina Ireland last Sunday evening. You can read my review by clicking the link above if you want.
I started reading STALKING JACK THE RIPPER by Kerri Maniscalco this week. As I said last week, I’m fascinated by Jack the Ripper and, so far, I’m really enjoying this book. I love the banter between Audrey Rose and Thomas. I also think I know who “Jack the Ripper” is in this fictionalization. I hope to finish the book today.
I checked out DEAR EMMIE BLUE by Lia Louis because of Wendy’s charming review on her blog this week. I’m going to start reading that today, hopefully. Afterward, I’ll read THE HORSE AND HIS BOY for April’s Narniathon21 installment. Hopefully, I can finish both of these before next Sunday. Wish me luck, lol.
Listening
Whenever I feel sad, I love listening to “Dragostea Din Tei” or the “Numa Numa” song by O-Zone. I know this is a very polarizing song, lol. You either love it or hate it and I love it. “Dragostea Din Tei” can instantly put me in a good mood when I sing along to it.
Watching
I was so excited when I saw that season 5 of The Great Pottery Throwdown was finally available on HBO Max. I love The Great Pottery Throwdown so much and this season was so much fun. I loved all the contestants and enjoyed watching everything they made. My two favorite episodes of this season were 5 and 7. On episode 5 they had to make garden gnomes and on episode 7 they had to make sgraffito wildlife table lamps. I loved AJ’s gnomes and otter table lamp. AJ’s (they/them) style the whole way through the season was just so adorable and quirky. I always looked forward to seeing what they made. There are 10 episodes in total and I watched them all this week.
Corey and I also saw Fantastics Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore on Tuesday for my birthday. I really enjoyed it. I thought Mads Mikkelsen did a great job as Grindelwald. I really loved the story. If all the controversy surrounding the series kills the franchise, I think the ending was done in a way to give fans some closure. However, I look forward to the next installment if there is one.
Loving
I love my nails. I got my first mani-pedi in almost 6 months yesterday. It’s one of my favorite things to do in the spring, summer, and fall. (I usually take a break in the winter to help save some money.) I love wearing sandals, but only if my toenails look nice. Last year, I discovered as I was going through DBT that manis and pedis move me closer to one of my values and help me build a life worth living.
I’m not sure I want to take any classes this summer. I know it’s good for me to stay busy. I also know school moves me closer to several values and help me build a life worth living. I just feel a little worn out after this semester with being as ill as I was for almost a month. Maybe taking the summer off would be good for me or maybe I need to suck it up and take the one class I was planning to.
Needing
I need to do really well on my trig final because I bombed my last test and got an 83% on the previous one. My teacher drops our lowest test score. I was hoping to do well on this last test so I could drop my 83%, but yeah. I got formulas mixed up and made really dumb mistakes. I was also pressed for time. Hopefully, I do well on the final.
How was your week? Anything exciting happen?
I’ve been learning in DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy) that life is full of dialectics, or two opposing truths. In this case, the two opposing truths are: 1) I don’t agree with JKR’s stance regarding trans people, and 2) I still love and will always love Harry Potter.
My IRL book club met on Wednesday evening to discuss April’s book. We met in-person and it was fun to get out and see people. We discussed DREAD NATION by Justina Ireland. There were eight of us who met together and all of us read the book. Here are some highlights of our discussion:
One person disliked the book. A couple of people thought the book was enjoyable and they won’t read the second book. The rest of us really enjoyed the book and are interested in reading the sequel DEATHLESS DIVIDE.
One person already read the sequel and it disappointed her. She’s the same person who disliked DREAD NATION. (I’m not sure if she disliked DREAD NATION because of the sequel or if she was hoping reading the sequel would help her like DREAD NATION more.)
A few of us said we really enjoy books, movies, and tv shows with zombies. A couple of others said they were indifferent about them. The others said they hate zombies and they don’t think they’re plausible.
One person was really interested in the science of it all–what caused the dead to rise, would a vaccine really work, could zombies evolve, etc.
Most of us liked the setting and how Ireland used it as a platform to address racism, oppression, and inequality.
Some of us wondered how the rest of the world fared in the story since the book focuses on Civil War Era United States.
View Spoiler »Everyone except me was surprised when Jane revealed that her mom was black with light enough skin to pass as white and her father was Major McKeene. I saw that twist coming a mile away. (I can also see the two twists regarding Gideon. I just need to read DEATHLESS DIVIDE to confirm them.) « Hide Spoiler
One person thought Ireland started the duology with the dead rising in Gettysburg because it allows her to write a prequel if she wants to.
We had a really interesting conversation about zombies. After we talked about whether we liked the idea of zombies or not, we talked our preferences in types of zombies, favorite reason they could exist, the plausibility of an actual zombie apocalypse, and who’d survive. It was a lot of fun.
I gave everyone the bookmark I made for our upcoming list of books that we start reading for June’s meeting. I think, other than our Christmas party, getting our yearly bookmarks is the highlight of everyone’s year.
Next month’s book is CARVE THE MARK by Veronica Roth. I’m looking forward to reading this one. I’ve heard mixed reviews and I’m not sure where I’ll fall in the mix of opinions. I really liked the Divergent trilogy, including the ending, which I know was very controversial.
Anyway, have you read DREAD NATION? If so, what do you think about my book club’s discussion about it?
https://i0.wp.com/jennielyse.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/bookclub2-sq.png?fit=919%2C918&ssl=1918919Jenni Elysehttps://jennielyse.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/logo_2024_black-1030x312.pngJenni Elyse2022-04-22 00:00:002024-07-19 12:44:10April 2022 Book Club
Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.
Bookish Presents I’d Like for My Birthday
This week’s prompt is “Bookish Merchandise I’d Like to Own.” This is a really fun prompt and I’ll do it when there’s another freebie week.
I’m changing things up this week because today’s my birthday! If you know me IRL, then you know my birthday’s my favorite day of the year, even if I’m *cough* forty-four *cough* this year. The prompt I’m doing today is bookish presents I’d like for my birthday. Here are my top ten (click the picture for more details):
New Scholastic Covers for the 20th Anniversary of Harry Potter
New Bloomsbury Covers for the 20th Anniversary of Harry Potter
Illustrated Edition of HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX
DUNE: THE GRAPHIC NOVEL, BOOK 2 MUAD’DIB
The Winternight Trilogy
ANXIOUS PEOPLE
Just One More Chapter T-shirt
This Weekend is Gonna be LIT-erary Mug
Neko Pendant Bookmark
Bookwyrm Enamel Pin
I already own four complete sets of the Harry Potter series, two editions of Sorcerer’s Stone, six editions of Philosopher’s Stone, and five editions of Chamber of Secrets, Prisoner of Azkaban, and Goblet of Fire. IMHO, you can’t have too many editions of Harry Potter.
What about you? What bookish things would you like as presents for your next birthday?
I’ve been learning in DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy) that life is full of dialectics, or two opposing truths. In this case, the two opposing truths are: 1) I don’t agree with JKR’s stance regarding trans people, and 2) I still love Harry Potter.
Jane McKeene was born two days before the dead began to walk the battlefields of Gettysburg and Chancellorsville--derailing the War Between the States and changing America forever. In this new nation, safety for all depends on the work of a few, and laws like the Native and Negro Reeducation Act require certain children attend combat schools to learn to put down the dead. But there are also opportunities--and Jane is studying to become an Attendant, trained in both weaponry and etiquette to protect the well-to-do. It’s a chance for a better life for Negro girls like Jane. After all, not even being the daughter of a wealthy white Southern woman could save her from society’s expectations.
My Thoughts
DREAD NATION was my IRL book club’s pick for April. I was really excited to read it as I’ve wanted to ever since I first heard about it. A zombie apocalypse during the Civil War? Yes, please. A strong black female character fighting to not only survive the dead, but also for freedom from the oppression during Reconstruction Era America? I say again, yes, please!
DREAD NATION is the first zombie novel I’ve ever read and I loved it. I loved how the “Shamblers” worked and how they changed the outcome of the Civil War and society in general. The Shamblers were so much fun to read about. I especially loved reading the fight scenes with all the different weaponry used against the dead.
There’s nothing white folks hate more than realizing they accidentally treated a Negro like a person.
The thing I liked the most about DREAD NATION, however, was the time period and how Ireland used the setting to discuss the oppression of black people not only during Civil War era United States, but in general. Even though the themes are blunt, DREAD NATION isn’t preachy. Ireland skillfully addresses issues of racism and inequality while delivering a complex, enthralling story.
Reading DREAD NATION was very eye-opening. I know I’ve lived a very sheltered and safe life (and I’m not talking about a life free of Shamblers). I felt like DREAD NATION wonderfully illustrates the perseverance and strength black people have while enduring horrific abuse at the hands of those who see them as lesser.
I’m glad I finally got a chance to read DREAD NATION. It was a powerful, entertaining story. I look forward to reading the sequel DEATHLESS DIVIDE.
Have you read DREAD NATION? If so, what did you think?
Title: Dread Nation