Books Archives - Page 27 of 32

Interview with a bookworm: Kelli from Kellibeans

July 7, 2015 by Jana 15 Comments

It’s Tuesday so you know what that means! Interview with a bookworm day!

Today’s bookworm is Kelli from Kellibeans and I need to say that I’ve been reading her blog for two years and just now, literally just now, I figured out that her blog name is a play on jelly beans because clearly I am an idiot (or maybe it’s a play on something else and I’m too dumb to figure that out, too).

A bit of interview housekeeping: there’s four interviews left in the series and if you want to be interviewed, please let me know so we can keep it going. If it ends after the last one, I have a new books feature I’m planning which gives you something to look forward to. And, as always, don’t forget to read the interview archives when you’re done.

Now let’s talk to Kelli.

Come see me over at Kellibeans, we talk mostly about the beach, books, and pretty pictures!

Jana: Why do you enjoy reading?

Kelli: It allows me to travel to places I would never be able to go otherwise and it allows me to experience life through someone else’s mind.

Jana: How do you decide what to read?

Kelli: I read a lot of book lists on sites like Bustle and Bookriot I also stalk my Goodreads friends constantly.

Jana: Who are some of your favorite authors and/or genres?

Kelli: All of them, I will read anything if the story is captivating. I’m no book snob, every book is fair game in my world.

Jana: What’s your favorite book or a book you always recommend?

Kelli: I try to recommend books to friends based on what I think they will like that I have read. My favorite genre’s are probably literary fiction and chick lit, also any book with a picture of a beach on the front deserves a go.

Jana: Do you watch movie adaptations of books? What do you think of them?

Kelli: Rarely, I’m not a movie/TV person in general but movies based on book usually just make me mad.

Jana: Ebooks, paper books, audiobooks, or a combination? Why?

Kelli: Paper forever and always! There is nothing like the feel and smell of paper. Yes I smell my books, you don’t?

Jana: Do you use the library or buy books?

Kelli: Both, I use the library for new books and I stalk used books stores and half.com for older books I’m interested in reading.

Jana: Does it offend you when people call you a bookworm or book nerd? Why or why not? Kelli: Not at all, nothing much offends me.

Jana: How do you find time to read?

Kelli: I work from home so no boss is looking over my shoulder, there is always a book on my desk for office down time. I also read in the evenings instead of watching TV.

Jana: What’s one piece of advice you’d give to people who say they don’t enjoy reading or don’t have time to read?

Kelli: If you don’t enjoy reading you just haven’t found the right book, if you don’t have time make it. Even if you only read for 10 or 15 minutes a day just read something, it’s exercise for your mind!

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Interview with a bookworm: Kerry from Till Then Smile Often

June 30, 2015 by Jana 18 Comments

Yay! Another installment! Thank you to everyone who’s participated so far and I’m thrilled that there’s at least another 4 interviews coming your way. If you’d like to be interviewed, please let me know so we can keep this series going. Don’t forget you can always catch up on past interviews by visiting the archives, which you should do after you read today’s interview with Kerry from Till Then Smile Often.

If you are reading this post because you like books, well then I already like you! My name is Kerry and I blog over at Till Then Smile Often. I love talking books but I also share pictures of my pup Seamus, Random Acts of Kindness, DIY projects, and recipes.

Jana: Why do you enjoy reading?

Kerry: I love getting immersed in a story, happily ever afters, whodunits, and just tales of far off places. There is just so much to experience from a book. Emotions to feel, places to imagine, and things to learn.

Jana: How do you decide what to read?

Kerry: If I get a book from NetGalley I try to read based on the publishing date. I also use my GoodReads list to keep track of what I want to read and will see what is available at the library. My to-read list is up to about 400 so there is always something I can find from that list.

Jana: Who are some of your favorite authors and/or genres?

Kerry: I have so many favorites it is so hard to pick. I favor romance, mystery, and Adult/Woman’s fiction.

Jana: What’s your favorite book or a book you always recommend?

Kerry: Dharma Bums or On The Road by Jack Kerouac is something I will always recommend. That generation was so inspirational and he grew up in Massachusetts.

Jana: Do you watch movie adaptations of books? What do you think of them?

Kerry: I do, and for the most part I have always found the book to better. I recently read Wild, and that was one of the few that I liked the movie more.

Jana: Ebooks, paper books, audiobooks, or a combination? Why?

Kerry: A combination. I love the convenience of eBooks since they are lightweight and take less space. I can sync them from my iPad to my phone. I still love the smell and feel of real books and you don’t have to deal with glare issues in the summer reading real books.

Jana: Do you use the library or buy books?

Kerry: I use a variety of sources, like the library, BookBub, and NetGalley. I don’t buy a ton of books because I don’t want clutter but I do buy ones I know I’ll use a lot, classics or reference books.

Jana: Does it offend you when people call you a bookworm or book nerd? Why or why not? Kerry: Not at all, I’ll wear the moniker with pride. I love all that books bring to me, and give me. I’d talk books with anyone willing to listen.

Jana: How do you find time to read?

Kerry: I like to break it up into smaller increments, a half hour in the morning and before bed. I get up early on the weekends too thanks to my pup so I spend it reading until my brain starts functioning properly. Like with anything else in your life, you make time for the things that matter and reading is something I will always find time for in my day.

Jana: What’s one piece of advice you’d give to people who say they don’t enjoy reading or don’t have time to read?

Kerry: I would say you aren’t reading the right type of book. If it takes you weeks to finish a book and you dread it, it’s not the book for you. Find the genre that makes you not want to stop reading. It doesn’t matter what it is, just read.

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Literary Ladies summer reading challenge: My list

June 29, 2015 by Jana 15 Comments

I hadn’t planned on sharing my reading list for The Literary Ladies summer reading challenge but then I remembered that I do better when I make my goals public (because you know, accountability and the looming threat of public shame if I fail) so I changed my mind. If you haven’t heard of the Literary Ladies, it’s a reading challenge/book club (book for that is Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen if you’re interested in joining) hosted by Kristen, Kay, and Kari. There’s also a Goodreads group if that’s your jam or you want an enhanced experience or can’t wait for the linkups. The reading challenge runs from June 21-Sept 21 and the first book club discussion is August 4 (I think. Please correct me if I’m mistaken).

They picked 10 categories for the challenge so I’ve listed those below along with my picks. Let me know if you’ve read any of these so I can reconsider or if I should be even more excited to read one of them.

YA Book: Hate List by Jennifer Brown or Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac by Gabrielle Zevin

Book by a non-US Author: The Husband’s Secret by Liane Moriarty

Book recommended by a blogger: Dirty Rush by Taylor Bell (recommended by Steph and, to be clear, I’m pretty confident I’m going to hate-read this one)

Book on my TBR list for more than a year: Shotgun Lovesongs by Nickolas Butler (added to my list on 7/23/14. Close enough)

Book with a kickass female lead: Let It Be by Chad Gayle

Book that is or will be a movie or TV show: The Long Home by William Gay (you can see here for the casting for this one)

Book by a comedian/celebrity: Modern Romance by Aziz Ansari and Eric Klinenberg

Book with a one word title: Confess by Colleen Hoover or Us by David Nicholls

Suspenseful/mystery/thriller book: Radiant Angel by Nelson DeMille

Book about summer/with summer in the title: Summerlong by Dean Bakopolous

If one reading challenge isn’t enough for you, Alyssa and I will be announcing our Long Hard Reading Challenge in August, Lisa and Shelly run their monthly Page Turners book club, and Erin is also running one. If I missed one, let me know in the comments.

Happy reading!

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Interview with an author: Nick Pavlidis

June 25, 2015 by Jana 17 Comments

GUYS. It’s my very first author interview and I’m thrilled that it’s with my friend Nick. I’ve known Nick for several years now (we actually met through blogging, back when we both wrote about money) and he’s an all-around great guy with a crazy amount of talent and humor and insight. He’s been working for a couple of years now on a project (book, blog, podcast…the works) called Confessions of a Terrible Husband. The book had its official launch over the weekend in Nashville and I highly recommend you pick up a copy. I had the privilege of reading an advanced copy and let me tell you, it’s a great read. Quick and funny and well-written and there’s something in it that anyone in any kind of relationship can learn from.

But that’s enough of that. Let’s talk to Nick.

Jana: Although we’re friends, some of my readers might not know about you or your blog. Tell us a bit about both.

Nick: Sure! I’ve been married for three wonderful years, seven years total, to a pretty patient woman who put up with me being virtually checked out off and on (mostly on) for four years of my marriage. We have two kids, one who just turned six and another who is three (Jana’s note: Nick has a podcast, Five Minutes with Dad, that he does with his kids. You should check it out). Professionally, I’m a lawyer, but at nights and on weekends I provide content, study, structure, and support to help real people improve their relationships. I use my knowledge as a busy lawyer and businessman to help business owners set their businesses in a way to honor their family commitments so they have a business that supports their family goals, not the other way around. And I will use my knowledge and experience as a terrible husband to help others find the knowledge and perspective to improve their relationship through constant growth and support.

I write regularly on my blog, Confessions of a Terrible Husband: Lessons Learned from a Lumpy Couch, at www.ATerribleHusband.com along with a team of other writers who are all committed to sharing experiences to help others improve their relationships.

Jana: How’d you come up with the idea for this project?

Nick: Confessions of a Terrible Husband was born in a converted barn in Franklin, TN. I was attending a conference led by Dan Miller, NY Times bestselling author of 48 Days to the Work You Love and Wisdom Meets Passion. I was there to beef up my coaching practice and add a layer of connection for my law clients. I got all that out of it, for sure, left with a much larger lesson after watching how Dan interacted with his wife, Joanne, over the course of the two days. I couldn’t put my finger on it at first and then realized that I had been focusing on all the wrong things in my marriage up to that point.

Jana: How long did it take you to complete?

Nick: 2 years and 2 days.

Jana: What can we expect from your book?

Nick: A new perspective on improving marriages. So many marriage books talk about theory, concepts, or steps written by scholars, therapists, or researchers. They’re great and serve an awesome purpose. I have grown and learned a ton from many of those books. Confessions of a Terrible Husband turns things around and lets you look into the mind (and home) of a regular guy who thought he knew everything, only to realize he was wrong. It shows you how you can have all the right intentions, do all the “big things” right, and still end up “bad at being a husband,” like I was for so long. It tells you how I went from dead at the scene of a car accident, to a high-rise corner office overlooking Central Park, to rock bottom, and then tells you exactly what I was doing wrong and how I continue to dig myself out. You see that process unfold through the eyes of a guy with a wife, two kids, full-time job, and side business, who still made the time and effort to grow in his most important role.

Jana: Who should read/use it?

Nick: The book is for people who are open to the idea that they might be the problem in their relationship. It is particularly directed people who are willing to look at what they actually feel, say, and do to identify the little things that they do over and over again – their Confessions – that cause their relationships to suffer. And the people who will get the most out of it are those who are willing to take action to improve their relationship by taking personal responsibility for overcoming their Confessions.

Jana: Where can people buy your book? Is it only an eBook or are there “real” copies available?

Nick: The book is on special through June at www.ATerribleHusband.com/Book. It comes with a few cool bonuses if you order in June on that page. If you order after June on that page your copy will be signed by me before shipping. It is also on Amazon in eBook and print versions.

Jana: How can people get in touch with you or learn more about the project?

Nick: Easiest way is at www.ATerribleHusband.com.

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Interview with a bookworm: Nadine from Life by Nadine Lynn

June 23, 2015 by Jana 22 Comments

Today I’m thrilled to have Nadine from Life by Nadine Lynn as the featured bookworm! Make sure to check out the rest of the interviews by visiting the archives.
Nadine

Hello there! I am Nadine and I blog over at Life by Nadine Lynn. Over in my corner of the internet, you will find a collection of my daily muses, my constant battle with myself of wanting to eat all the delicious things and working out to enjoy such indulgences, adorable pictures of my dogs, a little snark and probably glitter. A Yankee who has let the southern world take over her life. I am married to a man that shares my sense of humor, my love for binging TV shows like a bad drug, my love for college football, and battling it out over a good game of Mario Kart.

Jana: Why do you enjoy reading?

Nadine: I enjoy reading because I love the escape that it gives from real life. I get caught up in the lives of the characters of each book as if these are my friends…or me. I love the imagination it takes to paint the picture of each scene.

Jana: How do you decide what to read?

Nadine: Sometimes I am shallow and pick up a book because of the cover. Don’t we all do that? Ultimately though, my decision is based on the description of what the book is going to be about. If it sounds interesting to me, I throw it in my to-read pile. More recently, a lot of my to-read books have come from Steph and Jana’s book link up! I keep up with them all on Goodreads. Want to be friends?

Jana: Who are some of your favorite authors and/or genres?

Nadine: My favorite authors are Janet Evanovich, Nicholas Sparks and JK Rowling. I don’t really have a specific genre that I stick to, I like to branch out. Most recently, I have gotten in to some nonfiction books. Something I wouldn’t have really read before. I am just not a fan of things that scare me, so I stay away from horror. Other than that, anything is game.

Jana: What’s your favorite book or a book you always recommend?

Nadine: This is a loaded question. Some of my favorite books are Tuesdays With Morrie by Mitch Albom, the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich, The Rescue by Nicholas Sparks, Where the Heart Is by Billie Letts and Yes Please! by Amy Pohler.

Jana: Do you watch movie adaptations of books? What do you think of them?

Nadine: Sometimes. I will not watch a movie until I read a book. The thing I love so much about books is the picture that is painted in my head. Many times it is very different than the movie. There are very few movies that I like better than the book. The Notebook is the only one that comes to mind.

Jana: Ebooks, paper books, audiobooks, or a combination? Why?

Nadine: I like them all. There is something special about walking in to a bookstore to pick a book out that will never fade for me. I could spend hours in a book store! I don’t like holding on to a ton of books though, I am not a fan of clutter. So more often than not, I get books through the Kindle app on my iPad. I love having lots of books at my finger tips. I just started listening to audiobooks. Yes Please! was my first one and listening to Amy read her own book was awesome. I have a feeling I will consume most nonfiction books this way!

Jana: Do you use the library or buy books?

Nadine: I buy books. I live in a small town and the library is far away, in a direction that I never go. I probably could get a library card for downtown near my office, but I don’t know when I would get the chance to go. Excuses.

Jana: Does it offend you when people call you a bookworm or book nerd? Why or why not?

Nadine: No! I feel sorry for people who don’t know the joy of getting lost in a book. Reading is a wonderful hobby to have, and it keeps your mind sharp. It is much like watching TV or a movie. You get a glimpse in to another world and it is fascinating.

Jana: How do you find time to read?

Nadine: Reading is like working out or watching TV. If you enjoy it, you will find time for it. I do the majority of my reading on my lunch break. I will also pick up my book if my husband falls asleep on the couch when we are watching TV or sometimes I just curl up in a chair on the weekends just to relax with a book.

Jana: What’s one piece of advice you’d give to people who say they don’t enjoy reading or don’t have time to read?

Nadine: Try many different types of books. You may find that there is a certain genre that interests you. Or perhaps, start with an audiobook while in the car. You don’t have anything better to do while driving anyways! Reading may not be for everyone, but I don’t know how it couldn’t be??? Have you ever walked through a bookstore with no where to be and just take in the smells and the incredible feeling of all this knowledge and story telling right at your finger tips?

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Interview with a bookworm: Kelli from Kellibeans

Interview with a bookworm: Kerry from Till Then Smile Often

Literary Ladies summer reading challenge: My list

Interview with an author: Nick Pavlidis

Interview with a bookworm: Nadine from Life by Nadine Lynn

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