Thursday Question of the Day

Thursday Question of the Day

I found this question on Good Choice Reading today and I thought it was such an interesting question that I decided to post an answer on my blog. 

What would you do in a world where books no longer came in paperback / hardback and were only available as ebooks?

I have actually given this matter a lot of thought, and have read quite a few articles and posts on the value of paperback / hardback versus ebooks and I have to admit I don't know what to think about the whole evolution of ebooks.  At first, I really didn't like them as I found reading off the screen to be difficult and the short battery life drove me crazy.  But being environmentally conscious, it is hard to ignore the message of ebook campaigners to preserve our trees and our environment.  I also think there are many great authors who have greater access to promoting their books and their products when selling things digitally.  The market is amazing out there.   

And yet, I don't think I will ever be able to get the same thrill from downloading an ebook that I get whenever I walk into a bookstore.  I just close my eyes when I first walk in and absorb the unique smell and taste of a bookstore, knowing that thousands of titles are at my browsing fingertips.  I can quite happily plop myself down in front of a shelf and browse for a long time.  My husband refuses to go to a bookstore with my anymore because of the time I spend in one, and now he says I've corrupted our children as they love going to the bookstore.  In all the years I've been reading, there is still a part of me that gets super-excited when I see a new book, or one that I've been wanting to read on a shelf.  And I get to pick it up and flip through the pages.  And I get to look at the cover closely.  Yet, maybe I am being incredibly selfish by hanging on to books that I would only read once, just because I like the feel of print books and it is time to move on and get attuned to the world out there.  Do I really need to destroy thousands of trees just because I need to hold a print copy in my hand?

I would never want to walk into a store and see only computers where I can only order ebooks and there be no books at all. I would never stop reading as that is a huge part of me and I could never give it up so easily.  However, I really think it would break my heart to never hold a new book in my hands again!!!!

WOW: The Vespertine

I received this for review today and I thought it looked really interesting.  What do you think?

The Vespertine
by Saundra Mitchell
Release Date: March 2, 2011

The summer of 1889 is the one between childhood and womanhood for Amelia van den Broek - and thankfully, she's not spending it at home in rural Maine. She's been sent to Baltimore to stay with her stylish cousin, Zora, who will show her all the pleasures of city life and help her find a suitable man to marry. With diversions ranging from archery in the park to dazzling balls and hints of forbidden romance, Victorian Baltimore is more exciting than Amelia imagined. But her gaiety is interrupted by disturbing, dreamlike visions she has only at sunset - visions that offer glimpses of the future. Soon, friends and strangers alike call on Amelia to hear her prophecies. Newly dubbed "Maine's Own Mystic", Amelia is suddenly quite in demand. However, her attraction to Nathaniel, an artist who is decidedly outside of Zora's circle, threatens the new life Amelia is building in Baltimore. This enigmatic young man is keeping secrets of his own - still, Amelia finds herself irrepressibly drawn to him. And while she has no trouble seeing the futures of others, she cannot predict whether Nathaniel will remain in hers. When one of her darkest visions comes to pass, Amelia's world is thrown into chaos. And those around her begin to wonder if she's not the seer of dark portents, but the cause.

Review: Island Sting by Bonnie J. Doerr

Welcome to the Green Books Campaign where 200 book bloggers will be posting their reviews simultaneously in order to bring attention to a great cause.  All the books being reviewed have been printed on environmentally-friendly paper.  Hopefully this will bring awareness to those buying books about being considerate to the environment when making those purchases.

Island Sting
by Bonnie J. Doerr
Release Date: December 15, 2009
2009 Leap Books
Paperback Edition; 280 Pages
ISBN: 978-16160-3002-5
Genre: Young Adult
Source: Review Copy for Campaign

Summary
Kenzie didn't expect her first summer in the Florida Keys to be murder. Or cute guys, awesome boats, endangered species, and gun-toting thugs... When city girl Kenzie Ryan moves to a Florida wildlife refuge, she plunges straight into an eco-mystery. Kenzie trades New York streets for Keys pollution cleanup, and now, instead of hailing cabs, she's tracking down a poacher of endangered Key deer. Her new home does have some benefits-mainly Angelo, an island native, who teams up with her to nab the culprit. But will they both survive when the killer turns from stalking deer to hunting humans? Island Sting includes notes on the endangered Florida Key Deer and the National Key Deer Refuge.

My Thoughts
I always pride myself on being aware of environmental issues around the world and learning about endangered species, but I will admit that I was completely ignorant of the issue surrounding the Florida Key Deer and their plight.  I even spent time in Florida this past summer and did not hear anything about it, although I did hear a lot about the crocodiles and the boa constrictor issue.  Here in Ontario, deer can be a severe problem and over-population is often an issue; it amazes me to hear of a species of deer that could possibly go extinct. 

Island Sting was an interesting novel right from the beginning.  Kenzie Ryan, literally plunges into a canal trying to save what she thought was a dog, and discovers a deer in her grasp.  Thus begins a long search for a poacher who kills deer for fun and sport.  Along her journey, the reader learns many things about the environment and the destruction that has been wroung in some of the Keys.  I found Kenzie's journey to be fascinating and enjoyed every step she took.  I took particular pleasure when she showed others she was not as ignorant of wildlife as people believed, despite the fact she grew up in a large city. 

I found a lot of the fun in this engaging mystery however, was the interesting environmental facts that were woven throughout the novel.  Kenzie also had a quirky personality, making her fun to read about and follow as she traipsed through her various adventures.  I also found the interaction between Kenzie and Angelo to be particularly engaging; the relationship between these two was fun, especially as they bantered quips and comments back and forth.  While the mystery was intriguing, it was the environmental facts that really kept me interested and engaged as well as the writing style of this author, a style I particularly liked as I found it to be lyrical and made me feel close to Kenzie. 

Verdict
Island Sting is a quick, fast-paced engaging mystery packed with interesting environmental facts about the Keys.  I am definitely looking forward to reading the next novel in this series.

You can visit Bonnie J. Doerr on her blog: Bonnie Blogs Green.

Novica Review: Table Runner and Placemats

NOVICA is one of the leading fair trade artisan websites in the world.  In a unique partnership with National Geographic, they give talented artisans around the world the chance to express and showcase their unique and beautiful talents and provide access to the world market.  Artisans in far-off countries can display their wares online; Novica provides the necessary platform for these artisans to be able to do so.  Along with the art pieces, viewers can also access artists' biographies, photographs, and videos.  Furthermore, they can interact with the artists by sending messages to them and learning about their lives at home and their personal philosophies. 

I was thrilled when I was contacted by NOVICA to do a product review as I had heard of them, but had not really had the full experience of browsing through their site.  It literally took me hours to go through the many products they had available and I spent many further hours browsing through the various artist biographies and philosophies that are available on this site.  Take a look at some of the things I had my eye on:

One of the things I found particularly interesting with NOVICA is their committment to the development of these artists.  Many of these artists have had a difficult time getting loans in their various countries, despite NOVICA's help with financial institutions in the respective countries, for various reasons, some of them simply being extremely high lending rates.  What really intrigued me about the company though, was their personal committment to helping the artisans through the development of a loan partnership directly with its own customers.  While customers can still actively purchase many items, they can also donate money to the loan fund and help finance an artisan, particularly if they are interested in helping a specific artisan.  NOVICA acts as the dispersement centre for these loans to the artisans, and the artisans are not charged any lending rates at all.  It's pretty remarkable and anyone interested can take a look here: NOVICA Artisans Loans.

NOVICA also has an amazing Corporate Gifts section, and I spent considerable time checking out the items in that area alone.  I was simply amazed at the unique and amazing gifts that could be found on this area of the site.  They have one of the largest online collection of corporate trade gift collections, gifts that include items for client gifts, sales incentives, employee recognition and awards.  There are many unique gifts available for your corporation to choose gifts that will make a lasting impression. 

For my review, I ended up choosing a table runner and placemats from an artisan in Bali.  I really needed these items as my others ones were getting old and I had bought a new centerpiece for my dining room table that needed to be shown off.  I was absolutely thrilled with what I received.  NOVICA tracked my order every day and told me exactly where it was and how long it would be before I would receive it.  When the package finally arrived, it was sealed nicely in a box which I had difficulty opening up, something I did not mind as I knew whatever was inside would be protected.  This is what I saw when I opened the box:

It came wrapped up exactly like the picture on the left and at first, I didn't want to open it as it looked to pretty.  When I finally did open it, my table runner and placemats were so beautifully arranged inside, wrapped inside tissue, I knew they would not be damaged at all. And they weren't.  I went right away to put them on my table and I was toally impressed with how they looked.

These are the table runner and placemats I ordered, in taupe and dark brown.  The table runner was much longer than I expected and the placemats can be used on either side, depending on whether you want the darker or lighter sides facing up.  I was so impressed with what I received, I am considering placing some orders for some Christmas items.  I think the only drawback from a Canadian perspective when it comes to ordering, is the shipping and handling as that was pretty pricey, around $14.00.  I didn't get a chance to check if there was reduced shipping if you ordered more than one item though, or if the shipping charges were different if a product came from a different country, something I am going to check out shortly.  I will let you know what I discover. 

NOVICA, including many of its products and artisans, has been featured in many articles and features, such as Vogue, Edge, and US Today.  It has been named among the 'Fastest 50 Companies in the World', named the 'Top 100' Website, and has won a WAKEUP! Award.  If you get a chance, don't hesitate to take a look at this amazing and fascinating website.

Book Blogger Hop

Sorry for posting this so late, but I wasn't sure I was going to have time to post this week.  Work has been CRAZY and I haven't been able to even get to my blog this week, let alone post, let alone get a chance to even read and comment on other people's blogs. 

This weekly hop is hosted by Jennifer @ Crazy For Books and is a fantastic way to hook up with other bloggers who have a fascination, and dare I say it, an addiction to books.  It's a great way to socially connect with others, share opinions, thoughts, and ideas, and find out a whole lot about the book publishing world.  And there are so many amazing things happening out there, so come check it out!!!!

The big question this week is what intrigued me: 

What are your feelings on losing followers?  Have you ever stopped following a blog?

When I first started blogging, I remember being so thrilled at receiving followers I couldn't help but keep looking at that little number all of the time.  J Kaye was my first follower and that amazed me as her blog was the first one I discovered on the Internet and I couldn't help but feel that was an auspicious beginning.  When I first lost some followers, I remember feeling upset and thinking, "Was it something I wrote?  Did I offend someone by what I wrote in my review?"  I tend to be pretty blunt, but I work hard to temper that in my blog as I don't want it to be the place where I vent everything as it could quickly turn into a negative blog and I really want it to be more positive.  Then I thought, maybe I need to change my content so I can keep my followers and not lose them.  And that's when I changed tunes rights away!!!   I reminded myself why I have a blog, who I really write for, and does it really matter.   I appreciate every one of my followers, and am overwhelmed and awed by what has happened, but in the long run, I am a writer and I love to read and write.  It's why I do it in the first place.  I don't ever want the loss of a follower to diminish my love of reading and writing, and if I think too hard about it, that's exactly what could happen.  And I don't want the loss of a follower to dictate what books I read and review on my blog.   It's too important to me for that.

Have I ever stopped following a blog?  Yes, I have.  One of the main reasons is because the owner of the blog changed and I didn't find the new owner's content to match my own interests anymore.  Others I stopped following because they stopped posting (a couple I didn't see a new post for several months so I stopped visiting their blogs).  I try to make a concerted effort to visit many of the blogs I follow, but my time is so limited that it is difficult to make a lot of comments.  I wish I could as it looks like I never visit which is not the case.  I don't usually stop following blogs because of genres as anyone following my blog knows I am a very eclectic reader, but the content itself, or the writing style, could turn me off.  I stopped following a couple of blogs because the colours on their site were so bright that I couldn't even read them, which had nothing whatsoever to do with their content.   If I can't read the material, there is no use following.  Other than that, I am pretty easy going.

Have a wonderfully fantastic weekend everyone!  I am going to bed and sleeping for about 12 long beautiful hours!!!!!!!!!  Hopefully the kiddies won't wake me up!

2010 Green Books Campaign

Green Books Campaign November 10, 2010

On Wed., Nov. 10, at 1 p.m., 200 bloggers will simultaneously publish reviews of 200 books printed on environmentally-friendly paper. By turning a spotlight on books printed using greener methods, Eco-Libris aims to raise consumer awareness about considering the environment when making book purchases. This year’s participation of both bloggers and books has doubled from the event’s inception last year.

The 200 books to be reviewed are in a variety of subjects including cooking, poetry, travel, green living, and history, and come from 56 publishers from the U.S., Canada, Australia, and the U.K. that are participating in the Green Books Campaign. This diversified group of publishers includes both small and large presses who all print books on recycled and/or FSC-certified paper.

Participating publishers include among others Penguin Group, Scholastic, Barefoot Books, McClelland & Stewart, Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing, Sterling Publishing, DK Publishing, Harvard Business Press, Island Press, North Atlantic Books, McGraw-Hill, ABRAMS and Picador.

“Although there’s so much hype around e-books, books printed on paper still dominate the book market, and we want them to be as environmentally sound as possible,” explains Raz Godelnik, co-founder and CEO of Eco-Libris. “Their share is still relatively small, but you can find a growing number of books printed responsibly and we hope this initiative will bring more exposure to such books. Through this campaign we want to encourage publishers to increase their green printing options and readers to take the environment into consideration when purchasing books.”


Doug Pepper, president and publisher of 100-year-old publishing house McClelland & Stewart, says he is delighted to participate in a program that ties in with the company’s mission. “The Eco-Libris Green Books Campaign’s positive “take action” message perfectly reflects our consistent use of recycled papers and our commitment to sustainable publishing as a whole,” Pepper says.

Among the bloggers who will review the books there are many who participate in the campaign for the second time. One of them is Kim Allen-Niesen of the blog ‘Bookstore People‘. “Participating in the Green Books Campaign was such an education in green reading. I didn't have any idea how many publishers and writers are committed to creating books with as small an impact on the environment as possible. I discovered unique books because they were printed on recycled paper and I learned that books I've read for years are printed in a low impact manner. I'm looking forward to more surprises during this year's campaign, “Allen-Niesen says.

This year’s campaign is supported by Indigo Books & Music, the largest book retailer in Canada, as part of its efforts to draw attention to the need for more environmental paper in book publishing. This is a core goal of Indigo's environmental program, reinforced by Indigo's industry leading environmental paper policy.

Michelle White, Director, Sustainability at Indigo Books & Music said, “Indigo has a strong forest conservation mandate and we believe that physical books printed on environmental paper are a sustainable choice. We commend Eco- Libris for reinforcing this message and engaging and motivating readers to take this issue into consideration when purchasing books. In fact, Indigo provides information online and through in-store kiosk that allows consumers to make informed decisions about where the paper content of their book comes from”. Learn more at http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/.

Learn more about the Green Books Campaign and find a list of all participants at http://www.blogger.com/goog_828335845

# # #

Founded in 2007, Eco-Libris (http://www.ecolibris.net/) is a green company working to green up the book industry by promoting the adoption of green practices in the industry, balancing out books by planting trees, and supporting green books. To achieve these goals Eco-Libris is working with book readers, publishers, authors, bookstores, and others in the book industry worldwide. So far Eco-Libris has balanced out more than 150,000 books, resulting in more than 165,000 new trees planted with its planting partners in developing countries. To learn more visit http://www.ecolibris.net/.

Review: Eon: Dragoneye Reborn by Alison Goodman

Eon: Dragoneye Reborn (Eon Series, Book 1)
by Alison Goodman
Release Date: August 31, 2010
2008 Puffin Canada
Softcover Edition; 535 Pages
ISBN: 978-0-14-317409-7
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Source: Review Copy from Publisher

5 / 5 Stars

Summary
For years, Eon's life has been focused on magical study and sword-work, with one goal: that he be chosen as a Dragoneye, an apprentice to one of the twelve energy dragons of good fortune.

But Eon has a dangerous secret.  He is actually Eona, a sixteen-year-old girl who has been masquerading as a twelve-year-old boy.  Females are forbidden to use Dragon magic; the penalty is death.

When Eona's secret threatens to come to light, she and her allies are plunged into grave danger and a struggle for the Imperial throne.  Eona must find the strength and inner power to battle those who want to take her magic...and her life.

My Thoughts
I have always been fascinated with the martial arts and the unbelievably long training that goes into the discipline.  Eon: Dragoneye Reborn centers around a long tradition of martial arts combined with mystical and magical training, training that is deeply ingrained in an old and traditional culture.   I found this book to be thoroughly entertaining and fascinating, and was completely engrossed and absorbed from beginning to end.  I have always loved dragons and like reading anything to do with them.

Based on a mix of Chinese and Japanese cultures, the Empire of the Celestial Dragons combines the mystical training with regimented daily training, training that has been passed down from generation to generation for many centuries.  The goal of this training is to gain the attention of a Celestial Dragon and become one with them, a goal that will bring immense wealth, prestige, and power.  Brannon, Eon's Master, had one last chance to secure victory in a royal court rife with intrigue.  In a huge gamble, he apprenticed Eon as his last hope to win favour from one of the Celestial Dragons.  What nobody knew or understood was that Eon was actually Eona, a sixteen-year-old girl, knowledge that would have them both horribly killed if ever discovered.  The Master even went so far as mamimg Eon, producing in Eon a permament hip injury so as to divert everyone's attention from the fact that he was different from other boys.  In a turn of events that would leave both Eon and the Master stunned, they were soon plunged in the middle of deathly court intrigue that would need the skill of many people in order for them to survive.

Although I couldn't help but make comparisons to the Chinese culture, it was more in my knowledge of their martial arts and in their building designs that I found really useful in helping me understand what was happening in this novel.  Other than that, Ms. Goodman has created a very imaginative and creative world, where the characters and the culture came to life.  As a culture led by a supreme ruler, I found this world fascinating.  There was no concept of right or wrong, no concept of fairness or justness, just the concept of living by the whims of a powerful ruler.  Class distinctions were very rigid and this is related in the way people could and could not cross boundaries in the royal precinct and how people were killed just for forgetting to kneel down when important personnages went by.  You could almost sense the frustration of the people and the feeling of rebelliousness floating just beneath the surface at all times in the novel.  I always felt like I was on edge while reading, wondering what was going to happen next. 

Eon/Eona was a very complex character whom I admired most of the time.  There were moments when I did not think favourably on her actions, but she did what she had to do in the treacherous world in which she was suddenly thrust.  The dual role she had to play was difficult and the duplicity and the lies she had to tell caused her many problems in her life.  I like how Ms. Goodman did not play down any of the problems she had to endure, such as a developing body or menstruation.  I often wondered how easily it would be to fool someone this way; that is, is a culture so entrenched in its beliefs that no one would consider the possibility that someone would cheat in order to achieve their own ends, which is exactly what Eon and his Master did. I also liked Ido, one of the villains, more for the events that occurred at the end of the novel.  He had that dark, evil personality, and could have hurt Eon many times, but he didn't and I always wondered why.  Now I am extremely curious as to what will happen between him and Eon, and how Ms. Goodman will develop such an interesting personality.

There were some very dark moments in this novel, and I don't think it would be appropriate for a younger reader.  The action moved quickly, the characters and alliances were often unexpected, and events that occured were often thrown at the reader, causing sadness and great pain for many of the characters involved.  Yet, in the midst of it all, I found it uplifting and hopeful.  I can't really explain what I mean, but I ended the novel feeling good, happy with the decisions that Eon made.

Verdict
I thoroughly enjoyed Eon: Dragoneye Reborn and loved the diversity of the characters.  While the ending finished in quite the cliffhanger, I am happy knowing the second book, Eona: The Last Dragoneye, will be released April 2011 and I've since learned there will be a third book in the series, Eona: Return of the Dragoneye. 

Waiting on Wednesday

Hi everyone!  I've been a little neglectful of my blog these past few days, but things are so crazy at work it's been hard to find the time to get everything accomplished there, let alone post anything on my blog.  But not to worry as I should be back to normal by the end of next week when things start to calm down again.  There are a lot of things happening here as I have several reviews to share with you about some companies and their products, as well as some information on the Osteoporosis Society, a cause near and dear to my heart as the disease seems to be hereditary in my family.  And of course, BOOKS!  Where would I be without my dear friends, my books!!!!  Look for some upcoming blog tours as well as some interesting things happening around Christmas.  Hard to believe that is around the corner.  Anyone else not started their Christmas shopping yet?  Please say yes, it will make me feel so much better.  Those of you who are already finished, well...bless you for being way more organized than me!

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill @ Breaking The Spine.  It's such a great way to share with others those great books that are soon to be published or are so excited about we can't wait to share with the world.  Here are a few I am looking forward to reading:

Tempestuous (Wondrous Strange, Book 3)
by Lesley Livingston
Release Date: December 21, 2010

You Belong to Me
by Karen Rose
Release Date: January 6, 2011

When forensic pathologist Lucy Trask stumbles across a mutilated body by the chess tables in her local Baltimore park, its face so badly damaged it is unrecognisable, her sole concern is that it might be her old school teacher Mr Pugh. When the corpse is identified, Lucy is shocked to discover that the victim is actually another man from her past. Who killed him and why his skin is burnt with the number '1' is unclear but it's evident that someone is demanding Lucy's attention. The discovery of a second branded body raises worrying questions: how many more lives may be at risk before the killer's final message is revealed? And can Lucy solve the killer's gruesome puzzle before their thirst for revenge is complete?

Once In a Full Moon (Once in a Full Moon, Book 1)
by Ellen Schreiber
Release Date: December 28, 2010
 
Celeste Parker is used to hearing scary stories about werewolves - Legend's Run is famous for them. She's used to everything in the small town until Brandon Maddox moves to Legend's Run and Celeste finds herself immediately drawn to the handsome new student. But when, after an unnerving visit with a psychic, she encounters a pack of wolves and gorgeous, enigmatic Brandon, she must discover whether his transformation is more than legend or just a trick of the shadows in the moonlight.


Her best friends may never forgive her if she gives up her perfect boyfriend, Nash, for Brandon, who's from the wrong side of town. But she can't deny her attraction or the strong pull he has on her. Brandon may be Celeste's hero, or he may be the most dangerous creature she could encounter in the woods of Legend's Run.

What books are you looking forward to reading?