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Friday, April 29, 2016

Reading Hacks: How to Integrate Nonfiction into Your TBR

Yes, I made a vow to read more non-fiction this year. And I was serious about it. So, I thought I would talk a little bit about how I make that happen.

One of the things that can be really daunting about non-fiction is that there are lots of huge tomes out there. There’s also a lot of very dry non-fiction which can read more like a textbook than something informational and fun. Here’s my first piece of advice: if it doesn’t interest you, don’t read it! There’s no need to slough through something that puts you on edge or to sleep. There’s other non-fiction available that can get you excited. Read that.

Tuesday, April 12, 2016

Drop Everything and Read!

Click the image above to learn more. 

Happy Drop Everything and Read Day! 

If there was every a day I wished were a holiday, it's this one! It's the truth. I even got married -- with a book-themed wedding, of course -- on Drop Everything and Read Day during National Library Week

Thursday, April 7, 2016

Reading Resolutions: Give a Popular Book a Chance


I have a bad habit, and it's time for me to confess. When it comes to popular books, I can be a bit judgy.

Oh, don't make that face. We've all done it whether we admit it or not. You might judge books by their cover, publisher, author or any other arbitrary criteria you can come up with. For me, it's very specific. I judge books by their fandom.

Tuesday, April 5, 2016

The Wizard of Dark Street by Shawn Thomas Odyssey


Release Date: July 26, 2011
Publisher: Egmont USA
Age Group: Middle Grade
Source: Publisher
Pages: 348
Buy: Amazon / Barnes & Noble /
IndieBound / Book Depository
Description: Goodreads
Oona Crate was born to be the Wizard’s apprentice, but she has another destiny in mind. Despite possessing the rare gift of natural magic, Oona wants to be a detective.


Eager for a case to prove herself, she wants to show her uncle—the Wizard of Dark Street—that logic is as powerful as magic. But when someone attacks the Wizard, Oona must delve even deeper into the world of magic to discover who wanted her uncle dead.
Printed in the classified section of the New York Times on November 4th, 1876 was the following ad:

WANTED: ONE WIZARD’S APPRENTICE

Must be punctual, literate, courageous, clever, imaginative, adventurous, mysterious, open-minded, open-hearted, intuitive, and above all else must be trusted with some of the most secret and powerful knowledge in this world or any other.