Top Ten Tuesday - My Favourite Female Heroines!

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our bloggers' answers. Everyone is welcome to join. All we ask is that you link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND sign Mister Linky at the original post to share with us and all those who are participating. If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment. Don't worry if you can't come up with ten every time..just post what you can!

Yes, it's Wednesday. And yes, I'm late for another weekly meme. (Is that ever a surprise anymore?) But I just couldn't resist! Forgive me? I'll even tell you a story.

Tuesday was just around the corner, and I told her, "Good gosh, woman, slow down! You've got me huffin' and puffin', I swear, next time I just might--"

"Blow your house down, I know, I know." She rolled her eyes, just as I was wondering whether the days of the week actually had any body parts. "What do you want now?" Tuesday sighed and bent down to tap my nose, her eyebrow cocked. "You're late for a weekly meme again?"

I sputtered. "No, no, of course not! Since when have I ever been late?"

And that's when she told me to reclaim her day.

Really, I'm just doing my duty, is all. Now to the good stuff!

My Top Ten Female Heroines In No Particular Order, Lest Anyone Think I Have Favourites, Because These Lovely Ladies Are Certainly Strong Enough To Take Me On

1. Katniss Everdeen, from the Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins
Good gosh, is there any list complete without your presence, Ms. Everdeen? She is honestly one of the best female protagonists out there--street-smart, practical, courageous, independent... With such a killer arsenal right there, it's amazing she doesn't get a big head. Yes, her naivete when it comes to her appeal and Peeta's obvious infatuation was a bit irritating. But she made up for it by being such a strong character.

2. Hermione Granger, from the Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling
This one was a no-brainer. No, I'm definitely not talking about you, Hermione! I mean, I am but--ah, whatever. Hermione's definitely one of my favourites; I mean, I haven't read many books that feature bookish heroines who are still undoubtedly part of the action. She can keep up with Harry and Ron, and even though she sometimes annoys them to their respective boiling points, it's always clear that they need her as much as she needs them. Equals 'til the end!

3. Sarah Agnes Prine, from the Sarah Series by Nancy E. Turner
What can I say, I do love my feisty heroines. Ms. Prine is just one of those stubborn, determined and strong women and I have to say, I love that we get to see her journey from an illiterate 17-year old in 1880s, to a fierce young woman who's far more than just a decent shot, to a married woman with a family and a loving husband. I've only read the first book, These is My Words, but I love Sarah's sharp character so I'm looking forward to reading the rest of her journey.

4. Cassie, from Ice by Sarah Beth Durst
Cassie has one of those minds rooted firmly into reality--so when the Polar Bear King comes to visit during a snowstorm, just like the stories that her Grandma told her when she was little, she thinks it's all a hallucination. Big mistake!

Oh, Cassie was such an amazing character to read about. She's definitely her own person; she has doubts, she second-guesses about giving up her dreams to pursue true love and finds a way to make it all work. And when the consequences catch up to her, she uses her courage and her intelligence to solve what may be an impossible quest. Just wow.

5. Jessica Packwood, from Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey
Like Cassie, Jessica is logical. To sum it all up, her favourite subject is Math. So when Lucius Vladescu visits her home and tells her that she's a Romanian vampire princess and that he has to marry her to prevent a full-scale vampire war, she thinks he's two nuts short of the loony bin.

And, as you can tell with Cassie, I just love this sort of reaction. It's so realistic! How would you react if it happened to you? There's no question of her intelligence--not too mention, she's also a competitive horseback rider! She definitely has a good head on her shoulders, this one.

6. Frederica, from the eponymous novel by Georgette Heyer
There's something about Heyer that I just love--her Regency romances are the wittiest little packages you'll ever read and the romance is well-developed too. Frederica is my favourite Heyer--no doubt about it!

Frederica is a spinster, who has her hands full what with her excitable little brothers, a beautiful sister who needs help with her come-out, and quite possibly the most delightful dog in the history of the world (ever!). She's genuinely selfless, patient, and sensible--definitely not a silly chit nor a dull bore. Plus, she has the most wicked wit, which is made apparent in her exchanges with her cousin, the handsome Marquis of Alverstoke. Such a delight!

7. Jena, from Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier
Whenever I think of the words "Favourite book" I think of Wildwood Dancing immediately. It's not only because the plot is just amazing, the writing style poetic, and the premise just marvelous. (A retelling of the Twelve Dancing Princesses! In Transylvania!) It's actually because of the quiet well of intelligence and strength that is Jena.

She's the practical one out of all five sisters of Piscul Dracului in Transylvania, and she views herself as the plain sister. But she doesn't wallow in self-pity--she helps her father run his business as merchant, and once disaster strikes, she's the one who stands up and takes responsibility. Admirable, I'll have to say. And seriously, her pet frog Gogu? I love his role in all of this.

8. Ella, from Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
Ella was such a joy to read--a spunky, stubborn heroine who endures a whole lot of bad (due to her 'gift' of obedience) but not without putting up a fight! The thing I love most about her is how, instead of turning her into a dull mindless vegetable (not that I have anything against vegetables), her curse actually intensified her stubbornness. And I found it heartening to have such a strong female character who isn't afraid to love, and knows the true meaning of love.

9. Antonia Lucia Labella, from The Possibilities of Sainthood by Donna Freitas
What can I say? I absolutely loved Antonia's voice. She was so hilarious, what with her flirting techniques, the letters she sends to the Pope as she hopes to become the first living saint, and the snippets of her family life that you see through her narrative.

She's witty, and has a very warm and genuine belief in her religion. She doesn't come across as preachy at all--actually, I forgot I was reading something religious! She's probably the most ordinary out of this lot, but I just admire her for the strength of her convictions. Even though she's probably not going to get that Living Saint title, she doesn't lose hope. And I just loved that.

10. Katsa, from Graceling by Kristin Cashore
She's like Katniss, except she's in a fantasy instead of a dystopian. Look, even their names are similar! Okay, I'm not suggesting that plagiarism has occurred; I mean, two amazing, strong, talented and smart heroines are not necessarily a bad thing.

But here's the thing: though they do have similarities, Katsa definitely shines on her own. The true nature of her Grace was a bit too much for me; but her humanity and her vulnerability, evident even when she was trying her best to appear untouchable (perhaps heightened because of it), is enough to guarantee her a spot on this rambling list.

Check out the original post @ The Broke and The Bookish for other lists, the chance to join in, and Kimberly's original Top Ten!

Waiting on Wednesday: The DUFF

For a second there, I was considering titling this post Waiting on Wednesday: School but I just couldn't bear to torture myself like that. It's true; I really don't want to go back just yet. It feels like summer's just started!

But I digress.
Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine. It's where yet-to-be-released books are given the spotlight--so other readers can salivate over gorgeous covers and begging to be read summaries. Plus, anything that involves an enticing new discovery is always a good thing in my books (har har).

My pick for this week is The DUFF by Kody Keplinger.

Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper is cynical and loyal, and she doesn't think she's the prettiest of her friends by a long shot. She's also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush. In fact, Bianca hates him. And when he nicknames her "Duffy," she throws her Coke in his face.

But things aren't so great at home right now. Desperate for a distraction, Bianca ends up kissing Wesley. And likes it. Eager for escape, she throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with Wesley.

Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out that Wesley isn't such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she's falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone.

Ah, I can just imagine the whip-smart dialogue, dramatic scenes and a chunky hunk of substance (no pun intended). I've been on the prowl for some edgy contemporary YA, so finding out about this one had me practically farting rainbows.

Except I wasn't nearly as impressive as this guy.

And the best part? The DUFF is releasing on September 7th, 2010! Which is NEXT WEEK. This means we all have a legitimate excuse to ditch school--I mean, have a nice pick-me-up after the requisite Welcome-Back lectures.

Okay, so maybe you don't go to school, or school has already started, or you're done school (LUCKY YOU)--then call in sick, take advantage of post-summer confusion and pretend you thought it was still summer, or just skip the deceit and spread the word!

So what were your picks this week?

Teaser Tuesday(s)!

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly meme hosted by Miz B at Should be Reading. It's a fun little initiative--and anyone can play along! Just grab your current read, let the pages magically fall onto a spoiler-free page and pick 2 teaser sentences to share with other book bloggers. Don't forget to share the author and title, so other people can put the book on their TBR pile if they absolutely love your tantalizing excerpt.

So anyway, this is my first one and I am drastically late. Not a very good first impression, if I must say.

This week's read is These is My Words: The Diary of Sarah Agnes Prine, 1881-1901, Arizona Territories - A Novel by Nancy E. Turner.


It is simply beautiful; historical fiction done right and I just love it! I'm almost finished and I'm dreading getting to the end because I love the characters too much.

Enough of my rambling; I'll save it for the review. I'll let the book speak for itself.

"I never did hear what happened down there, but Tucson is a rough old cob of a town, and people that live there just have to be ready to duck or draw. In my deep pocket, my kitchen pistol was banging against my leg, and I thought, I am a hard woman, for sure, not genteel like Savannah, not as I wanted to become at all. Maybe when times simmer down I will be able to walk around without a sidearm in my pocket and a rifle under my wagon seat like an outlaw." p.143

So my excerpt's longer than two sentences. Tsk, tsk, how shameful--late for my first post and already breaking the rules. But I hope you all forgive me because this one is actually a very good impression of how the novel is like--and what a great, great novel it is!

See you next Tuesday!

Book Blogger Hop: Aug 27-30th

The Book Blogger Hop is hosted by Jennifer over at Crazy-for-Books and it's a fun way to connect with other book bloggers, make new friends, and just get into the whole community aspect of the blogosphere. It lasts from Friday-to-Monday because the best BOOK PARTIES are the ones that last for a whole weekend. :D

This is my first time with the Hop and I know I'm ever-so-late for this week. The thing is, I couldn't wait until next week's Hop so I'll just have to settle for two raucous days of partying. Woo hoo!

This week's question:

Do you use a rating system for your reviews and if so, what is it and why?

Well, actually I do! I use the usual 1-5 scale of rating books (though that may change in the future into rubber duckies or toilets, depending on my mood) and sometimes, I'll throw in the occasional .5 just to mix things up a little bit.

This is just because it's easier for me to gauge how much I liked something versus would I really recommend it to some random person off the street. My cut-off rating is a 3; this basically means that aforementioned random guy from the street will not be getting a glowing recommendation from me for the book. Higher than that and you have yourself a screaming fangirl.

Anyway, all this talk about rating systems has got me in the mood for writing reviews. Toodles for now, that is until next week! Thanks for stopping by!

Booking Through Thursday: Meme of Reading Questions

I got this from Lorette‘s blog and couldn’t resist adopting it for all of you.

Ooh, how delightful! One of those long questionnaire things. I haven't done one of these in a while, so this will prove quite a challenge to complete.

1. Favorite childhood book?
Hmm... I'd have to go with my much-loved copy of Maria Elena Paterno's The Girl who Fell From the Sky and Other Classic Philippine Legends. I was always a lover of fairy tales and dramatic legends with vengeful gods and some rather dim-witted (as I liked to observe back then) people. I loved Albert Gamos's illustrations; it was impossible to tire of inspecting every nook and cranny of his drawings. I miss it; I have no idea where it went.

2. What are you reading right now?
Uh, technically Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott but right now, I'm in the mood for some lighthearted fiction (preferably of the romantic variety). My shelf currently contains a lot of heavy reads (a.k.a. eating disorders, disfigurement, date rape). The lightest I have is The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare and it's gotten great reviews, so I've started that. Sure, it deals with accusations of witchcraft but apparently there's a sprinkling of romance, so I'm clinging to that. :D

3. What books do you have on request at the library?
I have lots of books on request; 14 of them in fact. Lemme go check my account. -is back- This is going to take a while. Aurelie: a fairy tale by Heather Tomlinson, Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken, The Changeover: a supernatural romance by Margaret Mahy, Incarceron by Catherine Fisher, The Lonely Hearts Club by Elizabeth Eulberg, Magic Under Glass by Jaclyn Dolamore, A Match Made in High School by Kristin Walker, Once a Witch by Carolyn MacCollough, The Season by Sarah Maclean, Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce, Soulless by Gail Carriger (which I've just recently finished, the precise reason why I'm in an amorous mood), The Spymaster's Lady by Joanna Bourne (put on hold long before reading Soulless), Stolen by Lucy Christopher (particularly eager for this one), Ten Things I Love About You by Julia Quinn (been longing to read one of her books, specifically because of the numerous accolades she's received).

In short, mainly YA, mainly romantic, some fantasy, some adult. But boy, do I love them books.

4. Bad book habit?
Hmm... I'm particularly iffy (a.k.a. scrupulously careful) when it comes to books. I make sure to scream at my sister whenever she mishandles any one of them. I do have a bad library habit of borrowing more than I know I can read. I treat libraries like they're bookstores, seriously.

5. What do you currently have checked out at the library?
Ahaha, and now I can demonstrate my bad library habit. I currently have 49 books out, 1 short of maxing out my card. I don't think anyone wants to know the whole lot of them but rest assured that almost all of them are YA, most of them heavy, spanning a whole lot of genres (sub genres?). I have a few adult books as I was feeling a bit naughty at the time (hmm) AND I quite enjoy reading them.

6. Do you have an e-reader?
Sadly, no. Unless Adobe Reader counts?

7. Do you prefer to read one book at a time, or several at once?
I actually prefer to read one book at a time, as my memory muddles terribly and I confuse plotlines, storylines, and even character names. I prefer not to get too irritated at myself. Ah, but Living Dead Girl is so ingrained in my mind that I can hardly forget it, so it is merely the exception to the rule.

8. Have your reading habits changed since starting a blog?
I've actually only been blogging for just about a month now so it's hard to tell if there's been a significant change. I suppose you could say I try harder now to read as many newly released books as I can find in my local library.

9. Least favorite book you read this year (so far?)
Hard to say... I always find something good in every book I read but I really disliked the message Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick was sending, along with Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer. Biggest. Letdown. Ever. I didn't like Uninvited by Amanda Marrone all that much either.

10. Favorite book you’ve read this year?
Huh. That is equally hard to say. Probably Ice by Sarah Beth Durst (made me feel those this-is-why-I-read tingles), Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev (absolutely hilarious, unpredictable, and just delicious) and Goblin Fruit from Laini Taylor's Lips Touch: Three Times (oh, wanting beautiful boys, teenage turmoil, just one taste!). All were summer reads (since I can't remember what I read before that).

11. How often do you read out of your comfort zone?
I suppose not very frequently. I usually like to play it safe with YA fantasies; very rarely do I venture into adult territory (the page count! Especially that Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell book -shudder- and Stephen King's Under the Dome. Holy mama). I'm trying to branch out though; I do have some adult books on my shelf. One at a time, one at a time.

12. What is your reading comfort zone?
YA, fantasy, romance, humour. Give me an urban fantasy tossed with hints of faerie a la Holly Black and I'm in heaven. I try the occasional vampire/werewolf book, but only if reviews are highly enthusiastic. I enjoy realistic YA too, but I insist on humour; even if the outlook is bleak, a hardy seed will grow with the teensiest bit of sun, you know?

13. Can you read on the bus?
Oh, yeah, definitely! I've yet to miss my stop and I'm looking for a book that will do just that.

14. Favorite place to read?
My bedroom, when it's quiet and I have a blanket to curl up under. It helps if I have some saltwater taffy on hand.

15. What is your policy on book lending?
Give it back to me in the same condition as it was when I lent it to you. I get quite irritated when a nice book has been reduced to the state of kindling.

16. Do you ever dog-ear books?
Good heavens, no! Dear God, are you mad?

17. Do you ever write in the margins of your books?
Absolutely not! That is the very highest blasphemy I have heard (or read) from anyone.

18. Not even with text books?
Only when I am extremely bored (and that is nearly every single school day). I do erase it though. Sometimes.

19. What is your favorite language to read in?
English. Sadly, it takes me quite a bit of time to plow through Tagalog and French (though both languages take me approximately the same time to read).

20. What makes you love a book?
Humour, strong characterization, delightful dialogue, a most wonderful plot, and if you want to throw the kitchen sink into the mix, a sense of the absurd.

21. What will inspire you to recommend a book?
If it makes me sigh at the end, frantically flipping the pages to reread my favourite passages, sigh over beautifully sketched scenes, then I would highly recommend a book. If it addresses an important issue and the execution is brilliant, then even better. If the language is just delectable, then you're a shoo-in.

22. Favorite genre?
Fantasy, hands down. Romance comes in second.

23. Genre you rarely read (but wish you did?)
Hmm... I suppose you could say suspense/horror? Or the classics, because I'm saving those for when I'm ripe and wise.

Favorite biography?
Ahem, only biography I've ever read--Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith by Deborah Heiligman. Charles Darwin is, surprisingly, a fascinating man. And his relationship with his wife along with his family dynamics make for interesting reading.

25. Have you ever read a self-help book?
Er, how would you define a self-help book? Hmm.. I read a book on dating once (even though the possibility of going on one is obviously another one of my fantasies). It was hilarious and made me want to go on a date just to test it out.

26. Favorite cookbook?
I remember enjoying a children's cookbook once; could not, for the life of me, remember the title, only that it described chocolate chip cookies and fried doughnuts to exquisite, marvelous and photographed detail.

27. Most inspirational book you’ve read this year (fiction or non-fiction)?
Mostly Happy by Pam Bustin. Had to read it for my school book club and her journey is pretty impressive. Actually, the most inspirational book I've read this year was the last book I held in my hands--The Glass Slipper, by Eleanor Farjeon. I just admired the way Cinderella stuck to her optimism and did not let anything bring her down. She just found happiness, something to be happy about in even the most dire of situations.

28. Favorite reading snack?

Ah, I would have to say cheese puffs (though the stains they leave are remarkably vibrant) and saltwater taffy (though it does get pretty messy--yet deliciously so).

So incredibly long that responses after this note are 10 days late. Woops.

29. Name a case in which hype ruined your reading experience.
Hum, well, it wasn't hype as much as my own expectations--and well, I suppose the hype surrounding the Simon Romantic Comedies line. I've been thoroughly satisfied with them in the past but my most recent read from the line was a bit lacklustre. But I guess that's just me, so I won't directly mention it.

30. How often do you agree with critics about a book?
Surprisingly frequently--especially with things like pacing and the lack of satisfaction. Of course, by critics, I mean Amazon reviewers. :D

31. How do you feel about giving bad/negative reviews?
Very reluctant; I really don't feel comfortable bashing a book but I'm working on it. Well, not the bashing, more like the reluctance. I'm generally a positive person, so my reviews reflect that but again, I'm working on it.

32. If you could read in a foreign language, which language would you chose?
Ancient Greek or Latin. Yes, definitely. I want to read the works of Homer in the original language. Along with the other classics.

33. Most intimidating book you’ve ever read?
Hum, I haven't really been reading any intimidating books that I know of, but perhaps How to Write and Speak English Better, which was some sort of subscription gift from Reader's Digest (must clarify with grandparents) when I was 6 or 7ish. That tome was heavy--though it helped that it had comics! Didn't really finish (more like skimmed).

34. Most intimidating book you’re too nervous to begin?
Anything Tolstoy, Dostoyevsky, Thackeray. And Mitchell--Gone With The Wind is just huge. And well, I don't know if my analytical skills are developed enough for me to begin those books anyway, so...

35. Favorite Poet?
I really like Ellen Hopkins' novels in verse. I consider her a poet (and a skillful one at that). So I suppose she is currently my favourite poet.

36. How many books do you usually have checked out of the library at any given time?
This will sound ridiculous but I usually have it maxed out. As soon as I return a batch, I have to get a new one to replenish the stock. My account just feels so empty without the full 50 materials checked out.

37. How often have you returned book to the library unread?
Too often--not enough time and usually too much homework. I shouldn't have an excuse this summer, but really, this has been the busiest family wise so I'm usually tired. Why am I making excuses for myself again?

38. Favorite fictional character?
I love spunky Ella from Ella Enchanted, and Cassie from Ice. Right now, I'm loving Sarah Agnes Prine from These is my Words. Oh, and let's not forget the eponymous Frederica of Georgette Heyer fame!

39. Favorite fictional villain?
The one that comes to mind is Lord Henry Wotton from The Picture of Dorian Gray. He's not treated as a formal villain but the way he seduces Dorian is hypnotic and quite subversive that I just think of him as one anyway. Or am I out of my depth here?

40. Books I’m most likely to bring on vacation?
Ella Enchanted, the latest fairytale retelling (hey, I don't discriminate!) and most likely a book with some sort of romance in it. The books I bring on vacation are usually library books, so they vary according to my current addiction/phase. We'll see.

41. The longest I’ve gone without reading.
Probably four months--back in the Philippines, where my only sources of books were bookstores (which I treated like reference libraries).

42. Name a book that you could/would not finish.
Alas! I am going to get stabbed but Emma by Jane Austen was something I just could not finish. I got to about page 70; I know I should've kept on going but my goodness, Emma was shaping up to be a huge pain in the you-know-what with her haughty attitude and, from what I recall, her selfishness and I just couldn't take it anymore. I was probably not in the right mood, as Austen's writing sparkled as usual; it's just Emma got on my nerves constantly. I'm definitely going to reread it in the future.

43. What distracts you easily when you’re reading?
Music, because then I just have to get up and dance (like a lunatic) to it. I'm serious.

44. Favorite film adaptation of a novel?
Hum, film adaptation? Well, I adored the BBC production of Pride and Prejudice, which was filmed (albeit shown on television, which is probably not what you meant by that question, eh?).

45. Most disappointing film adaptation?
The most recent one is Twilight. I mean, Bella completely lacked personality (which, upon perusal of the original novel, is not too far from the truth), Edward was...not as smoldering as he was in the books and Jasper looked constipated all of the time. I read the books back when I was an impressionable seventh grader and I just loved them. But once I viewed the film adaptation, the sparkle (pun unintended) was gone.

46. The most money I’ve ever spent in the bookstore at one time?
I think it was 25$ for the hardcover of Breaking Dawn (bought on the release date, because I was hardcore like that).

47. How often do you skim a book before reading it?
Just a quick look at the summary, a little riffling of the pages, a furtive glance at some words here and there and then I'm all set to read it. And that's for every book.

48. What would cause you to stop reading a book half-way through?
An annoying protagonist, not very realistic decisions/chain of events, the slowest pacing in the universe and the prospect of overdue fines. *shudder*

49. Do you like to keep your books organized?
Yessiree! Got them all lined up in a row according to due date on my bookshelf (at least the last time I checked).

50. Do you prefer to keep books or give them away once you’ve read them?
Keep books! Unless I feel the need to spread the word to a reluctant reader. Otherwise, I'm a packrat.

51. Are there any books you’ve been avoiding?
Classics. I haven't been in a classics sort of mood lately. And The Handmaid's Tale, which is going to make up my Novel Studies units in the upcoming year. Urgh, school.

52. Name a book that made you angry.
Shrinking Violet by Danielle Joseph (what I'm currently reading) because of the MC's mom. Seriously, what a self-centred mother. I just can't stand it.

53. A book you didn’t expect to like but did?
The Landing by John Ibbitson. I just--There was something about it that I thought was well-done. Plenty of layers of themes and it just gets to you like bam. So glad I was part of the White Pine Book Club at my school.

54. A book that you expected to like but didn’t?
At First Sight by Catherine Hapka. I was expecting something light, romantic and gorgeously fluffy but I didn't quite get what I wished for.

55. Favorite guilt-free, pleasure reading?
Fairytale retellings. Seriously, anything with fairytale elements in it, throw it at me. I will love you for it.

Booking Through Thursday: First Time

What is the first book you remember reading? What about the first that made you really love reading?

Huh. A thinking question. Dang! I mean, how fun.

To be honest, I have no idea what my first book was. I've been reading for as long as I can remember (never mind that my parents have told me numerous times that I've been pretending to read for as long as they can remember). Plus, I also have a horrible memory. Oops.

Okay, I'll stop being a cop-out.

The first picture book I do remember reading was Cinderella (the Disney movie tie-in). How I loved that little picture book! I was an eager fan of the movie so obviously I'd love the storybook. Too bad I have no idea where it is now. It probably didn't survive that first flood.

But there were so many others! I had a Hans Christian Andersen storybook, a collection of nursery rhymes, an Arabian Nights storybook... I do remember being a colouring/activity book enthusiast as a child and those frequently included stories. The timeline's jumbled up in my mind so I'll just stick to mentioning as many as I can.

The first book that made me really love reading though? Huh. I have lots of those. As I grew older, I'd take "reading breaks"--I'd pretty much stop reading for a few months then rediscover the allure then come across a dud and so on and so forth. I think my very first i-love-love-love-reading-don't-want-to-stop book was the first book I really wanted to own: a Lola Basyang (Grandmother Basyang) collection of stories with rich, detailed illustrations. Whenever my family and I would go to the mall back in the Philippines, I'd always ask my parents to leave me in the bookstore. There were no libraries close to us (if there were any) so the bookstore was the next best thing. Usually I'd be content in reading a book once; but there was just something special about this book. Boy, were my parents shocked by my begging and pleading when they got back from shopping! I was beyond ecstatic when I got the Lola Basyang for my 9th birthday.

The first book that made me aware of the awesome power of reading at a slightly older age though? The King's Daughter by Suzanne Martel, hands down. A lot of my French Immersion friends hated reading it in the original French but the English translation captivated me. Coureurs de bois! New France! Thierry de Villebrand! Iroquois! Adventure! Romance! A dash of suspense! My sixth grade self just gobbled it up.

Actually, Suzanne Martel was the first author I wanted to track down just so I could read her other books. I couldn't find any in the library so I was extremely disappointed--so I sought a shoulder to cry on through other books instead.

Thanks to BTT for providing such an awesome question. Thinking wasn't so hard, wasn't it? :D

In My Mailbox (1)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren with a dash of Alea from Pop Culture Junkie acting as a muse. It's basically a mixture of book sharing, blogger interaction and just plain ol' boasting (nah, just playin'). It's all in the name of book love.

Anyways, enough with the chitchat. Here's the 411 on the books on my radar (haha, I am so hip with the kids these days)!

Note: As I am some sort of dependent little whatsit, I don't have any money to actually purchase books so all my IMMs are presumably from the library. Unless specified, of course (and in that event, I'll be sure to be screaming my head off).

But I digress. I've maxed out my library card (50 materials for the win!) so I'll just mention the books due in the next week for me.

It seems that I have 14 of them this week. All links to Goodreads!

Warrior Princess by Frewin Jones

Dragon Seer by Janet McNaughton

North of Beautiful by Justina Chen Headley

The Orange Houses by Paul Griffin

The Weight of Silence by Heather Gudenkauf

Hold Still by Nina LaCour

Liar by Justine Larbalestier

The Midnight Charter by David Whitley

Wings by Aprilynne Pike

Luna: a novel by Julie Anne Peters

Savvy by Ingrid Law

Gentlemen by Michael Northrop

Drawing a Blank: Or How I Tried to Solve a Mystery, End a Feud, and Land the Girl of My Dreams by Daniel Ehrenhaft

At this rate, I'm probably going to have to return half of them. D; It's a good thing I can borrow them again though! (Hurrah for the library!)

Booking Through Thursday: Beach Buddies

Suggested by Joy:

Which fictional character (or group of characters) would you like to spend a day at the beach with? Why would he/she/they make good beach buddies?

What an intriguing question! I love to go to the beach, but gosh darn it, I can't really think of a specific fictional character to go with right now. Perhaps Garit, from Janet McNaughton's Dragon Seer would be a good candidate. I mean, he's about my age, loves to tell the 'old' stories, can carve pretty awesomely AND he's purportedly really clever (wait, scratch that, he IS clever; just read further into the book). I can just imagine us watching as the waves lap the shore, his voice near my ear telling me of Father Moon while he somehow carves something magical out of a bunch of twigs.

Can you say dreamy?

Of course, probably my main reason for saying so is he's the only character living in my head right now (I'm currently in the process of reading the book which might explain a few things...). But man, oh man, I'd spend time with him any day!