Showing posts with label book haul. Show all posts
Showing posts with label book haul. Show all posts
Sunday, 6 April 2014
Showcase Sunday #6: The Good Children Roopa Farooki
Thursday, 6 February 2014
Book Haul #1
This week I went a little crazy at the Waterstones and Amazon sale... But honestly, who can resist 20% off and 'buy one, get one half price' deals?! Girl gotta buy herself some books when they're on sale! And now that I have a lot more books in my possession (and absolutely no more available book space to store them) I thought I'd write my first haul post!
1) How They Met and Other Stories by David Lavithan
In my last post, I mentioned that I wanted to read a love story this month, for obvious lovey-dovey reasons. I ended up getting some really great suggestions from you all on Twitter, so thanks for that. (Definitely going to be reading The Choice by Nicholas Sparks later on in the year, thanks to Emma Louise's suggestion.)
However, when I saw this book, I couldn't resist it. It's a collection of stories about love and how different couples have met. I've been recommended David Lavithan through the blogging community, and I'm really looking forward to reading his work for the first time.
2) Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Lavithan
Another David Lavithan book (let's hope I enjoy his writing!) I picked this up as I wanted to read more John Green books. He has made quite a name for himself, and I really enjoyed The Fault in Our Stars, so thought that this would be a good one to read next as it seems completely different to TFiOS.
It's about two strangers who share the same name and become unlikely friends. There was also mention of a musical in the blurb, which appeals to the former-drama student in me. This book promises to be funny and heartwarming, something that I come to expect from John Green.
3) The Pig That Wants to be Eaten by Julian Baggini
Is it wrong to eat the pig that wants to be eaten? Julian Baggini asks that, and lots of other moral dilemmas in this book. I'm really looking forward to reading this as I have always been intrigued by moral philosophy, and would always play the "would you rather..." game at school.
There are 100 thought experiments in this book, that might change the way you think about certain topics and debates. I'm intrigued to see if it wavers my beliefs and ideas. I think this will be a very interesting read.
4) The Thank You Economy by Gary Vaynerchuk
I was suggested this book and JJJRH by Gary Vaynerchuk by my boss last week. (I start my new job as a social media assistant on Monday, by the way!) And I'm really looking forward to reading this book because Gary Vaynerchuk is a very inspirational character (Seriously, Google him!) He is an expert on social media and how businesses should use it to engage with their audience.
Through social media, he humanises his brand, rather than using social media to sell his product, he uses it to connect and engage with people. The Thank You Economy is all about how we interact with each other on social media, and how communication is drastically changing due to the internet.
5) Jab Jab Jab Right Hook by Gary Vaynerchuk
The second Vaynerchuk book on the list, I actually finished this book last night and will be writing a review very soon (keep your eyes peeled). This book was very beneficial to me as I'm currently learning the ropes of social media for my new job. But I think it'd also be really helpful for bloggers to read to as it gives you ideas on how to interact with your readers. It's a great tool for anyone who is trying to open up/run their own business, but also people who are just looking to expand their network.
There are loads of really colourful examples, and Gary writes in such a way that is easy to understand, funny and engaging. It completely opened my eyes to how badly some brands are using social media. Social media is still so new, and it's so important to learn how to use it to the best of its ability.
I'd love to know whats in your book pile and if, like me, you also brought a hell of a lot of books this week!
Wednesday, 8 January 2014
How important is a book cover?
We've all heard the phrase "don't judge a book by its cover", of course it's usually applied to anything other than an actual book. But, it got me thinking about how important book covers actually are for sales. I'll admit, I'm a sucker for a good book cover. I'm unsure if its because I have magpie-like tendencies, and am usually drawn to anything shiny, or the fact that my boyfriends a graphic designer, and his design orientated ways have rubbed off on me.
Either way, every time I spot a beautifully decorated cover, I can't help but think about how it will adorn my bookshelf. I have become so obsessed with beautiful covers, I have started collecting the Penguin Classics clothbound books. (And as you can see from my blog header, I have a weakness for a beautifully designed book.)
As much as I hate to admit it, I am definitely more inclined to pick a gorgeously designed book, over something that looks boring and dull. That's not saying that I wouldn't read a book with a plain cover, but a pretty cover definitely helps.
That being said, many of the books that have various different designs, are usually classic literature, and I think that the up-dated design is important in order to keep the books up-to-date. For example, a young person might not necessarily want to read The Picture of Dorian Gray, due to how old the book is. However, I think that these lovely covers attract people that would not consciously pick out an old book to read for enjoyment.
And some book covers can become completely iconic. I for one, am unable to see a white cloud on a blue background without thinking about John Green's The Fault In Our Stars. Even though we'd all love to claim that it's the story that matters, and not the aesthetics, I think that covers are more important that we give them credit for.
That being said, I think there is something very charming about a beaten and battered old book. My boyfriend and I have brought lots of second hand books, some that have coffee stains, and pages falling out and even some secret notes written inside them. (Those are the best kinds!) However, if I came across a book like that, and I had not of heard of the story or author, I doubt I'd buy it.
I'm curious to know what you all think? Let me know in the comments or through Twitter @amandajtweets.
And in slightly related news, I've added to my beautifully designed book collection. I had brought a clothbound Alices Adventures in Wonderland book, however, after only a day of having it, some of the pages started falling out. They were lovely about it at the shop, and I was hoping to get a straight exchange, but there was no others in stock.
Luckily for me, I managed to find this beautiful library in the childrens section, for half the price of the one book! It's also given me an opportunity to finally get around to reading Little Women and The Secret Garden, which I surprisingly never got round to as a child.
Either way, every time I spot a beautifully decorated cover, I can't help but think about how it will adorn my bookshelf. I have become so obsessed with beautiful covers, I have started collecting the Penguin Classics clothbound books. (And as you can see from my blog header, I have a weakness for a beautifully designed book.)
As much as I hate to admit it, I am definitely more inclined to pick a gorgeously designed book, over something that looks boring and dull. That's not saying that I wouldn't read a book with a plain cover, but a pretty cover definitely helps.
That being said, many of the books that have various different designs, are usually classic literature, and I think that the up-dated design is important in order to keep the books up-to-date. For example, a young person might not necessarily want to read The Picture of Dorian Gray, due to how old the book is. However, I think that these lovely covers attract people that would not consciously pick out an old book to read for enjoyment.
And some book covers can become completely iconic. I for one, am unable to see a white cloud on a blue background without thinking about John Green's The Fault In Our Stars. Even though we'd all love to claim that it's the story that matters, and not the aesthetics, I think that covers are more important that we give them credit for.
That being said, I think there is something very charming about a beaten and battered old book. My boyfriend and I have brought lots of second hand books, some that have coffee stains, and pages falling out and even some secret notes written inside them. (Those are the best kinds!) However, if I came across a book like that, and I had not of heard of the story or author, I doubt I'd buy it.
I'm curious to know what you all think? Let me know in the comments or through Twitter @amandajtweets.
And in slightly related news, I've added to my beautifully designed book collection. I had brought a clothbound Alices Adventures in Wonderland book, however, after only a day of having it, some of the pages started falling out. They were lovely about it at the shop, and I was hoping to get a straight exchange, but there was no others in stock.
Luckily for me, I managed to find this beautiful library in the childrens section, for half the price of the one book! It's also given me an opportunity to finally get around to reading Little Women and The Secret Garden, which I surprisingly never got round to as a child.
And I got all of these books for half of their originally price (£7.50!) I'm not entirely sure how long the Waterstones half price sale is on for, but I'd nip in there as soon as you can to grab some bargains. I am very pleased with mine!
