How to Book Nerd: A Tutorial

 

Step One: Buy the books

All of them. Whatever your wallet is willing to give up is to be handed over to the book distributors in exchange for their precious merchandise. You must not miss out on any opportunity to admire their beautiful hardcovers or run your fingers over the perfectly floppy paperbacks. And if you possibly can, buy them.

This is, of course, not a mandatory step in your journey to booknerdom. Benjamin Franklin was as obliging as to invent a thing we now call the “library,” where you can borrow books without angering your bank account. If you’re at all inclined and able, though, this is a highly recommended step.

 

 

 

Step Two: Read the books

Unlike the last, this step is absolutely necessary to the aspiring book nerd. Though it may seem intimidating, the art is really quite upfront: buy books, read them.

If you find yourself daunted by books that are thicker than your hand is tall, then you could try something less intensive. Start small (Doctor Seuss is always there for you, you know.)

Step Three: Cry over the book

There are many different strains of the book nerd, and depending on the type you’re aiming to become, this step may or may not be imperative.

The following are the types which require the “crying over the book” step:

The Fangirl – Everything is just so sad AND OH MY GOODNESS THE FEELS.

The Introspect – Everything just had such an impact on your inner, personal life; it hits you right and you just have to let yourself get a little bit teary-eyed over it.

The Crier – Rather self-explanatory; it’s happy, you cry. It’s sad, you cry. It’s embarrassing, you cry. It’s kind of in between, you cry.

If you find yourself leaning toward any of the above book nerd strains (and don’t feel the need to restrict yourself to just one), then you had better make sure you cry over the book.

Generally, crying is a natural action, but you may have to work yourself up to it at first.

Some beginners have found reading books like Lassie and Where the Red Fern Grows to be beneficial.

Step Four: Tell Everyone You Know About the Book

In order to complete your quest for booknerdom, you must have a certain desire, a certain drive to shove your favorite book into the hands of every human possessing two eyes (Though even one eye is fine too.) One way to convince people to pick up your much-adored book is to scream at them on social media.

NOTE: If you fall into the Fangirl category, it is perfectly acceptable to use all caps when recommending books on the internet. Whether or not is actually convinces people to read the book has not yet been determined, but it definitely makes you appear very passionate.

Did you find this tutorial helpful? Do you have any other steps or helpful tricks to becoming a thorough book nerd?

BLOGIVERSARY?

Well, that crept up on me.

I’ve been blogging here on The Elliot Countenance for an entire year now. Wow. In this last 365 days a lot has changed. I’ve changed. Not only in my bookish ways, but also simply as a human (I guess that happens to people, doesn’t it?)

Well, I thought I’d go through some memory-riddled thoughts and flashbacks to when my little blog was just newly born, and even before that. Way back to when it was a freshly conceived idea and simply prattle about it.

Que impromptu song:

Blogiversary

To be sung to the tune of “The Bare Necessities”

It’s our BLOGIVERSARY,

our blogging blogiversay

…

*awkwardly fades out because I forget how to tune goes after that*

I’ve always been of the opinion that songs are the best way to begin things.

Moving on.

When did it happen?

Long before I decided to start The Elliot Countenance, I was itching to talk to people. About books, about writing, about words. Just about stuff. I have quite a few bookish people as friends, and I love all of them to death, but very few are really what I would classify as book nerds.

(And by that I mean that they do tire of my fangirling over The Scarlet Pimpernel.)

 Thus, I decided that this blog needed to be a thing. A place where I could deflect my excitement and thoughts and feelings from my sadly overburdened family members. (I will now publicly apologize to my little sister for making her listen to me ramble multiple times about Cinder. I hope I did more good than damage.)

What’s new?

Like I said before, so many things have changed. Some of them have been good, others took some adjusting to, but here’s a list of the ones more directly related to The Elliot Countenance:

• I have a Bookstagram!
• The header; I changed it forever ago, but it still isn’t the original.

The old and the new

• Books. I now own exactly 230 books.
• Taste. This has only changed slightly. I started reading a teeny bit of YA 🙂

 

Where did the name come from?

There were two steps to coming up with my blog name:

First, I read Persuasion by Jane Austen. And I watched all of the movie adaptations. And I listened to the audiobook. And I read blogs about period adaptations.

And then I saw this picture on Pinterest and thought, YES THIS IS IT.

What are my plans for the future?

I’ve really failed lately at consistency; I think that has been the most difficult thing for me.  Sometimes, deciding between reading and blogging about what I’m reading is too difficult of a decision to make. I do have a bunch of ideas about what I’d like to do, though, so I think that I’ll be taking a fun direction in the near future!

Now, I’d just like to say how grateful I am for you guys who take time out of your lives to read what my brain decides to spew out in front of you, and all of your comments bring grins to my face. So, thank you.

I hope that in these next days or months or years I have left to write here, I’ll be able to encourage you to think. Not just for thinking’s sake, but so that whether you’re eating or drinking or whatever you’re doing, you can do all to the glory of God.

Book Review: Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan

 

Synopsis

Esperanza thought she’d always live with her family on their ranch in Mexico-she’d always have fancy dresses, a beautiful home, and servants. But a sudden tragedy forces Esperanza and Mama to flee to California during the Great Depression, and to settle in a camp for Mexican farm workers. Esperanza isn’t ready for the hard labor, financial struggles, or lack of acceptance she now faces. When their new life is threatened, Esperanza must find a way to rise above her difficult circumstances-Mama’s life, and her own, depend on it. (via Goodreads)

 

Plot

 

When tragedy smacks Esperanza Ortoga’s family, she and her mama are forced to flee to America, hoping to build new lives for themselves in 1920’s California.

HOWEVER.

Work is harder than Esperanza thought, and when Mama is taken seriously ill, Esperanza has to learn what it means to achieve the American Dream. By herself. She’s nearly driven to desperation because of the obstacles placed in the way of those who have immigrated to America. Always backed by her loyal childhood friend, Miguel (who, can I just say… is wonderful. Can I get him as a big brother or something?), Esperanza has to make tough choices and figure out what sacrifice is.

 

Characters

 

So, you can probably guess by now, the main character is Esperanza Ortoga, and oh dear. She was so wonderfully crafted. Enthusiastic, loving, and loyal, yet given to prejudice and snobbery. I will say, there were times when I was seriously irritated with her. But most good characters do make bad decisions and rub you the wrong way at times, so that’s a good thing, I think. Her character goes through some major development throughout the story, which was lovely to see.

 

Then there’s Miguel. He’s the Samwise Gamgee, the loyal puppy of the book. Filled with wise remarks but rarely a sharp word, Miguel is, well, he’s my favorite.

 

The other characters in the story come in all personalities imaginable. Mama, strong and ladylike. Hortensia and Alfonso, Miguel’s parents, giving and considerate, yet never allowing themselves to be tread upon. And Abuelita. The one who smells of face powder and peppermint. She is filled from head to toe with proverbial sayings, and yet she shows such bravery and patience.

 

Likes

Lets face it: the best kinds of books are the ones that make you think, but don’t think for you.

Nobody goes into a story looking for a sermon, and when that’s what the book turns out to be, well, it’s highly annoying. One of my favorite things about Esperanza Rising is that it did make me think. It gave me questions, and yet it didn’t shout the answers in my face. They were subtle, intricately woven into the story.

 

Another thing I enjoyed about this novel is the way it deals with social/political issues. I don’t know why, but I genuinely enjoy a book that can weave political thought and historical issues nicely into the story. This one dealt with things like labor unions, racism, and all of the other issues you might expect (or maybe even not expect!) from an American Dream story set in the early stages of the Depression.

 

Also, I loved the way the themes and analogies were so fundamental to the entire story. Repeatedly, they were emphasized, but not in any kind of pushy or irritating way.

 

 

Dislikes

In the beginning, I did have a problem with the entire analogy of the phoenix (and maybe it’s just a subject I’m a bit sensitive to) but basically, there is this whole theme of the bird that brought itself into existence out of its own ashes. Of course, after I thought about it a while, I did see how perfectly that it relates to the story. Esperanza has to build herself a new life in a new land, and because of racial prejudices other influences, she’s basically there doing it by herself against the odds. So in this case, I do think that it was well used. And that’s my one dislike… that really wasn’t a dislike after all!

 

My Rating:

Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan

 

4.5/5 stars – I loved it!

Currently Reading: Breaking Stalin’s Nose by Eugene Yelchin

Recently Finished: Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë

 

January-April Reads

You know, some people are good at consistently posting on their blogs, and others can do other cool things. Like balancing the light switch between the ‘on’ and ‘off’ labels. I leave it to you to determine which category I fall into…

 

NOW, TO TELL YOU ABOUT THE BOOKS.

 

For me, this year has been extremely productive as far as reading goes. My mom and I started up a challenge with some friends in an attempt to read 52 books in 2016. So I’ve been rather motivated. Another helpful thing is that the majority of the books I’ve read in the last four months have been amazing. Like, forever favorites kind of amazing.

Now, here is the chronological list of books I’ve read since January.

 

 

#1: Freedom by Kevin Swanson

5/5 stars

This is one of those books that I want to go around slapping in peoples’ faces, like, “READ THIS.”

# 2: Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe

4/5 stars

As a story, I truly enjoyed it. It’s entertaining, heart wrenching, and beautifully written. Understandably a classic.

#3: Idelette: a novel based on the life of Madame John Calvin by Edna Gerstner

3/5 stars

I enjoyed this immensely, though probably more before I found out that it’s hardly based on fact at all…

#4: The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom

5/5 stars

This is a beautiful story that I’m sure I will be reading for years to come.

#5: Stepping Heavenward by Elizabeth Prentiss

5/5 stars

This was given and recommended to me by a friend last year, and when I finally read it, I understood why. It’s packed with incidents where I found myself thinking, “Oh man… that’s me!” I highly recommend it to any Christian girl.

#6: A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle

4/5 stars

I definitely enjoyed this book. It’s fast-paced, lively, and is kind of an intense mashup of dystopian and fantasy.

#7: Agnes Grey by Anne Bronte

4/5 stars

I will admit, this one flows exactly the way you hope it will… and I loved it.

#8: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

4.5/5 stars

I read this for my American Literature class, and oh dear. There are so many elements to this book that impacted me and that I still find myself thinking about.

#9: Gifted Hands: the Ben Carson story by Ben Carson

4/5 stars

Motivating and interesting.

#10: 100 Cupboards by N.D. Wilson

5/5 stars

Loved it. Those are all of the words I can muster to describe my enthusiasm for this one.

#11: It’s like this, Cat by Emily Cheney Neville

3/5 stars

I definitely enjoyed this story. It gave me the same vibes as The Outsiders did, which is strange, since this one is a kids books. Anyway, yeah. It was good.

#12: A Wind in the Door by Madeleine L’Engle

4/5 stars

The sequel to A Wrinkle in Time was definitely good, though I don’t think I loved it as much as the first book. It’s lovely, but in it’s own way.

#13: Dandelion Fire by N.D. Wilson

5/5 stars

First off, I’m in love with this title. Secondly, it’s very rare that a sequel is better than the original book. This is one of those rare finds. It’s as if Wilson stood on his amazingness set up in 100 Cupboards and just built this one up from there.

#14: Old Man and the Sea by Earnest Hemingway

1/5 stars

Bleh. And that’s a lot coming from me, the girl who adores classics.

#15: Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

4/5 stars

Definitely enjoyable.

#16: The Giver by Lois Lowry

5/5 stars

Amazing, thought-provoking, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. In fact, I read it in one evening, which is very rare for me.

#17: Hostage Lands by Douglas Bond

4/5 stars

Lets face it: most Christian authors stink. To my surprise (and embarrassment), Douglas Bond is not one of those authors.

#18: The Chestnut King by N.D. Wilson

5/5 stars

Another lovely Nate Wilson book. When I finished it, I couldn’t stop grinning for twenty minutes straight…

#19: Restoring America: one county at a time by Joel McDurmon

5/5 stars

Another slap-people-in-the-face kind of book, Restoring America takes Biblical principles of liberty, discusses how they have been lost in our country, and gives practical ways to help regain them. I loved every minute of it. If you enjoy politics and history, I would highly recommend this one!

Currently reading: Esperanza Rising

Just finished: Restoring America

What is your favorite book you’ve read in 2016? (Or favorites. Because I understand. That’s basically an impossible question.)

Top Ten Quotes from Literature

Well, hello everybody!

 

Since I moved, I’ve spent the last few weeks tossing out boxes, working on my skills in conversation (Homeschooler problems, guys. Or introvert problems? Introverted homeschooler problems.), and swimming. Because the south is hot.  Anyhow, in an attempt at decorating, I’ve been searching for and collecting quotes to turn into wall art. Like this:

(No, I didn’t make this particular one… 🙂

I wanted to share some of the winsomeness and wonder of these quotes with you, so here are my Top Ten Quotes from Literature.

 

1. “Books do not age as you or I do, they will speak on to generations we will never see.”

 

2. Friendship… is born at the moment when one man says to another “What? You too! I thought I was the only one.” – C.S. Lewis

 

3. “If we had no winter, spring would not be so pleasant: if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.” – Anne Bradstreet

4. “Sometimes standing against evil is more important than defeating it. The greatest heroes stand because it is right to do so, not because they believe they will walk away with their lives. Such selfless courage is a victory in itself.” – N.D. Wilson

 

 

5. “Most of us know what we should expect to find in a dragon’s lair, but, as I said before, Eustace had read all the wrong books. They had a lot to say about exports and imports and governments and drains, but they were weak on dragons.” -C.S. Lewis

 

 

6. Laughter is sunshine. It chases winter from the human face.” -Victor Hugo

 

 

7.  “I was quiet, but I was not blind.” – Jane Austen

 

8. (My personal favorite)”It takes faith, and courage, and love, and prayer, and work, and a little singing to keep up your spirits, but we’re going to do it!” – Bess Streeter Aldrich, A Lantern in Her Hand

 

9. “Always be on the lookout for the presence of wonder.” -E.B. White

 

 

10. “Post tenebras lux!” [after darkness, light!”] -John Calvin

 

 

 

 

Currently reading: The Chestnut King by N.D. Wilson

Just finished: Hostage Lands by Douglas Bond

---

 

Photos via: Pinterest

20 Bookish Facts about Me

 

Woohoo! I’m back!

Originally, this post was going to be called “25 Bookish Facts About Me” but I ran out of brain power and gave up at twenty (close enough, right?)

So now, I’d be absolutely delighted- entirely thrilled- fully elated to present to you… twenty bookish facts about yours truly.

 

 

1. I have a love of buying books that borders on unhealthy.

You want to give me a birthday present? Awesome! Give me a copy of your favorite book. Also, book money, bookshelves, bookish accessories… all are welcome.

 

2. I spent three years reading classics nonstop. 

Yep, from the ages of 12-15 I read only one or two books written within the last 50 years. Other than that, I had a good ol’ time with the classics.

 

3. BookTube? Yes, please!

So, if you weren’t already aware, there’s this group of people on YouTube, who make videos about books. Not only books, though, but other bookish stuff too. I don’t even read the same books as most booktubers, but it’s still fun to watch their reactions and all that jazz.

 

4. My favorite book I have read so far in 2016 is either 100 Cupboards or Dandelion Fire by N.D. Wilson

 

5. I’ve never read a long-ish book in one sitting.

If I read more than a couple of hours at a time, my legs cramp and I start feeling really restless, even if I love the book. So, finishing a book is usually a two day experience for me.

 

6. Despite my love of classics, I’ve never read all of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.

I feel like this is a terrible crime, but it’s true. It might be due to the fact that I have both the 1995 and 1980 versions  of the movie nearly memorized…. “Mr. Bennet, you have no compassion on my poor nerves!”

 

7. My “Pretty Bookshelf” is currently color coded…

Or, it was before I had to remove all of my beloveds to the contraption called a “moving van.”

 

8. I have a love for really old books.

 

9. It kills me a little bit to pay full price for just about anything. Even books.

Which is why I’m a huge used book lover.

 

10. I’ve never read The Hunger Games.

Or Harry Potter, or Divergent, or The Maze Runner… and I don’t exactly have plans to read them anytime soon. (Don’t hate me, please.)

 

11. I recently bought the most beautiful copy of Jane Eyre I’ve ever seen.

And can I just say, it was six dollars. Six dollars! Thank you, HPB. I am eternally grateful.

 

12. I didn’t start collecting books until sometime last year.

Though I’ve just graduated to my second bookshelf (woot woot!).

 

13. I’m usually fine with letting people borrow my books.

Because if you ruin it, I only paid a dollar fifty for it anyway!

 

14. The weirdest book I’ve ever read is probably The Future Door by Jason Lethcoe.

Seriously. It even out-weirded Perelandra by C.S. Lewis. (Also, I don’t mean to ruin this for you, but have you noticed that Lethcoe sounds like you’re exclaiming ‘Let’s go’ with a lisp?…)

 

15. The longest book I have ever read is The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien.

And the runner up is (I think) Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell.

 

16. My most read novel of all time is The Horse and his Boy by C.S. Lewis

 

17. In the last year I have read Northanger Abbey three times. 

Does anybody consider that unhealthy? Because really, it’s an amazing book.

 

18. The only book that I have ever had the urge to reread as soon as I finished it was The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Emmuska Orczy.

I didn’t, though, because it was 1:30 in the morning.

 

19. I’m currently 25% done with my reading challenge.

My goal is to read 52 books this year. I’m on book 14.

 

20. I can hardly stand when the covers of books in a series don’t match…

Like when I ordered Merlin’s Shadow, only to discover that it was actually an ARC and didn’t match the rest of the trilogy… It still bothers me.

 

 

 

 

What are some weird, bookish facts about you? Can you even remotely relate to my bookish nonsense? Let me know in the comments!

The Wonderful Book Tag

First off, lots of thanks to Shai Ireland from Thinking About… for tagging me!

Here are the Rules:

-Answer the 10 questions

-Tag some folks

-Have fun!

 

 

 

What are your top two favorite books?

It’s really funny how every time someone asks me this question I suddenly feel as if I’ve never read a book before in my life. After some major deliberation and Goodreads searching, though, I figure I’ll mix it up a bit and go with The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Emmuska Orczy and 100 Cupboards by N.D. Wilson.

 

What are your top two favorite series?

Hands down the Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Chronicles of Narnia.

 

Who is your favorite fictional character?

This question is torturous, but I think I’m going to say Henry Tilney from Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey. He’s the best.

 

If any one of your favorite books could be made into a movie, which one would you want it to be?

Hold it, hold it. We’re assuming that it will be perfectly casted, portrayed, and made into a word-for-word adaptation of the book, right? Right.

That being said, 100 Cupboards by N.D. Wilson.

 

What is your favorite genre to read?

I can’t choose only one. I just can’t. My favorites are Fantasy and Historical Fiction.

 

Do you have a favorite author?

J.R.R. Tolkien.

 

Is there a book that you can hardly wait to come out?

Nope, not that I can think of.

 

What was one of your favorite childhood books?

When I was six, my first grade teacher was friends with Jan Brett, so she flooded my class with Jan’s new releases. Hedgie Loves to Read was my favorite, and I treasured my copy, even though it was missing pages somewhere in the middle of the story.

 

What was one of you favorite books when you were late elementary to middle school age?

In my last post I mentioned Emily’s Runaway Imagination as being a favorite of mine, but another one was The Bungalow Mystery by Carolyne Keene. I read so many Nancy Drew mysteries it’s a little bit frightening.

What is your favorite book of the Bible?

Romans. Definitely Romans.

Now, for the tagging.

I tag :

Zac Tyson from Of Bleeding Pens and Pages (I just now discovered his blog, and it’s wonderful.)

Katie Grace from A Writer’s Faith. (Also just found her blog, and it’s equally wonderful.)

Tell me your answers and what you thought about mine in the comments! I’d love to hear about it.

January + February Book Haul

Well, here I am. Back again. It’s been a crazy few months, and I’ve neglected my little blog so terribly.

Ahem.

Sorry about that.

What with preparing to move halfway across the country, I’ve told myself I haven’t had time to write over here. I actually do, though, with a little wriggling in my schedule. Of course, I haven’t stopped buying or reading books this entire time. So my January-February  wrap-up will be coming in a separate post (you know, hopefully…)

The fact that I bought sixteen books in the last couple of months might make you think I’m a little bit crazy. And you would probably be right.

 

 

BOOK HAUL!

First off, Agnes Grey by Anne Brontë

Leepike Ridge by N.D. Wilson

The Janitor’s Boy by Andrew Clements

The Landry News by Andrew Clements

A Week in the Woods by Andrew Clements

I think the fact that all of Andrew Clement’s books have similar cover art is just fantastic. They look lovely on my shelves.

The Making of a Marchioness by Frances Hodgson Burnett

To be entirely honest, I know next to nothing about this book…  Has anybody else read it?

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

100 Cupboards by N.D. Wilson

Fun fact: I actually went to the same church as Mr. Wilson for quite a while.

Yet I’ve never read his books before now.

Dandelion Fire by N.D. Wilson

The Chestnut King by N.D. Wilson

Merlin’s Shadow by Robert Treskillard

So. Story time. I bought the first and third books in this series. Pristine, beautiful copies. However, my most favorite of favorite bookstores (Half Price Books, if you didn’t already know that…) didn’t have the second one, Merlin’s Shadow. So, naturally, I went to the online store and ordered it. The thing is, I didn’t exactly put my avid reading skills to work when finding a copy. Consequently, I own a not-matching ARC of this one. Yes, it does bother my inner perfectionist, but it’s fine. For now. Haha.

A Wind in the Door by Madeline L’Engle

The second book in the Time Quintet. I’m currently getting through it, though more slowly than I did A Wrinkle in Time. 

Emily’s Runaway Imagination by Beverly Cleary

This was my favorite childhood book, but my copy mysteriously disappeared a couple of years ago, so I just bought to most adorable edition I could find. (And may I add that it was only six dollars? Yeah. Thank you, internet.)

The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner’s Dilemma by Trenton Lee Stuart

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

Gifted Hands by Ben Carson

Quite a few of these I’ve read before, whether a few years or a few days ago. I’ll just tell you right now, all of them are great.

Also, I’m miserably behind on tag posts, so there should be one up within the next couple of days. Stay tuned for that!

Favorite Books of 2015

 

With 2015 wrapping itself to a close, I decided to take a look back at the books I’ve read over the course of this year.

I spent quite a bit of 2015 expanding my knowledge through different genres, rather than reading exclusively Historical Fiction. That’s not to say that I didn’t read any books out of my favorite genre, though. I did read quite a few, and it shows in my list of favorites. It’s been a wonderful year. So, these are my top five favorite books read in 2015 (not organized in any particular order).

 

#1 Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen

This book is my favorite Jane Austen novel. For some reason, I have a special spot for parodies in my little bookish heart. This story was actually rather exciting. It made me laugh, and Mr. Tilney’s sarcasm and lively personality made him one of my favorite literary guys. Yeah. It was absolutely lovely.

#2 The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis

Can you say “perspective change”? because that’s what this book did for me. Lewis’ ability to understand sinful men is remarkable. And the fact that the story is told from the viewpoint of a demon adds a strange little twist to the mix. So yes, five stars, and I highly recommend it.

#3 The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Emmuska Orczy

In all honesty, I can’t even explain my love for this book. All you need to know is that its amazing, and you should go read it. Like, right now would be preferable. 🙂

#4 Joyfully at Home by Jasmine Baucham

As much as I dislike admitting this, the books that have impacted me the most this year have actually been non-fiction. I’m more of a storytelling, thoughtfully analytic type of girl, and Joyfully at Home was definitely not a book you needed to sit down and analyze (in the same sense that you would a novel). It was fresh and encouraging, reminding me of what is really important in life: glorifying God and enjoying him forever.

This book was terribly convicting, but somehow Jasmine has a way of making you laugh at your failings rather than bawl over them. And I don’t mean that in any bad way. I would definitely encourage any young lady to find a copy of this book because, really, it’s worth every penny.

#5 A Lantern in Her Hand by Bess Streeter Aldrich

I cried for forty-five minutes straight during this book. I, who am considered to be the level-headed one of my family, broke down crying. Really. It was that good. I can’t trust myself to say anything else without dropping all kinds of spoilers, so I’m going to leave it at that. Haha.

This year wasn’t anything spectacular in the sense that I only read thirty-something books. However, I’m blessed to be able to say that I’ve learned and grown more than ever before. So here’s to the hope that 2016 will keep on with that pattern and prove to be more satisfying than any year preceding it.

What are some of your favorite books that you read in 2015? I’d love to know! 

The Emoji Book Tag

So, there’s this tag over on BookTube called the Emoji Book Tag. It was created by seven people (who I’ll link to below), and it just looks so fun I decided to move it on over to my blog, because why not?

Rules:

-Link to the tag’s creators, and thank the person who tagged you.

-Choose your top five favorite or recently used emojis, explaining in what situations you use them. Then associate each one with a book or character.

-Tag whoever you want!

————————————————————-

#1 The Crazy-eyed Emoji

 

I use this one pretty much any time I’m trying to describe something that makes me feel confused or overwhelmed (sometimes in an enjoyable way). Seriously, it’s so applicable and I love it.

For this one, I’m going to go with Captives by Jill Williamson. Because… Omar. I felt this way about him through the whole series. Like, I want to smack you, Omar, but then give you a hug because you really need it.

————————————————————-

#2 LEM

The Little Expressionless Man. Normally, I use this emoji when I have no response, when I’m slightly embarrassed, or even annoyed.

I chose a middle-grade book for this one. It’s been a while since I’ve read it, but Cleopatra VII: Daughter of the Nile 57-B.C. gave me pretty much the exact same feeling when I finished it (mostly the annoyed one). Aaaaand I’m not going to tell you why *evil laugh*.

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#3 Fist Bump

This is my yes-this-is-so-cool emoji. I use it when something is just so wonderful I have to give you a fist bump to show my appreciation or agreement.

So, I chose North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell. Man, the ending of this book? Triumph. I wanted to go around and fist bump everybody is sight. It was wonderful (you should go read it).

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#4 Hearts

This is probably my most-used emoji, and I use it to express love or happiness. Surprising, I know… haha.

I decided to chose a book I love for this emoji, and I wanted to branch out a little and not go with Lord of the Rings (because that’s my generic answer for almost every question…).

So I’m selecting Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen. I have so much love for this book. So, so much. It’s one of those books that you could read over and over again and never get tired of.

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#5 The “Mr. Bennet- I have wronged you!” emoji

I don’t use this one very often, but it makes me laugh.

Take one guess at what character I’ve associated with this book…

Yeah. You got it. Mrs. Bennet from Pride and Prejudice. Can’t you just hear this emoji wailing “Ooooh, Mr. Bennet. We are all ruined!” because I can…

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That’s it! Now it’s time for tagging.

I tag:

Shai from Thinking About Lots of Things

Hannah from Plottinger Twist

And you!

I’m just going to apologize now for the quality of the pictures, but it’s the best I could do… so… 🙂

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TAG CREATORS:

• Dylan
• Jenny
• Max
• Sanaa
• Liz
• Vilde
• Scott

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Emoji photos via: Google Emoji List

Mrs. Bennet quote photo via: Pinterest