Be More Bookish - Final Thoughts

Now that I'm done the Be More Bookish training, I do feel a little more well versed in doing Readers Advisory. It helped provide some additional tools I could use and a wider knowledge of the many genres out there and the tiny differences that may set one sub-genre apart from another.
I do think some of the links could use an update. The information/"new" books they talk about are now rather out of date. I was also already friends with a lot of other fellow BCPL-ers on Goodreads.
Overall though, its been a good few months!

Week 9 Book Trailers - The Final Week!

Assignment 2
Book trailers.  To be honest, I have always found book trailers to be pretty sad.  I have to agree with the article in the Chicago Tribune by Nina Metz that they are usually just a failure.  I think I've only seen 1 on TV once ever and can't think of any instances online, unless I was deliberately looking for them.  I think a lot of them out there are so low budget and vague that you can't really tell what it is an ad for until they suddenly show a book cover at the end.  All in all though, I don't see them as being particularly useful for doing readers advisory.  They can be very hit or miss.

Digging around YouTube I found a few choice examples...
The good?
This one is actually decent and makes you interested in the book: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWrNyVhSJUU
I think they do an excellent job of portraying the air of mystery the book gives, leaving you wanting to know more.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYiw5vkQFPw&list=PLl_PJIosbtT4OV1P0eg2l5e0QkqzGkIfO&index=6
Creative use of illustration!
The bad?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0TnH3GEieE&list=PLl_PJIosbtT4OV1P0eg2l5e0QkqzGkIfO
Terrible acting, terrible green screening, wardrobe (that clear eye thing really pasted on her face, really?), and lost my interest quickly.  I was kind of interested in reading this book sometime, but now I'm afraid I'll just keep picturing the really bad campfire scene and kissing with bad fight scenes inserted.

Need a laugh?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jZVE5uF24Q

Week 8: Nonfiction

Assignment 3
4 Types of Nonfiction Genres:
Memoirs Call # BIO
You're Never Weird on the Internet (Almost) by Felicia Day
Travel/Adventure Call # 912-920
I combined these genres only because I think a lot of the books I have read in Travel can also be called Adventure.  Two examples include A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson and Wild by Cheryl Strayed.
Food Call # 640-641
Yes, Chef by Marcus Samuelsson
Disaster/Survival Call # 796
Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer
All of the above titles I would recommend myself.  I have found that I actually enjoy narrative nonfiction and it can be a nice break between fiction titles.
Assignment 4
A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson
I have a huge soft spot for hiking non-fiction and A Walk in the Woods is always a staple I like to put on our Staff Recommends display.  Funny and engaging yet adventurous, there is something in here for everyone.  It'll have you laughing from the first page as Bill Bryson and his totally ill-prepared buddy take on the daunting task of hiking the Appalachian trail.
Anyone who enjoys humor, travel, and the outdoors will enjoy this book!  Just recently, it was also made in a movie starring Robert Redford, which spiked some popularity in the book.  If you do enjoy this book, you can then move onto reading Bryson's other books, which are also excellent.

You're Never Weird on the Internet (Almost) by Felicia Day
This is a very new book and I just finished listening to the audio myself.  I've been a fan of Felicia's work for years and picked this audiobook up on a whim.  I love that she narrated it herself and I ended up enjoying it a lot more than I initially thought I would.  While somewhat of an internet sensation/celebrity in the nerd world, Felicia Day very humbly relates her climb to success and comes off as someone very down to earth and relatable.  While relating her very quirky childhood, Felicia became someone I could see a lot of myself in.
I'd give this to any fellow nerd girls out there, or if you have a reader who enjoys books such as those by Ernest Cline of the Ready Player One fame.  I actually did recommend this just the other day to a girl of around my age who came to the desk looking for recommendations.  She seemed really excited about it!

Week 7
Assignment #1
Cool flowchart on "What to Read Next"...
http://www.lawrence.lib.ks.us/2012/10/still-hungry-for-more-books-like-the-hunger-games/

Assignment #2
Don't get me wrong, I love YA.  A great majority of what I read is in the YA genre.  I don't know if it is the "old news" nature of these articles or what, but they just didn't do anything for me.
http://blogs.bcpl.net/bookish/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/61428302.pdf
Quite old in the references to new books it makes, but still relevant information at its core.  Its listing of "crossover authors" is still a good, solid list for those who may be new to the genre and looking for suggestions.  I particularly like the quote from Libba Bray where she says she does not worry about who the audience will be for whom she is writing.  I really don't like the misconception that YA books are only for teens, or that adults will not get anything at all out of them.
http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/publishing-and-marketing/article/55164-new-adult-needless-marketing-speak-or-valued-subgenre.html
I don't really know how I feel about this one... At the bottom a bookseller talks about a display with John Green and the 50 Shades books together - what?!  I find it interesting that while this article is now 3 years old, the term of "new adult" that it talks about still really isn't a thing.  I'm honestly not surprised it didn't catch on. 
Why can't we all just read what we like and call it that and be done with it?!
Assignment #3
http://fishingboatproceeds.tumblr.com/
I have looked at John Green's tumblr periodically from when I went into a big John Green phase and read all his books a while back.  At the time, I had no idea he was somewhat of a YouTube phenomenon and went through some of his videos.  I enjoy his relatability and how accessible he seems to his audience.  Lately, I've seen him popping up on the internet in defending the lead actress of his latest book to movie, Paper Towns, which I can admire.
http://foreveryoungadult.com/
I just love the title of this page!  I'll start looking through this one...
I do find it hilarious that one of the first articles I found when I started looking through was about "Hot Videogame Boyfriends".  This website will have to get some more exploration...haha!
Assignment #4
Trends in the YA world:
http://www.randomhouse.com/teens/
I enjoy the layout and name of this one!  The New Releases at the top were all new to me...which is also good!  I signed up for some of the newsletters as well.
http://www.hachettebookgroup.com/teens/
I also chose this because it has a very attractive way of organizing the page.
The dystopia YA theme is still going strong as authors try all different ways of putting a new spin on the genre.  I've also noticed a resurgence of classic fairy tales with a twist.  I think the Cress series series has really helped push this along.  Some older books, such as The Maze Runner series are seeing a resurgence in popularity as the movies are released.

Week 6!

I think I accidentally answered this in my last post... so see below for my discoveries on Locus Mag! :)

Assignment #3, Three Sub-Genres I am Unfamiliar With

Occult Horror
- Deborah Harkness, The All Souls Trilogy
Huh.  I guess I should have guessed this...  I have read this entire trilogy, but I honestly never really figured this would fit into this sub-genre (at least according to Amazon).  It does have a "ending of the world as we know it" theme and involves witchcraft.  I would have pegged this for a more romance-y type genre.

- Stephen King
-  Anne Rice

Hip Hop Urban Fiction
- K'wan
- Tupac Shakur
- Sapphire
These books would appeal to the urban fiction reader, especially if they enjoy reading about music or famous song artists. 

Pet Investigators Mystery
- Rita Mae Brown
- Lilian Jackson Braun
- Fran Stewart
I almost see these "pet mysteries" in the same category as a cozy mystery.  They are a little lighter and similar to those mysteries that might include recipes inside (you know what I mean!).

Some books that could cross over into multiple sub-genres include The Selection by Kiera Cass and the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon.  The Selection, while Young Adult, has a "Hunger Games style" competition in an alternate reality United States.  While not as violent as Hunger Games, and rather than outright killing each other, the contestants are thrown (for the most part willingly) into a competition to win the hand of the Prince Maxon.  While it does take dystopian characteristics, it also has a "chick lit" and romance streak that is very popular right now among teenage girls.

Outlander has many different genres to offer.  It is historical fiction from multiple time periods as it involves time travel, romance, and adventure in one long, epic story.  I think when books are so involved like this, and they do it well, do they appeal to a much greater audience.  The success of Diana Gabaldon is a testament to this.

I know I'm a tiny bit late on this one...OF COURSE I remembered when I was at home that I totally forgot to finish and post this before I had left for my long weekend off.  My only excuse is that I just got totally caught up in the end of SRC and was running around all week getting that wrapped up.
Anyway, here it is:

Week 5
Assignment 1:  I've been receiving the EarlyWord weekly newsletter for some time now and look forward to reading it each Friday.  I've requested lots of items based on what I have read from it, and it almost always has information that interests me.  I love that it includes book to movie adaptation information as well and things like trailers as soon as they come out!  It is always very current and I've learned a lot of things simply from taking a look through their weekly newsletter.  When I have some extra time, sometimes I will go through the website a little more in-depth, but usually the newsletter really hits the highlights that I'm interested in.
The second source I've been taking a look at here and there is http://www.locusmag.com/ .  To be quite honest, I haven't found this one has interesting or user friendly as EarlyWord.  I think one of the reasons is because at first glance, the entire website is quite wordy and it can be a little difficult deciding where to start reading.  A lot of the information that I have seen on this website are things I already learned from the EarlyWord newsletter.  For example, Locus Mag did a little bit on The Martian and Armada.  Both titles have already been mentioned multiple times on EarlyWord in a more easily accessible format.

Assignment 2:  Working here at Cockeysville, we have very diverse readers who like to read a LOT.  We are asked frequently for recommendations for all ages.  I do find it helpful in that one of my jobs is the Information Desk Coordinator.  One of the responsibilities under that job includes getting both the newest New York Times Bestseller List posted out in the branch as well as the Hot Titles list for each upcoming month.  Doing this is a great reminder to myself to take a look at it whenever I put the new lists out.  We very often have customers who ask where the lists are, or if they already know, they will carry it over to you to have you order multiple books for them.

EarlyWord's website can be fairly helpful in assisting customers.  I especially like that they have going down the right hand side lists of award winners.  A lot of times you will have kids come in who are doing school assignments requiring them to read a book that has won a certain award and they have no idea where to start.  Other links that I have discovered and know I will continue to use are the links to Amazon's Top Sellers. 

Assignment 3:  Looking at Amazon's Coming Soon/Best of the Month lists, a title that caught my eye is Mechanica by Betsy Cornwell.  Being under the Young Adult section and having an appealing cover are the factors that caught my eye.  The summary also appealed to me, as a different type of re-telling of Cinderella with a Steampunk flair.  I think this could appeal to a lot of teen girls, as fairy tales are always popular and it reminds me of another series that has been popular for some time now: Cinder by Marissa Meyer.  I would give this to a younger teen who wants what sounds to be a stronger female lead with a touch of magic and fantasy.

Week 4


Goodreads time!  I love using Goodreads. 
I actually just went in to update my profile and saw that I've been a member since 2011, wow!  I had no idea it had been that long.  I primarily use it to keep track of my books that I'd like to read and have read.  I think we can all relate to walking through the stacks and finding more and more cool looking books to read until we have a mountain...that I can never quite get through.  I love adding books to my "To Read" list so I can remember them all rather than checking them all out!


I also think Goodreads is great using out on the desk when customers ask questions like "What is next in this series?"  or "When does this come out?"  The ability to look up any title and then click the series name next to it and have an entire series list is awesome.  It also does a pretty good job of telling you the expected publication date.


Another feature I enjoy is Listopia and the Giveaways.  Listopia is pretty cool to sift through to find what is upcoming and popular.  I actually won a book once through the Giveaways!  The author sent me a nice note too hoping I enjoyed their book.  You never know what'll happen, so it doesn't hurt to enter a bunch!


I don't ever seem to have luck with the Recommendations feature.  None of them have every interested me before...


Now to see if I can find some additional people also doing this Be More Bookish to friend - I know I'm already friended to a bunch of BCPL'ers! :)


Find me here on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/shimmerwing

Week 3
Conversation #1
While, Eat, Pray, Love is not exactly my own cup of tea, I can certainly suggest something to this customer.  The first book that came to mind, especially since she mentioned Oprah books, was Wild by Cheryl Strayed.  While grittier than Eat, Pray, Love, Wild shares similar themes of self-reflection and travel.  It tells the story of a younger Cheryl Strayed coming to terms with herself and her life as she hikes the Pacific Crest Trail, a long distance hiking trail that spans the west coast of the U.S. from Mexico to Canada.  Strayed reflects upon her troubled past through relationships, drugs, to the loss of her mother, as she hikes the trail with no previous hiking or backpacking experience.  Along the way she not only becomes a much more experienced and knowledgeable hiker, but she also comes to terms with herself while meeting interesting characters along the way.  Made into a movie just as of last year, it does have lots of material that could be discussed in a Book Club.


Conversation #2
Yes, I admit it.  I did read all the Twilight books.  I found them humorous if nothing else!  I enjoy supernatural books too, so I could definitely recommend a number of books to this customer.  If they want to stick to the Young Adult theme, this customer could look into Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy series.  Yes, its contains teen romance and drama, but I found them a little more complex and involved than Twilight.  If you wanted to steer even more away from the teen romance, you could try Julie Kagawa's The Immortal Rules.  While still in the YA genre, it shows a tougher side of vampires who rule the humans within a dystopian world.


If this customer wanted something absolutely, totally different from Twilight and wanted to venture into adult fiction, I would point them in the direction of several books, depending on what kind of vampires and story they were looking for.  Some take vampirism as more of disease, while others take a more traditional approach.  Does the customer want any romance, or none at all?  Do they want a post apocalyptic setting or more current and realistic?  Great vampire books in adult fiction include: The Strain by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan, The Passage by Justin Cronin, A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness, and The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova.


Conversation #3
Off the bat, I think of an adventurous, high-stakes, true book such as Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer.  This is the true account of an Everest expedition that ended disastrously.  I found it to be a thrilling and nonstop account of all the events that happened of that one fateful attempt to summit Mount Everest.  If the customer wanted something that is a lot more similar to The River of Doubt, one of the top recommendation according to Novelist is The Lost City of Z by David Grann.  While I have not read this myself, it has caught my eye on the shelf before and recounts the search for a mythical city within the Amazon.

Week 2
Assignment 1:
Read about Appeal Factors

Assignment 2:
While reading the above about Appeal Factors, as soon as I read the section about Detail, the book The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon came to mind.  This is one of those books where upon describing it, I immediately think of the phrase "info dumping".  Samantha Shannon has created this intensely detailed image of alternate reality London in the near future.  Here, a hierarchy and order has been created among the humans found to be clairvoyant, depending on their powers they have developed.  At first when reading this book, I found myself slogging through all the information and detail of this very gritty vision of London.  But once you have an understanding of the world Shannon has created, you have to appreciate how detailed and involved it is.  The book even includes maps if you wish to have an even better visual understanding of the world.  Once you get past the initial learning process of the world, you are rewarded with fast paced almost non-stop action.

Another book that came to mind was Red Rising by Pierce Brown.  To me, this book has it all and, in a nutshell, I call it Hunger Games meets Roman mythology which is then all wrapped up as a space opera.  While it does have very similar themes that are found in popular YA fiction, there are scenes of violence and the book can get very intense at times.  Its the perfect book for a reader that has graduated from reading YA.  As of typing this, only the first and second books of the series are out and readers are greatly anticipating the next installment of the series.  This is definitely a series you need to read in order to properly understand the full depth of the story.  Also like Hunger Games, Red Rising keeps up an exciting, fast pace, making it hard to put the book down.  It is also filled with a plethora of characters, from the good, bad, and everything in between.  From one book to the next, you can really see the growth and development of the central characters.  You have a clear character that you are rooting for!

The most current book I have read was Wonder by R.J. Palacio.  I've been meaning to read this one for a while, as it is one of those books you keep seeing around the branch as well as on school reading lists and I had heard wonderful things about it.  It was a quick read, but it was one of those books that stays with you.  The overall tone of the book has light and funny notes while addressing a much more serious topic.  It is a story of growing up while still being true to yourself and, above anything else, being kind to others.  Not only does it give Auggie's perspective, but portions of the book are told from the perspective of others, which gives you more insight into how the family has grown around protecting and caring for Auggie.  The setting of Wonder is also highly relatable to any child around the same age as Auggie, making it even more of a story anyone can relate to and take something away from.

Be More Bookish Week 1 Assignments

Week 1

Assignment 1: Got 18/20 on the Childrens Book Covers Quiz.  Didn't know Guess How Much I Love You and The Napping House.  Can't say I ever remember reading either as a kid I guess...
Got 21/24 on the Adult Book Covers.  Didn't know Angela's Ashes, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, The Prophet, and She's Come Undone.

Assignment 2:  Got most of these...I really enjoy book covers!  It is interesting that there are so many sub-genres to things like Science Fiction that you would never normally think about.

Assignment 3:  The Golden Rules of Readers' Advisory: http://www.readersadvisoronline.com/ranews/june2005/orr.html

Assignment 4:  For my websites to start visiting on a daily basis, I am first choosing Early Word (http://www.earlyword.com/).  I've actually already signed up for the weekly newsletter and have been receiving it for several months now.  It has already proven to be a valuable resource, as I've learned of a good amount of books I'm actually excited about!  I particularly enjoy it because I have been finding lots of book to movie news on it as well.

I will start checking out the website Locus Online (http://www.locusmag.com/).  This interests me because on the very first page, I already see a lot of authors, books, and even movies that I enjoy and would like to know more about.

Assignment 5:  Pretty funny!