Monday, January 23, 2012

Bookish Stumbles


As many of you know from my previous post about my brother's car accident, I've had a lot of time hanging out in hospitals.  I can't always focus on my current read for various reasons and I've found myself glued to Stumble Upon.  Here are a couple of my cool finds...

1.  What Sticks: Five 2011 Books That Stay With You
While I have yet to read the books mentioned in this article.  The article really made me think.  I find that the books that really stuck with me last year might or might not have been books that received the highest rating in my reviews.  The Hunger Games trilogy and The Book Thief stuck with me and received top ratings. I rated books like The Peach Keeper and The Girl Who Chased the Moon with the slightly lower "good" rating, though they both stuck with me long after I've completed them.  I'm not quite sure what this means.

What about you?  Do you find that some of your most enjoyable reads slipped from your mind and some of the others stuck with you?


2.  The Best 100 Opening Lines from Books
I don't keep track on opening lines in books but this article made me wish I did.  I might start including them in my reviews.  We'll see.  When browsing this page and reading the first lines, I fell in love with many of the books all over again.  An author who nails the first line, gets me every time.

Do you keep track of the first lines of books?  What are some of your favorites?

3.  BookBrowse
I found a new book site that I've never heard.  Though I've yet to fully explore it, I'm definitely intrigued.

Anyone ever heard of used BookBrowse?


I've got more but I'll share them later.  I'll also do a What Are Non-Bloggers Reading (Hospital edition) soon.  I'm still trying to quietly stalk readers.

My brother is finishing his second week in the hospital and I think we are looking at another week here.  Each day is better and better.  Thanks so much for your thoughts and prayers.

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28 comments:

  1. I don't think I pay attention to closing lines at all. Definitely something else I will think about.

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  2. I like Stumbleupon. I have found some great articles on there. And it can also be time consuming, because I find so many great things to read and time just flies by. Glad you can take some time to read. Hope your brother recovers quickly.

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  3. Thanks!

    Let me know what you think about bookbrowse

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  4. He's hoping he gets to go home soon as well. I'll be here for him as long as he needs me. I just want him to get better.

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  5. I thought it was fun too! And it really got me thinking. I like unique sites like that.

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  6. I don't notice them until someone else points them out I guess.

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  7. I have an invite but haven't gotten on pinterest yet. I keep meaning to.

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  8. Juju at Tales of Whimsy.comJanuary 26, 2012 at 9:59 AM

    1. I gotta read Peachkeeper.
    2. I don't track opening lines but when I find one I like I feature it on Book Beginnings Friday. My favorite is from a book I have yet to finish. (http://www.talesofwhimsy.com/2010/03/book-beginnings-friday-tale-of-two.html)
    3. I haven't. Do you dig it? Have you tried CustomReads. I keep getting invites for that one.

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  9. I get emails about CustomReads. I signed up for it but I never quite did anything with it. I didn't know what to do exactly.

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  10. I thought the same. I'm still not sure what it means when a book sticks with me though.

    You are right about that. The opening line means more at the end. I'm going to see how I feel about that. I'm going to try to check out the opening line of the books I finish and see what I think.

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  11. Mine too!

    He's got a long recovery period but I'm grateful he will recover.

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  12. Several lower rated books have stuck with me longer than I expected them to. It makes me wonder if my ratings would be different if I were to always allow a certain amount of time to pass.

    I love reading opening lines of books I've already read. That one sentence can mean so much more once the story is complete.

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  13. Having heard of these sites but will definitely check them out!

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  14. 1) You know I have never thought about it! Some of the highest rated books I had stuck with me for a very long time but others not so much. Some of my lower rated ones stuck with me too.

    2) I am more of a closing line person as opposed to opening line. Though in classic literature it is always the opening line: aka It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. I loved a Tale of Two Cities but it really was that opening paragraph that sucked you in!

    3) I haven't really ever used book browse! Going to check it out!

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  15. Thank you! He's doing better and better every day. We are hoping he gets to go home soon.

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  16. Good that he is getting better.

    Off to check out bookbrowse

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  17. I haven't had the opportunity to really ecplore stumble upon. But I fear I'd be on their hours if I do. I'm so glad to hear your brother is steadily improving. I was just going to ask you about him. Still keeping you all in my thoughts and prayers. Hopefully he'll get to go home sooner than you all think.

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  18. I know. I wonder what that means exactly. I'm not sure if it means that it is a really good book or what.

    He's getting better every day. I'm so grateful.

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  19. Great post. Stumble is an addiction of mine. Hope your brother is better soon.

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  20. That is the thing about StumbleUpon. It's like crack and I have so many things on my plate already. It's good when I want to get my mind off life though.

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  21. I am glad that your brother is improving, you guys have been in my thoughts! I hope he continues to improve and that you're all home soon.

    I love the opening line idea! I think I may go along with you and start including them! That is such a neat idea!! And the link is fun to look through.

    -Jac @ For Love and Books

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  22. oh my gosh, I hope your brother is doing okay. i've been out of the loop and I didn't know! I'll be keeping you and your family in my thoughts.

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  23. I hope your brother is doing better!
    And I'll definitely be checking out those sites!
    You know, I get what you mean about books that stick with you even though you didn't rate them that high. It happened to me with the Summer Series by Jenny Han, I far from loved the books but I couldn't stop thinking about the people in them.

    :D

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  24. ooOH these are awesome, especially the opening lines one. Never really thought about them until now, so now I'm thinking if I can remember any good ones.

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  25. reading rendezvous reviewzJanuary 26, 2012 at 2:06 PM

    Glad to hear your brother's health is getting better. Will continue to send up prayers.

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  26. I am so glad I am not the only one getting sucked into stumble (and pintest)!!!!

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  27. Yes, some books like The Hunger Games, HP (of course) and DIVERGENT have stuck with me since reading them. Once in awhile, I think about a great book I read and think why didn't I give that more time and attention?

    Book Browse is a awesome place to find books and also review them!

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I absolutely LOVE all comments! So please feel free to chime in with your thoughts, questions, opinions, or whatever else you have to say.

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