Top Ten Books I'd Hand To Someone Who Says They Don't Like To Read

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created and hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

Top Ten Books I'd Hand to Someone Who Says They Don't Like to Read

Post by Kayla 

As a librarian and former bookseller, I have come across many people who fit this description. Unless you are someone who is raised around books, they can be pretty intimidating. Sure the covers are sparkly and pretty, but it can be overwhelming to walk into a library or bookstore and find something. I mean, a person has to really devote him/herself to a book to finish it. The thicker the book, the scarier it is for a non-reader. And let’s be honest, the most experience a lot of non-readers have had with books are those tough literary pieces that school required them to read. I have always found it works best to suggest something engaging, easy, and fun to read. Yes, the majority of my list is for children and young adults, but the pacing in those genres is much more reader-friendly. The following are a few that I am currently recommending to people:

1. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Now, I personally am not one to give in to hype. However, if it means that it will get someone reading a book (who usually does not), I am all for it. With the movie coming out next month, this is the perfect time to thrust this book into the hands of someone who is curious about the growing popularity of this book (and series). Even better – it is a great read. There are very few people who I have spoken with that did not enjoy this book in some capacity or another.

2. Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

I am putting all of my personal views of this book aside for a moment*. I must give it some credit. It is drawing people into reading. There are very, very few people in developed countries who have not caught wind of this phenomenon. Again, it is necessary to use the popularity of the series and author to our advantage, and give a person something they will enjoy reading.

3. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J. K. Rowling

This is my favorite book to give to young boys. There are a lot of books out there aimed at the male youth audience, but this one is something special. Okay, young girls love it, too. And older males. Adult females, too?! Of course. I mean, popularity is being brought up again here, folks! Unless you are against this book for religious reasons, it is the perfect ticket to magical escape. I was an adult when I began reading the series, but I was still disappointed when I did not receive a letter inviting me to Hogwarts the following August. It is a sensational method of escape from the mundane in everyday life via Platform 9 ¾.

4. Sex with Kings: 500 Years of Adultery, Power, Rivalry, and Revenge by Eleanor Herman

Stop right there! I know what you are probably thinking. No, I am not taking anyone over to the Erotica section of a bookstore or library. I actually came across this book as I was doing research for one of my history classes. (I am a history major, when I get time to go to school.) I was drawn to the name and sucked in just from reading a few pages. Our society is fascinated by the shenanigans of other peoples’ relationships (hey – I am just stating the facts. Shall I show you a People magazine?), and this book tells you all about some of the most famous monarchs and mistresses in history. It is an extremely easy read and downright hilarious. I would not recommend you giving it to a fifth-grader, but anyone older than sixteen will probably enjoy it immensely.

5. A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Philip C. Stead

Yes, I am well aware that this is a picture book. Unless you have read it, what you do not understand is that it is a picture book that speaks to the reader well past the words written on the page. I always suggest that people read it and then reread it to notice the subtlety of the message that is also added in the pictures. This book won a Caldecott medal for a reason. The young and old alike will be delighted by Amos McGee and his animal friends.

6. Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

I cheated a little on this one. I am drawing a blank, so I asked my assistant, “Bookboy”, what he would suggest to someone. He chose this book because it is a very quick and easy read (I think there is another theme going here), and it also is a fun spin on mythology. I agree.

7. Coraline by Neil Gaiman

What little girl does not hate her parents? Whoever you just named is either lying or in denial. We have all wished that we had different parents than who we were blessed with, and this book gives its readers an idea of what can happen when you get what you wish for. It is a little bit scary, but humorous at times. It is a fun read and extremely short.

8. The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Women love this book. Contemporary women’s fiction is not my thing, but I read this book when I had a gun held to my head. (A figurative gun, but I was forced all the same.) I still loved this book. I have suggested it to many of my library patrons. They loved this book, too. Perhaps there is a connection between books being so popular and being an enjoyable read. {{ponders}}

9. The Magicians’ Guild by Trudi Canavan

I have not read this book, but Bookboy suddenly demanded that I put it on my list. I guess he has recommended it for people in the past, and it turned out well. He says it is an easy fantasy to read, and not too over-the-top epic. So kids, listen to the Bookboy. See his name? He knows his business.

10. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

{{shrugs}} It is a great story. Everyone should try to read it at least once.

*One of the cardinal rules of being a librarian is finding something positive in everything you read so you can share the book with others. Not everyone has the same taste, and book-bashing is never okay.

Giveaway: The Deepest Cut and The Haunted by J.A. Templeton

This giveaway is part of the Follower Love Giveaway Hop hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and Rachael Renee Anderson. There are a lot of great blogs participating in this hop. After you enter here, hop over and enter their giveaways too.  

Please also check out the other giveaways that I currently have. New giveaways start all the time. They can be located in the right sidebar.

My Giveaway:
1 winner will receive a print copy of The Deepest Cut and an eBook of The Haunted, books 1 and 2 of the YA paranormal romance MacKinnon Curse series, by J.A. Templeton. (If outside the U.S., winner will receive eBooks of both.)

The Deepest Cut
Book #1 in the MacKinnon Curse series:
Sixteen-year-old Riley Williams has been able to see ghosts since the car crash that took her mother’s life and shattered her family. Guilt-ridden over the belief that she’s somehow responsible for her mom’s death, Riley is desperate to see her mother’s elusive spirit to gain her forgiveness.

When her father moves the family to Scotland so they can all start over, Riley believes her life couldn’t get worse––that is until the ghost of nineteen-year-old Ian MacKinnon catches her purposely cutting herself. An uneasy truce quickly turns into friendship, and soon Riley’s falling hard for Ian.

Riley believes her gift could help Ian end the curse that has kept him tied to the land for centuries, but that would mean letting him go forever and she’s not sure she is strong enough to do that. As if her life wasn’t complicated enough, the malevolent spirit of the woman who killed Ian returns and she’ll stop at nothing to keep Riley from helping Ian find eternal peace.

The Haunted
Book #2 in the MacKinnon Curse series:
After battling a malevolent ghost that held the spirit of her friend Ian MacKinnon bound to the land for two hundred years, sixteen-year-old reluctant psychic, Riley Williams, felt as if she was finally easing into her new life in Scotland.

Or so she thought.

Laria, the spirit of the witch who had cursed Ian wants revenge for Riley’s interference and she’s bringing along friends—dark entities who thrive on evil.

The one bright spot in Riley’s world is Ian’s descendent, Kade MacKinnon, who could easily be Ian’s modern day twin. The parallels between the two guys are undeniable. As Riley’s relationship with Kade blossoms, she begins to realize Laria has grown in her power since their last confrontation—a power that could very well manipulate the living just as effectively as the dead.
 
*Please note these books are recommended for older YA (or adults) due to content.

How to enter:
Since this is a "Follower Love" giveaway, you must be a follower in some way to enter. Choose one or all of the following options. 6 possible total entries.

• Follow Krazy Book Lady on Twitter.
• Like Krazy Book Lady on Facebook.
• Follow Krazy Book Lady via GFC or Google+.
• Follow J.A. Templeton on Twitter.
• Like J.A. Templeton on Facebook.
• Fan J.A. Templeton on GoodReads.

Giveaway details:
Giveaway is open internationally.(See details above.) This giveaway will run until midnight EST on February 14. Must be 13 or older to enter. Winner will be chosen using Random.org. Winner will be emailed and this blog post will be updated to include the name of the winner. Winner has 3 days to contact me or a new winner will be selected.

Thank you for entering and good luck!

Sorry! This giveaway is now closed.

Winner: Darlene

The Boy Project by Kami Kinard - Review, Guest Post, & Giveaway

The Boy Project by Kami Kinard
Published: January 2012
Publisher: Scholastic, Inc.

For anyone who's ever felt that boys were a different species....

Thirteen and wildly creative, Kara McAllister just had her best idea yet. She's going to take notes on all of the boys in her grade (and a few elsewhere) in order to answer a seemingly simple question: How can she get a boyfriend?
But Kara's project turns out to be a lot more complicated than she imagined. Soon there are secrets, lies, and an embarrassing incident in the boy's bathroom. Plus, Kara has to deal with mean girls, her slightly spacey BFF, and some surprising uses for duct tape. Still, if Kara's research leads her to the right boy, everything may just be worth it...

Full of charts and graphs, heart and humor, this hilarious debut will resonate with tweens everywhere.

My review:
Kara is the only one of the girls in her grade who has never had a boyfriend, so she decides to take steps to change that. Kara starts taking notes on the boys in her class and sometimes even the cute guy at the mall. She also starts taking notes on the girls in her class, including "Maybelline" and "The Vine," who always seem to have guys interested in them. Kara's project doesn't quite go as she anticipated, and she ends up getting herself into some embarrassing situations because of it. But along the way, she learns a lot and makes some important realizations.

I found The Boy Project to be hilarious. Several times I would read something funny out loud to my teenage daughter, who then grabbed the book to read as soon as I was done with it. It was truly like taking a trip back to junior high school. I think we all knew a "Maybelline" (the girl who always wore way too much makeup) and "The Vine" (the one who was always hanging all over the guys). Kami Kinard has written characters that are easy to relate to and has really captured the awkwardness of middle school/junior high. The charts and graphs were cute and funny and really enhanced the book. Usually the use of multiple exclamation marks bothers me, but it works here. This is an excellent book. I would recommend it for tweens, teens and adults who enjoy MG fiction (and maybe want to reminisce a little).

This copy was reviewed as part of a traveling tour.

Guest post by Kami Kinard
Where’s the Fact in Fiction?

Everyone who’s read an interview with me already knows that I got the idea for writing THE BOY PROJECT while reading my own middle school diaries. But THE BOY PROJECT is a work of fiction. Nothing in the book happens exactly the way things happened in my own middle school life. Still, authors draw on their own experiences, and there are several scenes in the book that were based on my actual tween experiences. These scenes, however, have been fictionalized. I like to call this “ramping it up.” Because in most cases, fiction needs to be bigger, better, and more interesting than what really happens to us!

I thought it’d be fun to create a fact and fiction list to show how reality morphed into fiction.

FICTION: Kara is in 7^th grade and has never had a boyfriend, but everyone else has.

FACT: I had never had a boyfriend in the 7^th grade, (or the 8^th, or the 9^th) but there were lots of other girls who hadn’t either, so I was not alone. I had to make Kara seem like she was the only one in that category to make her situation seem more desperate.


FICTION: In the drawing of Kara’s family, her dad is wearing bargain shoes made of bright green suede and a bow-tie. Kara’s comment implies that he wears a bow tie all of the time.

FACT: I never saw my dad in a bow tie, unless he was wearing a tuxedo. But he definitely had a pair of bright green suede shoes. My brother and sister got a big kick out of seeing that in the book, because we all remember those shoes. (There are some things you don’t need to ramp up because they’re already pretty funny!)

FICTION: During history class, the boy sitting behind Dianna Leroy puts tiny pieces of paper in her curly hair, so that the back of her head looks as white as snow. This later creates a distraction just when Kara needs it.

FACT: I had very curly hair and this happened to me, but instead of creating a distraction when I needed it, it turned a lot of unwanted attention my way. I recently signed a book for the niece of the boy who put those little pieces of paper in my hair… I asked her to tell him thanks for the scene!


FICTION: Mrs. Hill asks the students to write a descriptive paragraph about someone in the room and then she takes them up and reads them aloud in front of everyone. The problem is, the students didn’t know their work was going to be read aloud! This is how Kara finds out that her crush likes her back!

FACT: My English teacher did this to us. There was a boy in the room who liked one of my friends and he wrote a paragraph about her sexy voice. He also described her hair, so everyone knew who he was talking about. But my friend was very shy, and she wanted to crawl under the desk when she heard this read aloud. The boy was pretty embarrassed too. They did not end up together!


So, I’ve just run through some of the tiny scenes from my book that were grounded in reality. Most of the scenes in THE BOY PROJECT, however, were completely made up. Yet there is one big thing in the novel that was not made up at all: Kara’s feelings. When I was in middle school, I felt the way Kara does about friends and wanting a boyfriend. A lot of middle school girls who have read the book tell me that they identify with Kara and they feel like she understands them. I can’t tell you how happy it makes me to hear this, because I know that for these girls, I kept the feelings real.


About the author:
Before she’d finished seventh grade, Kami Kinard had written several books. Most people call these books diaries. Without the details garnered from these early works, The Boy Project might not have been born! A former high school teacher, Kami currently writes from balmy, buggy, and beautiful Beaufort SC where she lives with her husband and two children.

You can find Kami on KamiKinard.com, Nerdy Chicks Rule, Twitter, and Facebook.





Giveaway:
1 winner will receive a copy of The Boy Project by Kami Kinard.

How to enter:
Leave your name and email in the form below.

Optional Additional Entries:
+1 Follow Krazy Book Lady on Twitter and/or like on Facebook.
+1 Follow Kami Kinard on Twitter and/or like on Facebook.
+1 Leave a blog post comment.

Giveaway Details:
Giveaway is U.S. ONLY. This giveaway will run until midnight EST on February 25. Must be 13 or older to enter. Winner will be chosen using Random.org. Winner will be emailed and this blog post will be updated to include the name of the winner. Winner has 3 days to contact me or a new winner will be selected.

Thank you for entering and good luck!

Sorry! This giveaway is now closed.

Winner: Paige B.

Spread Love, Not Hate - Speak Out Against Bullying

Spread <3, Not Hate was inspired because of an author being mocked and bullied by someone she knew after her book had been published. Unfortunately, this seems to happen all too often. Instead of people being supportive of someone they know following their dreams of writing, they choose to undermine the accomplishment. Sometimes the bullying is done by people the author does not personally know. I know that several authors have had book bloggers or fellow authors bash their book after it started gaining popularity. So my post today is in support of writers everywhere. Don't let the bullies keep you from following your dreams!

The following sites are also participating in Spread <3, Not Hate. Please show your support by visiting them.

Persuasion by Rebecca H. Jamison - Review, Guest Post & Giveaway

Persuasion: A Latter-Day Tale by Rebecca H. Jamison
Expected publication: February 14, 2012
Publisher: Cedar Fort, Inc.

When Anne broke off her engagement seven years ago, she thought she'd never see Neil Wentworth again. But when Neil's brother buys the house she grew up in, it seems fate has other plans in store, and Anne is woefully unprepared for the roller coaster of emotions that accompanies Neil's return. Fans of Persuasion will love this fast-paced, modern retelling of Jane Austen's most romantic novel.

My review:
Anne realizes she still loves her ex-boyfriend, Neil, when he unexpectedly comes back into her life. However, it seems that Neil is already in a relationship. Anne tries to distract herself by dating someone else, but it doesn't quite go as anticipated.

Persuasion is an inspirational, uplifting, sweet story of coming to terms with past mistakes and learning to start over and love again. This is a LDS fiction book. The main moral is the same even for people of other religions, and that is to put your faith in the Lord and hold firm in your beliefs. Rebecca H. Jamison has done a wonderful job portraying someone who is doing that. It isn't always easy, and it isn't always what everyone else wants you to do. In this novel, we watch as Anne navigates her way through family pressures and a challenging situation with an ex-boyfriend while looking toward the Lord to find her path. Just when you think it is going a little slow, something happens to grab your attention again. My only complaint about this book is there are some inconsistencies; however, this was an ARC so these issues may be resolved before final publication. Overall, I enjoyed this novel, and I would recommend this to anyone who likes inspirational fiction.

Provided by the publisher for review.

Guest post by Rebecca H. Jamison:

Meeting My Ex . . . Unexpectedly

It stands to reason that if you’re having a good hair day, you probably won’t run into your ex-boyfriend. If, on the other hand, you just got back from a camping trip and you’ve recently gained weight, you’re highly likely to run into him. Believe me—I know from experience.

It hasn’t been that long since I had my own encounter with an ex. I was meandering the aisles of a local thrift store with my hair in a messy ponytail when I spotted a guy I once dated heading toward me. Luckily, my two kids provided a distraction by climbing onto the bottom shelf of the shopping cart I was pushing. Instead of looking at me, my old flame stared at my children. He was probably wondering why their mother was allowing them to climb onto a shopping cart like that. After my close call, I headed for the other side of the store and observed him from afar. Truthfully, he wasn’t looking so good himself. After all, what kind of man wears crocs in public?

Jane Austen's Persuasion begins with just such a situation, only in Anne's case, she still has feelings for her old flame, and they both recognize each other. Though she has a few days to prepare for their meeting, she doesn't pull it off too well. Austen writes that "a thousand feelings rushed on Anne, of which this was the most consoling, that it would soon be over." Anne's petrified reaction didn't make a great impression on Captain Wentworth, who later reported that she was so different he wouldn't have recognized her.

Stumbling words along with a shocked expression wouldn’t have helped in my case either. In case I ever run into another ex-boyfriend and he actually recognizes me, here's my plan:

• Smile.
• Act surprised to see him. Say something like, "Wow, I'm surprised to see you. How have you been?" I won’t say it's good to see him, unless I actually feel that way.
• Be grateful for the life I have now, so I can confidently explain how great my life is.
• Put an attractive picture of myself on Facebook.

Have you ever unexpectedly met your ex? What’s your advice?

About the author:
Rebecca Jamison met her husband on a blind date. His first words to her were, "Do you want to get together and play spin the bottle?"(He was trying to avoid another bad blind date, but she went out with him anyway.) Rebecca grew up in Vienna, Virginia. She attended Brigham Young University, earning a BA and MA in English. In between college and grad school, she served a mission to Portugal and the Cape Verde islands. Rebecca and her husband have six children. She enjoys running, dancing, making jewelry, reading, and watching chick flicks. You can learn more about her at www.rebeccahjamison.com

Click here to see the rest of the stops on the tour.

Giveaway:
One will will receive a copy of Persuasion: A Latter-Day Tale by Rebecca H. Jamison. Per Cedar Fort's policy, winner will have the choice between a print or an e-book if in the U.S. and an e-book will be sent if the winner lives outside the U.S.

How to enter:
Simply provide your name and email in the form below.

For an extra entry, leave a comment answering Rebecca's question. (Have you ever unexpectedly met your ex? What’s your advice?) When you fill out the form, let me know that you left a comment and the name you used to leave the comment. Please do NOT put your email addresses in the comments.

Giveaway Details:
Giveaway is open internationally. (See details above.) This giveaway will run until midnight EST on February 16. Must be 13 or older to enter. Winner will be chosen using Random.org. Winner will be emailed and this blog post will be updated to include the name of the winner. Winner has 3 days to contact me or a new winner will be selected.

Thank you for entering and good luck!

Sorry! This giveaway is now closed.

Winner: Lisa R.