Beautiful People # 18: Oriana

HELLO! I'm not dead! I know I've been super absent for the last few weeks, but I promise - I'm still very much alive! And here I am with my customary almost-too-late-but-just-barely-squeezing-in-at-the-end-of-the-month Beautiful People post :-)

Remember Oriana from this Beautiful People post a few months ago, which featured her and her husband Misha? Well, this month, she gets her own post, because she deserves it.

1. What is their first childhood memory?

Her mother cutting turnips in their tiny forest hut, and singing some kind of slow, lilting song about a princess who died because of what happened when she trusted a seemingly-nice prince too much. (Have you noticed that a lot of traditional folk songs are super depressing?)

2. What were their best and worst childhood experiences?

Best was probably the day before her mother died, when Oriana finally felt safe for the first time in her whole life. It wasn't because of any particular thing that happened that day; she just finally reached a mental peace that it had literally taken her over 14 years to get to.

The worst was when her mother died, because suddenly that peace and safety shattered, and she was back to the beginning.

3. What was their childhood home like? 

It was a very tiny, very unassuming hut in the forest, far out by the eastern border. Her mother would hang eggshells on strings on the branches around the house because she always said that Koshiy hated eggs and it would keep them away. They kept two chickens and a rooster in their yard to keep the egg supply coming, and Oriana had a lot of eggs for breakfast growing up. She never knew if it was true or not, but better safe than sorry?

4. What was something that scared them as a child?

Koshiy finding her mother and stealing her away again.She knew from an early age that her mother had been kidnapped by Koshiy and that she had been the only one ever to escape. (But Oriana didn't know that Koshiy was actually her father.) Her mother was constantly warning her against Koshiy and trying to train her up to be strong and independent and rebellious (maybe too much?) just in case she was ever in danger.

5. Who did they look up to most?

Her mother, for reasons explained in #4. She thought her mother was super badass for having run away from Koshiy, and really wanted to grow up to be just as strong. (I think she succeeded.)

6. Favorite and least favorite childhood foods?

Favorite - fresh mulberries from the bush that grew by their house.
Least favorite - eggs. Of course.

7. If they had their childhood again, would they change anything?

Make it more normal? Have a mother that wasn't constantly in fear, and a father that was present and nice and not an immortal evil creep of a sorcerer who stole girls and then turned them into ravens?

8. What kind of child were they? Curious? Wild? Quiet? Devious?

Oriana was a rather explosive combination of curious, independent, rebellious, and fiercely loving (and thus fiercely hating anyone who harmed those she loved). Wait, why am I saying she "was"? She still very much so IS. Just now she's an adult who can do things like lead an army and kill those she fiercely hates, instead of just pretending to by slamming knives into trees and shooting arrows at every raven she saw.

9. What was their relationship to their parents and siblings like?

Well, she has no siblings. She deeply and fiercely loves her mother, and deeply and fiercely hates her father and wants him dead. Unfortunately (for her), it's her mother that ends up dead and her father that's the immortal one.

10. What did they want to be when they grew up, and what did they eventually become?

She wanted to be safe. She wanted to be in control of herself - her mind, her body, her environment.
She became the first female leader of the Warriors, and (SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS) the one to kill her father (the source of all her fears).

I think she fulfilled her dreams quite nicely, though rather violently.

Did you do Beautiful People this month? Link me yours!

Top Ten Tuesday: Nearly Ripe Books for 2016

You know I don't usually talk about upcoming releases, because I'm not always on top of that stuff (I'm a little behind in the book publication world). But this Tuesday I managed to scrabble together five books that I'm very excited to pluck off the shelves once they're ripe and ready later this year. This week's TTT topic is Anticipate Releases for the Rest of 2016 - and I'm doing only five because, like I said, I'm not too good at staying on top of things.

(Also, can we just take a moment to appreciate all the gorgeous cover art? OMG MY EYES. I made them all extra large sized for better ogling. And if you click them you'll end up on their GoodReads pages so you can add them to your TBR posthaste.)

1. Heartless by Marissa Meyer
(Release Date: November 8th, 2016)


More magical Marissa Meyer retellings? This time with THE QUEEN OF HEARTS? Count me in. I'm so excited for this! SO EXCITED.

2. A Torch Against the Night by Saaba Tahir
(Release Date: August 30, 2016)


I absolutely adored An Ember in the Ashes, and think it ended on the AWFULLEST cliffhanger. Barely any conclusion! So of course I need book two ON THE DOUBLE.

3. Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor
(Release Date: September 27th 2016)


I did read Laini Taylor's Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy, you just don't realize it because I binged them last year and was too lazy and absolutely overwhelmed to write a review. I ADORED THEM SO MUCH. And then the prologue for Strange the Dreamer was released and I suddenly realized how much better my life would be if that book was in my hands.

4. Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo
(Release Date: September  27th, 2016)


Yes yes, I know I haven't even read Six of Crows yet. But I loved the Grisha books so much, and I KNOW that I will love Six of Crows lots too, that I'm ALREADY excited for Crooked Kingdoms. It's allowed.

5. Nevernight by Jay Kristoff
(Release Date: August 9th, 2016)


For some reason this book makes me think of Venice, or at least the intrigue and murder of Renaissance Italy. And I LOVE it. I don't know if that's intentional, and I suppose I will get a better idea of what time period / location the world is actually based on when I read the book, but when you get names like Mia Corvere and Senates and Republics and Red Churches and Blades of the Lady of Blessed Murder thrown around in the synopsis - I'm fascinated.

What are you excited for in 2016? Link me your TTTs in the comments and I will slither around and enlarge my TBR list! (Like it needs enlarging) 

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde // i return to the classics

 

 When the exquisitely handsome Dorian Gray sees his portrait he dreams of remaining young forever while his painted image grows old and, in a sudden moment, he offers his soul in return for perpetual youth. While his beauty remains unblemished, the portrait begins to reflect the wildness and degradation of his soul as he surrenders to a worship of pleasure and infinite passion.

The Picture of Dorian Gray caused outrage when it was first published in 1890 and marked the onset of Oscar Wilde's own fatal reputation and eventual downfall. An evocative portrayal of London life and a powerful blast against the hypocrisies of Victorian polite society it has become one of Oscar Wilde's most celebrated works, full of the flamboyant wit for which he is justly renowned.

Well, it's definitely been a while since I've read anything off my Classics Club list! I'm still not sure if this was the best book to bring me back into the classics world - but I did enjoy it quite a bit. I unfortunately don't have a "Goodreads Progress" for this book because I read it during my flight home from Denmark. :-(

I hadn't read any Oscar Wilde before (though I have seen The Importance of Being Earnest performed multiple times), and I believe this is the only novel that Wilde ever wrote. It starts off with an interesting prologue outlining Wilde's views on art and the creation of it. I agree with some of them (like, "Vice and virtue are to the artist materials for an art," and "It is the spectator, and not life, that art really mirrors," and "Diversity of opinion about a work of art shows that the work is new, complex, and vital") and I disagree with others (like, "No artist has ethical sympathies," and "No artist desires to prove anything," and "All art is quite useless"). It's an interesting prologue, and, I think, really adds to many of the philosophical discussions in the book.

And there were a lot of philosophical discussions, and I don't think I can do justice to this book in a short review written shortly after I've read the book once. I don't tend to grasp "deeper" things until the second or third reading, so don't expect too much literary analysis out of this post - it's lots of ramblings. But this book is definitely worthy of a reread because there is SO MUCH in there to analyze. My mother wants to read it too, and so then I'll have a live discussion partner!

It was fascinating the way that Wilde was able to show Dorian Gray's struggles and the tension between his conscience and the voice (Lord Henry's voice?) that told him that he should live for pleasure and nothing else. You'd think that something like a magically inexplicably changing portrait would seem odd in such a novel (it's not as gothic/eerie of a novel as I thought it would be), but it works.

Actually, let's talk about Lord Henry, because he absolutely FASCINATES me. He's a spouter of shocking aphorisms just to shock his listeners, and I am still not sure if he believes them in his own soul or is, as Dorian tells him, just saying them to be shocking. He frustrated me a bit because he was either extremely simplistic and pleasure-loving, or extremely deep, and for the life of me I couldn't figure out WHICH. But whatever his motivations may be, no one can deny that he was the catalyst to Dorian's downfall.

Since all the characters were so well portrayed, I can't help but feel bad for all of their plights - from Gray and his strange end, to all those whom he hurt with just a moment's remorse, I really just wanted to give them all hugs. Is that weird? They all had such unnecessarily troubled lives! And I can't help blaming Lord Henry and his social experiments.

Wilde was a strong believer that, as he writes the the prologue, "There is no such thing as a moral or immoral book. Books are well written, or badly written. That is all." How fitting a retort, considering that this book scandalized so many when it was first published.

Have you read The Picture of Dorian Gray? (Have you seen the recent movie with Ben Barnes? Was it any good?) 

ALSO: go enter my blogversary giveaways - THEY END FRIDAY!! There's something for everyone - Jane Eyre, and Rose Under Fire, and an ebook of your choice!  

May // axe throwing + blogversary + home again

This month. I can't even begin to explain what a whirlwind this month has been. I finished my study abroad program, met my family at the Copenhagen Airport, boarded a ship for Norway, cruised around Norway and Scotland, flew home to Chicago, and cleaned out my closet.

Yep, that ending was a little anticlimactic, I know. But it was an epic accomplishment. I haven't done a full closet clean up since maybe seven years ago. But you're not here to hear about my housekeeping glories, are you? (Wait, you're not? You don't want to hear about how many giant bags of clothes I'm donating to Salvation Army? WELL THE ANSWER IS FIVE.) You're just wondering about the post title and how the words "axe throwing" somehow snuck in there.

Well I'll tell you.

On our cruise, we stopped by to the Isle of Skye and (after a 1 hour walk that was supposed to be 20 minutes according to a kind and apparently untrustworthy Scot) ended up at a axe throwing, archery, and rifle shooting place. My mother had done Research and this was apparently The Thing To Do. 

So now I know how to throw axes and shoot rifles (with mediocre accuracy), so you better watch out. This is all, of course, part of my giant plan to become a badass YA heroine which started when I realized I had been born with green eyes.

ALSO THIS MONTH, this baby blog turned three! Did you miss that gloriously glitter-ful post of cake and giveaways (three of them!) and games? Well, you won't want to pass up this opportunity to win lots of books! (One of the giveaways is INT! The other two are US only, unfortunately.) The giveaway was supposed to end tomorrow, but I've extended it for another week! Click here to join the party...

(photos link to instagram)

Over the course of the semester, I ended up having some books (and bookish goodies) sent to my Chicago house while I was in Denmark. Soooo, this haul is going to be a four-month haul, instead of a monthly one. :-)

Uprooted by Naomi Novik - my last #OTSPSecretSister gift from back in January from the lovely XXXX! I just read it this month and ADORED it - review coming soon!

All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doehrr - this popped up on my family's bookshelves at some point during my four month absence and no one can explain how it got there. If you sent it, thank you! I have a crappy memory so maybe I entered a giveaway and forgot?

Mercy by Jussi Adler-Olsen - my Danish host mother gave this to me for my birthday in February! I'm saving it for when I'm feeling nostalgic for my Scandinavian Crime Fiction.

THAT GLORIOUS MUG is from the Society6 shop of the ever-lovely Cait (Paper Fury)! I can't wait to use it :-)

These I picked up at a used book sale in Copenhagen which had an abnormally large collection of English books and a deal of 6 for 500 kroner (not the best deal but books are AWFULLY expensive in Denmark). 

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde - just finished and loved it!

The Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie - read earlier this month! review to come!

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn - read coincidentally at the same time as my sister - maybe she'll pop by the blog to review it with me?

Dracula by Bram Stoker - I've read this one before but I'm about to start a reread!

The Code of the Woosters and Right Ho, Jeeves! by P. G. Wodehouse - I still haven't read any of Wodehouse's books but I really want to!

How was your May? Read anything interesting? I feel like I've been out of the bookworld loop since I've had no wifi for two weeks, so tell me what I missed! And have you entered my giveaways yet? :-)

Beautiful People #17 // Tanya (and farewell to Damla)

Do you remember Damla? Quite possibly my favorite character? Well, when I was plotting out the conclusion of #SlavicNovel, I realized the book would be better off without her. Is this what they mean by Kill Your Darlings? She and her thieving ways and the mysterious Martin and her banter with Oriana are NO MORE. I may have cried.

Well, saying that she is no more is not entirely true. Though I did cut her from the novel, I realized that she kind of deserved a novel of her own, instead of being a secondary character in Tanya's. So, there is a thing called #DamlaNovel that is now sitting off in a corner of my plot bunny cottage, waiting for its turn. In fact, I think this might turn into a trilogy of novels in the same world, mildly related, but each effectively stand-alones, with the third being #MountainNovel. We shall see if this develops.

So truly, it's not a forever farewell to the lovely Damla. She will be back soon as the protagonist of her own novel, because she so deserves that.

Onward to Beautiful People! I realized that I have never featured Tanya, the MC of #SlavicNovel, on a Beautiful People post. So here she is!

1. How often do they smile? Would they smile at the stranger?

She doesn't smile very often, and she only really smiles when she's either climbing trees or sitting outside alone or doing other solo things with nature. Oh, and also with her grandfather sometimes.

And she would never, ever smile at a stranger. How stupid.

2. What is the cruelest thing they've ever been told? And what was their reaction?

Maria once told Tanya that no one would ever love her because she was a Devil. Tanya usually brushes things off (or pretends to), but it all sort of festers in her heart in a very unhealthy way.

(Tanya drawn by the lovely Clare!)

3. What is the kindest thing they've ever been told? And what was their reaction?

The kindest think Tanya has ever been told is probably something her grandfather said. He's always telling her that she's just as good as the other villagers, and I think the kindest thing he's told her is that he values her persistence and strength of spirit. It really validated in her that she's not just a messed up bundle of problems.

4. What is one strong memory that has stuck with your character from childhood? Why is it so powerful and lasting?

Tanya remembers being five and running out to play with the other children in the village. But one of them, Maria (who is a few years older), tells everyone that Tanya is the daughter of the Devil because her mother went into the forest asking Baba Yaga for help conceiving. Ever since then, no one would play with her, or if they wanted to, their parents wouldn't let them. (The parents think she's the daughter of the Devil too.)

5. What book (a real actual published book!) do you think your character would benefit from reading?

Hmmmm... something to do with friendship? And not being jerks to people? I don't know, this question is hard. I think she would really enjoy The Count of Monte Cristo, but would freak out at the end when he realizes revenge is not the way. That would be fun to watch.

6. Have they ever been seriously injured? How severely? How did they react?

Tanya hasn't really been seriously injured (before the novel, I mean. mwahahaha). She fell out of an apple tree once and was pretty winded, and probably sprained her ankle.

She got punched by a boy once when she was about 13 because he thought she was about to attack him with her demon-y powers or whatever. She got a pretty big bruise, but the next evening she snuck up on him when he was walking home and jumped out like a ghost and he freaked out and she punched him back. Then ran off. The boy never found out it was her.

7. Do they like and get along with their neighbours?


No and no. All the neighbors are pretty distrustful of Tanya, since she's technically the product of her mother and black magic.

8. On a scale from 1 to 10 (1 being easy and 10 being difficult) how easy are they to get along with?

I'd say Tanya's about an 8. She's definitely got to work on her people skills. She claims it's not her fault (curse blah blah blah), but clearly is doing nothing to change it.

9. If they could travel anywhere in the world, where would they go?

Anywhere. Anywhere but this small town of Khaniv where everyone hates her. Maybe she can run away from her curse?

But actually, she'd really like to see the Sea. (And she does! In the novel! Because I am a nice an indulgent author!*)

*she also gets harassed and mugged there so you know maybe not so indulgent.

10. Who was the last person they held hands with?

Dang. I suppose her grandfather? Can't see her holding hands with anyone else.

Well, that's Tanya! (Also, tell me if you like Tanya or Tania better.) Did you do BP? Link me yours! And if YOU could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?

Also, I am going on a hiatus until June because my study abroad semester ended and I am going on a cruise (!!!) with my parents and sister but without free wifi. So. 'Til then!

And don't forget to enter my (three!) blogoversary giveaways! Check them out!

Ravens and Writing Desks turns THREE! // cake! and games! and giveaways!

Today is officially the day that this little blog turns 3 years old! Let me just gasp in disbelief like a fish out of water because that sounds both way too long and way too short. I feel like I just started blogging, and still don't know what the crap I'm doing, but I also feel like I've known all of you for wayyyyy more than three years. 

Last year, I forgot about my blogoversary (it comes during a usually-busy end of school time, because I decided to make it on the first day of summer break after junior year of high school). And the year before that, I just had one sad little recap post. So, to make up for both of those, this year we're partying IN STYLE. Which means GIVEAWAYS and GAMES and GLITTER. (well maybe not glitter because that gets all over everything and my grandmother will get mad)

Of course, I really want to first say THANK YOU TO ALL YOU LOVERLY PEOPLE who read and comment on my posts (despite my rather irregular posting schedule). You all are worthy people deserving of chocolate and if I could I would give each of you a mountain-full.

Here's the thing. I have crappy memory (like seriously, so crappy), and I really want to do a list of shoutouts to my favoritest people but there are so many of you and I'm really scared of missing someone. So I'm going to do my best, but - know that you are in my heart even if you're not on these lists.

Bloggerly Inspiration

Cleopatra @ The Classical Carousel - my first bloggly friend! I'm sorry I don't visit you often now at all - I'll stop by soon, I promise!
Kayla @ The Thousand Lives - she's not blogging anymore, but she was THE first YA blog I followed (see below).
Cait @ Paper Fury - One of my biggest bloggly role models. She always makes me happy with her comments on my posts.
Emily @ Loony Literate - Her blog is so chill and yet so well put-together.
Bennett @ My Sky of Paper and Ink - her blog is private now and I was on a hiatus when it happened so now I don't know what to do! But she was the first person who said that MY blog inspired HER to start blogging! SO HONORED OMG

People that comment ALL THE TIME

Masanobu @ All the Pretty Books
Morgan @ Gone with the Words
Skye @ Ink Castles
Windsprite @ Writingcorner

Writer-friends

Katie @ Spiral Bound
Annie @ Curious Wren
Brett @ Book Squirt
Brianna @ StoryPort
Hannah  @ Plottinger Twist
(And Cait too, but she already got a shoutout. Who does she think she is, Queen of the Universe or something?)

On this momentous occasion, I think it's time to look back and see what started me blogging in the first place, and what's changed and what stayed the same.

Essentially, I started blogging because my parents got tired of me fangirling at them so instead I decided to fangirl into the void of the internet and hopefully find some people to fangirl with me. But I didn't really realize exactly how HUMONGOUS the book blogger community was. I started out with a humble little blog that rambled on and on about mostly classic books, because that's what I read.

There's a fantastic classics community of book bloggers out there, and a thing called the Classics Club, and that's where I first started making my bloggly friends. But soon, I started meeting people online who were not classics bloggers.

They were YA BLOGGERS. (dun dun)

Let me explain to you that when I was a child, I was an adorable tiny book snob. My literary diet consisted of 98% classics (both children's and adult's), and I rarely stepped foot into the "Teen" section of the library. And I'm really glad that I was a tiny adorable book snob because it laid a strong foundation for me in the classics. And I still really love the classics (even though I may have taken a bit of a hiatus from them at the moment?).

But let me also tell you that I once wrote an essay when I was 12 about why "Chick Lit" was bad literature and what I called "Chick Lit" was literally just YA.
I'M SORRY FRIENDS.
I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT.
FORGIVE MY PAST MISTAKES.

So when I stumbled upon the YA book blogging community (which is, let's be honest, like 99.57% of the book blogging community in general), I was hesitant. But here's the thing.

I read classics because I don't like wasting time on books I don't like. And classics are books that have continually, time and time again, proved their worth. If so many people liked them, there's a bigger chance that I'd like them than I'd like a random book I picked off the shelf.

So when I started reading reviews of YA books, and actually thinking about which I'd enjoy and which I wouldn't, I realized my hesitation was entirely the result of not wanting to waste my time. So I dove in, with the reviews of bloggers with similar tastes to mine and NOW I AM A CONVERT.

(Though I still love my classics babies. You'll always be my first loves *kisses*)

So I know stats don't Matter in the Long Run, but I think it's kind of fun to see how my blog has grown over the years.

1 year totals:
Pageviews: 7,052
Followers: 15

2 year totals:
Pageviews: 27,585
Followers: 80ish? Don't have exact stats.

3 year totals (now!):
Pageviews: 46,929
Followers: 171

Also, this past month I hit 100 followers on Bloglovin', 50 followers on GFC, and am soon going to hit 1000 on Twitter! I AM IN SHOCK.
YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME AND I LOVE YOU <3 <3

I think it's time for games now, yes? Yes.

So I made a quizzy guessing game! You've got to guess the book that the cropped bit of cover belongs to - but here's a hint: they're all THIRD books in series. (Haha aren't I so clever, it's my third blogoversary, so i have a third-books-in-series quiz, yes so clever)

(and actually I'm not sure how much that tip helps because all the multiple choice answer options are third books too so...)

(basically this is my first time making a quiz and it might be super easy or it might be super hard so bear with me because I'm really a baby beginner at this stuff)

The game should pop up below, but if for whatever reason you can't access it, click here, and that should work. And then share in the comments what you got! (and if the quiz was too hard or too easy)

So what comes after games? Giveaways, of course! And I have MULTIPLE.

THREE, IN FACT

(there's a pattern here, you see?)

The first is in homage to my classics beginnings. I don't know how many of my old classics bloggly friends still read Ravens and Writing Desks, but if you do, I really promise I'll come back to the classics world soon! I REALLY PROMISE. (I've just been catching up on all the YA books I neglected when I was actually the intended audience.)

So this giveaway is of one of my favorite classic books with one of my favorite classic heroines - Jane Eyre. And hey YA people? I think you should give it a shot, even if you don't read classics. It'll appeal to you if you like romance, brooding love interests, creepy mysteries, and quietly badass heroines.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

My next giveaway is one of my favorite YA books, and one of the only books ever that has made me cry unapologetically in public - Rose Under Fire. (The other one was The Book Thief, if you were wondering.) It is technically the second in a series, but works as a standalone 100%. You can read my review for it here. YOU WANT TO READ IT BECAUSE IT WILL DESTROY YOU.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

And my last giveaway is INTERNATIONAL! (US-ers are still welcome to enter.) The winner of this giveaway gets an Amazon e-book of their choice from the list of all the books I've reviewed on the blog! (see list here)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

So go! Enter! Win!

How did you like the festivities? How did you do on the quiz? Was it too easy? Too hard? (plz tell me) And TELL ME YOUR BLOGGING ORIGIN STORY! And oh, before you leave, you can't refuse...

Guest Post: Why Elisheva reads multiple books at once

Elisheva and I have a few things in common, one of them being a love of books, obviously. Another thing is a love of lists. But there is something that we differ in: I'm the kind of person who can only read one book at a time, but Elisheva is not. HOW DOES SHE MANAGE? I invited her to explain.

It could be that I simply have a short attention span, I don't know. But there will rarely be a time when I'm not in the midst of at least 3 books. This is partially due to the fact that my number one book source is the library. My average checkout pile is probably 10 books. While I'm very particular about series order, I enjoy reading several books concurrently. This is what one library cycle might look like for me:

Day 1: Goes to library, starts book A
Day 2: starts B & C, continues A
Day 3: starts D, continues C
Day 4: reads nothing
Day 5: continues D
Day 6: starts E
Day 7: continues B, finishes E
Day 8: reads nothing
Day 9: continues A & C
Day 10: finishes A
Day 11: finishes B
Day 12: starts F
Day 13: finishes D
Day 14: Goes to library, returns finished books, renews unfinished ones and get 4 more

(If this list made no sense, I apologize.) 

So, as you can tell I'm a pretty moody reader. I read what I like when I want to. This means jumping around quite a bit with my reading material.

Today, I'm going to list some of the pros and cons to reading more than one book at a time. (More lists? Yes, I love them.) And don't feel like you have to force yourself to read multiple books - every reader is different. But if you find yourself in a slump, maybe try mixing things up a bit by picking two books to read and see what happens!

• When discussing books with other readers, you have a range of current reads to discuss

• You can leave the 523 page novel on your nightstand and take your little paperback on the bus

• If a book is: boring, dry, difficult, or humongous, you can always take little breaks and intersperse with some light fluff. It makes the reading of the other much more bearable

• Likewise, if one author's style is wearing on you, read something totally different for a while

• One thing I enjoy is looking for weird little connections between books. Such as two characters named James who both have ash-blond hair, but in two completely different books

• Not in the mood for the contemporary you just bought? That's alright, you can go back to your epic science fiction novella

• Sort of like multi-tasking, keeping track of 2-5 individual plots/settings/cast of characters is a workout for your brain. And you know the more you stretch your mind, the stronger it becomes! (Do not quote me on this; I have found no scientific evidence for these claims)

• After finishing one book (and getting out of the post-book-depression), I am way more motivated to finish the book I'm halfway through with

• I might read two equally wonderful books, but for some reason, I abandon one for the other. This is just inconvenient, because I will probably have to start the book over if I want to return to it

• Two books with similar elements can get quite confusing if you read them concurrently

• I have heard people say that when they read books simultaneously, they can't remember details as clearly. Personally, I have never noticed this, but it's something a lot of people complain of

I hope you've enjoyed this list! Tell me in the comments your thoughts on reading one book at a time versus reading simultaneously.

Elisheva is a thinker, possibly a writer, and definitely a reader. She began her journey into the story world at age 3 and has never looked back. You can find more of her ramblings on the literary world on her blog, Print Quest . You can also tweet her at @Print_Quest.