Book Survey 2017

Books I Read in 2017:
Can be found here.

Numbers:
Under 250 pages : 1
Between 400-449 pages: 0
Between 450-499 pages: 1
Over 500 pages: 0
Over 1000 pages: 0
Audiobooks: 0
Re-reads: 0
DNFs (did not finish): 0
Five Star Rating: 0
One/Two Stars Rating: 2
Authors met in 2017: 0
Book events attended in 2017: 0
Books read in one day: 4
Books that made you cry: none
Book reviews posted this year: 3
Most books read by one author this year: 1

Longest & shortest…
By page number: Break Into Travel Writing (240 pages), The Breakdown 328)
By title: Pierre Hermé Macarons: The Ultimate Recipes from the Master Pâtissier, The Breakdown
From buying to reading: To Capture What We Cannot Keep (5 months), Emma In the Night (a few days)

First
Read of 2017: To Capture What We Cannot Keep
Series you picked up & series you quit: no series this year
Book Post of 2017:
Review of 2017:

Best & worst… + Favorites
Average rating on Goodreads: 3 stars
Most disappointing & biggest pleasant surprise: To Capture What We Cannot Keep and Emma In the Night
Most lenient & harshest ratings: The Descendents and Break Into Travel Writing
Best Book You Read In 2017? The Descendents
Book that became an instant go-to recommendation: The Descendents
Forced yourself to finish: To Capture What We Cannot Keep
Best series you started in 2017? I didn't start a series.
Favorite new author you discovered in 2017? Kaui Hart Hemmings
Best book from a genre you don’t typically read? Emma In the Night
Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year? Emma In the Night
Book You Read In 2017 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read? Emma In the Night, if I re-read any of them. (I won't.)
Favorite Book You Read in 2017 From An Author You’ve Read Previously: none, they were all new authors.
Best Book You Read In 2017 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation: Break Into Travel Writing
Best 2017 debut you read? Emma In the Night
Hidden Gem Of The Year? The Descendents
Favorite cover of a book you read in 2017? Pierre Hermé Macarons: The Ultimate Recipes from the Master Pâtissier
Most beautifully written book read in 2017? Pierre Hermé Macarons: The Ultimate Recipes from the Master Pâtissier has the prettiest pictures of any books I read. None of the authors were incredibly prosaic.

Random
Book read furthest away from home (vacation reads?): The Descendents
Book that took you the longest to read: To Capture What We Cannot Keep
Book that you personally connected with the most: The Descendents
Book that made you love the villain: none
Book you said you’d come back to but still haven’t picked up again: MANY
Book you read waaaay before it’s publication date: Emma In the Night
Book you read on your birthday: Emma In the Night
Book you read that is red: Pierre Hermé Macarons: The Ultimate Recipes from the Master Pâtissier is the closest
Starts with X, Y, or Z: none
Book you hugged when you finished it: none
Book you wanted to throw across a room (not necessarily because it was bad): To Capture What We Cannot Keep (the characters were irritating)
Food you craved while/after reading a certain book: nothing? Skip meals, yes. Crave meals? no.
Furthest out of your comfort zone: Personal recollections of Vincent van Gogh
Series or author’s works you binged (whether all at once or throughout the year): none. I was good and read a variety of different books/authors throughout the year.
Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2017 to finally read? The Descendents
Most Thought-Provoking/Life-Changing Book of 2017? none
Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t? To Capture What We Cannot Keep
Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read in 2017? Emma In the Night
Book That Shocked You The Most: Emma In the Night?
The most memorable character of 2017? Emma and her sister from Emma In the Night. If I said why, I'd give away the story.
Favorite Non-Romantic Relationship Of The Year: Scottie and her dad in The Descendents
Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2017? none. There were a lot of female leads in my books this year.
Best Worldbuilding/Most Vivid Setting You Read This Year? Nothing was particularly vivid or helped with wordbuilding.
Book That Put A Smile On Your Face/Was The Most FUN To Read? The Descendents
Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry? none
Book That Crushed Your Soul? none?
Most Unique Book You Read In 2017? Personal recollections of Vincent van Gogh
Book That Made You The Most Mad (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it)? The Breakdown. The main character was just … argh.


Books & Blogging
Post with the most views (posted in 2017): IWSG #4. It was the end of April A-Z and I was talking about bizzare research I've done for my writing. 1283 views!
Post you wish you could re-write: More than you know. For every one post I thought I did well this year, there were at least a dozen (or more!) that I posted even feeling they weren't quite up to standard for me.
Favorite review that you wrote in 2017? This isn't my favorite, so it might defeat the purpose of the question, but it was the hardest review I wrote in 2017, comparing Montréal travel guides. How do you even do that? Well, I attempted it. Hopefully someone will find my post useful.
Best discussion/non-review post you had on your blog? This was my favorite.
Best book-related event that you participated in? We actually didn't go to any this year. We were busy being more politically involved. Maybe next year?
Best moment of bookish/blogging life in 2017? Completing The Descendants after several months of not being able to finish a book. Of course, then I promptly quit reading … again.
As for blogging? Completing April A-Z is always a relief. And this year August Break was pretty stressful too. I just struggled immensely with challenges this year!
Most Popular Posts This Year On Your Blog? (Or the ones that had the most views.)
1. Matt Redman Glory Song Album Giveaway (unsurprising -1218 views)
2. IWSG #4 (May edition) (1284)
3. August Break – I Believe (You Have to Be Really Drunk For This) (turtles racing in Key West. 😂 -1023 views)
4. Québec City: What To Do (1065 views)
5. What You Need to Know About Rail Canada (1053)
Post You Wished Got A Little More Love? All of my blog readers gave me lots of love this year, and I am so thankful for that! I've been really quiet as the year has come to an end, so, if anything, I wish I had given all of my readers just a little bit more love this year! Thank you all for all of the comments and understanding! 💕
Best bookish discovery (book related sites, book stores, etc.)? The Strand in NYC. That bookstore is huge and so much fun to explore if you are in NYC!
Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year? Nope, unfortunately not. :(

The Upcoming Year
One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2017 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2018? Gone Girl
Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2018 (non-debut)? not sure
2018 Debut You Are Most Anticipating? None. I have no idea!
Series Ending/A Sequel You Are Most Anticipating in 2018? none. I don't follow series'.
One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging Life In 2018? I really fell off the wagon both in blogging and reading this year. I'd like to find a way to fit both into my schedule again.
A 2018 Release You’ve Already Read & Recommend To Everyone: …

2015 • 2016

Which Guide is the Best for Planning a Trip to Montréal?

It's day seven (for me) in the A-Z blog challenge! This month I'll be sharing all about my Christmas/New Year travels to Canada – providing insight into the places I went, reviewing the hotels I stayed at, and telling my story. Today's letter is G, so I will be talking about the Guides I used for Montréal and Québec City trip planning. Feel free to follow along as I make my way through the alphabet this month! :)

Unlike previous vacations, our trip to Montréal and Québec City was mostly planned on the Amtrak traveling between New York City and Montréal. We had very little internet, so I relied on books I had purchased from Barnes and Noble the weekend before Christmas – The Michelin Green Guide: Montréal and Québec City and Frommer's Montréal Day-By-Day.

Prior to purchasing, my husband and I spent hours at the local Barnes and Noble as I looked through travel books and researched what would be most helpful for my travel planning, on the go, with no internet. I had done due research online, but what can you really tell from somebody's recommendation? Good book? Yes? … But is it a great book? Will it be the best travel guide ever known to man for that location? Will it have addresses and maps? Will there be lesser-known travel locations for people who like to explore places that are "off the beaten path"? What about pictures? – Do the travel guides list great places to photograph at the destination?

As you can see, I had (and continue to have) high expectations for my travel guides. I wanted the best of the best, and I wanted a travel guide that would do everything and more for me than the internet does. And, of course, I needed up-to-date guides. What good would a 2000 travel guide do for me in 2016/2017?

For my trip, I chose Frommer's Montréal Day-By-Day and The Michelin Green Guide: Montréal and Québec City.

Let me put it to you straight: I devoured the Frommer's Guide. At 183 pages, Montréal Day-By-Day is small and thin enough to be carried with you during your travels without weighing you down or adding bulk to your luggage.Along with sliding easily into a small purse or coat pocket, you could potentially mark all of your travel locations on the handy little map that comes inside the book and leave the book at home. (Though I must forewarn you that addresses, especially when you don't have the internet, can be very helpful. Sometimes that little dot on the map can be deceiving! –– Also, the map the book comes with does not already have locations listed. You will have to use Google or other means to find those locations yourself!)

Now, moving on to the Michelin Guide. This book is also tall but much thicker coming in at just over 400 pages. Ideally, you will use this book to learn about your location – the history, the culture, the language. I'm going to be real with you – the abundance of information was definitely overwhelming for me. I started with the Frommer's Day-By-Day Guide spending countless hours (read: five) devouring the details and the hour-by-hour walkable recommendations, so when I got to the Michelin guide I was ready to be dome with my research.

If you are like me and just want to know what there is to do in a specific location, skip the Michelin guide. There is no more in the Michelin Guide than the Frommer's Guide. However, if you like to get a sense of culture before you visit a place, the Michelin Guide will be far better for you.

Now, if you are wondering why you should consider the Frommer's Guide over the Michelin one, here's why: The Frommer's guide will make it easier for you to plan out an itinerary of these to do, hour by hour, day by day. Interested in art? They have an itinerary for that. History? One for that too. Or maybe you are into shopping… You get the idea! Do you have two days? 24 hours? A week? Are you planning on going out of the city? Frommer's keeps details to a minimum, makes recommendations for what they believe will be your ideal trip and leaves it at that. Nice. Simple. Easy. For me, that's what I wanted.

I should mention that neither book offers completely up to date listings. (They are books after all!) I also didn't like that neither offered the address of the places they had listed in the book. Why? I mean the books are going to go out of date anyway, right?!

Other things I didn't like:

The maps. Frommer's at least had a pocket map so you could match up the maps in the book to the pocket map. I just got confused looking at the Michelin maps. And don't even get me started on looking at the Michelin map and trying to match it up to the Frommer's map! All of the confusion. As it turns out, neither book provides ALL of the information about a location on their maps. Google maps are really your best bet.

Pictures. If I'm going to go somewhere, I want to get beautiful images! Because I can. Neither Frommer's not Michelin offer detailed pictures so that I could see what my options were. Of course, neither book is sold as a photographer's manual either.

Now, if you are looking for a picture manual (or at the very least a sort-of-guide with lots of pictures), you may want to consider the Ulysses Québec In Mind (or Montréal In Mind). These books are rather thin at just under 100 pages, but oh the pictures! You will wish you had days to explore the outskirts of these two cities!

While I can't tell you which guide will be the best guide for you, hopefully, I've given you an idea of what's available and what will be the best for planning your rendezvous in Canada.

When you plan travel, do you use guidebooks? Or do you use some other method? Perhaps google? Or "fly by the seat of your pants?" ;) Let me know what you think the best method is for travel planning!

Buy Frommer's Montréal Day-By-Day here, The Michelin Green Guide for Montréal and Québec City here and the Ulysses Québec City In Mind … in Québec City. :)

A • B • C • D • E • F

Collecting Wisdom: 8 Books I've Read to Prep for Vacations in the Past Few Months

Recently I've taken up travel planning with more than just the internet; I've been using books as well. This is new for me, because in the past I've just incessantly searched online. This all changed when Justin and I were on the Blue Ridge Parkway, and we had no idea which sites to stop and see. I had an online guide, but it didn't really show me what I would be missing if I didn't stop, and it didn't direct me as to which sites might take extra time compared to others. Plus, the internet was slow… Then, when we were planning Montreal and Quebec City, I needed to be able to research without the internet at all on Amtrak, so we purchased two guidebooks. From there, I started marking up maps (that came with the guidebooks) which ended up being incredibly helpful to us. So, here I am doing the same thing for Hawaii.

While the internet is an invaluable research, travel guides have provided me with even more resource to take my trips from amazing to magnificent!

1. The Photographer's Guide to the Blue Ridge Parkway by Jim Hargan (buy)

2. Michelin Green Guide: Montreal & Quebec City (buy)

3. Frommer's Montreal Day-By-Day by Leslie Brokaw (buy)

4. Maui Revealed by Anthony Doughty (buy)

5. Oahu Revealed by Anthony Doughty (buy)

6. Frommer's Maui Day-By-Day by Jeanette Foster (buy)

7. Frommer's Oahu & Honolulu Day-By-Day by Jeanette Foster (buy)

8. Driving & Discovering Hawaii: Maui and Molokai by Richard Sullivan (buy)

How do you obtain "wisdom" before traveling? … Or do you even bother?

European Historical Fiction to Fill the Void Found on Snowy Days (Or Not)

If you've ever lived in the southern US, you are going to know what I mean when I claim that last Friday a "snowpocalypse" was announced. Forecasters threatened a large falling of 2-4 inches in the metro Atlanta area, and bloggers, business people, executives, and service workers all ran to the nearest 7-11 or Kroger to obtain milk and bread.

In general, the assumption is that the store will look like this by the time you are able to go:

Photo credit: yooperann via Visual Hunt / CC BY-NC-ND

But more often than not, especially recently, the store looks like this:

Photo credit: dno1967b via Visual hunt / CC BY

A few things bought, for sure, but, still, plenty to go around.

On this fateful Friday though, despite the fact that recent weather had been in the 50s-70s and we hadn't seen rain for days, the threatening forecast called for some schools to be cancelled and others to be delayed, and, in the case of the kids I watch, some were let out early.

Rather than have me go pick the kids up early, the parents decided a play date was an order with the neighbors down the street. This way, if the weather did get bad, they didn't have to worry about coming home from work any earlier so that their babysitter could make it home before the ice and snow got too bad and the roads became impassable. (A nice gesture on their part, but it still left me with a free day and no pay. Thanks weather.)

However, if there is one thing I've learned in the crazy fluctuating world of service work, it is that you make the best of the time you have. Thus, I pulled out a book or two. Then cuddled up and watched a movie. Not a bad way to spend a non-snow day in. (Because despite everyone's preparation and planning, Georgia did not see a whole lot of snow that day. Perhaps a bit of ice but that was it.)

To Capture What We Cannot Keep by Beatrice Collin (Buy here.)

synopsis: At the end of the 19th century the lovely widow Cait is seeking employment. Her marriage has come to a tragic end, and, as with societal norms at that time in Scotland, she had to find an appropriate way of making a living. Luckily, she finds a chaperoning job that takes her to Paris as she keeps watch over two wealthy teenagers, much younger than herself, who are also trying to find their way in the world. Alice needs to find a suitable marriage match and Jamie a strong career that will enable to care for the family he will eventually have. Only these are normal children, not, for example, the children of royalty. They are naive and not especially fond of listening to their elders; more often than not, they do what they want when they want. Then, of course, the children and Cait must suffer as a result of their actions. But the children aren't alone in their misbehavior. Midway through the book, Cait throws away a suitable marriage match to return to Paris with her charges. She has fallen in love with Émile Nouguier – the man she is supposed to be setting up with Alice, the man who supposed to be teaching Jamie the ways of the workforce. What will happen when the children discover her dark secret?

my opinion: The book is trash.

While I want to tell you only about the good things in life, I feel it's also necessary to warn you about the things I simply don't like. Maybe this type of book is one you would enjoy? I mean – the cover is beautiful! Who doesn't dream of a snowy evening in Paris?! I know that I certainly do! :) But, for me, all of the characters were simply unrelatable and, truthfully, a bit unlovable. How can I respect a woman who deceives her employer intentionally? And not only that but, without going into details, goes against societal standards setting herself up for a downfall. (Do you catch my drift?)

When I read about a woman of the late 19th century, I want to read about a respected woman of class. Even if she has no money of her own, I want to see someone who knows how to work the "system", who uses her beauty and brains (or lack thereof) to make a positive difference in the lives of the people around her. Especially if there is an image of Paris on the cover.

In the end, what I got was a woman who can't control her desires or the teens she is supposed to be watching. Everything falls apart, just as the reader expects it to. And, in my opinion, the ending is quite cliche. (I won't give it away though you may be able to infer through my review how it ends.)

I think the worst part about this book is that it felt like the author actually put some effort into telling her story, but the characters were so predictable that I never fully found myself immersed in the story. A few days ago, I heard an interview with Chazelle, the screenwriter for La La Land, where he claimed that he "learned how to convince someone to turn the page, which is really all it comes down to, you know - knowing that every page is an opportunity for someone to close the script and just, you know, stop reading it" (from the NPR interview Fresh Air with Terry Gross). I feel like, if Collin had taken that perspective, along with making her characters more likeable, this would have been an enjoyable book concept.

Oh well. I read the book based on the cover, so that's something. Maybe next time she'll get more than just the cover right. <3.

Victoria by Daisy Goodwin (Buy here.)

synopsis: Based on the diaries of the real life Queen Victoria, Goodwin begins her story with Victoria awakening to the realization that her uncle, the king of England, has died and passed on the crown to her. Untrusting of her mother and her mother's advisors, the queen most assemble a group of people she can trust as she transitions from a young girl to that of a royal queen.

Quickly she learns that she needs to stand firm in her beliefs. She befriends Lord Melbourne, her prime minister who she thrills at having by her side as makes difficult decisions. Only, it is not right for her to remain unwed. Perhaps the young Prince Albert whom she met in childhood and despised could make a good match? But then again, maybe she should remain single forever?

Emotions tug at the heart of the queen as she fights for her desires and struggles with what the best options are for the country she oversees. Will she be able to find a happy median in what's right for her people as well as herself?

my opinion: meh.

I didn't like the way Goodwin approached Queen Victoria's relationship with Lord Melbourne. He comes off as a potential lover in the story, but, from what I understand about history (which isn't much. I don't know much at all about Queen Victoria or her life.), Lord Melbourne was never anything more than an advisor. Perhaps the change was made to sell books? Or to make the tv show more appealing to a larger audience?

If you want a quick beach or vacation read and love history or even the royal family, this book will probably appeal to you. Unlike To Capture What We Cannot Keep, Victoria is a quick and easy read. Victoria is also a pretty unlikeable character, but it's easier to understand why she is unlikeable. She has important decisions that affect more than just herself and, having had no real royal upbringing, she is likely to make mistakes. I especially recommend this book if you have watched and are enjoying the PBS mini-series based on this story.

The Girl on the Train (movie)

If you want to read my review of the book, check here.

synopsis: A girl on a train romanticizes a couple that she sees every day from the train window that lives just down the street from her old home. Longingly she wishes for their life. Until one day, while riding the train, she spots the woman cheating on her husband. Enraged, the woman on the train informs her friend that she will find the cheater and kill her.

Not too long after Rachel Watson spots Megan Hipwell cheating, Megan goes missing. And shortly thereafter is found killed. Rachel, attempting to help the police but not able to remember much due to a black out she experienced on the night of the disappearance caused by drunkenness, informs the police and Megan's husband that Megan was cheating. Only it gets more complicated than that. Rachel's ex-husband and new wife, who live on the same street as Megan Hipwell, have left a message on Rachel's phone indicating that they are afraid of her and what she did that night. They tell her to stay away.

Did Rachel do more than get drunk on the night of Megan's disappearance? Was she somehow involved?

my opinion: Don't read the book, then watch the movie. Or do. It's up to you. :)

My opinion of the book was meh. It was intense. Fast-moving. A bit confusing at first, but well thought out. I hated the main character. (Are you noticing a theme?)

The movie, however, was easier to follow. I don't know if it's because I had read the book and knew what to expect, or if the visuals and storyline made more sense in movie-format over book-format. There were some differences, though. Like, in the movie, Rachel was traveling on a train in New York to work and back every day instead of London. And the end, which I won't give away, also had some differences.

Overall, the movie felt contrived and pre-planned. It was like the director was just telling the story rather than encouraging you to feel the story. Perhaps if he had stuck with the main character Rachel the whole time the story wouldn't have felt so contrived? … But then the story would be breaking even further away from the way the book style.

Anyway, I'm not a movie director or screenwriter, so I don't know what needed to happen.

If you've read the book, I encourage you to see the movie. It gives you something to think about, a thing to compare and contrast, especially if you are part of a book club where you all read the book, watch the movie, and then go to dinner to talk about it. I think that would be fun. :) Otherwise, if you are just needing a film to take up time… I've seen worse. I mean – you could do better. Try watching The Accountant, for instance. But, you could also do worse – no movie has irritated more than Passengers, recently. As with everything, though, it all depends on your tastes and likes.

Have you read any good books or seen any good movies recently? Do you think people like myself are too hard to please? Is there anything you've read or seen recently that you would recommend?

* Both books were received as ARCs. Reviews were given on individual websites, but I was not compensated or requested to do a blog review. These reviews are entirely my own and were not influenced in any way.