The Best Reader:
vintage

Over at Reading with Tequila, book bloggers have compiled a list of book blogger recommendations. When I say a list — I mean a LIST! It's 266 books long! The list was compiled by 34 book bloggers and the ranking order "was painstakingly compiled factoring in how high the book was ranked on each bloggers personal list as well as how many bloggers mentioned the book." From this list there will subsequently be a Book Blogger Recommendation Challenge for 2012.

Of the 266 favorites listed — I have read 34 (a measly 14%). For the most part I agree with the standings of the list, although my personal top five would be different. But most of my favorite books are listed — the only one left out that I notice right now is "The Goddess Test" by Aimee Carter.

I think it's important to realize that as book bloggers we look at books different than the "average" reader because we read more than the "average" reader. Our comparisons between books are more vast. We also are in the "know" of good writing versus bad and all of the drama that exists in the publishing/reading/blogging world. I am, of course, alluding to "Twilight."

On this list "Twilight" is listed as # 266. Despite the "bad writing," I would have personally listed "Twilight" much higher on the list simply because I really did enjoy it as a guilty-pleasure read.

What about you? How do you fare according to the list compiled? I see tons of books on my TBR that apparently need to be moved up.:)

Thanks to those book bloggers who have compiled The List:

Em @ A Beautiful Madness
Marce @ Tea Time with Marce
Melissa @ Melissa's Eclectic Bookshelf
Sarah @ Sarah Reads Too Much
Jessica @ Book Bound
Alita @ alita.reads.
Riv Re @ Riv Reads
Fiona @ The Book Coop
Ivy Pittman @ Visible Woman Online
The Keeper @ Tales from the Crypt
Creative Mind @ Creative Mind
Jennifer @ Reading with Tequila
Belle @ Belle's Bookshelf
Shannon @ Books Devoured
Suey @ It's All About Books
Jennifer @ Jenaissance
Ash @ Typing Tiara
Amanda @ The Vintage Bookworm
Nulaane @ Katzenjammer
Hilde @ The Turn of the Page
Amy @ Bookzilla
Heather @ Proud Book Nerd
Jennifer @ Fictitious Musings
Penelope Lolohea @ The Reading Fever
Nancy O'Berry @ Romancing the Blog
Samantha @ Paper Cuts
Sana Deen @ Book Sisterhood
Jenn Baker @ PonyTails Book Reviews
Kristie J @ Kristie J
Michelle @ Realizing my Dreams & More
The Book Vixen @ The Book Vixen
Scribacchina @ Parole/Words
Rae Reads @ The Novel Nymph
Janina @ Synchronized Reading

This particular post really has no meaning other than to bring some (more) fun into your lives with some fun wedding photos!

This first photo was completely random. Every now and then (when our faces were tired of smiling) the photographer was like "okay — frown picture!" I guess it was a way to relax our faces and it actually worked but it did result in some pretty crazy pictures (neither D or I are really "frown" type of people). When I saw this photo I could help but compare it to the famous "American Dream" painting.

The second picture was completely planned. The Grand Theater is the local theater in Bismarck and as D and I are HUGE movie-goers, we wanted one picture to be in front of the marquee. The Grand is a family owned theater that competes with Carmike and does a great job it! It's a very vintage theater with huge grandstand seating and big red velvet like material that acts as a curtain (like on a stage) that opens when the movie starts. It's a very atmospheric place that D and I love to visit. When we told the photographer that we wanted a picture out there she asked what kind of pose we wanted and this instantly came to mind.

That's it (for today)! Did I make you smile?

My absolute favorite photo!

I'd like to welcome Joanne from Slice of Life as this week's Guest Reviewer.

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From Amazon.com...

"Many rumors abound about a mysterious gentleman said to be the love of Jane's life—finally, the truth may have been found... .

From p. 1, The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen:

Written as a "true" account of a very private experience for Jane Austen, the reader is given a glimpse into the quiet world of Austen as she finds pleasure in simple family life and reading and writing her beloved novels. Syrie James was successful,I think, in capturing the voice and spirit of Jane Austen, and she was true to known historical facts in Austen's life. The places she lived, family members and events, and the details of her early writing efforts are documented facts and are included in this fictitious memoir. It is a bittersweet story of love and loss, as we all know it must end that way, but it is written in a way that is respectful of the author's integrity.

Given that Jane was a private person and kept her writings mostly for her family's amusement (novels were a new concept and were viewed with disdain), it is perfectly understandable that at some point she gave up on the idea of being a published author when her first efforts at publication resulted in rejection. She felt her works were incomplete and needed revisions.

Enter Mr. Ashford, a man who despite his wealth and status, comes to know and appreciate Jane for all her special qualities and completely supports her writing efforts. As Jane's relationship takes twists and turns, she experiences emotions which will bring new depth and energy to her writings, First Impressions and Sense and Sensibility.

A very good read, poignant with vintage charm, and would work well as a young adult novel — if I was still in the literature classroom, this would definitely be in my class library.

************************* Big thanks to Joanne! Please visit her, share some book love, and check out her original review.