18 July 2015

Blogger Interview: Erin from The Hardcover Lover



So... Erin. She's one of my first blogging friends, she runs a blog with a cute design, and she's awesome.

And hey, my name's Erin too! :D



Personal Questions



Favorite food?

Buffalo Chicken

Favorite color?

Pink

Favorite flower?

Orchid

Favorite song?
I don’t have one. 

Favorite TV show?

Friends and Gilmore Girls

Favorite place to read and/or blog?
My bedroom

Favorite book? 
Just one? That’s too difficult of a choice!


Blogging Questions



Who are you when you’re blogging? 
Right now… I’m not really sure. I used to be so relaxed when I was blogging, but lately, I’ve been feeling like it’s more complex than it used to be.

Who are you when you’re not blogging?

I’m just Erin – the reader, the teacher, the babysitter. 

Which do you prefer more?
I’m not sure. I don’t really see myself split into two different people, so I guess I don’t really prefer one version of myself over the other.

What drives you to blog more?
I really have no idea. Lately, I’ve been in a slump, and have been cutting back on blogging.

5. How do you see yourself in the blogosphere?
I don’t really see myself as part of the “in-crowd,” but I do have a lot of great blogging buddies that I can talk to on a daily basis. 

Are you a perfectionist when it comes to your blog?
Kind of, but not really. I want the content to be perfect, but I am not great with graphics, so I let those slide a little bit.

Do you like making outlines when you blog, or do you prefer to start from scratch and work your way from there?
I keep track of ARCs in a planner so I know when to post my reviews. I do a little drafting for reviews in a review notebook, but usually everything is from scratch. I feel like it’s more authentic that way.

How much do your followers mean to you?
I love my followers. I don’t care if I don’t have many because I know that the ones that I have enjoy my blog, and that’s all that matters to me.

What is the best blogging advice that you could share with us? 
Find your strengths and stick with them. Don’t try to copy someone else just because you think it will get you more attention from other bloggers or publishers. You need to have a unique and authentic voice in the blogosphere, so find it and use it.


Topic Questions



How would you define book discrimination?
Book discrimination can really be anything-  banning books, not allowing your children to read books, not reading a book because the main character is a different race, etc.

How do you feel about it?
I’m okay with parents not allowing children to read certain things at certain ages due to content, but otherwise, I think everyone should be entitled to read what they want.

What do you think is the cause of book discrimination?
It all depends. It could be schools, governments, parents – anyone really. 



You can visit Erin's blog here




8 July 2015

Waiting on Wednesday (7): It's About Love by Steven Camden


Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature/meme created and hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine. It features upcoming titles that I really look forward to.


It's About Love
Author: Steven Camden
Publisher: Harper Collins Children's Books
On-sale date: August 4, 2014

Edelweiss Summary:


He’s Luke. She’s Leia. Just like in Star Wars. Just like they’re made for each other. Same film studies course, different backgrounds, different ends of town.Only this isn’t a film. This is real life. This is where monsters from the past come back to take revenge. This is where you are sometimes the monster.But real life? Sometimes, only sometimes, it turns out just like in the movies…… maybe.


 Everyone, look at that cover. So cute and attractive.

So here's another thing about me: there are times when I relate my life to movies, books, or music. That's why I think that this book has greatness in it. It's like, the first time I've seen something like this. I also have a feeling that there are many quotes in this book. Look at the conversation thing in the cover! :D

Oh, and Star Wars, I can't really say that I'm a fan, but I enjoyed the movies! Lightsabers are awesome.


4 July 2015

Review: Eleanor & Park



Eleanor & Park
Author: Rainbow Rowell
This edition published by Orion Books in 2013

Summary:

Eleanor is the new girl in town, and with her chaotic family life, her mismatched clothes and unruly red hair, she couldn't stick out more if she tried. 
Park is the boy at the back of the bus. Black T-shirts, headphones, head in a book - he thinks he's made himself invisible. But not to Eleanor... never to Eleanor. 
Slowly, steadily, through late-night conversations and an ever-growing stack of mix tapes, Eleanor and Park fall for each other. They fall in love the way you do the first time, when you're young, and you feel as if you have nothing and everything to lose. 

Review:

Okay, wow. This was my first Rainbow Rowell read and it's great.

3 July 2015

Define: Book Discrimination


For me, book discrimination is when you refuse to read a book because it’s not popular, self published, or it has negative reviews. Or you think it’s too mainstream. Simply judging books for some reason.

don’t think refusing to read a book simply because you have no time, you’re not in the mood for it or you’re not ready for the stuff in that age group is book discrimination. We’re not forcing you to read anything here. (Anyway, when you’re ready, you’ll read them, right? *wink wink*)

And book genre favoritism, for me, is not book discrimination. Because that’s what you enjoy. We respect that. Unless  you ONLY read books in that genre because others aren’t going to be nice. When you judge a genre when you haven’t read anything in that or you’ve read just a few. I mean, don’t generalize.

For me, judging a book by how entertaining its first parts are is also discrimination.

I don’t have DNFs on my blog yet (but in case, I won’t rate, I would just tell why it’s a DNF and maybe talk about it some more), because there’s something that makes me want to finish a boring read someday. Like, I don’t want to finish it but I want to finish it. Like someday, I’m gonna feel like it. And I think that that something is the feeling that maybe the nice part of this book is right after this chapter. Or the next. Or the next. So I continue. Then I finish it.

I’m actually guilty, because I’ve discriminated books in the past (I had a case of the covers, but now, it’s just like, extra points for the gorgeous cover). To be honest, I’m still working on it. I’m trying.

To stop book discrimination, I think people should just read. Like without this book is not famous/the cover isn’t attractive/etc. so I’m not gonna read it.

We have different preferences. You might like what they didn’t. It’s not bad to read popular books. But don’t limit your bookshelf only to popular books. We’re not just following the trend here. Give self-published authors and small publishers a chance. You might be missing out on a lot. 




So that's it! What do you think? :) Let us know your thoughts by leaving a comment below.

2 July 2015

Book Discrimination Awareness Month



IT'S THE BOOK DISCRIMINATION AWARENESS MONTH!

This is the first blog event ever on Celestial Pages. THIS IS HISTORY. Anyways...

Fay from Bibliophile Soprano started this thing last year, and for this month, I'm co-hosting with her! If you're reading this, please do check her blog. I have a guest post about my thoughts on book discrimination- wooh! (first guest post, this is history.)  Actually, I'm gonna post that on this blog too, tomorrow, 12 AM! :)

This month will be glorious. We will have weekly giveaways and a massive one at the end of the month, a Twitter chat party on July 27, 8 PM EST, and of course, other stuff! :D

Have a great month!


1 July 2015

Waiting on Wednesday (6): Tonight the Streets Are Ours by Leila Sales



Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature/meme created and hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine. It features upcoming titles that I really look forward to.

So guys! I'm sorry for not being able to post anything last week, not even a WoW post, I'm really, really sorry. We had problems with our internet connection.



Tonight the Streets Are Ours
Author: Leila Sales
Publisher: Farrar Straus Giroux
On sale date: September 15, 2015

Goodreads Summary:
Seventeen-year-old Arden Huntley is recklessly loyal. Taking care of her loved ones is what gives Arden purpose in her life and makes her feel like she matters. But she's tired of being loyal to people who don't appreciate her—including her needy best friend and her absent mom. 
Arden finds comfort in a blog she stumbles upon called "Tonight the Streets Are Ours," the musings of a young New York City writer named Peter. 
When Peter is dumped by the girlfriend he blogs about, Arden decides to take a road trip to see him.
During one crazy night out in NYC filled with parties, dancing, and music—the type of night when anything can happen, and nearly everything does—Arden discovers that Peter isn't exactly who she thought he was. And maybe she isn't exactly who she thought she was, either. 

I've read the uncorrected proof, and it made me go wow. I found so many quotes and I can't wait to legally quote them! (We can't really quote from ARCs without checking the published edition.) I'm gonna make a post about my favorite quotes from this book. 

Plus, I'm really desperate for more Peter. I need to see if Leila Sales added some more! It's gonna make me even more happy. (Because I'm already happy with it.) HE'S BOOKISH AND CHILL AND HAWT.

So my review will be up sometime in August or early September. On or before the on sale date. :))



P.S.: WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT PETER.