My Birthday Wish: Reading in Batanes

I don’t usually join blogging contests, because there are very few that fit my blogging niche. But I came across the SEAIR Batanes Winter Blogger Tour Contest on several travel blogs I follow (as well as the SEAIR Facebook fan page), and I realized this is one contest I just can’t pass up!

I’m not a travel blogger, but reading is actually one of my favorite travel activities (as you’ll see further along this post)!

Of course, I like to take in the sights, the culture, and the gastronomic delights, but I  also happen to do my best reading while traveling because it’s the only time I can really read in peace, for long stretches of time. So I end up packing books (and my book light) in my suitcase, spending more time thinking about what books to bring rather than the outfits I’ll be needing (really!) and I read voraciously every chance I get: while in transit, while waiting for meals, passing the time in airport pre-departure areas, during flights, and even after a long day of travel activities, right before I drift off to sleep.

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The Week in Loot

In case you’re wondering why I haven’t posted in the past few days, it’s because I’m trapped in the holiday frenzy — Christmas shopping to complete, presents to wrap, parties to attend and the horrible city traffic. Plus the dawn masses have started and I wake up at 4am to go, so I’m running on very little energy at the moment. Hopefully normal blogging resumes after Christmas, but I’ll try and post more before then.

Anyway, I was supposed to be shopping for books on other people’s wishlists, but they’ve been elusive so far, and I’ve illicitly gone a-looting for myself (I promised not to buy any more books for myself until Christmas, but I’ve given up on that) because well, the holiday stress was getting to me and book shopping is therapeutic (and yes, I have no self-control)!

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Twisted fate

When I learned I was scheduled to interview Lauren Kate, I knew I had to read Fallen, not only so I could ask questions about the book, but mostly because I was pressured by the fact that I was going with a 12-year old fan girl who knew a lot more about the series (and Lauren Kate) than I did!

The interview went well; Daniela was over the moon, and Lauren Kate is one of the most down-to-earth authors I’ve interviewed. But because I’m not really a fan  or a frequent reader of the paranormal genre, I decided I needed another book as a counterpoint for my review. I found a copy of Lauren Kate’s first book, The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove, and read it so I could review them side by side in this last installment of a series of posts on Lauren Kate.

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Bookish presents

This Christmas, I prepared something special for my book club friends — bookmarks!

Bookmarks are always a big hit over at Flips Flipping Pages. We have bookmarks for every book discussion we have every month, and we like to give out bookmarks on special occasions, too — we all never seem to have enough of them!

Last year, at the 2009 FFP Christmas party, I set up a bookmark station with leather thongs and charms at our Christmas party so people could make their own bookmarks, but this year, I wanted to try out something different.

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Early Christmas Surprise

An early Christmas surprise came on the day before the prom — my Flips Flipping Pages exchange gift got delivered to the office.

Every year our book club holds a gift exchange for members who want to participate, and this is the third year I’ve joined. We assign the gifters and the giftees, set the budget, post our wishlists, and it’s up to the generosity and resourcefulness of the gifter to get the books on the giftee’s wishlist. We’ve been doing it for three years now, and it’s always a huge success. Some gifters even manage to find books the giftee is having trouble finding!

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