We’re so excited to participate in our second Armchair BEA event!
Julie’s Introduction & Literature thoughts
Please tell us a little bit about yourself: Who are you? How long have you been blogging? Why did you get into blogging? Where in the world are you blogging from?
Hi! *waves* I’m Julie. But you already know that from the “Julie’s Introduction” heading 😛 I’m blogging from somewhere in the Houston, Texas area, where I live with my hubby, my 3 fur-babies, and am expecting my first non-fur baby (eek!). I’ve been blogging for several years (on my personal blog, velvet-rose.net) and only a year on this awesome little book blog 🙂 It was Rose’s idea to start this project, and it has been so much fun!
Describe your blog in just one sentence. Then, list your social details — Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc. — so we can connect more online.
Chapter Break is a book blog run by two awesome ladies 🙂 How’s that for a sentence? As for social media details – all are in the sidebar. For both of us. So chat us up 🙂
What genre do you read the most? I love to read because ___.
It seems that I mostly read YA paranormal and dystopia, and adult paranormal. This is based on the need for several bookshelves just to house each of those genre books. Hmm, I love to read because reading is so exciting and enjoyable and you get to travel and time hop and see alternate realities from the comfort of your couch or recliner.
What does your favorite/ideal reading space look like? (Pinterest encouraged!)
I just moved and in my new home I finally have a library. It isn’t fully put together, but I do have a recliner there so I can hide from all the other inhabitants of my house and read or just stare at all my books. My library is PURPLE! OMG yes. So I have purple walls, dark dark brown shelves, and a nice white leather recliner. I can’t even describe how awesome it is to be able to have my own library like that. Hurray for new house.
Share your favorite book or reading related quote.
Well here’s a couple. One is kinda funny/silly and the other is serious. John Green is good for quotes.
“Peeing is like a good book in that it is very, very hard to stop once you start.”
― John Green, Paper Towns
― John Green, Paper Towns
“Sometimes, you read a book and it fills you with this weird evangelical zeal, and you become convinced that the shattered world will never be put back together unless and until all living humans read the book.”
― John Green, The Fault in Our Stars
― John Green, The Fault in Our Stars
On Literature:
Literature is too often grouped with stuffy books published years ago or books that highly educated people give you dirty looks for *not* reading. While most of the time books are called literature if they are award-worthy and recommended reading and true ‘book club’ type books, I tend to think of literature = book. Are you reading a book? Great! Then you’re being literary and reading a piece of literature. So go out and enjoy literature, all of it!
Rose’s Introduction & Literature thoughts
1. Who are you? I am Rose, avid reader, enthusiastic book club organizer, aspiring writer? and devoted mommy of one Doberman puppy, Maddox, and one Half-Arabian mare, Kissy. Literature is my life. I have BA in English Lit that I paid entirely too much for and do not use in my everyday job at the hospital where I work as a Certified Pharmacy Technician. How long have you been blogging? I have been blogging since April 2013. Why did you get into blogging? I love books and reading and talking books and reading and people at work don’t really read enough to discuss it with me so I was dying for an outlet. I started a YA book club (for adults only) and met Julie and we hit it off and I asked her if she wanted to do a book review blog and the rest is history. Where in the world are you blogging from? I currently reside in Katy, Texas and although I went to high school and college in Western PA, I was born in East Texas and claim Houston as my hometown.
2. What genre do you read the most? I mostly read contemporary YA and NA romance. However, I am thinking about creating a challenge for myself and reading outside of my favorite genre for this summer…. I am suffering a little bit of burnout from reading the same thing over and over. I am thinking of reading some paranormal and sci-fi YA and NA books. I love to read because ________ it is easier for me to allow this video to answer why I love to read:
3. What does your favorite/ideal reading space look like? My library is my favorite reading spot.
4. Share your favorite book or reading related quote.
Some books let us know a character deeply. These are good books. Other books help you know yourself deeply. These are great books.
-Rose C (this quote is my own)
5. If you were stranded on a desert island, what 3 books would you bring? Why? okay, for books, I would bring:
- Dragonfly In Amber by Diana Gabaldon because I love Jamie and this is my favorite book from the Outlander Series. Plus, It is a long book and the way I figure it, I might be on this dang island a while.
- The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons because it is another big book and one of my favorites.
- On the Island by Tracey Garvis-Graves or The Black Stallion by Walter Farley because hey, these characters were all stranded on an island, too.
What 3 non-book items would you bring? Why?
- solar powered flashlight- I wanna see in the dark.
- water resistant space blanket- like the ones the military issues. It would be easy to carry and warm and protective.
- a big fricken knife. (unless I can bring a person, in which case, I would bring my boyfriend who knows who to make and or fix anything he would remember to bring his OWN big fricken knife. see? win win!)
On Literature: Like I mentioned in my intro, literature is my life. I really wish I had a job in a field dealing with literature. I think when many people think of “literature” they automatically think stuffy Brit Lit Classics (which coincidentally enough, are anything BUT stuffy). I think literature encompasses any genre and anything you enjoy reading. You will not find any snobby book lit lover here. I have genres that I prefer over others, but as long as someone is reading, then it’s all good to me. I think many people do not realize that essentially even those awesome series on HBO and Starz are really nothing more than literature on TV. I mean, sure, they aren’t in book form, but nine times out of ten, they are based on books and let’s face it, more people will engage is viewing literature over reading it. Who am I to discriminate?
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Having a home library is a bookworm’s dream. I know, it’s mine too! 🙂
Great meeting you!
Freda Mans recently posted…The Friday 56
I love my library, but I have to say I am a wee bit jealous of Julie’s. It is soooo nice and new and those beautiful french doors! And its own private bathroom… sigh…
Well, it isn’t exactly a private bathroom… since that bathroom can be accessed from the hallway too.
Great post ladies! I didn’t know you were pregnant Julie – Congrats!!! I love that video Rose, it kind of gave me chills 🙂 And I agree with both of you about literature – it really doesn’t have to be “stuffy” classics – reading books IS reading literature!
Berls @ Fantasy is More Fun recently posted…Division Zero by Matthew Cox | Book Review
Thanks 🙂 I announced on FB (not the page for this blog but my personal one) and on twitter a few weeks ago, but not everyone’s seen it yet 🙂 This is my first blog announcement.
I love that video! It gives me chills, too!
I love the quotes! And the bookshelf? *grabby hands* Awesome video too. I love that commercial, and it’s perfect for this post! 🙂
Sophia! I love that commerical, too. Everytime it comes on, I shush everyone and make them watch it. lol.
It’s great to get to know a few extra things about you both! I’m a Texan myself, although I’ve lived in Colorado for 15 years. Julie, congrats on the impending non-fur baby. 🙂 Rose, I too have a degree in English Lit that I paid too much for and don’t use…well, not really. I love the quotes you shared and your reading spaces.
Bookworm Brandee recently posted…**Review ~ Captivating Bridge ~ Michelle Mankin**
yeah, total waste of money, but still glad I did it. I really wish I had a job that was creative or at least had something to do will books, reading, literature, THINKING! instead I work with drugs… sigh…. And YAY for Texas! But Colorado is BEAUTIFUL!!!!!! I would love to live there. If you know, like, Texas blew up or something… then yeah, colorado is my next choice.. haha
Hi Julie and Rose! *waves*
It’s so cool that you all are blogging partners.
Julie – I want your reading chair. It looks so comfy. I am mad at NA romance right now. I have been picking out some bad reads lately. Last week, I finished LONDON BOUND and it was pretty good. Any NA romance suggestions?
Rose – is that a different reading queue on your table? The books on my coffee cable are next in line to be read. The bookshelf is a black hole. Once a book is put there, it may not make it out. I finished Dragonfly In Amber by Diana Gabaldon earlier this month. See my Intro post and comments. I am happy and sad.
Enjoy your week of Armchair BEA!
Skeeter Lee recently posted…HELLO Armchair BEA 2014! It’s me, Skeeter Lee.
I am so happy to have a partner in crime. There is no way I could ever have started a blog like this on my own. AS for the books on my table, this pic was actually taken a while ago and those books are all book that we were discussing for various book clubs coming up.
A big white chair in a purple library sounds perfect to me! 🙂 Happy Armchair BEA!!
Chris Wolak recently posted…Sunday Salon: What’s Been Going On
Thanks 🙂 Do you have a cool reading space?
I do, or at least I think it is! 🙂 I posted a picture of it during the last readathon–http://wildmoobooks.blogspot.com/2014/04/update-1-deweys-24-hour-readathon.html
Chris Wolak recently posted…That’s a Wrap: Adios May, Howdy June!
Hi Julie, Hi Rose (digital waving). Enjoyed reading about both of you! Love the library Julie! (one day when my office grows up I will have bookshelves all devoted to my lovelies…for now they are stacked in the top of our closet, while my kids books, husbands books and kids movies take up 2 full bookshelves in the office). Rose, I’m a big fan of NA romance, but I get tired of the repetitive themes among them.
Great to meet ya’ll! Come say hi!
Holly @ Words Fueled by Love
HI Holly!
I think I am getting a little burned out on the NA Romance right now.. at least contemporary NA Romance.. maybe I need to through a little paranormal in there… or perhaps read something totally different. I think I will probably always like NA, but yeah, I am getting burned out.
Julie – that is one cool library and your reading chair looks so comfy! I’d be scared to drink coffee on that one though, don’t want to get it dirty…. been sporadically watching JGreen’s YouTube channel, he’s funny!
Rose – The Bronze Horseman for sure!!! I still have to read Summer’s Garden but TBH will be forever on my list of best book ever! I love your survival pack, I wouldn’t have thought about a solar flashlight and that military grade blankie, very handy.
Literature – I feel ya but the fiction genre has evolved so much throughout the years that every book should be “literature” as it’s subjective like art.
Braine Talk Supe recently posted…Loved It: Celestial Blues Trilogy by Vicki Pettersson
THE BRONZE HORSEMAN!!!! (Julie is reading this book right now for our book club, btw) and I agree that every book is basically “literature”
Julie! I love your chair AND your purple 😉
Jessica @ Rabid Reads recently posted…Armchair BEA: Day 1, Introduction
Purple is the best color ever, seriously!
So what? I gotta have like purple walls now? Well my walls have something better on them! Like Peeta Mellark! So there! Take THAT, Miss Julie Purple Walls! Actually, what I meant to say was I like your new library, too Julie and thanks again for the Peeta poster.
Happy Armchair BEA, Rose and Julie! High five from another Texas blogger. There just aren’t enough of us. And congrats, Julie, on your upcoming child (weird way to word that?). 😀
Andi (Estella’s Revenge) recently posted…Armchair BEA: Intro and Literature
Yay fellow Texan 🙂
TEXAS! Woot!
Haha that’s so going to be me in another year “my first non-fur baby (eek!).” I always enjoy learning more about the peeps I follow, so thanks for sharing!
Carmel @ Rabid Reads recently posted…Early Review: The Given by Vicki Pettersson
Haha, eek and all, right? I think it will always be an “eek” for me, what a scary and serious decision.
I think that is one of the best things about Armchair BEA is that you get to know your fellow bloggers a bit better.