Category Archives: Blog Hops

August 9, 2022 · 1:00 am

Top Ten Tuesday: Hilarious Book Titles


Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

Two women laughing while reading books. One has a book on top of her head. This is one of those topics I could talk about forever! Isn’t it wonderful to chuckle when you read the title of a book?

I like to collect hilarious book titles as I search for new books to read.

There are some quite clever ones out there. The more you find, the easier it is to discover even more of them in my experience.

Here are just a few of the ones I’ve discovered. Yes, I’m sure a couple of them are probably repeats from previous TTT topics, but why not giggle at them again?

The only one I’ve read so far is How I Killed Pluto and Why It Had It Coming. It was an informative, interesting, and sometimes funny read.

1. How I Stole Johnny Depp’s Alien Girlfriend by Gary Ghislain

2. Everything I Needed to Know about Women I Learned by Reading Twilight: A Vampire’s Guide to Eternal Love by Jim Lee

3. You Don’t Have to Be Evil to Work Here, But it Helps (J. W. Wells & Co., #4) by Tom Holt

4. This book cover and title have nothing to do with this book. by Jarod Kintz

5. How I Killed Pluto and Why It Had It Coming by Mike Brown

6. Hello Kitty Must Die by Angela S. Choi

7. Nibbled to Death by Ducks by Robert Wright Campbell

8. My Ass Is Haunted By The Gay Unicorn Colonel by Chuck Tingle

9. How to Defeat Your Own Clone and Other Tips for Surviving the Biotech Revolution by Kyle Kurpinski

10. Surviving Your Stupid Stupid Decision to Go to Grad School by Adam Ruben

 

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August 3, 2022 · 1:00 am

Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge: Weirdest Food You Love

Hosted by Long and Short Reviews.

Click here to read everyone else’s replies to this week’s question and here to see the full list of topics for the year.

About a dozen kohlrabi’s sitting on top of each other. They are whole and unwashed. I’m bending the rules this week and giving two answers to the prompt because I know we’ve had at least one vegetarian participate in the past. I don’t want to make them read about something that might bother them.

My Vegetarian Answer: Kohlrabi. Sometimes it’s also known as a German Turnip. The flesh of this vegetable is white and looks and feels like a lot like a radish. The taste is quite mild and delicious, though. My grandmother grows them in her garden and serves them as a snack on their own or sometimes sliced and then put on a piece of buttered bread just like you would with radish slices.

My Non-Vegetarian Answer: Frog legs. I grew up in a rural part of North America where people ate such things at home as well as in local restaurants! It’s definitely an acquired and gamey taste, but I sure liked it when I was a kid.

I do not think my answers are actually that unusual, but we’ll see what the rest of you have to say in your posts!

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August 2, 2022 · 1:00 am

Top Ten Tuesday: Books Set in a Place I’d Love to Visit


Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

A brown suitcase covered in stamps and stickers from various tourist destinations like Hawaii and Los Angeles. Prince Edward Island and Hawaii are two places I’d love to visit. I discussed the former last month, so this post will be dedicated to the latter.

Why did I pick Hawaii? Well, it’s climate is much warmer and sunnier than the places I’ve lived in my life (at least during the winter).

When Ontario is in the depths of January and the clouds haven’t parted in weeks, I dream of going somewhere that has a bright blue sky and is not covered in ice and snow.

I’d also love to learn more about the cultures of the people who originally inhabited the Hawaiian islands. I know so little about them at the moment. Do speak up if you know if any other good books on this topic.

Moloka'i (Moloka'i, #1) by Alan Brennert book cover. Image on cover shows a drawing of a Hawaiian woman’s face covered partially by flowers.

1. Moloka’i (Moloka’i, #1) by Alan Brennert

 

Blu's Hanging by Lois-Ann Yamanaka book cover. Image on cover shows a painting of a black cat sitting underneath laundry drying on a laundry cord outside at dusk.

2. Blu’s Hanging by Lois-Ann Yamanaka

 

ild Meat and the Bully Burgers by Lois-Ann Yamanaka Book oover. Image on cover shows a drawing of a stylized spotted leopard-like creature surrounded by celestial bodies like the sun.

3. Wild Meat and the Bully Burgers by Lois-Ann Yamanaka

 

The Aloha Spirit by Linda Ulleseit book cover. Image on cover shows a drawing of a ship releasing black smoke by an Hawaiian island covered in palm trees and ferns.

4. The Aloha Spirit by Linda Ulleseit

 

nfamiliar Fishes by Sarah Vowell book cover. Image on cover shows painting of Hawaiians sitting underneath tree as white man stands looking down upon them.

5. Unfamiliar Fishes by Sarah Vowell

 

This Is Paradise: Stories by Kristiana Kahakauwila Book cover. Image on cover shows silhoutte of plastic dancing Hawaiian girl on a car’s dashboard as it drives on a glowing red city street at night.

6. This Is Paradise: Stories by Kristiana Kahakauwila

 

he Legends and Myths of Hawai'i by David Kalākaua Book cover. Image on cover shows a painting of a Hawaiian man in English military gear. He looks high ranking?!

7. The Legends and Myths of Hawai’i by David Kalākaua

 

 

No Footprints in the Sand: A Memoir of Kalaupapa by Henry Nalaielua book cover. Image on cover shows photo of young boy in white hospital uniform crossing his arms at a leprosy hospital. Upper photo shows him as a healthy senior citizen.

8. No Footprints in the Sand: A Memoir of Kalaupapa by Henry Nalaielua

 

Story by Hawaii's Queen by Liliuokalani book cover. Image on cover shows photo of Hawaiian queen and the English building where she lived.

9. Hawaii’s Story by Hawaii’s Queen by Liliuokalani

 

Hawaii by James A. Michener book cover. Image on cover shows six Hawaiians paddling together in the same boat in the ocean at sunset.

10. Hawaii by James A. Michener

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July 27, 2022 · 1:00 am

Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge: My Ideal Bookcase

Hosted by Long and Short Reviews.

Click here to read everyone else’s replies to this week’s question and here to see the full list of topics for the year.

This week’s topic was “show us your bookcases.” While I do technically own one bookcase, it’s filled with clothes, random knickknacks, spare charging cords for our various electronic devices, and tic tacs because my spouse loves that candy.

In order to stick to the spirit of the prompt, I’m going to tweak it just a little so I can share my dream bookcase with you all.

A nook in a house that contains a while bookshelf built into the wall. The doorway has a nice wooden frame with some leaves carved into it. Many bookcases out there are quite tall. I’m a little shorter than average, so it always makes me a tad nervous to stand on my tiptoes and try to grab a book on the top shelf. This is even more true if the book is oddly shaped or heavier than usual as I have scary thoughts of one of them falling onto my face and scratching my cornea or cracking  my glasses. (Yes, my fears are quite specific sometimes. Ha!)

Therefore, my ideal bookcase would be one that I could reach every shelf comfortably.

The thought of it existing in a little nook of a house that might otherwise be hard to make full use of delights me, too.

I love the wooden frame over the doorway of this bookcase. Wood is such a warm and cheerful material. I’d want to have rabbits carved into my frame because they’re my favourite animal.

Ideally, my bookcase and the nook it was placed in would be somewhat larger than this one. I would like to have a soft, comfortable chair in that little room or maybe right outside of it in the hallway or next room as well if I could. It would make such a cozy spot to sit and read.

There you have it. Something like this would be a perfect bookcase to me.

 

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July 26, 2022 · 1:00 am

Top Ten Tuesday: Books From My Past Seasonal TBR Posts I Still Haven’t Read


Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

Drawing of a shadow of a large hand pointing accusingly at a man wearing a suit who is cowering in embarrassment. This stock photo made me giggle. Don’t take it too seriously.

Posts that ask us to look back at our seasonal TBR posts and talk about which books from them we haven’t read always make me feel like I’m back in school and being graded by the teacher or have just been called into the boss’ office for a stern talking-to.

I am so glad that Jana does not actually care how many or how few books from past seasonal TBR posts we’ve read.

Here are some books I’ve talked about in those previous posts that I still need to read.

 

Life Ceremony: Stories  by Sayaka Murata book cover. Image on cover shows a drawing of Japanese food in a black bowl.

Life Ceremony: Stories  by Sayaka Murata

Why I Haven’t Read It Yet: It’s still something I want to read. I simply need to find the time to do so.

 

The Book Eaters by Sunyi Dean book cover. Image on cover shows cutouts of a mother and child from the pages of a book. These silhouettes are walking up to a building made from the page of a print book and looking at a lit window in it as the mom points at it.

The Book Eaters by Sunyi Dean

Why I Haven’t Read It Yet: The cover looks a little scarier to me every time I look at it again. I’m intrigued by the idea of people eating books (and finding different flavours associated with different genres), but I’m not ready for anything too frightening at the moment.

 

Girlhood by Melissa Febos book cover. The only decoration on this cover is the title and author repeated over and over again with each repetition missing a little more of the words.

Girlhood by Melissa Febos

Why I Haven’t Read It Yet: I’m not in the right headspace to read it right now.

 

 

Cursed Bunny  by Bora Chung book cover. Image on cover is a drawing of an alert purple hare.

Cursed Bunny  by Bora Chung

Why I Haven’t Read It Yet: Honestly, I think I was more interested in the cover than the story itself. Isn’t this a compelling cover?

 

 

Cat Problems  by Jory John book cover. Image on cover is of a stressed-out cat sitting in a cardboard box.

Cat Problems  by Jory John

Why I Haven’t Read It Yet: The Toronto Public Library hasn’t ordered copies of it yet.

 

Living Beyond Borders: Stories About Growing Up Mexican in America by Margarita Longoria book cover. Image on cover is a drawing of a man with a butterfly on his shoulder walking into a Mexican village.

Living Beyond Borders: Stories About Growing Up Mexican in America by Margarita Longoria

Why I Haven’t Read It Yet: I’m not in the right headspace to read it yet.

 

Patience & Esther by SW Searle book cover. Image on cover is of two Edwardian women kissing romantically.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Patience & Esther: An Edwardian Romance  by SW Searle

Why I Haven’t Read It Yet: The Toronto Public Library hasn’t ordered a copy yet. I did send them an official request to do so, though! We’ll see if they listen to me.

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July 20, 2022 · 1:00 am

Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge: Describe a Perfect Weekend Getaway

Hosted by Long and Short Reviews.

Click here to read everyone else’s replies to this week’s question and here to see the full list of topics for the year.

This is a trip I’ve been dreaming about ever since I first read the Anne of Green Gables series by L.M. Montgomery.  Maybe someday a version of it will actually happen!

A lighthouse on Prince Edward Island. You can see the famous red sandy beaches between the lighthouse and the sea. The sky is a dusky rose colour. It may be dusk or dawn in this photo. My perfect weekend getaway would happen on Prince Edward Island.

My spouse* and I would fly there on a Friday and fly home on a Monday so we’d have two full days of adventure on the island.

Our first stop would be to visit the birthplace of L.M. Montgomery. It’s a lovely farmhouse that’s been turned into a museum. Historical stuff like that appeals to me!

I’d visit some of the Anne of Green Gables tourist destinations nearby, too, like the little museum dedicated to this series and the gift shop that has all sorts of Anne memorabilia.

The rest of the weekend would be spend exploring other things the island has to offer. I’d want to visit their red beaches for sure, but I’d play the rest by ear based on what the locals recommended and what the weather was like that weekend.

It’s been my experience that the best restaurants, parks, shops, and other adventures in a new area are often hidden gems. I’d rather take advice from someone who lives there and has insider information than follow the advice of a random Internet article that may or may not actually be knowledgeable on the topic.

My spouse* and I might:

  • Take a carriage ride
  • Explore a gorgeous, half-forgotten graveyard in a small town
  • Eat at a restaurant that looks fairly ordinary from the outside but quietly serves the best food on the whole island
  • Join a last-minute ghost or historical tour
  • Stumble upon a cool local festival or event we knew nothing about previously
  • Find a marvellous sweets or ice cream shop
  • Make a new friend with an extroverted local or fellow tourist
  • Build sand castles on the beach
  • Hike somewhere achingly wonderful, or
  • Discover unique architecture in a beautiful historical church or other building

Red rocks, dirt, and sand on a Prince Edward Island beach. The possibilities are endless, and I’d relish any of them.

I’ll end this post with one more Prince Edward Island stock photo I found.

Seriously, wouldn’t it be amazing to see such sights in person?

*If they didn’t want to go, I’d take a friend instead. I do not believe in compulsory travel. Hehe.

 

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July 19, 2022 · 1:00 am

Top Ten Tuesday: An Outdoor Adventures Reading List


Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

A sun-dappled Ontario forest filled with healthy green trees and bushes. Spending time in nature is one of my non-bookish hobbies. My idea of a good time is taking a walk in the woods, by the beach, or in some other natural setting where I can let the sounds of birds tweeting and leaves rustling wash over me.

This is how serene and beautiful our forests are during the summer. (Yes, I took this photo). We have been seeing more ticks, including some that carry Lyme disease, in Ontario, so I always stick to the trails when I walk through our forests and check for ticks afterwards.

Taking a few precautions like this one is well worth the time I get to spend out in nature. There is nothing like noticing a rabbit, squirrel, or some other small creature hiding beneath a nearby bush and realizing it’s waiting to see how you behave before it decides when to run away.

I like to pretend like I haven’t seen them and keep walking on by. Sometimes they decide to stay hidden , while in other cases they suddenly scamper away in a flurry of motion.

The books on today’s list are a nice mixture of practical medical advice for outdoor adventures and ones that explore the many advantages of getting some exercise outdoors while the weather is warm and nice. I have read all of them and would recommend all of them. (Well, I actually read a similar first aid book that I couldn’t find online anymore. But close enough).

CPR, AED & First Aid Provider Handbook by Karl Disque Book cover. Image on cover shows close-up photos of people proving chest compressions during first aid.

CPR, AED & First Aid Provider Handbook by Karl Disque

 

ild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed Book cover. Image on cover shows a used hiking shoe.

1. Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed

 

 

Oh, the Places You'll Go! by Dr. Seuss book cover. Image on cover shows a drawing of a Dr. Seuss character standing on a rainbow top.

Oh, the Places You’ll Go! by Dr. Seuss

 

The Hidden Life of Trees: what they feel, how they communicate : discoveries from a secret world by Peter Wohlleben Book cover. Image on cover shows a drawing of one large and two smaller trees whose roots are intertwined underground.

The Hidden Life of Trees: what they feel, how they communicate : discoveries from a secret world by Peter Wohlleben

 

Grandma Gatewood's Walk: The Inspiring Story of the Woman Who Saved the Appalachian Trail by Ben Montgomery Book cover. Image on cover shows a photo of Grandma Gatewood hiking as she carries her jacket.

Grandma Gatewood’s Walk: The Inspiring Story of the Woman Who Saved the Appalachian Trail by Ben Montgomery

 

Medicine Walk by Richard Wagamese Book cover. Image on cover shows a photo of a path through a pine forest. No one is on the path.

Medicine Walk by Richard Wagamese

 

The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection from the Living Dead by Max Brooks book cover. Image on cover shows a drawing of a gun and a sword crossing each other.

The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection from the Living Dead by Max Brooks

Yes, that final title does talk about zombies, but the advice in it is wholly practical and can be used for all sorts of survival situations. I’ve even found it useful for more ordinary troubles like dealing with days when I’m feeling out of sorts and need to comfort myself.

I hope this list has encouraged you to spend time outdoors this summer if you can and if you’re interested. It’s a wonderful way to spend the summer in my opinion.

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July 13, 2022 · 1:00 am

Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge: Character in a Book You’d Love to Meet and Why

Hosted by Long and Short Reviews.

Click here to read everyone else’s replies to this week’s question and here to see the full list of topics for the year.

There are countless characters from books out there who would make a memorable first impression. For this week’s prompt, I used the following criteria to narrow them down to one character I’d love to meet:

A hobbit house with a blue door built into the side of a green grassy hill. 1) They are kind, loving, and accepting of everyone.

I filter real-life people by these criteria, too, so it only makes sense to narrow the list down to characters who would be genuinely pleasant hosts or houseguests.

2) We share similar interests.

This is not to say we must share all of our interests in common, only that I think it would be nice to have some ideas of good icebreakers to get the visit started off on the right foot.

3) They live in a world that’s (relatively) safe for human women to visit. 

I would strongly prefer not to be eaten by a dragon or carried away by bandits five minutes into our visit. Let’s make it as peaceful and predictable an experience as possible.

When it was all said and done, Samwise Gamgee from J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings trilogy is my choice.

Samwise got along beautifully with nearly everyone who crossed his path. (I am not counting Gollum here because that poor creature really couldn’t get along with anyone anymore). He excelled at smoothing things over if someone’s feathers were accidentally ruffled, and he relished getting to know how others lived, what they thought about the world, and, equally importantly for a hobbit, what delicious things they might serve for second breakfast.

He was a loyal friend, a brave explorer, and a critical part of the reason why Frodo kept going on his mission to destroy the One Ring before it destroyed the entire world when all hope for rescue or success had been lost. We would:

  • Eat tasty food several times a day.
  • Take long walks in the peaceful countryside.
  • Listen to his incredible stories from his adventures.
  • Dance, sing, play games, and do other wholesome hobbit things.
  • Make everyone feel welcomed.

In short, it just might be a perfect day.

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July 12, 2022 · 1:00 am

Top Ten Tuesday: Book Covers That Feel Like Summer


Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

A red, yellow, and orange umbrella framed against a blue summer sky that has a few fluffy white clouds floating by in it. This was such a fun and easy prompt to do!

Summer makes me think of ice cream, cookouts, picnics, sand, sunscreen, swimming, beaches, sandals, swimsuits, and more.

I tried to incorporate as many different types of these images and similar images into my response as possible.

No, I have not read these books yet. I tend to read a lot of science fiction that has nothing at all to do with typical summer topics, so I had to get a bit creative in order to participate.

If you have read any of these books, I’d love to hear what you thought of them!

 

Love & Gelato (Love & Gelato, #1) by Jenna Evans Welch Book cover. Image on cover shows a drawing of two scoops of gelato in separate cones.

1. Love & Gelato (Love & Gelato, #1) by Jenna Evans Welch

 

Murder Cuts the Mustard by Jessica Ellicott book cover. Image on cover shows drawing of two women and a dog enjoying a picnic in a park.

2. Murder Cuts the Mustard by Jessica Ellicott

 

Thank You for Flying Air Zoe by Erik Atwell book cover. Image on cover shows a pair of red flip flops against a blue background.

3. Thank You for Flying Air Zoe by Erik Atwell

 

The Southern Side of Paradise (Peachtree Bluff #3) by Kristy Woodson Harvey book cover. Image on cover show a white woman wearing a white bathing suit and a yellow hat lounging in a pink inner tube in a pool.

4. The Southern Side of Paradise (Peachtree Bluff #3) by Kristy Woodson Harvey

 

Honeymoon for One by Beth Orsoff book cover. Image on cover shows a woman lying in a hammock at the beach. An alcohol mixed drink sits on the sand next to her just outside of the shade she’s enjoying.

5. Honeymoon for One by Beth Orsoff

 

A Starless Sky by Paige Agnew book cover. Image on cover shows the word Starless etched into some sand.

6. A Starless Sky by Paige Agnew

 

Tropical Dreams by Kelly Cozzone Book cover. image on cover shows palm trees lining a beach.

7. Tropical Dreams by Kelly Cozzone

 

Seven Fires: Grilling the Argentine Way by Francis Mallmann book cover. Image on cover hows photograph of a man, the barbecued food he cooks, and the land he lives on.

8. Seven Fires: Grilling the Argentine Way by Francis Mallmann

 

Shug by Jenny Han Book cover. Image on cover shows a red popsicle with a bite taken out of it.

9. Shug by Jenny Han

 

We Had a Picnic This Sunday Past by Jacqueline Woodson book cover. Image on cover shows a drawing of a grandmother and granddaughter carrying a picnic basket in a park.

10. We Had a Picnic This Sunday Past by Jacqueline Woodson

 

 

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July 6, 2022 · 1:00 am

Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge: Have You Met Anyone Famous? Who?

Hosted by Long and Short Reviews.

Click here to read everyone else’s replies to this week’s question and here to see the full list of topics for the year.

A black squiggly autograph

The Internet says this is supposed to be an autograph.

I’ve never met anyone who is universally famous like Beyoncé or President Obama, so my answer to this question depends on your definition of the term fame and which social circles we may or may not have in common. Here are a few people who are famous in some subcultures that I’ve been in the same room with.

Curtis Hinds

Those of you who have followed my site for a while might remember that I was a preacher’s kid growing up. Curtis was (and still is) well known as a travelling pastor and speaker in certain Protestant circles. I knew him as a family friend who would occasionally come to visit us in the Midwestern portion of the United States or take us out to dinner when we travelled up to Ontario.

He was (and I’m sure still is) a friendly man who always had amusing new stories to share about his travels.

 

Robert J. Sawyer

Robert is one of Canada’s most famous science fiction authors. I’ve blogged about several of his books here like “Calculating God” and the Neanderthal Parallax Trilogy in previous posts.

He sometimes pops up at various literary events and festivals in Toronto. I’ve met him once so far. He was a kind and welcoming man to everyone around him that day, so do say hello if you also enjoy his work and see him around at a bookish event someday.

 

Devon Soltendieck

This one might take a little bit of explaining. Much Music is a tv channel that is like Canada’s version of MTV. Devon was a Much Music host in the 2000s. In the mid-2000s, I was riding the subway when I saw someone who looked really familiar to me. I couldn’t stop staring at him as I tried to figure out why he was so familiar.

“Okay, so how are we related?” I silently asked myself. I had occasionally run into distant cousins and other relatives whom I recognized but whose names did not immediately come to mind when I lived in the United States. Due to this, I assumed it was another case of me seeing a third cousin or something and needing some time to realize we shared recent ancestors.

It was only after I’d arrived back home and turned on the TV that I realized I’d probably seen a famous person instead.

He was facing away from me on the subway, so I hope he didn’t notice me staring at him. I would have politely ignored him if I realized we didn’t actually need to play the “how are we related” game after all. Ha!

 

Person photographing her white dog. That is the sum total of my celebrity experiences. I tend to avoid celebrity culture and take an alternate route if I see paparazzi clogging up a sidewalk here in Toronto, but I hope everyone who is into that sort of stuff has plenty of opportunities to rub elbows with celebrities if they so desire to.

I’m ending this post with a stock photo of someone photographing her dog because the thought of domesticated animals being famous makes me giggle. (Although there are some famous furry friends out there, too).

 

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