Etsy Find Friday: Sylvia Plath I Am Canvas Tote

It’s Friday (Finally! Is it just me, or was this week never-ending?) and that means…Etsy Find Friday!

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath is one of my favorite books. I’ve never been a big fan of poetry, even after forcing myself to take multiple poetry classes in college, but something about Sylvia Plath’s words have always spoken to me. And, that is why I had to make this tote my Etsy find of the week.

Visit seller Amandertot’s shop Tea & Virginia Woolf Before Bedtime for more book totes with quotes from female writers.

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Teaser Tuesday: Wicked (Take 2)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

“Most of the caravan travelers stayed glued to the doors of their wagons, imaging crime just beyond the nearest tent. But Elphie found it impossible to keep still, with all this newness beckoning.” ~Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West

Book Review: How To Get Divorced By 30

It can’t possibly be a good sign when you tell your parents you are getting divorced and your father’s reaction is, “it’s very sad when a five-year marriage only lasts two and a half years.” That is exactly how Sascha Rothchild’s father reacted, and how her memoir, How to Get Divorced by 30: My Misguided Attempt at a Starter Marriage, opens.

The memoir takes us through the 30 steps to getting divorced by 30, including Sascha’s early relationships and upbringing. Sometimes funny, sometimes heartbreaking, but always honest, I found myself immediately immersed in Sascha’s world. Her tone throughout the book was friendly and open, almost like I was out to lunch with an old friend catching up on the last 10 years.

As a lover of memoirs, and avid observer of society and culture, this book was right up my alley. It was a quick read, I finished it in an evening, and kept my attention, even through the Real Housewives of Orange County (no small feat). Most women will recognize some part of Sascha’s story as relating to their own. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a good, light read. I give it a 9/10.

Etsy Find Friday: I Heart Books Flat Notecards

So, by now you might have figured out that I love a lot of things. Books, movies, the missed connections sections of newspapers…I also love getting mail. A good friend of mine has the habit of randomly dropping handwritten cards on pretty stationery in the mail and I love, love, love finding one in my mailbox. It makes me feel so wonderful to know that she is thinking of me (and, let’s be honest, it is nice to get something in the mail besides junk and bills).

In attempt to be a little more like my friend, I’ve been collecting pretty stationery whenever it crosses my path, and I think I’ve found my next purchase.

Behold, the “I Heart Books Flat Notecards” from etsy seller StephanieFizer. What is not to love about this adorable set of cards? If you’ve got some time, head over to the shop and see the other adorable prints and cards she has available. I think I’ve found a new favorite seller.

Teaser Tuesday: Wicked

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

“In years to come—and Boq would live a long life—he would remember the rest of the summer as scented with the must of old books, when ancient script swam before his eyes. He sleuthed alone in the musty stacks, he hovered over the mahogany drawers lined with vellum manuscripts.” ~Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West

Etsy Find Friday: Wuthering Heights Handbag

Today’s Etsy Find Friday piece comes from seller spoonfulofchocolate. Not only is this handbag an homage to the great Emily Bronte, it also does its part to save the planet—upcycling at its best. Spoonfulofchocolate has many other book options available in her shop, as well as some fantastic bookshelves.

Teaser Tuesday: Government Girl by Stacy Parker Aab

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

“Heather spent the afternoon on Jennifer’s bed. That’s what she told me the day she returned from her three-hour lunch spent with Jennifer Grey, George’s current girlfriend.” ~Government Girl

Movie Review: Alice in Wonderland

After months and months of waiting, I finally saw Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland yesterday! I wish I could say I saw it on opening night, but a sinus headache had me in bed early on Friday. Alas, I survived the headache and made it to a Saturday matinée. The husband and I opted to see the movie in 2D rather than they much hyped 3D. I am not a big fan of 3D (it gives me headaches) and the husband had read that the 3D didn’t add much to the overall enjoyment of the film.

The movie itself was, as expected, a visual masterpiece. The scenery and costumes were a perfect palate of color, and the computerized graphics were flawless.

The story opens with a young Alice waking from a recurring nightmare of a place where rabbits wear waist coats. Alice’s father rushes to her side to assure her that it is just a dream. The story moves forward to Alice, now 19, on her way to a garden party. Unknown to Alice, the son of her deceased father’s business partner will propose to her at the party. When confronted with the awkward Hamish’s request, Alice makes a run for it, chasing a waist-coated rabbit right down the rabbit hole of her youth. For better or worse, the residents of Wonderland have been waiting for her.

The film allowed our usual cast of Tim Burton characters to shine. Helena Bonham Carter gave a stand-out performance as the Red Queen. She stole the screen in every shot and gave some wonderful, quotable lines (“Where are my two fat boys? I love my little fat boys!” “I love a warm pig belly for my aching feet.” “This is Um, she’s my new favorite.”) And I was, of course, impressed with Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter. He played the Hatter as a man of memories and deep emotions, a welcome change from the usual interpretation of the role. Although not a typical member of Burton’s troupe, I loved Alan Rickman as the blue caterpillar and don’t think a better choice could have been made for that role.

The story itself was entertaining, but really served as path to move us through this magical world. With that said, Linda Woolverton, the writer of the screenplay, did a fantastic job weaving elements of Lewis Carroll’s original tale throughout the film. I was especially tickled by the subtle drops in the opening garden party sequence, including the host’s outrage over white roses rather than red (and Alice’s suggestion that she could paint them) and a blue caterpillar on Hamish’s shoulder as he proposes.

Overall, the film was definitely worth the wait and I can’t wait to add to my collection.

Etsy Find Friday: The Missed Connections Project

I love books. I love handcrafted items. I spend a lot of my free time scrolling through etsy.com. In fact, when my husband and I got married last October, I purchased about half of our wedding-related items from the site. So, I’m a fan. A big one.

To make etsy even cooler, it has many, many library-related items for sale in its glorious shops. Each Friday, I will  show you all the library themed item I’m currently drooling over in my newest weekly feature, Etsy Find Friday.

First up? From the Missed Connections Project, In the Library Browsing. I have always found the missed connections section of newspapers and Craigslist exciting. There is something so hopeful about those messages, thrust out into the world, with a bit of vulnerability mixed in with the comfort of anonymity. If you haven’t checked out the Missed Connections Project, definitely head over to the blog.

E-books: After the Hype and Before the iPad

My post about e-readers resulted in a great response from you. Because of that, I thought you all might find ReadWriteWeb blog’s post about the market for e-books of interest. It includes some interesting hard data and comparisons between the different readers.

If you were one of my many folks to continue to conversation with me here or elsewhere, definitely check out E-books: After the Hype and Before the iPad.