Morse Code Bracelets

Have you ever ever wanted to carry your favorite bookish quotes with you throughout the day? Morse Code jewelry is the answer! These bracelets and necklaces are super fun and easy to make. I use fishing line, small glass beads, and clasps from the craft store when making mine. 



Step 1: Choose a favorite quote.

Step 2: Change it into Morse Code (I use a free online translator).

Step 3: String beads with round beads for dots and long beads for dashes. I use slightly larger beads for spaces between words.

Step 4: Feel stealthy and awesome wearing your words.

Visiting F. Scott Fitzgerald's Grave

When I was looking for bookish sites to visit in Washington D.C. I had a little bit of a challenge ahead of me.  It's not that there aren't many sites to see,  but that I was only able to look around in the evenings because I was in town for a conference that occupied most of my days.  Imagine my excitement to discover that F. Scott Fitzgerald was buried a short metro ride away!

Turn left out of Rockville station

Rockville, the second to last stop on D.C.'s Red Line, stops very close to St. Mary's church where Fitzgerald is buried. When leaving the station you turn left toward the line of newspaper dispensers and the tall building with the clock on top.


Follow Church Street until you see the cemetery on the right. The church and cemetery are less than half a mile away.

I did not see a single person on this visit but found tributes left by those who visited before me. There were flowers, coins, pens, liquor, and a copy of The Great Gatsby.  It was odd to be in this tiny graveyard surrounded by traffic and buildings while still feeling quite alone. If you're in the area this is definitely worth the stop.

Giveaway: The Buried Giant - signed first edition

Enter for your chance to win a signed first edition of The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro! Just for fun I'm also throwing in a set of my favorite "sprout" bookmarks to a second winner.  There are three ways to enter and you can enter once per day - so come back often!

Here is the description of The Buried Giant from Goodreads:

"An extraordinary new novel from the author of Never Let Me Go and the Booker Prize-winning The Remains of the Day.

'You've long set your heart against it, Axl, I know. But it's time now to think on it anew. There's a journey we must go on, and no more delay...'

The Buried Giant begins as a couple set off across a troubled land of mist and rain in the hope of finding a son they have not seen in years.

Sometimes savage, often intensely moving, Kazuo Ishiguro's first novel in nearly a decade is about lost memories, love, revenge, and war."

I began reviewing books several years ago. I enjoyed it so much that  I later started this blog.  From the time I started I have received more than 100 books from publishers and authors,  had 150,000 hits on my reviews,  and 10,000 views on my blog. This may be small potatoes in the larger internet world, but it's fun for me. To say THANK YOU I am hosting this giveaway. 

Complete the entry form below for your chance to win.  Selection of winners will take place on May 1 and be posted to the blog (I will post first name and last initial).  Individual winners will also be notified by email.  Only entries from the US and Canada will be excepted. Good luck!

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Stitch it Simple Book Review

This is a (kinda) book review for Stitch it Simple: 25 hand sewn projects to make and share by Beth Sheard. What makes this a "kinda" book review? I wasn't able to access the templates on the digital version that was given for review via NetGalley so I couldn't actually make any of the projects. This would not typically be a problem because this book is sold as a paperback. I still wanted to complete a review, however, because it has some really cute, simple projects.

The beginning of the book features information about supplies, preparing to sew, cutting fabric, and how to do a variety of stitches. The pictures of each stitch help the reader interpret the written directions. This would be a great section for people who need a refresher on stitches or people learning for the first time. It also helps figure out what stitch is most appropriate for the task at hand.  I learned ways to applique and attach binding than what I have done previously.

While I was not able to complete any of the projects without the templates, it seems that the step by step directions are thorough and simple. It also helps that each pattern has pictures to help understand the steps. Patterns include stuffed letters, a butterfly mobile, adorable pillows, and much more. You can check out the book, pictures of the projects in the book, and information about the author here.

Reader Recommends: Ghost Stories

Ramblings on Readings has started hosting a weekly "Reader Recommends". Readers "choose up to five books or series you would recommend based on the topic or genre. If you haven’t read the topic, you can post books you are interested in reading based on the topic. Add your post to the Link-up at the bottom of each Reader Recommends post to see other bloggers’ suggestions, and make some new friends!". Sounds fun, right? This week the topic is ghost stories.

I haven't read a lot of good ghost stories. I think this is partly out of cowardice. I see one that looks good and put it on my "to read" list rather than actually reading it. I'm not as scared to read those with lower ratings. Embarrassing? Yes. But there you have it. Here are three I have enjoyed and three I will someday get the courage to read.

Read

I absolutely LOVE the Charlie Davidson series by Darynda Jones. There are lots of ghosts, but the books are more mystery than scary. The main character, Charlie, is the Grim Reaper. Ghosts, including a ghost dog, cling to Charlie day and night. Lots of supernatural with a dose of the sexy (it gets pretty steamy!) means my kind of series.


The spirits in Dante's Inferno are probably closer to souls than ghosts, but they have still terrified me from the first time I read this book. I like this one because it is a classic I actually enjoy reading every time. Plenty of creepy in this one!

Rooms by Lauren Oliver is a ghost story in the more classic sense as the living and the dead share the same residence, but it's still not creepy. The dead observe and comment on the living but can only communicate through the house itself - creaking walls, etc. Lots of family drama from both the ghosts and those still alive dominates much of the book.

Want to Read

Want to join in on the fun? Link up your post with your favorite ghost stories here.

Half a King Book Review

Book: Half a King (Shattered Sea Book One)

 

Author: Joe Abercrombie

 

Given by: Random House Publishing Group

 

Rating: 5/5 Won-derfuls (Amazing!)

 

This book was great! My review sat in Drafts growing dust long after I thought I had posted it. For shame! Anyway, I can now say that months after reading this book it has stuck with me. Here’s the review I failed to post earlier:

 

Half a King was fast to catch my attention and reluctant to release it. I quickly found myself cheering for our hero, young Yarvi, who made a promise: “I swore an oath to avenge the death of my father. I may be half a man, but I swore a whole oath.” In his own mind and in the minds of others Yarvi is weak – too weak to become the king he was meant to be. A crippled hand makes many physical tasks impossible, but Yarvi comes to find that strength comes in many forms. We follow him on his quest for revenge and watch him grow into a courageous man worthy of respect.

 

Abercrombie possesses incredible skill at bringing the reader into the setting. I can hear keys click in locks, smell the sweat of oarsmen, and feel the betrayal in the air when immersed in the pages of this book. Every paragraph is saturated in detail without becoming tedious. The characters are human and multifaceted, the lines of good and evil are not always clear, and the emotions palpable. I am recommending this book to everyone I know. I want them all to read it so I have someone to talk to about all the twists and turns! If you are searching for adventure, look no further. Abercrombie delivers again!

 

Interested? Find out more here.

Bookish Paris: Shakespeare and Co. Bookstore

On our honeymoon my husband and I had a nine hour layover in Paris during which we completed a whirlwind tour of the city. Many of our stops were bookish (of course!). One of the first sites we went to was Shakespeare and Co. bookstore.  

This place has been on my bucket list for ages! The store's close proximity to Notre Dame made the stop doable on our tight schedule. I would have loved to see the original store that was open prior to WWII, but the more recent one was still really neat.  Many English language speakers were gathered discussing literature and food. The Bohemian feel was palpable. One of my favorite parts about going to the store was seeing the Wallace fountain out front. 

These beautiful and functional water fountains give me some faith in humanity. Combined with the atmosphere of the store, this structure and its water are downright magical. Affordable clean water and quality conversation for all.  My heart was full!  I would love to spend more time there when we aren't in such a rush.  This is definitely worth the stop if you find yourself in the area.

Healthy, Happy, and Back!

Planning a wedding, getting married, going on a honeymoon, surgeries, hospitalization, and job change led to a year of mostly silence for the blog. I am happy to say that I’m back and well (and married)! In addition to reviewing books, talking about bookish travel, and completing bookish crafts I will be adding posts in the “Randoms” section that have nothing to do with books at all. Succulents! I have been succulent and cactus gardening like mad. This has absolutely nothing to do with books, but I am dying to share my pictures, successes, and failures somewhere. This new micro-hobby of mine isn’t enough to make a blog nor am I knowledgeable enough to provide information on more formal sites – so random posts on Won Books it shall be! As I finish non-bookish crafts I may start adding those as well. Time shall tell. If not a person reads a single post I will feel good know that my pictures and thoughts are out in the world at large instead of nesting in my mind. Happy reading to all!