The Hunger Games Trailer RELEASED!

As you may know, I am not the one usually to post news articles on the website. I usually do with book reviews, author interviews, giveaways and the such. This, however, I am too excited about not to share. After being titillated with a very bare-bones teaser for a while now, fans of Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games (including me - check out my review of the novel here) get to finally see Katniss in action!

This makes me even more excited about the movie. It seems like March cannot come fast enough! Until then, for all of you who have not yet read this exciting novel, Amazon is offering it at a low price of $5.39 for the paperback and $4.69 for the Kindle.

Help needed!

Dear fellow bloggers, book lovers and readers, I have a big favor to ask from you. I don't know whether you have ever heard of Empire Magazine, but it is the biggest movie magazine in the world (at least to my knowledge); the Vogue of movies. The latest copy, as some of you may know, includes the exclusive, collectors edition, Harry Potter: The Perfect Farewell supplement.

It is a 36-page mini magazine, as far as I can tell, and being a HP fan this huge, I would just love to have it. You can check it out here and see the prices here (it's 5£ in the UK with free shipping). Problem? Here in Serbia, I could only find it for 15 pounds, and that is way beyond what I can afford. So, here's the deal. Would it be possible for anyone who can get it cheaply (those from the UK particularly) to buy if for me and then send it my way? Here are some books that I would be willing to offer in return for the magazine.

Margo Lanagan - Black Juice (paperback, definitely shows wear): Lanagan's 10 fantasy short stories are set in cultures both familiar and unknown and are peopled with empathetic characters who battle nature, individuals, and events. The stories begin slowly, but Lanagan gradually draws readers into each brief, fresh reality. It would work especially well in a classroom setting, as it is full of teachable moments.

Beth Fantaskey - Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side (hardcover, like new): Jessica Packwood is a normal teen attending Woodrow Wilson High School. Her mathematical nature has even given her a slightly geeky reputation, which is about to change with the arrival of Lucius Vladescu, who seems to be stalking her. She tells her mother about him and learns that she is really a Romanian vampire princess who has been betrothed to Lucius at birth. 

Geoffrey Chaucer - Canterbury Tales (paperback, good condition): The Modern English version of Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales is a reader-friendli(er) edition of a beloved classic. On a spring day in April--sometime in the waning years of the 14th century--29 travelers set out for Canterbury on a pilgrimage to the shrine of Saint Thomas Beckett. Travel is arduous and to maintain their spirits, this band of pilgrims entertains each other with a series of tall tales that span the spectrum of literary genres.

Freya North - Pillow Talk (paperback, good condition):  What keeps you up all night? They were high-school sweethearts who hadn't seen each other for seventeen years. And suddenly they're in front of each other - in a tiny sweet shop in the middle of nowhere. These days, Petra works in London as a jeweller while Arlo has left his rock-and-roll lifestyle for the wilds of North Yorkshire. Out of the blue, their paths have just crossed. But what are the skeletons in Arlo's closet, and just what causes Petra to sleepwalk? 

Thank you so much for reading through this and considering my offer. I think it's pretty cool if you'd like to read one of these books. We could either go through book mooch, or like this. If somebody is willing to buy and send me the magazine, but is not interested in either of these books, I would probably be open to sending you a book of your choice from the BookDepository (around £5) - then you'd get a new book! Anything goes.

Sex and the YA

As you may know if you've read my #amazonfail post, I get very, very angry if someone tries to censor books in any way, which for me includes saying that if someone is to read something (say, Harry Potter), then one is of a lesser moral standard (say, demonic) than the one who doesn't read the damn thing. If that makes any sense.

So, naturally, I was kinda pissed off when I read the blog post by this fabulous up-and-coming author, 'Quinn'. Quinn is the second-place winner of a competition for unpublished authors, and the prize is a professional critique on his first 10 pages. How cool is that!?

Unfortunately, he has gotten a lot of harsh comments from people in the comment section under the post that announced these winners, because, well, his novel starts with a sex scene. And there's talk about a right breast being seen and the sudden tightness of the boy's jeans in the crotch area. You know, an erection. Apparently, the people who commented would never give this sort of YA books to their teenagers to read, which I guess is okay, since different parents parent differently (though I can bet my own right man-breast that your teenagers have gone further than simply feeling the tightness in their pants from time to time, but whatever).

The problem here is that they feel like they have the right to comment under the post announcing Quinn's victory (and there was a judge, I mean, he didn't just get it randomly) to give their two cents about why they think he shouldn't have got it. I mean, who cares about your f-ing standards!? How dare you assume that your standards and no-one else's should be the norm?

Head over to the post I'm talking about and read the winning paragraph (which I think is sexy, non-exploitative, non-pornographic, as well as wonderfully written), as well as the comments. And obviously, let me know what you think - am I overreacting? What do you expect to read in your YA books? Should there be a standard? Did you blush when Edward and Bella, you know, did it?

Finally, congratulations to Quinn and don't let these people rain on your parade!

#amazonfail

Thanks to Amanda, who posted about this last night, I too have been observing the Amazon controversy. And I am outraged - though not in the sense everyone else is. If you don't know what's been going on, here's a short version for you: Amazon was peddling a book entitled The Pedophiles Guide to Love and Pleasure: a Child Lover's Code of Conduct by Phillips Greaves. Here's what was in the product description:

"This is my attempt to make pedophile situations safer for those juveniles that find themselves involved in them, by establishing certain rules for these adults to follow. I hope to achieve this by appealing to the better nature of pedosexuals, with hope that their doing so will result in less hatred and perhaps liter sentences should the ever be caught."

The whole nation outraged, people started boycotting Amazon via Twitter (hashtag #amazonfail), Facebook (groups such as Boycott Amazon for Selling Pedophile Guide) and finally Amazon itself, via reviews. At the same time, defenders (of sorts) have spoken, with comments mocking the protester's shock ("It eliminates the need for candy and a van", says a commenter on Facebook). Finally, the book was pulled.

Here comes the part where I tell you what I think, but not before I make it perfectly clear that I am not a pedophile and do not condone pedophiles. In fact, I think it's cowardly and disgusting. I'm all for whatever two consensual adults wanna do together, even if it seems disgusting to me. However, pedophilia, rape, necrophilia and other situations where it's not consensual and/or not between two adults are not okay.

That being said, I think that this is most likely much ado about nothing. First of all, I couldn't find any information about this book, and I've looked. Nothing! No synopsis, no reviews. Sure, it's entitled A Pedophiles Guide, but that does not mean anything. Is The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy really what it says in the title? Perhaps this is a big case of judging the book by its cover. Secondly, there is the issue of the author - the name is obviously a pseudonym, Google is no help, and the only thing we know about him is what he posted (quoted above). And this could very well be a marketing trick.

Finally, the issue of censorship. After Amazon pulled the book, I am a bit disappointed. Does this mean that now all the books by Marquis de Sade (especially 120 Days of Sodom) will be pulled as well? And then the movie version? And what about A Single Man and Lolita? If these books and movies get pulled, that will be the biggest #amazonfail of them all.

100th Post! 200 followers! Blogoversary!

Dear readers, reviewers, followers, commenters, authors, publishers, etc.

I would just like to take this opportunity to thank every one of you for helping me make it to 100 posts, or in other words, 200 followers! Or, if you're into dates, one year of blogging!

Starting this blog, I never knew this might happen. Let's go back in time - I've always loved reading and browsing the internet one day, I stumbled upon a number of book blogs and was highly impressed by this fabulous community. So, on Monday, August 10 2009, I created my very own book blog, entitled Nikola's Book Blog. Simple, huh?

The very first book review I posted was on Zoe Heller's Notes on a Scandal. Since then, I tracked my reading habits and reading choices, learning that I in fact had very diverse taste in books - I love literary fiction, but I also love to relax with chick flick or thrillers or even a romance or two.

The community part of book blogging was always so vital and this is why I would like to thank some fellow book bloggers. Amanda of the Zen Leaf, thank you for being one of the first people to visit my blog and comment on it. Also, thank you for always being up for a chat, for creating the GLBT challenge (this one I am so grateful for!) and for your amazing posts - I love your mixture of personal thoughts and general info on books. Also, Sheila of Book Journey - thanks for being one of the first blogs I stumbled upon and also the one I still visit almost every day. You have such a great track record with your posts and reviews and I love that you are addicted to coffee and Gilmore Girls. I am too. Ryan of Wordsmithonia for being a great friend and a regular visitor. Melissa of Mel's World for being so sweet. Wendy of ItsJustMe for being so loyal. Brent of The Naughty Book Kitties for doing an interview with me. I'd love to meet all of you in person one day!

Another thing I got into since I started blogging was the book industry - I feel like I've learnt so much! This is why I try and feature authors on my blog as often as possible - interviews, giveaways, etc. The first one was Katherine Neville - one of my favorite authors and I remember I was shaking when I sent her the email. However, her publicist Lisa Barnes was super sweet and so my first giveaway was very high-profile! After her, I hosted M. D Griffith, Suzanne Selfors, Ben H. Winters, David H. Burton, Dan Begley, Lisabet Sarai... Thanks to all these authors for trusting in me.

So there you have it. 100 posts, 200 followers and my blog turns one tomorrow! After a year, I don't feel much smarter, just a bit more informed. So tell me - what is it you like and what is it you'd like changed. Questions, comments, concerns.

xoxo

Nikola

Interview and Miscellaneous Stuff

A week or so ago, another book blogger Brent, of Naughty Book Kitties, asked me to do a blogger interview with him. I did, and today I am featured on his blog. Thanks, Brent!

Check out the interview here.

I am going to Dubrovnik for (almost) a week, then come back home for a day (I'll try and post - after all, I always get quite a lot of reading done on the seaside), and then I'm going to Zakynthos, a fabulous Greek island - that's actually it on the picture above.

Until then, please take part in my giveaways and go check out what I have to say on book blogging.

xoxo

Nikola

The Art of Reading More

Lately, I've been returning to one blog post written by Sheila over on her blog (link below), and keep reading the comments. The truth is, I am envious of many bloggers on here who somehow manage to read like 40 (!) books a month. I am ecstatic if I manage to read 10! Or even 5! With so many obligations (in my case: college, studying, tutoring, writing, socializing/going out) it's sometimes downright impossible to find time to read!

So, here's a couple of tips I've accumulated from many "helpful" sites (again, links below). Please tell me what you think of those and if you do some of that stuff or you don't, or what you do better or worse... You know, just share your thoughts. :)

• Turn off the television.
• Use your library more.
• Learn more about a book before you read it.
  
• Carry a book everywhere you go.
• Keep a list.

My thoughts: I do most of these things, but there are obvious problems with these tips. First of all, I consider TV and movies art as much as books, so I want to try and have both. Also, if I use my library more, my TBR pile will just be HUGE! Do I want that? Finally, the "keep the book in your bag and read it on the bus" only works for lighter reads. I can't read literary fiction on the bus! :)

Also, one more thing: I found that the slower you read, the less books you review. Thus, one must artificially fill the blog with things like memes, teasers, etc. And in my experience, I would say that makes one lose its readers. Any thoughts?

Tips found here, here and here. Sheila's original post is here.
Photograph by fhrankee.

Happy New Year

Keeping a blog is a contemplative thing. Very introspective if you do it honestly, and if you go back and read your past posts, it is easy to see how easily people change or maybe even go different directions, even though they never knew they were making a decision.

Of course, we are book bloggers and although the manifestation of our feelings and identity, always evident through our book reviews and interactions with fellow bloggers, is different than those who simply type about their day-to-day life, the essence is still the same. We write about what matters, and after reading so many books and interpeting so many ideas, we know that something matters only if we see it that way. We embrace the subjective, the abstract, but in turn get an amazing view into ourselves, because the books we read are who we are inside.

This is why I would like to thank each and every single one of my fellow book bloggers. Thank you for writing such wonderful posts and making me want to write as well. Thank you for reading all those wonderful books, thus making me want to read them. Most of all, thank you for being open, honest and supportive. We are making each other's words matter and thus liberating ourselves enough to spot what's right and wrong with the world we live in.

I wish you all the best in 2010, in terms of health, wealth or any other way you define happiness.

xoxo
-Nikola

Blog Back Soon

Dear bloggers,

Sorry for not posting in a while. I know it's really bad, and that I even had a giveaway going that doesn't have the winners yet, but don't worry, it's about to change. I've had a lot of trouble with my ISP, as well as school work, but I expect to write a post/do a vlog tomorrow and then go from there.

Thanks for generally reading my blog, and sorry about this.

xoxo

Nikola

Julie & Julia & Blogging

Last night, I watched the new-ish Meryl Streep/Amy Adams flick, Julie & Julia. What a great movie! I totally recommend everyone to see it, if not for its genuinely good combination of comedy and drama, then at least for its superb performances.

Also, I think this movie spoke to me as a blogger. Julie, played by Amy Adams, is battling the bad times in her life by cooking and blogging about it. There is a scene where she is in her office and suddenly she screams: "I got a comment!" I think each and every single one of us felt like this at some point. Also, we all want to see our blogs grow, get more followers and be read.

Now, this is something I've been thinking about for a while. When I was starting this blog, I had an idea of very serious reviews being posted, with little or no space devoted to me as a reader. Now I am thinking, perhaps this was a mistake. Cooking is no easier than reading! You have to mix all your ingredients (time, energy, even money) and then come out with something useful, or be ready to tell the world your time has gone to waste!

My idea of liberating my blog from the constraints of writing just book reviews was cemented in the last couple of weeks, when I really didn't have the time to read. Obligations just crashed upon me, and my blog was left deserted. I will not let this happen anymore. If I can't read, I will at least blog about why I can't read. And what I would read. And when I would do it.

So, thank you Julie and Julia. You truly were inspirational. And to my readers, bon apetit!

P.S. - I just have to read this book pronto! Does anyone have it? Of course it's not translated here in Serbia! I'd be sooo willing to mooch it!

Alec Thrace and the Lost Medallion - Giveaway Winner!

I am sorry for being a bit tardy when it comes to posting who the winner of the giveaway is, but here it goes now. Congratulations, Melissa (My World)! I will send you an email as soon as I am done typing this post, please reply ASAP with your address so I can let the author know where to send the book. I am also looking forward to your review.

I would also like to take this opportunity and thank my followers (104 of them at this point in time!) for reading what I have to say about books and commenting. I am doing my best to try and visit your blogs back, give me time! :)

Also, congratulations and good luck to everyone participating in the global readathon today. I didn't think I would be able to participate myself, so I didn't apply, but now I regret it. If anyone wants to chat, hit me up on AIM - my nick there is poses89 (or send me an email to poses89@aim.com).

Finally, make sure you check out my blog tomorrow for a new giveaway - one I believe will have everyone signing up like crazy!