KonMari-(ing) books

May 6, 2019May 7, 2019 by Noranisa ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

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Back in January 2019, the internet was shocked and appalled by the misconstrued suggestion that famed tidy-upper Marie Kondo of the Netflix Series Tyding Up with Marie Kondo was telling people to keep less than 30 books on your bookshelf. Book-lovers around the world saw it apt to display their rage for all the world to see.

Of course, this was not her intention, just because she herself kept only 30 books, doesn’t mean that you have to too. Here is a pretty good video explaining it all:

Nevertheless, even now there are netizens and booklovers who post about their dissatisfaction with the KonMari method of tyding up your books.

Some, like Jen Sherman over at BOOKRIOT make a valid point that getting rid of some books just because you haven’t read them yet or will not reread them may not be the best idea. From my own personal experience, I’ve found that some books spark joy just by being on my shelf, just by the pure virtue of them being attached to a good memory or the like. And thanks to an increasingly hectic lifestyle some books have sat in an untouched TBR pile for quite a while before I’ve read them and discovered that they rank in my top 3 best reads ever (The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden). So you should always strive to give that book a chance.

Thus, the KonMari method can be interpreted and applied by different people in different ways. It is my belief that whichever way you choose to de-clutter your belongings, so long as it sparks joy, then that is the way for you.

I made a video where I attempt to apply my own version of the KonMari Method to my bookshelf. Check it our below for a tour of what’s on my shelves and find out which books I personally find sparks joy in my life.

“Thank you for coming into my life and giving me joy, thank you for loving me and receiving my love in return. Thank you for the memories I will cherish forever. But most of all, thank you for showing me that there will come a time when I can eventually let you go. ”

― Nicholas Sparks, Message in a Bottle

The Appeal of Fairytales and their Retellings

April 26, 2019 by Noranisa ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Growing up some of the first stories you learn are fairytales, whether from your books, bedtime stories or even Disney movies. Even now, classic fairytales are still being printed, bought and read.

Jack Heckel, over at TOR.com wrote an intriguing article on why we keep retelling fairytales. He rightfully points out that the gap in narrative in fairytales allows for an author to expand an existing backdrop as well as character, giving the reader different angles to consider.

Fairytale retellings give the author a good solid base for their story while allowing them to show off their wonderous imaginations in expanding the worlds. Goodness knows this is why fan fiction can be so widespread and popular as well.

Margurite Johnson, a Professor of Classics at the University of Newcastle has also written a wonderful essay on why adults still need fairytales.

They have clear values and help us to understand aspects of our lives. Fairytales are also unique in that over the years, they have evolved to suit the culture in which the tale is being told, and retellings can assimilates the author’s culture, giving it a fresh look to others.

I find that this, combined with the power of childhood nostalgia, and the comfort of familliar characters with a twist is why fairytale retellings are still being made, especially within the Young Adult genre.

By drawing upon these old tales, and retelling them (from the viewpoint of the villain, for example) the reader can see the story in a new light, and be enlightened and enchanted all over again.

If you’re ready to delve into a familiar world and discover new things, I’ve set up a quiz that you can take, where according to your choices, I will recommend a retelling for you to try out alongside a mini introduction and my own opinions on said retelling.

Click here to start the QUIZ
What fairytale retelling should you read

“Some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again.”

C.S. Lewis

Books In All Its Forms

April 9, 2019April 26, 2019 by Noranisa ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Today’s post will be something a little different. Instead of reading my words, you now get to listen to them. Is there a difference between this and if I had written it all out? Do you have a preference? An opinion on which form is better?

Well that’s what this podcast is going to be about. The three different forms of a book that you can “read”: Audiobooks, E-books and the good old regular physical books.

With me are two fun and knowledgeable students studying English at university, Shamra and Jo-yen. Together we discuss our views, opinions and personal experiences with these forms; debating the pros and cons, telling funny anecdotes, fangirling, book-name dropping, and enjoying the opportunity to talk about something we dearly love.

At the end of my podcast, I hope you found some enjoyment and gained some new insight on how books can affect, and are affected by our daily lives.

“We will speak for the books.”
…
“Like the Lorax?”
“The Lorax speaks for the trees,” I remind her.
“Books are made out of paper. Paper is made out of trees.”
“What about e-books?”
“We can speak for them too.”
“Audiobooks?”
“Audiobooks speak for themselves.” She grins. “Get it?”
― Paul Acampora, I Kill the Mockingbird

How Varied Is Your Reading?

April 8, 2019April 26, 2019 by Noranisa ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

When you walk into a bookstore, odds are the first thing you’d do is go straight to a specific shelf. For me, that self used to be in the Young Adult section. Now, it’s the Fantasy section. This is because my favourite genre is, without a doubt, fantasy. So I tend to gravitate toward those books, because in the end, I know I’d get the most enjoyment out of it. But is this a problem?

Most people have a favourite genre. This can fall under some of the great umbrella terms of Romance, Fantasy, Thriller, Contemporary or YA. This could also mean that you have a genre that you actively avoid. For me this is the Thriller genre. I can’t really say why, half of the time it’s because I find thrillers to be printed in thick, dense fonts that gave me a headache. The other half is because I can see the twists coming from a mile away, but I’m generalizing here.

Undoubtedly we have tried reading different books in the beginning, but at some point it can get narrowed down as we discover what’s best for our tastes. But I’m here to tell you to try again. You never know, you may have been missing out on discovering a part of you that loves the technicalities of police procedural crime novels.

For those who tend to stick to the same genre and want to venture out a bit, try exploring the sub-genres of your favourite genres first.

Genres can be very fluid and contain elements from other genres. So, if you like that time-travel aspect in your science fiction, give historical time travel a try, who knows? You may just discover that Arthurian fiction is your jam, and you can become a history buff.

Here is a chart created by Pop Chart Labs that can help you expand you wander out of your reading comfort zone and find your next good read.

“Good writing is good writing. In many ways, it’s the audience and their expectations that define a genre. A reader of literary fiction expects the writing to illuminate the human condition, some aspect of our world and our role in it. A reader of genre fiction likes that, too, as long as it doesn’t get in the way of the story.”

― Rosemary Clement-Moore

{the readers’ re-reading reasons}

April 2, 2019April 8, 2019 by Noranisa ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

on why you should pick that book up again

If you’re anything like me, your bookshelf is full-to-bursting from books; beloved, hated, and yet unread. As I (guiltily) ignore my own growing pile of to-be-read books, I’ve compiled a list of reasons why re-reading books is something you should be doing:-

1. You save money

Okay, so this is pretty obvious, but let’s be honest, the older you get, the less justifiable it is to spend money on extra pleasures like books when you can spend it on necessary pleasures like food. Besides, you paid for it, so you might as well get as much bang-for-buck as possible. So until you reach the point where money is a non-issue, re-read again that book you love, but may have forgotten the details of because it’s been a while. Which brings me to my next point-

2. You “reignite” the good feels that you got from reading it before

As much as we may wish, we can never get back that magical first time of reading a book and having it impact you to your very core, but rereading a book can serve to “reignite” the feelings you had before, especially if it hearkens back to a happy period when you first read it. A study has been carried out that suggests that “repeated hedonic experiences” (of which I believe reading is one) leads to a “renewed appreciation” of the experience and even provides mental health benefits.

3. You refresh your memory for the ~~inevitable~~ prequels/sequels

Even when I think I’ve found the perfect standalone, the author announces another book in that universe, and the completionist in me needs to read that too. And sometimes it comes out several years later, like Vengeful. Another case is the Shadowhunter Chronicles. I started the original Mortal Instruments trilogy when I was 15. As of now, a decade later, there are 12 books, not counting all the short story anthologies. And the author has announced at least another 6 novels to come. This trend is coertainly continuing on today in other series. It’ll take a lot of re-reading to keep up.

4. You gain new perspectives

If there’s anything that I’ve gained from growing up with Harry Potter, it all comes from re-reading the entire series right before the next book came out. When I was a little kid, I only ever really paid attention to what’s happening to the main trio, and as i grew older i became more able to relate to the other characters and understand their motivations, opening up a whole new world, making every re-read a fresh take. The same goes for the Little Women series, I never really enjoyed the later books much and I despised Amy. But now, I love them more than I had thought possible. So give those old books you didn’t like a re-read as well, they might just get promoted to your favourites list.

“When you re-read a classic you do not see in the book more than you did before. You see more in you than there was before.”

Clifton Fadiman, Any Number Can Play

Escaping Into The Ink

March 21, 2019April 26, 2019 by Noranisa ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Sometimes you just want to escape reality and forget all of your own real-world problems and slip into someone else’s skin. Because why deal with your problems when you can read about other people dealing with their problems in faraway lands and virtual worlds? At least then you have the guarantee of a resolution at some point between the pages.

If you find yourself doing this, congratulations! You have partaken in escapism 🎉 Honestly, everyone does it, whether through books, TV shows, music or even games. I do too, especially since my favorite genre to read is fantasy, which is great for daydream fuel.

Escapist fiction, usually referring to fantasy and science fiction, is generally looked down upon and compared to literary fiction as it seen to be more for pure entertainment.

I disagree, as it is not only good for distracting yourself from the real world, the escape itself also gives the readers access to different perspectives on life and is a gateway to bring that light and knowledge back to be applied to your own reality.

Author Neil Gaiman did a wonderful lecture, chronicled in this article, that postulates why we as readers need to enjoy our fiction, and reading escapist fiction is nothing to be looked down on, as it gives you

“Skills and tools and knowledge you can use to escape for real.”

Indeed, it is up to us as the readers to make use of what we take away from what we read for our own betterment.

With that being said, other than the well-known Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones series, here are some escapist fiction recommendations for you to consider the next time you want to get away:

The Kingkiller Chronicle by Patrick Rothfuss (for fantastical highjinks and a one-way-ticket into a multitude of theory-crafting forums)

Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik (for not only one but three strong female protagonists and nostalgic fairytale-esque writing)

Vicious by V.E. Schwab (for an intense rivalry, superpowers and villiany)

Of course, like with all things, be sure to ~~escape~~ read in moderation, lest it then becomes avoidance, which can severely impair your daily life. If you ever find this happening to you, Patrick Allan has some good advice, over at lifehacker.

So think of reading as a tool for self-care. It’s “me-time” that is necessary for refueling your energy to go back and tackle reality.

“Reading is sometimes thought of as a form of escapism, and it’s a common turn of phrase to speak of getting lost in a book. But a book can also be where one finds oneself; and when a reader is grasped and held by a book, reading does not feel like an escape from life so much as it feels like an urgent, crucial dimension of life itself.”

Rebecca Mead, My Life in Middlemarch

How to bookworm your way into the Bookish Community

March 19, 2019April 3, 2019 by Noranisa ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Have you just gotten into reading and want to find more books to read while saving your wallet and avoiding disappointment at the same time?

Were you always a lone reader but have finally found your fictional OTP and want to rave about your ships and compare your far-fetched theories with others?

Or maybe you’ve just gotten bored with scrolling through pictures of other people’s food while lying in bed and want to see something new and different .

Regardless, here are some ways for you to go deeper into the bookish rabbit hole 📚🕳🐇

1. Book blogs

Much like this one, there are plenty of book blogs out there that are dedicated to reviewing and recommending books, amongst other things. This will help you figure out which ones to spend your precious time and money on. I’m sure there are a few out there that appeal to your own bookish sense, you just need to find them! ~~Or start one of your own~~ 😉

My personal recommendation is The Literary Edit for her gorgeous and well-maintained blog.

2. Goodreads

‘Meet your next favorite book’ *Photo courtesy of Goodreads*

Goodreads is the largest website for readers and book recommendations. Here you can do a great many things such as read and write book reviews, take part in discussion forums, discover your favorite author’s new and old publications and track your own library of read and to-be-read books.

Forbes (rightfully) claims it’s the most important book networking site on the internet, and with 80 million members and 2.3 billion books logged, it’s practically a one-stop-shop for all your bookish community needs.

You can find my Goodreads profile linked in the sidebar with a shelf of books mentioned on this blog

3. BookTube

Aaah BookTube, if you don’t want to leave the comfort of your reading nook but still want to feel the energy and enthusiasm from other readers, BookTube is the place to be. Here BookTubers give tours of their bookshelves arranged according to color to form a rainbow, post discussion videos, show off book hauls and un-hauls, and share quirky tag videos with other BookTubers such as the Makeup Book Tag, where they put on makeup while talking about a book that they think fits the current step in the routine.

My favorite BookTuber is PeruseProject due to similar interests, and I recommend the Booksplosion trio’s individual channels for fun bookish games they play when they get together.

4. Bookstagram

#Bookstagram is a beautiful community where readers post photos of their lovingly posed books in an artful manner. Much like #food, it is indeed aesthetically pleasing to scroll through, with the bonus of opinions and reviews in the captions.

One bookstagrammer you should check out is @ice_cream_books for their cleverly designed photos mixing books and ice cream together. It never fails to give me Wes Anderson vibes.

As you can see, there are many ways to make yourself part of a larger, interconnected community, both online and offline as friendships grow and flourish when fed with similar interests as well as healthy discourse. So join the community and be an active member by contributing with your own content and ideas on the myriad of platforms available.

Blog Introduction

February 28, 2019March 20, 2019 by Noranisa ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Welcome to THE READER AND THE READ!

If you’re into books and bookish things, I hope you enjoy my take on books and the bookish community. And if you don’t, well, read on and maybe see for yourself why you should be 😉

The theme for the blog is books and how readers interact with them, thus the blog title ‘the reader and the read’. The theme is derived from my own passion for books and the desire to spread that love with a wider audience in hopes of sparking further discussion on bookish topics.

I don’t only want to do book reviews, I also want to look at the bigger picture surrounding the culture of reading. So my focus will not only be on the books themselves but also its readership and how said books may have affected the readers and their reading habits. This will be done through a mix of literary criticism, book reviews, reader interviews, discussions on literary trends, author spotlights, extrapolations of personal experiences through books, as well as a connection to and analysis of the existing book communities, namely booktube and bookstagram.

I hope to engage my readers in discourse pertaining to reading and how it has the ability to shape the views of the world as one knows it. My aim is to always be fresh and never boring in my content, and to remain as relevant as a member of the book community while striving to be as dynamic and revolutionary as the changing and engaging literary dialogues of the future.

The goals of this book blog shall be attempted with consistency, relevance and resourcefulness. I will bravely attempt to navigate genre wars and unite the fan of serious literary criticism with those who are fans of listicles in order to generate a more vivid and realized relationship to books and the culture of reading. The books to be discussed on the blog will be limited largely to fiction in the English language.