So last week you heard all about my debacle with losing power due to an ice storm and I wrote about how I had nice long date with my bookshelf all day — taking all my books off, dusting, reorganizing, etc. I had lots of thoughts that came to my head that I told you in that post and one of those was just about the discovery of all these books I forgot I had or ones I was like “AW MAN I loved that one” but hadn’t really thought about it in some time.
So, I kept thinking as I was reorganizing and rediscovering some books I forgot, that it would be fun to have a “date with my bookshelf” more often…and what better way than to do it on the blog and involve you guys!
So basically I’m going to randomly pick two books off my shelves (I have a fancy system) and talk about where I got it, why I’m interested in it, what it’s about and if I’ve read it or not and then ask for YOUR thoughts on the books if you’ve read them. I’m going to do it in vlog format, sporadically, because one of my New Year’s resolutions is to get back into vlogging and I feel like it will be a fun format for it!
The two books that were randomly selected from my shelves are below & I give you the lowdown in the video on where I got it/why it’s on my shelves/if I’ve read it/what it’s about…if that makes you at all tempted to watch the vlog. I swear next time it will be shorter because I won’t have to explain what I’m doing!
The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde
Have you read either one of the books from the video? What did you think if you have? Anything else that you would want to see in this type of video? Or do you not like video format for this kind of post?
Liz (Along for the Read) says
You are adorable, and I love this idea! Plus, you’re still a natural with the vlogging, not awkward in the slightest.
Jamie says
Aw thank you for the feedback! <3
Jamie says
Thank you 🙂
Rebecca @ Reading Wishes says
I love, love, love, love, LOVE this new feature. This goes to show (yet again!) that you have the best ideas. Like, I can’t WAIT for the next one.
Unfortunately I wasn’t a fan of Wonderlove. I had really wanted to love it but apart from the travel aspect and illustrations (I loved the drawings so much!), I didn’t 🙁 As for other travelling contemporary reads, I can’t think of any off the top of my head but I’ll let you know if I do. I’d rec’ Just One Day but you’ve already read it!
P.S. You’re adorable. I love your dress. You vlogging = awesome.
Jamie says
!!! Thank you for kind words, love! <3 This made my morning to wake up to!
So sad that you didn't love Wanderlove but hey...sometimes we just don't click with a book! AH JUST ONE DAY <3
Trina says
I haven’t read either of these books. But I think this is a great new feature! I enjoyed the vlog, will look forward to more. Fun fun!
Jamie says
Thanks for the feedback, Trina! Appreciate it!
Chrissi Reads says
You’re definitely not awkward. I have Wanderlove to read soon and I’m really looking forward to getting stuck into it.
Jamie says
Aw thanks! I guess maybe it just FEELS awkward because it’s been a while? haha. I hope you enjoyed Wanderlove!
The Bookish Manicurist says
What a great idea, Jamie! And it’s cool that you’re vlogging again 😀 I also have Wanderlove on my shelf, I must read it asap!
Jamie says
Thanks girl! Appreciate the feedback! 🙂 And yes..read Wanderlove!!
IrisjeXx says
This is such a fun and original idea! Its cute, and you’re not awkward at all (I never tried vlogging, because I am the queen of awkward!)
I actually haven’t read any of those… hadn’t heard about them either! But Wanderlove sounds like the kind of read I’d love, and the kind of read I’m in need of right now, so I’m contemplating getting myself a copy 🙂
Charlotte @ Gypsy Reviews says
I love this feature! It really gives you an opportunity to share more books to us. Vlogging is just so much fun 😀
You really make me want to check out Wanderlove! I don’t think I’ve read many traveling contemporaries apart from Just One Day.
Jamie says
YAY thanks! I agree…def a different way to showcase some books!
Ah yes..if you like traveling contemps this one is awesome!!
Aliya Regatti says
The Eyre Affair is one of my favorite books, even though I read it in high school (now in college). It has a very unique flavor. Many characters are straight out of classic literature, though they aren’t necessarily exactly like their character in the book they are from.
I highly recommend both the Thursday Next series (especially if you like classic literature) and Fforde’s other series (based on a related concept) The Nursery Crime series.
The only books I can think of which have a similar concept of books coming to life are the Inkheart Trilogy by Cornelia Funke, but they are teen lit (though I would also heartily recommend the first book of the series).
Kimmy says
I love this! I like to talk about my own bookshelf -where the books came from, why I picked them out, etc. – and I love to hear about other people’s shelves! This is so much fun.
I haven’t read either of those books but Wanderlove has been on my TBR for a while because I’ve only ever heard great things about it!
April says
I forgot all about Wanderlove. I wanted to read that so bad when it came out but I never got it. Lately I’ve been all about the kindle books, so I’ve been adding all the books I’ve been wanting to read into my amazon wishlist, and then I check every day to see if any go on sale. Because you have to be thrifty these days. 🙂 I just went and added this one.
Aubrey is curious if those are birds on your shirt. We are home today, Another snow day. bleh. lol.
Hazel @ Stay Bookish says
I loooooove this new feature, Jamie! The Eyre Affair sounds really good, if I ever spot it, I’ll buy it for my mom who’s really into adult fic! Wanderlove is one of my fave contemporaries too! The story was beautiful and I loved that it feature travel and had bits of Bria’s journal entries! Plus the drawings were good! It’s a very creative, vivid, self-discovery YA book! 🙂
Amanda says
I have to confess I didn’t watch your vlog -that would definitely get me busted at work right now! But I adore the Eyre Affair! I love love love Thursday Next so much. I want to join Jurisfiction in my dream life 🙂
Hearher says
The Thursday Next series is so good. It’s cute, it’s funny, it’s interesting…it’s all about books and book characters. I think you’ll really like them.
Sophia says
I haven’t read Wanderlove, but I HAVE read The Eyre Affair. I read it a few years back, and it catapulted me into reading more of Jasper Fforde’s books. He is a spectacular author, and The Eyre Affair (and the Thursday Next series in general) is a perfect read for any bibliophile. I mean – BOOKWORLD IS AWESOME and I wish it existed in real life! Imagine being able to enter any book you like and interact with characters from it – it’s any book lover’s dream! 🙂 On top of it all, Fforde’s worldbuilding is superb, and he has a great sense of humor.
Emily says
I love the vlog! We read The Eyre Affair for our book club, and the general consensus was that it was such a GOOD COOL INTERESTING idea written in not an awesome fashion. The idea of this world and her job and that characters can come to life is such an awesome concept (which is why we picked it for book club), but the way it was written and the plot of the story just fell flat. I guess I wanted more out of it.
Monika @ Lovely Bookshelf says
Loved the video, you are too adorable!! It’s funny, The Eyre Affair isn’t something that would grab my attention at first glance, but after watching this I totally want to read it! Sounds like such a good book for those times when you just want to veg out.
Mary @ BookSwarm says
I absolutely adored Wanderlove! It made me wish I’d been brave enough to take a year to backpack somewhere more exotic than Texas (which is where I moved after college).
Dana says
So I’ve read your blog for awhile, but I’m not sure I’ve ever actually commented before! Anyway, I love it and I loved the vlog! I just had to comment because you mentioned The Eyre Affair—definitely a favorite for me! I wasn’t sure what to expect going in, but I fell in love with its quirkiness, its hilarious puns, and definitely its heroine, Thursday Next! If I lived in this alternate world, I would want to BE her! So, just a vote for you to bump it up on your reading list. 🙂
Kara @ Great Imaginations says
Cool new feature!! Glad you are vlogging again. Also, glad you chatted about Wanderlove as it’s definitely one of my favorite contemporary reads. I am like you, in that I want to be wherever I am not. Like now, I am restless. I live less than an hour away from Disney World and I want to be there RIGHT NOW. Wanderlove is one of those books that I just push on people when they ask for contemporary recommendations.
Asheley (@BookwormAsheley) says
OH MY GOSH I completely forgot until right now that I have Wanderlove on my Kindle. That is alarming. How oh how can I work that on into my crazy life and schedule? xo
ps) you are precious. that is all.
Rachel says
Ahh I love this feature! Mostly because I love that you’re going to try blogging more because I miss your face! 🙂
I actually got Wanderlove from my B&B Secret Santa this past year! I’ve wanted to read it, but I never really knew what it was about so I haven’t made it a priority. You totally sold me though because it definitely sounds like a me book. Now I’m really excited to read it!
Jessika @ Tangled Up in Reading says
I love the new feature, Jamie! Funny enough–I did this same thing with my bookshelf last week. Not a feature/vlog, I just mean, I was bored and I felt like reorganizing my bookshelf. So I pulled everything off, and I found a lot of books that I forgot I had bought, and I also found a lot that I felt warm and fuzzy towards.
I haven’t read Wanderlove, but I have read The Eyre Affair, and I remember enjoying it. It wasn’t a book that I totally loved, because I remember I thought the beginning was kind of weird. I did get into it eventually, but I remember being a little confused in the beginning since the reader is just kinda thrown into the action, without a whole lot of world building or exposition. It was a really fun read though, and you were totally right–it’s a good one for book lovers. I think you would like it, as long as you go in with an open mind and don’t give up right away. I’ll be looking forward to what you think of it! 🙂
Lauren @ Lose Time Reading says
I LOVE this idea Jamie 🙂 You are seriously so inventive!! I can’t wait to see more of this feature!! I haven’t read Wanderlove but so many people have said amazing things and just watching you proclaim your love for it makes me want to read it even more!
Your adorable on camera!! And I LOVE your sweater 🙂
Jen @ Pop! Goes The Reader says
As I told you after I first watched it, I absolutely adore your new feature, Jamie! It’s wonderful that something so positive and creative was able to come from such a difficult period. I guess it’s true what they say – Every cloud does has a silver lining!
So, The Eyre Affair? It has to be one of my mother’s favourite books, so I had to smile when I saw that you were featuring it in your first edition of ‘Date With My Bookshelf’. She talks about it constantly and is forever attempting to convince me to read it too. I know she had mentioned that it was a lot of fun and a wonderful read for book lovers given an absolute abundance to references to various pieces of literature. From what I remember of what she told me, she did mention that it’s more than a little strange and quirky, but I know it made a lasting impression on her and I can only hope you’ll enjoy it half as much as she did. Who knows, maybe I’ll finally pick up a copy, too!
I was also really excited to see you feature Wanderlove, particularly given your enthusiasm about it. I’ve wanted to read it ever since Alexa first suggested it and I recently picked it up a copy for $2.00 at a local book sale. I’m always looking for that next great contemporary novel that will instantly become a favourite and from the sound of things that’s a real possibility with Wanderlove. Like you, I would love nothing more than to travel the world and experience a variety of different cultures, but I guess I’ll have to settle for living vicariously through fictional characters for now 😉 Let me know if you ever do decide to re-read it – It might be fun to do a read-along together so I can pester you with messages as I read it for the first time! Hehe.
Again, this is such a great feature, Jamie. You’re a continual inspiration and I’m so thankful for the ingenuity you bring to the blogging community <3
Alexa S. says
This is such a cute concept for a feature, Jamie! I think it’ll definitely encourage you to take another look at what’s on your bookshelves alreay, which is always a good thing. I’ve not read The Eyre Affair, but I have read Wanderlove! I loved that book so much, mostly because I love traveling and it was incorporated so perfectly into the story. I have yet to find another book that does this as well, but I’ll definitely let you know if I do!
Melissa @ Writer Grrl Reads says
I love this new feature idea! Plus, YAY for vlogs! You’re so cute =) I actually bought a copy of Wanderlove based on YOUR love for it; however, it’s sitting unread on my shelves. I definitely need to read that one soon!
Hopefully you have better weather soon! We’ve had a much colder than usual winter too, but no snow thankfully. The rain came back this week — perfect reading weather!
Wendy @ Book Scents says
Ohh I meant to read wanderlove forever ago because I seriously love travel and I WANT TO TRAVEL. Instead I’ve been in college and then dental school for the past 8 years and it’s really sucking out my soul. I can’t wait to be able to travel after I graduate this year. I totally just bought it. haha. I’ll let you know when I read it!
Also – love the vlog, you are not awkward at all. 🙂 hopefully you guys get less winter craziness soon!!
Rebecca @ The Library Canary says
Loving this new feature girl! And now I really want to read Wanderlove!! I want to vlog more too but I never know what to talk about… :/
katy says
I love this idea, you should definitely keep doing it. I also really like your sweater. You seem much more natural on camera than I would ever be! I haven’t read either of the books but they both sound good! I have heard of The Eyre Affair a few times but never really knew what it was about, but an alternate history with clones and things sounds pretty awesome, actually. Wanderlove sounds like a lot of fun and I like self-discovery books, too!
Stella @ Munichbooknerd says
Wow, what a coincidence! I bought “The Eyre Affair” I think two weeks ago, also used, in a used bookstore, mostly because “Jane Eyre” is my favorite book. I think it sound really interesting and I liked it from what I’ve seen skimming through.
Anyway your sweater is really cute and I liked the video very much! Through the comments “The Eyre Affair” definitely moved up a place or two on my to read list!