Top Ten New-To-Us Authors in 2014

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Today's topic is Top Ten New-To-Us Authors in 2014. We decided to split up the topic this week and picked 5 authors each. Who were some of your favorite author discoveries in 2014? We'd love to hear in the comments below!

Lesley Anne's Picks

1. Sarah Addison Allen (The Peach Keeper; The Sugar Queen) - The moment I finished reading The Peach Keeper, I knew I had found a new all-time favorite author in Sarah Addison Allen. Reading her novels are like drinking a tall glass of sweet tea on a hot summer day - perfectly refreshing and oh so Southern!

2. Sarah J. Maas (Throne of Glass; Crown of Midnight) - With each Sarah J. Maas book I read, the writing, character development, and world-building just get better and better and BETTER. I'm hoping to find The Assassin's Blade and Heir of Fire under my tree for Christmas this year so I can spend more time with these beloved characters!

3. Leigh Bardugo (Shadow and Bone; Siege and Storm; Ruin and Rising) - I started off the year reading Shadow and Bone, and it was the absolute perfect wintertime read (in my book, anyway!). From there I just couldn't get enough of Bardugo's writing, and it was a good thing I didn't have a long wait until the conclusion of her Grisha series in June. I'm so excited about Six of Crows coming out next year!

4. Myquillyn Smith (The Nesting Place: It Doesn't Have to be Perfect to be Beautiful) - Myquillyn also has a really fun blog, but she came out with her first home decor book, The Nesting Place, this year, and I LOOOOVED it. Her approach to decorating your home is a breath of fresh air in a world that expects way too much perfection. I highly recommend this read!

5. Hannah Kent (Burial Rites) - Hannah Kent's debut novel, Burial Rites, blew me away when I read it earlier this year. The story is haunting, the characters were unapologetically raw, and after I closed the book, I genuinely felt like I learned about something in history I had never before heard. Kent reminded me why I love historical fiction so much, and I can't wait for more from her!

Jenny's Picks

1. A.S. Byatt (Possession) - The beauty and complexity of her prose (and poetry) is beyond compare. The way she tells a story is as wonderful as the story itself.

2. Ilona Andrews (Kate Daniels series; the Edge series) - This husband and wife writing team create wonderful fantasy worlds populated with snarky and lovable characters (and if they aren't lovable they are, at the least, unforgettable). Plus the Kate Daniels series is set in a magical Atlanta. I wished I lived in their Atlanta.

3. Sarah Addison Allen (The Peach Keeper; The Sugar Queen; Garden Spells; The Girl Who Chased the Moon) - Pretty much everything Lesley Anne said. The way she highlights every day magics makes me want to see the world through her eyes.

4. Seamus Heaney (Beowulf) - Heaney's translation of Beowulf gets better every time I read it. I wrote a paper on this particular translation earlier in the year and I am so captivated by the depth of his subtleties in his interpretation of the text.

5. Patricia Briggs (Mercy Thompson series; Alpha & Omega) - These series are intertwined in that they are set in the same world but focus on different characters. Her characters are so, so good. The amount of depth and dimensions she brings to even her secondary and tertiary characters (is that a thing? I think it should be) add layers to her plots that would be flimsy at best if written by a lesser author.

The Pathological Readers Holiday Gift Guide: Books for Kiddos Ages 0 - 5

Jenny and I are so excited to kick off our Holiday Gift Guide series today! Our gift guides will mainly stick to book recommendations (since this is a book blog after all) broken up by age group. To sweeten the deal, we've asked a few of our friends to step in and guest post for us as we recognize we aren't the experts on every age group. So first up, we have our friend, Stephanie, talking about five books she recommends for kiddos ages 0 to 5. As you will see, not only is Stephanie an awesome mom to her two adorable girls, but she is quite hilarious and will have you cracking up by the end of this post! So take it away, Steph!

Disclaimer: The opinion that I am about to express in this blog post may not represent the views of the blog owners.

And it 100-percent, without a doubt, does not represent the views of over 15 million [completely deranged] people who have bought the children’s book, Love You Forever.

Because I am here to say, I hate (yes, hate) that book.

We teach our 2-year-old daughter, Shiloh, that we should never use the word “hate” but we really need to revise that rule and add a clause:

Hate is not an acceptable word*

*except in reference to creepy children’s books where the mom CRAWLS INTO her GROWN SON’S BEDROOM WINDOW at NIGHT and ROCKS him like a BABY.

[Pause for a second. Let that sink in. 15 million people are rabid over a book where a grown man’s mama breaks in his house to cuddle him.]

If you look up lists of books that every parent should read to their child, this beaut is almost always at the top.

Listen to some of the ravingly positive reviews of this book:

• “I dare any mother out there. . .to read this story and not have a lump in your throat” (source)

Yeah, I felt a lump in my throat when I read it, but it was a lump of fear at the thought of waking up in the middle of the night in the leathery embrace of a bluehair.

• “I dare anyone to read this story and not shed at least one tear.” (Forbes Magazine)

Oh, I cried all right. And rocked myself to sleep, thank you very much. My mama did not climb in my window to comfort me. I am in my thirties. I can self-soothe by now.

• “It makes me appreciate even more how my mother still calls me and my brother (despite us being 32- and 22-years-old, respectively) by our childhood nicknames, Pussycat and Tchotchke” (Dana Lenetz, Forbes)

Uh, what? Those names are even too weird for little kids.

Gosh, I hate* that book.

Why am I telling you this?

Partially because this is the Internet, suckas, and on the Internet people can say whatever they want. Oh, yeah, I feel powerful hiding behind a computer screen, spewing my venomous hate all over the worldwide web.

But mainly because I don't want anyone else to waste their hard-earned $5.95 on this creepiness.

However, this psychotic rant is not what the Pathological Readers asked me to share with you, so I will rein in my disdain. I was asked to write about books that I would recommend for little ones. So, I recruited little Shiloh to help me present to you a few of our family favorites:

1. The Book with No Pictures by BJ Novak (AKA the Temp from The Office)

My thoughts: If the author is correct when he refers to this book as a “gateway drug to literature”, then my 2-year-old is a certified junkie. She can’t get enough of it. And honestly, her parents can’t either. The rule of the book is that the reader HAS to say everything that is written, no matter how silly. And it is definitely silly. Just watch how kids eat it up like a big bag of crack rock:

Shiloh’s thoughts: “Blork: that’s not very nice word. I want some more No Pictures book. I want some more No Pictures book. I want some more No Pictures book….”

Buy: The Book With No Pictures by B.J. Novak

2. A Mother for Choco by Keiko Kasza

My thoughts: Sweet, sweet, sweetness. I don’t want to spoil the plot for you, but this is a beautiful age-appropriate explanation of loneliness, longing for family, adoption, empathy and acceptance. I love this book so much that I buy it for people all of the time. If you don’t know me, please buy a copy. If you do know me, please don’t buy a copy because if you start a family and already own this book, then I will have no idea what to give you at your baby shower.

Shiloh’s thoughts: Very tenderly, “Aw Choco has no mama. Bless his heart.”

Buy: A Mother For Choco by Keiko Kasza

3. The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones

My thoughts: It is weird to even place this book in the traditional Children’s Bible genre, because it is so different. Rather than telling isolated stories and slapping a moral lesson to them, Sally Lloyd-Jones uses Scripture to weave together the entire story of redemption. The illustrations are beyond beautiful, and there is also an advent reading guide that is phenomenal. One of my best friends did not grow up in church and she reads this to her kids every night and through it she said she has learned more about God and the Bible than ever before. (If you already have The Jesus Storybook Bible, go ahead and get Song of the Stars, a Christmas story by Sally Lloyd-Jones and that is equally as wonderful.)

Shiloh’s thoughts: [That book is about] “Jesus. He eats grilled chicken and fruit salad.”

Buy: The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones

4. I Love You, Stinky Face by Lisa McCourt

My thoughts: The title alone should be enough to convince you that this book will make you smile and will make your little one giggle. Their giggling will result in more parental smiling. (It is a beautiful cycle.) Basically a little boy repeatedly asks his mama if she would love him . . . if he were a slimy swamp creature . . . if he smelled so bad that everyone called him stinky face. . . and so on. Her responses, oozing with unconditional love and wit, will melt your heart. (That sounds so cheesy, I know, but thinking about these precious books is making me sappy. This blog post is turning into a roller coaster of emotions.)

Shiloh’s thoughts: “Candles. Shoo-wee tinky face [stinky face]. Sandwich! Let me show you my sandwich, Mama!” [She leaves the room and returns with - I kid you not - a McDonald’s hamburger from who-knows-where from who-knows-how-long ago and starts chowing down. We continue our discussion.] “Bon Apetit, I say that word.” “So what is Stinky Face about?”, I ask her again, trying to get back on track. “A mama . . . and a girl . . .and toys. Yeah, toys.” [FYI, this book has nothing to do with toys.]

Buy: I Love You, Stinky Face by Lisa McCourt

5. It’s Time to Sleep My Love by Nancy Tillman and Eric Metaxas

 

My thoughts: This book was given to us by a precious lady when I was pregnant, and she told us that although it is a children’s book, she personally has received so much comfort from it while battling depression and anxiety. After reading it just one time, I completely understood. This lyrical, beautifully illustrated book, is like a lullaby set to prose. It is calming and peaceful, uplifting and althogether lovely. And the melodic cadence definitely causes some major drowsiness, which as any parent knows is ALWAYS a good thing.

Shiloh’s thoughts: Apparently she associates this book with bedtime because all she said was, “No read this book. No sleep. I want some more No Pictures book, Mama”

Buy: It's Time To Sleep, My Love by Nancy Tillman

_______________________________

There are so many more books that we would could share about, but I need to wrap it up so that I am not late for my weekly Love You Forever book-burning.

The PR Report: October and November 2014

This Fall has been insane, y'all. INSANE. The first half of November especially kicked my butt, and right now I am just counting down the days until my long break from work for Christmas. I CANNOT WAIT. Over the break I'm planning on deep cleaning/organizing my house, spending some good quality time with my family, and doing a lot of reading (but you know what they say about best laid plans haha). I really can't wait. But for now, here's the highlight reel of what went down in October and November of this year. (Psst - You might have noticed I tweaked the title of the monthly recaps to The PR [Pathological Readers] Report. I like this title a lot and think it's going to stick around!).

October in Pictures

1. UGA/Vanderbilt Homecoming football game // 2. Driving the Blue Ridge Parkway // 3. Reflection time at my favorite place on earth // 4. My brother-in-law's 80's themed birthday party // 5. Camping trip with the Greavus // 6. Exploring around Sky Top Orchard

Favorite Book Read in October

I read three books in October: Mansfield Park by Jane Austen, Serena by Ron Rash, and The Maze Runner by James Dashner. I didn't really like any of them, but if I had to pick the lesser of the three evils, I would actually go with Mansfield Park. When in doubt, you can't go wrong with Austen!

Most Popular Post in October

So, we only posted twice in October. Our poor little blog has been severely neglected, y'all! BUT, out of the two posts in October, everybody loved Jenny's recap of her visit to Parnassus Books in Nashville, TN. I personally can't wait to go and climb those Beauty & the Beast ladders myself!

On My Shelves in October

Bargain Buys for Nook

In Between by Jenny B. Jones | Orphan Justice by Johnny Carr | Sabriel by Garth Nix

Bought for Shelves
The Maze Runner by James Dashner

November in Pictures

1. Nerding it up as a Stormtrooper and Princess Leia for Halloween // 2. Sneak peek of our Christmas card photoshoot // 3. The Ministry Village Benefit Dinner & Silent Auction - praise be to God for a HUGE success! // 4. Small group trip to Disney World // 5. I'M GOING TO BE AN AUNT!!! My sister announced her pregnancy to everyone over Thanksgiving, and I am beyond thrilled to spoil this future niece or nephew of mine (arriving in June)!! // 6. Thanksgiving at the farm with the Fentons

And because this is probably my favorite picture of us ever, I had to give this photo of Jenny and me a little more spotlight. This was taken at The Ministry Village Benefit at The Engine Room in Monroe about a month ago. Who said readers had to look nerdy? Haha! ;)

Favorite Book Read in November

It's a tie between Orphan Justice by Johnny Carr and The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen! I loved them both so much.

Most Popular Post in November

We didn't post very much in November either, but out of the three posts we did manage to put together, our Book Club Review of The Maze Runner garnered the most pageviews!
  

On My Shelves in November

Bargain Buys for Nook
Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers | Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen

Bought for Shelves
Yes Please by Amy Poehler

Three Things I'm Looking Forward to in December

1. CHRISTMAS!!! Need I say more?

2. The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. It will be so bittersweet to journey back to Middle Earth one last time!  

3. Spending New Year's in Florida with my husband's family. There's nothing like kicking off the new year at the BEACH!! 

Book Club Reviews: The Maze Runner by James Dashner

Hey y'all! Ready for another book club book review? Jenny and I knew we wanted to do something different when we reviewed book club books on the blog, so we're going to break our reviews down into three parts: (1) Jenny's Thoughts, (2) Lesley Anne's Thoughts, and (3) Overall Book Club's Thoughts. You'll see at the bottom that we have a fun way to show what the overall book club thought every month. ;) So first things first, we'll give you the summary of The Maze Runner by James Dashner so you have an idea of what the October book was about:

If you ain’t scared, you ain’t human.

When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his name. He’s surrounded by strangers—boys whose memories are also gone.

Nice to meet ya, shank. Welcome to the Glade.

Outside the towering stone walls that surround the Glade is a limitless, ever-changing maze. It’s the only way out—and no one’s ever made it through alive.

Everything is going to change.

Then a girl arrives. The first girl ever. And the message she delivers is terrifying.

Remember. Survive. Run.

Jenny's Thoughts: 

This book was interesting. I gave it a 3 on Goodreads because while I didn't hate it, I didn't love it, either. Since it is the first book in the trilogy it asks a lot of questions but does not provide a lot of answers. And by "not a lot" I mean none. It is actually really frustrating. There are too many characters for them to be developed to the point where you really care what happens with them. It is a really engaging world and premise, but there is not enough of the carrot to entice me to read the rest of the series.

Lesley Anne's Thoughts:
I completely agree with Jenny on this one. The Maze Runner had a bit of a slow start, but once THINGS started happening, the pacing really picked up, and pretty much every chapter ended on a cliffhanger moment, which made for a quick read (I know some people LOVE that, but it's not my favorite). The writing also really turned me off from this book -- it was very juvenile, cheesy, and somewhat repetitive. I know that twenty-something women probably weren't the target audience for this book, so I shouldn't be too hard on it on that front, but it was still hard for me to look past the cheesiness. Add in too many unanswered questions, bad situations conveniently wrapped up, and an ensemble cast of characters that were barely distinguishable from each other, and this one also only got 3 stars from me. I know I make it sound like I hated this book, but I really didn't. I enjoyed it, and I was intrigued by the many parallels I noticed to Lord of the Flies! But it's one of those books I won't read again, and I probably won't continue reading the rest of the series.      

Overall Book Club's Thoughts:

Opinions were all across the board! There were those that read the book in one sitting because it was too hard to put down, to those who tried to listen to the audiobook and were turned off by Dashner's invented slang. We even had a few that went on to read the entire series before we met to discuss the first book, so we were able to ask them which questions were answered by the end of the trilogy and decide whether or not we wanted to keep reading ourselves. This is why I love our book club so much - the diverse opinions really help me to see and think about things in ways I wouldn't have if I had read this book as a solitary experience. 

So what did we read in November? Jenny mentioned it in yesterday's post, but we read our first non-fiction book and chose Jesus Feminist by Sarah Bessey. We met to discuss it this past Monday night, so our thoughts will be coming soon. In the meantime, I hope everyone has a WONDERFUL Thanksgiving!!

Top Ten Books Jenny is Thankful for This Year

The Top Ten topic today is actually top ten books on your winter TBR list, but since it is Thanksgiving I thought it would be nice to deviate from that topic. I attended a retirement party for one of the professors in my department this past week and he said something that has stuck with me. This man is a brilliant scholar as well as a caring professor so he has said lots that has made me think. This is just the latest in a long list of things. He said that those of us who are in literature, rather that be professionally or unofficially, are drawn there because one life is not enough. He went on to explain exactly what he meant, but I want you, dear reader, to think on it for yourself. It is a beautiful sentiment and deceptively shallow on the surface. I would, as always, love to hear your thoughts, whether they be here or in person.

So, Thanksgiving + that wonderful thought has lead to this list of books I am thankful for this year. It has been extremely difficult to narrow it down to ten!

    
1. The Psalms. I am thankful for the Bible as a whole, but different books seem to be more dear during different seasons of life. This is a Psalms season for me. The honesty and rawness of the Psalms is something that has been resonating with me.

2. Possession by A.S. Byatt. The beauty of the prose made me love this book more than I probably would have otherwise. The philosophical questions couched in poetry were especially beautiful. After reading this book I felt full and sated.

3. Medieval Exegesis by Henri de Lubac. This study on the history of biblical exegesis was the turning point for my thesis. Without this book my thesis would be mostly speculation. Plus, this man is a wonderful, thorough scholar.

4. The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen. Lesley Anne recommended this book and I am so thankful she did. The little, everyday magics in her books highlight the beauty of an ordinary life. Plus, her descriptions of the settings make one want to plan a trip ASAP.

5. Jesus Feminist by Sarah Bessey. This is the book we read for book club this month and I highly recommend it! I do not want to take up a lot of space here, but suffice to say it is thought-provoking, encouraging, and peaceful. I know that last one is a hard one, but if you read it you will understand :)

6. The Kate Daniels Series by Ilona Andrews. This is a fantasy series set in an Atlanta that experiences fluctuations in magic. This series is all about the characters for me, and not just the main characters, but the cast of secondary characters is great. It starts out a bit slow but is worth sticking with.

7. Is That a Fish in Your Ear? by David Bellos. This is a book I had to read for a class on translation last semester. While I don't agree with everything he says, it is so interesting and makes you think about how we communicate.

8. American Gods by Neil Gaiman. This modern take on deities and culture is funny and astute. There is something about Shadow that is extremely engaging. He might be in my top ten for favorite characters.

9. The Just Church by Jim Martin. This book is a must-read for anyone who is interested in social justice. It is from a Christian perspective and speaks mainly to those involved through their local church. The focus on the personal and the community is my favorite part and something that has been overlooked, I think.

10. The Princess Bride by William Goldman. This is one of the funniest books I have ever read. If you like the movie, you will love the book!

Jenny Reviews: Mortal Heart + The Blood of Olympus

I don't know about y'all, but I am always apprehensive about the last book in a series. The last book has the potential to make or break a series for me, even if I've loved the previous books. One of the best things about a series is the journey you get to take with the characters. If the last book does not complete the story to my satisfaction (which I realize is completely subjective), then I feel as if the journey has been a waste (Do not ask me my feelings on the Hunger Games Trilogy). I decided to review two books that came out recently because they are the last book in their respective series. Think of it as Two-For-One Day here at Pathological Readers :)

Book 1:

Mortal Heart by Robin LaFevers
Release Date: 4 November 2014
Page Count: 464
Genre: Historical Fiction, Fantasy
Target Audience: YA
Series: His Fair Assassin #3
Source and Format: Purchased; Kindle eBook

Summary (From Goodreads)
Annith has watched her gifted sisters at the convent come and go, carrying out their dark dealings in the name of St. Mortain, patiently awaiting her own turn to serve Death. But her worst fears are realized when she discovers she is being groomed by the abbess as a Seeress, to be forever sequestered in the rock and stone womb of the convent. Feeling sorely betrayed, Annith decides to strike out on her own.

She has spent her whole life training to be an assassin. Just because the convent has changed its mind doesn't mean she has… 

 


Notes on Mortal Heart
This was a very satisfying conclusion for me! This trilogy features a different protagonist in each book, but each one shows up in the others' books. The leading ladies are all assassin nuns, of a sort. Their father is the Breton god of Death and they are raised to be his instruments here on earth. The book is set in 15th century Brittany, which is in France. The conflict revolves around France wanting to subsume Brittany into its own land. This third book is about Annith, who has been raised in the convent, unlike the other girls who make their way there. She is being kept in the convent rather than sent out on missions and she wants to know why. I really liked this book, even more than I thought I would. LaFevers resolves both the conflict between France and Brittany and the conflict between Annith and the convent nicely. I will say that the solution for the France/Brittany conflict was a bit far-fetched (and is what kept me from giving it 5 stars) BUT it was also plausible within the world that LaFevers created so it was not completely unbelievable. It was just a bit too convenient for me. The love interest in this book is also... different. I enjoyed it but I could see where some readers would have a hard time with it. Overall, this book was a wonderful way to the end the trilogy. Well done, Robin LaFevers!

Book 2:

The Blood of Olympus by Rick Riordan
Release Date: 7 October 2014
Page Count: 516
Genre: Fantasy
Target Audience: YA, Middle Grades
Series: The Heroes of Olympus #5
Source and Format: Purchased; Kindle eBook

Summary (From Goodreads)
Though the Greek and Roman crewmembers of the Argo II have made progress in their many quests, they still seem no closer to defeating the earth mother, Gaea. Her giants have risen—all of them—and they're stronger than ever. They must be stopped before the Feast of Spes, when Gaea plans to have two demigods sacrificed in Athens. She needs their blood—the blood of Olympus—in order to wake.

The demigods are having more frequent visions of a terrible battle at Camp Half-Blood. The Roman legion from Camp Jupiter, led by Octavian, is almost within striking distance. Though it is tempting to take the Athena Parthenos to Athens to use as a secret weapon, the friends know that the huge statue belongs back on Long Island, where it "might" be able to stop a war between the two camps.

The Athena Parthenos will go west; the Argo II will go east. The gods, still suffering from multiple personality disorder, are useless. How can a handful of young demigods hope to persevere against Gaea's army of powerful giants? As dangerous as it is to head to Athens, they have no other option. They have sacrificed too much already. And if Gaea wakes, it is game over.

Notes on The Blood of Olympus
This book. I gave it 3 stars on Goodreads because it was just mediocre to me. For those of you who have not read the series, each book is narrated by 3 of more of the characters. This is cool because you get to really know the characters since Riordan gives you a glimpse into their heads. This woks really well when it is only three characters; not so much when you have 4+ narrators. There were too many characters in this book. There were two story lines that were going on simultaneously. There were two different battles with multiple characters. It was just A LOT. The book felt... busy. Chaotic. It did do a nice job of wrapping up most of the questions everyone had. It also provided a happy ending for most everyone. I think Riordan bit off a bit more than he could chew and it was more messy than his normal style. This series started out really great but the more characters that were added, the harder it was to enjoy the story because everyone's separate stories kept getting in the way. This series did not end on a high note, but it was not also the worst.


Hope you enjoyed Two-For-One Day!

A Bookish Place: Parnassus Books in Nashville, TN

This past weekend I (Jenny) had the privilege of going to Nashville to attend IJM's Northstar Conference. For those of you who do not know about IJM, click here to be introduced to one of the most brilliant non-profits on the planet. (I will be blogging more about them later, as I am reading a book written by the founder and president. They really deserve their own blog post!). This post, however, is about a really wonderful bookstore I had the opportunity to visit while I was there.

I first ran across this bookstore on some list of the independent-bookstores-you-have-to-visit-before-you-die variety. I do not remember exactly where I saw it, but the name was stuck in my subconscious, apparently, because when we happened to eat lunch at the Chipotle in the same shopping center as Parnassus, something in my brain went, "You must go there".

Thank goodness for such a wonderful, unique name -  Parnassus Books. It is very unassuming on the outside; I mean, it is in a shopping center for cryin' out loud. How much more uncool and corporate can you get? That name, however, was a beacon shining from a mundane exterior, hinting at the brilliance within (I am writing a thesis on allegory, can you tell?). Does the name ring any bells? Unless you are a Classics major/minor/professor/devotee, it probably wouldn't. I had to look it up to make sure I remembered correctly from that one Classics class I took as an undergrad. Parnassus was where the Oracle of Delphi was located. The area was sacred to Apollo, Dionysus, and the Muses- everyone who was responsible for the creative arts in ancient Greece. Pretty cool, huh?

So, while the exterior left something to be desired, the inside most definitely did not. The walls are lined floor to ceiling with books. The minute I walked in the smell of books enveloped me, making me hesitate inside the entrance just to take in the visual and olfactory magnificence of the space. It is a relatively small space but is used in such a way as to cram the max amount of books possible into it. 

My two favorite parts of the bookstore were definitely the ladders and the kids' section. Yes, you read that right- ladders. They had Beauty and the Beast ladders along the shelves to reach the top shelves. 

I took a picture of this specific one because, as you can see, they have a whole section dedicated to book club books. What a wonderful idea! And the best part was that they were not just books that had/were being made into movies. A lot of thought had gone into the selections. They have their own book club (which I would kill to be a part of) so you know a good bit of experience has gone into picking these books. 

Next favorite part- the kids' section. Look at this most adorable entrance:

It looks like the entrance to a Greek temple! I did not do a good job of scaling the picture for y'all but think of the door at the Chick-fil-A Dwarf House. And yes, of course I walked through this way. Most of the other, cooler customers were laughing at me but I did not care. It was just so wonderful, you know? 

So. If you are ever in Nashville, you must visit. I bought two books I cannot read until I am done with my thesis because I couldn't not buy something from there. 

There is also a blog you can visit which has cool posts on everything from book club picks to stars in Nashville who stop by the store. The amount of events the store puts on is really amazing. It truly is a community-oriented bookstore, working to spread the love of reading in Nashville. I listened in on the staff suggestions when someone would ask them questions and they were so helpful and so friendly. I was very impressed. It was obvious they love their job and love to introduce people to new books. If I were you, I would plan a trip to Nashville just so I could stop by here. You won't regret it.