Where Is Your Bookmark? (Tootsie Rolls, Spine Poetry & BBHOP - How Books Change Me)

A weekly meme where readers share the first sentence of the book they are reading and say what they think. Hosted by the amazing Gillion Dumas of Rose City Reader.

I peered through the slats of the blinds covering the glass on my office door and watched the dark, brooding man in the hallway. [opening of The Arrangement]

A weekly meme in which readers share a random sentence or two from page 56 or 56% of the book they are reading. Hosted by the wonderful Freda of Freda's Voice.

He headed behind the bar and began preparing a drink. "Look, I'm worried about you. The news is so depressing lately. Crime, murders, kidnappings. . . I don't know what I would do if I ever lost you." [excerpt from 56% of The Arrangement]

My initial thoughts: I love the old school-like feel of this novel and the opening line offers a hint of that. I am not too far into M. Ravenel's The Arrangement, but I already like Tootsie. She is good at what she does and can hold her own in a traditionally male dominated profession. I have not yet reached 56% in the novel, but it sounds like things have heated up considerably. The Arrangement comes out  next Tuesday and if what I have read so far is anything to go by, it's going to be good. Note to self: add more Tootsie Rolls to shopping list.

Another case has fallen onto the desk of Tootsie Carter; a female detective armed with a snub-nosed Colt .38, unmatchable wit, and a pocketful of Tootsie Rolls. 

New York City, 1975 

A missing wife. The seedy underbelly of the boxing world. Lace your gloves and ring the bell, PI Tootsie Carter is on the case. When a desperate man stumbles into her office, pleading for help locating his wife, Tootsie launches into the investigation. Following the clues, she uncovers a boxing racketeer with a deadly agenda. Can Tootsie deliver the one-two punch that brings the woman home safe? Or will more bodies fall to the mats? [Goodreads Synopsis]

Does this sound like something you would like? What are you reading right now?

Originally a feature called Last Year I Was Reading created by Maria from ReadingMaria. 

I liked it enough to continue on my own, but have tweaked it

 to feature Five Years Ago I Was Reading. 

(I would have gone back ten, but I read so little in 2011)

I am tweaking today's post a bit to reflect what I was reading 9 years ago. In 2014, I was reading the Divergent Series by Veronica Roth. I read the Divergent, Insurgent and Allegiant back to back the beginning of March along with a couple of short stories related to the series. I had been reluctant to read the series at the time but was motivated to read it before seeing the movies. I remember being really drawn into Roth's world in Divergent. It was such a fun read. I enjoyed Insurgent, although it did not quite live up to Divergent in my mind. And then there was Allegiant. I was not upset about the one issue most fans took with the series, but I did find it disappointing for other reasons. So much promise and then it fell flat for me. Not the strongest end to a series. Oh well. It happens.  

From the Publisher:  

Divergent: One choice can transform you. Veronica Roth's #1 New York Times bestselling debut is a gripping dystopian tale of electrifying choices, powerful consequences, unexpected romance, and a deeply flawed "perfect society."

Insurgent: One choice can destroy you. Veronica Roth's second #1 New York Times bestseller continues the dystopian thrill ride. As war surges in the factions all around her, Tris attempts to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love. 

Allegiant: The explosive conclusion to Veronica Roth's #1 New York Times bestselling Divergent trilogy reveals the secrets of the dystopian world that has captivated millions of readers in Divergent and Insurgent.  

Connect Five Friday is a weekly meme where readers share a list of five books, 

read or unread, or bookish things, that share a common theme. 

Hosted by the  Kathryn of of Book Date.

In January Beverley A Baird posted a Connect 5 Spine Poetry. The idea sounded so fun, I thought I would try it too. Unfortunately, I do not have physical copies of all of these books and so it's more Book Title Poetry than Spine Poetry. Spine Poetry sounds better though, doesn't it? All five of these books are books I read (and enjoyed immensely) ten years ago in 2012. This is the result of reading a lot of mysteries . . . 

Every Day by David Levithan

Fun & Games by Duane Swierczynski

Before the Poison by Peter Robinson

An Unmarked Grave by Charles Todd

Let's Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson

Have you ever tried Spine Poetry before? 

Every Friday Coffee Addicted Writer from Coffee Addicted Writer poses a question which participants respond on their own blogs within the week (Friday through Thursday). They then share their links at the main site and visit other participants blogs.

How have books changed you the most? (submitted by Julie @ JadeSky)

I have been a reader for as long as I can remember and cannot imagine a life without books. Reading has touched every aspect of my life in some way. Sometimes the impact is subtle and other times more obvious. 

Scientifically, reading is known to improve concentration and memory and can make a person smarter. It is also believed reading improves our ability to reason. Pleasure reading reduces stress. Perhaps the most popular study out there shows how reading can increase empathy. While I would like to believe all of these have proven true for me, it's hard to know just how much they actually have had the desired effect on me. I think the one area I feel it the most acutely these days is how reading is a source of calm for me. When I need to slow down or quiet the racing thoughts in my head, vanquish my fears or if I just need to step away from real life for a short while, I often turn to reading. Reading is something I do for fun, of course, but it is also a form of self-care. 

Along the lines of self-care . . . through reading, I have learned more about myself--I may recognize myself in a character/person or situation and not feel so alone. I am constantly finding connections with the people I read about, even those with completely different life experiences than my own, relating to them on some level. This not only gives me that sense that I am not alone, but also allows me to see things from a different perspective, both on a personal level and outside of myself. I am not so quick to judge, and I feel like I am more open to other ideas and worldviews. My knowledge base has certainly increased. I also feel that my reading has helped shape who I am and how I see the world. Reading certainly has inspired more creativity in me, sparking ideas and helping me become a better writer.  

Sometimes my reading challenges what I believe or how I feel. And I don't mind. My views have evolved over the years thanks to books--I grow as a I learn. It's an ongoing process. I like to see things from as many perspectives as possible. I have this innate desire to understand why people are the way they are, believe what they believe, why they make the decisions they do, and how that impacts their lives--how they get through it. It comes back to making connections. I love how stories connect us. How they touch all of us in one way or another. And how they can change us. They make me want to be a better person and believe that it's possible. There is so much power in the written word. 

I am not sure if this really answers today's question. I started typing and this is where I ended up. Books have influenced every aspect of my life in one way or another. I do not know that I can point to how they have changed me the most, but reading and books are a part of what has made me who I am.

What about you? How have books changed you the most?

 I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! Be sure and tell me what you are reading and are up to!

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