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So Obsessed With: The Mini Edition #3

Aug 14, 2015

Some of my favorite posts are ones where bloggers highlight the products they're loving lately or the things they're currently coveting. I love this kind of content so much that I decided to start incorporating it into my blog by highlighting my loves and lusts and each season. I've enjoyed it so much that I wanted to turn it into a monthly thing. I'm going to continue doing a larger seasonal post each quarter, but in the "off" months I'm going to do themed mini editions. So, here's a publisher I'm so obsessed with:


I don't know exactly when I first discovered The Folio Society, but there was no going back once I did. If I remember correctly, I was looking for a pretty edition of I Capture the Castle. I bought the book on a whim one day and ended up falling in love with it, but then I hated that I owned the ugly movie tie-in edition. I knew there had to be a better one! In that search, I came across this post and fell in love. The post didn't mention The Folio Society, but I spotted the name on the title page and started searching. My first reaction to their website? A bit of sticker shock at the price! I wondered if their editions were really worth it. 

I love buying books, and it's one of the only things I consistently splurge on... But I was hesitant! When I realized that the Folio edition of I Capture the Castle had gone out of print, I decided to see if I could buy a copy secondhand. I found one from an Amazon seller and was able to get it for $30. While it was still more expensive than a typical book, it seemed more reasonable than a full-priced edition. Once I saw the quality of Folio Society editions, I knew I'd be adding a few to my wishlist. That's the background on how my obsession started, but now let me tell you all about The Folio Society and their gorgeous editions!

THE COMPANY 
I decided to start off with a little bit of the history and mission behind The Folio Society, so here's some introductory information from their website:
Founded in London in 1947, The Folio Society publishes carefully crafted editions of the world’s finest literature. We believe that great books deserve to be presented in a form worthy of their contents. For nearly 70 years we have celebrated the unique joy to be derived from owning, holding and reading a beautiful printed edition.  
Beautifully crafted, imaginative editions of the world’s great works of fiction and non-fiction, Folio Society books offer a rich literary experience to readers of all ages. The books we select for publication are timeless – we know they will be enjoyed and appreciated now and in the future. Because each book is considered as an individual object of value in its own right, there is a variety to our aesthetic – the only uniformity is in the quality of every single book.
The Folio Bookshop is located in London, and you better believe I'm hoping to visit one day...

THE BOOKS
Now, let's get to the main attraction: the books! Using my collection, I'm highlighting my favorite features of these editions. They're not all unique to Folio, but they are part of what makes these books collectible.


SLIPCASES | Every Folio Society edition comes with a slipcase. According to the Folio website, they are "a distinctive feature of our books, and the traditional protective covering of fine editions." Some editions have a design on the slipcase, like Pride and Prejudice above, but most of mine do not. It's just a solid color that coordinates with the book's cover. I like having the slipcase to protect the book!

BINDING | Folio editions have decorative head and tail bands (the colored fabric/cloth where the pages meet the spine), and I love that they pay attention to this kind of small detail! All Folio books are sewn in 16-page sections, which makes them easy to read. You know, if you trust yourself to read something so fancy...

ENDPAPERS | Some Folio editions have special endpapers with a design that coordinates with the book. For example, the endpapers pictured above are from Little Women. However, most of the Folio editions I own just have more standard, solid-color endpapers that match the look of the book.


COVERS | If I had to pick two things that Folio Society books are known for, the covers would definitely be one of them. After all, the cover of their edition of I Capture the Castle is what led me to their website in the first place! I love that every Folio cover is different and is designed to fit the story inside. These are definitely the kinds of books you want to display on your shelves! You can tell the Folio Society loves book: 
A Folio book is a unique object, one in which typography, illustration, paper, and printing and binding techniques all play a part in creating a harmonious whole. The Folio Society has celebrated the particular joy to be derived from owning, holding and reading a beautiful printed edition. Our aim is to create books that are unique in their aesthetic and in their quality – this is what makes a Folio collection something to cherish.
Some covers are bound in buckram, others in metallic cloth... but every edition is a work of art! Here's a look at my collection (unlinked books are out of print and no longer available from FolioSociety.com):
I can't even choose a favorite! I'll be honest and admit that I've wanted to buy a few solely for their covers. 


INTRODUCTION | One of the things that Folio Society prides themselves on is the editorial expertise they bring to every book they publish. Here's what they say on their website:
From choosing the best translations to negotiating revisions with authors; from fact-checking at specialist libraries across the world to emending textual imperfections, which often creep into modern editions of classic works, we aspire to give our members an enhanced experience of their favourite books. And for additional insight, we select introducers to act as the reader’s companion, whetting the appetite and setting the book and its author in context.
I love knowing how much thought goes into each book! This is one of those "hidden" benefits of Folio books. You may not even be aware of all the ways Folio works to create a special reading experience.

TYPOGRAPHY | Speaking of "hidden" Folio benefits, this is one thing I wasn't aware of until I looked into what goes into making these editions. A huge part of that process involves typography! Folio believes it "should be pleasing to the eye, never intrusive and generously sized." The creative process is fascinating!

CHAPTERS | I love flipping through a Folio book when it arrives and seeing if the chapter titles are decorated! Even if they're not, it's fun to see how the typography is different. The example above is from Perrault's Fairy Tales, which is just a gorgeous book all around. It's so cool when the chapter titles have special details.


ILLUSTRATIONS | I mentioned the covers being one thing Folio books are known for, and now it's time for the other feature: the illustrations! The Folio Society commissions illustrations by incredible artists around the world for their books, and that's one of the biggest reasons I love buying them. And the best part is that they feature a wide variety of styles: wood engravings, paintings, collages, pen and ink, and digital. I hope the pictures above give you a glimpse of what you'll find inside! Here are the artists represented above:
Some editions feature older illustrations that appeared in previous editions of the book. For example, The Secret Garden includes the Charles Robinson illustrations that first appeared in the book in 1911. I love the variety!

THE MEMBERSHIP
If you love the Folio Society as much as I do, you might interested in learning more about their membership program! To qualify, you need to buy four or more books within a 12-month period. Once your membership starts, it runs for 12 calendar months. If you buy another four or more books during that time, membership continues for another 12 months after the initial year is over. Check here for more details.

So, why become a member? Folio touts seven reasons on their website, but here are my four favorites:
  • Members' Launch Prices: Members get exclusive savings on newly published and back-in-print books.
  • Member-Only Sales: Members can save up to 80% on a range of Folio titles during their annual sales.
  • Exclusive Special Offers: Members can receive special offers for select Folio titles.
  • Capped Shipping: A brand-new benefit caps shipping at $20 for orders of 3 or more books.
It's not cheap to become a member, but I've definitely seen it pay off. Folio recently had a Summer Sale for members, and a bunch of titles were 50% off. I was able to combine that with a special offer for $20 off a purchase of $120 or more, and I got four books on my wishlist for $100 total. It was still expensive, but each book only cost me about the same as a full-price adult hardcover book. But it's one I'll keep forever!

Have your heard of The Folio Society before?
What's your favorite Folio edition?
Any books you'd love to see Folio release?
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'Stress level: extreme.'

Aug 13, 2015

Six Impossible Things by Fiona Wood

Release Date: August 11, 2015
Publisher: Hachette | Poppy
Pages: 304 pages
Source & Format: Alexa; ARC
Series: Six Impossible Things #1
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 Summary (from Goodreads)
1. Kiss Estelle. 
2. Get a job.
3. Cheer my mother up. 
4. Try not to be a complete nerd/loser. 
5. Talk to my father when he calls. 
6. Figure out how to be good. 

Nerd-boy Dan Cereill is not quite coping with a whole heap of problems, including a reversal of family fortune, moving, new-school hell, a mother with a failing wedding cake business, a just-out gay dad, and a massive crush on Estelle, the girl next door. His life is a mess, but for now he's narrowed it down to just six impossible things...

In this charming story of one guy's efforts to get it together when his life is falling apart, award-winning author Fiona Wood introduces an irresistible voice and a delightfully awkward character who is impossible to forget. 

Thoughts on Six Impossible Things
I read and loved Wildlife last year, and I was disappointed to learn it was actually the second book in this duology. These books were originally published in Australia, and Poppy decided to release them out of order in the US for some reason. I enjoyed Wildlife so much that I was hoping to get my hands on a copy of Six Impossible Things, and I was excited when I realized it was being published in the US, too. 

Six Impossible Things focuses on nerdy Dan Cereill - a teenager trying to deal with the fact that his father just came out, moved out, and left them with some major financial issues. He and his mother have had to move, so now he's facing a different school and a huge crush on his neighbor. In an attempt to regain control of his life, he makes a list of six impossible things he want to accomplish.

Wildlife, on the other hand, takes place some time after the events in this book and uses a secondary character from Six Impossible Things as its the heroine. The biggest problem with reading them out of order? Something significant happens in the time between the two books, and reading Wildlife first means that you know what's going to happen to one character before you end start Six Impossible Things. It bothered me!

While I didn't think Wildlife would work for everyone, it was right up my alley. I enjoy stories about friendship, especially when a story highlights the beauty and the heartbreak in it. As a result, I went into Six Impossible Things with high expectations. Unfortunately, I found myself a little letdown by the story. I still enjoyed Wood's writing style. I loved how Dan's voice was very different from Lou's and Sib's in Wildlife. It felt true to this character and captured his awkwardness, insecurity and hopefulness. 

Both books focus more on character development than plot, which makes the pacing a bit slow at times. It worked for me in Wildlife, but I just wasn't as engaged with this book. Dan made some questionable choices, and I didn't totally understand his infatuation with Estelle. I liked that he has moments of real maturity and other where he seems young for his age because it made him seem realistic. The book didn't seem to have much of a plot (and was resolved a little too easily), and I wasn't invested enough in the characters to make up for it. 

I was so much more connected to the story in Wildlife, and I think it's because I could personally relate to the story. While I liked Dan, I don't think I was ever invested enough to truly root for him. Six Impossible Things is a quick and quirky read, but it wasn't one that will stay in my memory. I don't know if part of my issue is that I kept mentally comparing it to Wildlife or if this just wasn't quite right for me. I wouldn't dissuade anyone from reading it, but there are a number of other contemporary books I'd likely recommend first!

 So Quotable
“We look at each other with shy relief. It's the look two odd socks give when they recognize each other in the wild.”
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review consideration. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review.
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My Biggest Book Buying Quirk

Aug 12, 2015


When Alexa and I were brainstorming our discussion post for this month, I knew exactly what I wanted to do. It's been on my mind ever since we shared our 2014 reading statistics. One of the things we examined in that post was what we'd done with the books we bought that year. There were four main categories: Gave Away, TBR, Read (in 2014) and Read (Pre-2014). And it's that last category that I want to talk about today!

Prior to publishing that post, I was dreading the Books Bought Breakdown section. It was so embarrassing! I'd purchased a ton of books in 2014, and I couldn't justify the money I'd spent or adding more books to my constantly-growing TBR. While there was definitely some shock over how much I'd bought, several people were more surprised that I bought books I'd already read. And ever since then, I've been meaning to write a post on the reasons I do it, the reasons I shouldn't, and why it's ultimately worth it for me.

I bought 211 books in 2014. I know, it's insane. After all, that's why I teamed up with Alexa for the Picky Pledge! But of those 211 books, 37% were books I'd already read prior to buying. So, what about 2015? Since the last quarterly check-in was in June, I decided to look at my most up-to-date stats. As of today, I've bought 56 books in 2015. It's not the end of the year (and there's still room to grow), but I'm proud that it's 73% lower than 2014. I couldn't sustain that level of book buying! So, take a look at the breakdown:
Read (Pre-Buy) makes up the majority of my book purchases in 2015 at 45% (25 books total). Since this is clearly a habit for me, I wanted to investigate the why behind the what. I examined everything that I've purchased this year (and took a look at last year, too) and have come up with five reasons I buy books I've already read:

1. It's a book that I collect. I collect editions of my favorite classics: Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery and Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. I've recently started scooping up editions of The Hunger Games series, too, so that counts as another collection (though it's much smaller). These are the only books I have specifically started collecting! This year, for example, I've purchased four books that fall into this category.

2. It's a favorite that I'm buying in another format. This usually happens when I read a book on my Kindle and then desperately wish I had a copy for my shelves. I like being able to hold a physical copy of my favorite and see it in my home library. And I'll sometimes buy the Kindle version of a favorite if it goes on sale - so I can read it no matter where I go. This was the reason for six of the already-read books I bought this year!

3. It's a finished copy of something that I read for review. Blogging is definitely to blame for this one! If I loved a review book, I want the finished copy on my shelves. I enjoy supporting the author, and I prefer a hardcover (or paperback) over an ARC. I appreciate having access to ARCs (physical and electronic), but I have no desire to keep them once I'm done. I want the gorgeous copy! This year, I've bought nine books for this reason.

4. It's a special edition of something I love. This category is slightly different than collecting, though it's rooted in the same thing. If I see a special edition of one of my favorite books, there's a good chance I'll seriously consider buying it. I will often buy pretty editions of classics for this reason, though it can come into play with recent releases, too. I've purchased five books in this category this year. 

5. It's a book I want to re-read but don't own. In this case, that usually means I originally got the book from the library or it was a book I read when I was younger but gave away/lost at some point. I was even more ruthless about culling books when I was a kid, and that's led to a few wholes in my personal library. That's the reason I bought The Little House series a year or so ago! There's only one book I bought for this reason so far this year.

I don't usually regret buying books I've already read, but there are a few things I've learned to ask myself first:

1. Why do I want this in my collection? Some people want every edition for their collection, but I want to be a little more selective. I don't want an ugly copy of Pride and Prejudice just because I collect that book. I want to buy editions with covers I love, from places I've visited or from people who give the copy special meaning.

2. What's the benefit of owning it in this format? I try to make myself pause before buying a book I already own in a different format. There's no reason to have two formats if I'm only going to read the book in one! But if I think it's worth it to own the audio, have it on my shelves, or available on my Kindle, I'll take the plunge.

3. Is this really a favorite? When I first started getting ARCs, I was a little too quick to buy finished copies of the books I'd read for review. I thought more about supporting the author than I did about whether or not this was something I'd re-read in the future. Thankfully, I've gotten better about being picky with this category!

4. What's so special about this edition? I try to think really hard before buying a book for this reason because I don't want a bunch of mini collections of the same book. But I do love owning a gorgeous edition of a favorite! Often, I'll cull my original edition if it doesn't have sentimental value so I don't have multiple copies.

5. Will I re-read this book? I actually ask myself this question whenever I'm buying a book I've already read - no matter the why behind why I want it! It makes sense for me to buy books I've read before because I love to re-read. Otherwise, there's no reason for me to spend my money on it! This answer is the most important.

I know a lot of readers want to keep ALL THE BOOKS, but that's not my style. I like my home library to have only my favorites, which includes books I'll re-read and books with sentimental value. So, I'm constantly culling books from my shelves. That's one of the ways I thought the Picky Pledge could help: there would probably be less to cull if I was picker about what I bought. I have a bad habit of purchasing books on a whim, and it often leads to stuff I want to get rid of later. Personally, I'd rather buy favorites I'm missing from my library than a bunch of books I haven't read (and don't know if I'll enjoy). But I know it's probably contrary to how most people think!

I'm a huge fan of re-reading, so it makes sense for me to buy books I've already read and loved. If the opportunity cost (the only concept I retained from my college microeconomics class) of re-reading a favorite is the chance to read something new, I'm okay with that sacrifice. I'll never be able to read everything before I die, but re-reading is still a priority for me. And that's a big reason it's worth it for me to buy my favorites.

Kelly and I chose this quote for our graphic for The Re-Read Challenge: "No book is worth reading that isn't worth re-reading." And honestly, that's how I feel! I'll take favorites I can revisit forever over books that I'm done with once I close the last page. I want to read books that stay with me, that beg me to read them again, not stuff I forget only minutes after finishing. And I want to be surrounded by books that I love in my home.

I do occasionally regret buying books that I've already read - if I re-read and like them a lot less or just find my feelings for them fading over time - but it doesn't happen often enough for me to completely change this habit. If I didn't re-read, I probably wouldn't buy stuff I've already read... but I do! 

Do you buy books you've already ready?
If so, is it for the same reasons I do or different ones?
If not, what do you think about this book buying habit?
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All the Books from These Authors

Aug 11, 2015

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and The Bookish. Every week they post a new topic and invite everyone to share their answers. I'm so obsessed with lists - so I obviously love this feature!

Top Ten Authors I've Read the Most Books From


1. Robin Jones Gunn (40 Books) - I was a huge fan of this author in middle and high school, and I just devoured her books. But I was shocked when I saw just how many books I'd read by her!

2. Dee Henderson (16 Books) - This was another one of my favorite authors in high school! She didn't publish anything new for a long time, and unfortunately her new books just haven't been the same. 

3. William Shakespeare (15 Books) - School's to blame for this one. Shakespeare was required reading in high school, and then I took a class about him in college hoping it would make me like him more. It didn't.

3. L.M. Montgomery (15 Books) - I wasn't surprised by this one! She's been a favorite since childhood, and I still have many of her books on my TBR. I can't wait to read them and move her up my list of most-read authors!

5. Maud Hart Lovelace (12 Books) - I've read all of Lovelace's books, and I wish she had more on her backlist. I love her Betsy-Tacy series and the three standalone (but companion) books. They're all so lovely!


5. Richelle Mead (12 Books) - I didn't realize how many books I'd read from Mead, but it makes sense since I've read the Vampire Academy series and Bloodlines series. Those were a whole bunch of books!

7. Melody Carlson (11 Books) - It's been years since I've read anything by Carlson, but I loved her in middle school. I think I've read more books by her, but those were the pre-Goodreads days so who can say for sure...

8. Francine Rivers (10 Books) - Working on this post made me realize how loyal I was to certain authors in high school, and reminded me how I'd read the entire backlist when I found a new favorite. This author qualifies!

9. Laura Ingalls Wilder (9 Books) - I love that Laura Ingalls Wilder is one of my most-read authors! I recently re-read The Little House series, and it was so fun to revisit this series that meant so much to me when I was a kid.

10. Jane Austen (8 Books) - There were actually four authors tied for this spot, but I went with Austen because she'd be higher on my list if she'd ever published more books! I'm a total fangirl of her, as you probably know.
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'Who's the real you?'

Aug 10, 2015

Goodbye Stranger by Rebecca Stead

 Release Date: August 4, 2015
Publisher: Random House | Wendy Lamb Books
Pages: 304 pages
Source & Format: NetGalley; e-ARC
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 Summary (from Goodreads)
This brilliant novel by Newbery Medal winner Rebecca Stead explores multiple perspectives on the bonds and limits of friendship.

Bridge is an accident survivor who's wondering why she's still alive. Emily has new curves and an almost-boyfriend who wants a certain kind of picture. Tabitha sees through everybody's games -- or so she tells the world. The three girls are best friends with one rule: No fighting. Can it get them through seventh grade? 

This year everything is different for Sherm Russo as he gets to know Bridge Barsamian. What does it mean to fall for a girl -- as a friend? On Valentine's Day, an unnamed high school girl struggles with a betrayal. How long can she hide in plain sight? 

 Thoughts on Goodbye Stranger
Aside from a recent re-read of the Little House series, I can't tell you the last time I read a Middle Grade book. I don't have anything against books in that age range - it just hasn't been my focus in recent years. So, I'm honestly not sure what compelled me to I request this book. I hadn't heard of Rebecca Stead before, and the cover didn't blow me away. Then what was the draw? There was just something about the summary that called my name, especially the line about "the bond and limits of friendship." I'm a huge fan of stories about friendship - both the highs and the lows of it. And I'm so glad that led me to this book!

Goodbye Stranger is such a layered, complex story. It may seem quiet or simple on the surface, but there's a lot of depth here! You'll meet Bridge, a seventh grader who survived a near-death accident and is trying to make sense of her purpose on Earth. There are her two best friends - Emily and Tabitha. Emily's already developed curves and has caught the eye of a certain boy, and Tabitha thinks she's got everything figured out. Sherm Russo is writing letters to his grandfather... but he's not mailing them. And an unnamed high school student is dealing with a betrayal on Valentine's Day. All these stories are woven into something amazing.
"But Bridge understood that life didn't balance anymore. Life was a too-tall stack of books that had started to lean to one side, and each new day was another book on top."
I'm not usually crazy about stories told from multiple POVs, but it worked for Goodbye Stranger. Most of the book focuses on Bridge, and I felt like she was the perfect anchor for everything. I adored Sherm's letters, even though they broke my heart at times. And while the unnamed high school student story confused me at first, I grew to love it by the end. That viewpoint is quite different - it's in second person and is set entirely on Valentine's Day. The rest of the book begins around the start of school and moves forward toward that date. Once I wrapped my brain around the structure, I found my stride and couldn't put the book down.

Stead expertly captures the awkwardness and coming-of-age that happens in middle school. I loved the duality of how it's an age where many are still so innocent while others are grappling with weighty, difficult choices. For example, Bridge is wearing cat ears to school every day and Emily's started texting boys. They're best friends and in the same grade, but they're experiencing very different things. It's been years since I was that age, but Stead took me back to that time. While the target audience is middle schoolers, I think it's a book that can be appreciated by teenagers and young adults alike.
“Sometimes your body feels like a cage for all the stuff inside. You paint your nails, braid your hair, and buy the right kind of jeans, but none of it is really about you."
I don't want to share too much about what happens in this book, so I can't really talk about the thoughtfulness of the story. Goodbye Stranger touches upon sexuality, feminism, body image, purpose, friendship, family, and all the complex feelings associated with those things. And one of my favorite themes was the way it explores sense of self and identity. Middle school is such a formative time in childhood, for better and worse. It represents a huge turning point from childhood to adolescence, and Stead really captured that transition.
"Who's the real you? The person who did something awful, or the one who's horrified by the awful thing you did? Is one part of you allowed to forgive the other?"
And if you can't tell from all the quotes, I loved Stead's writing. This was a book that I wanted to savor! I was attached to the characters, and I felt emotionally invested in the story. I adored the moments of love and joy, and I ached during the scenes of heartbreak and pain. Goodbye Stranger reminded that it's hard growing up, but that there's beauty in it, too. There are admirable and unhealthy friendships, supportive teachers, involved parents, loving siblings, hints of first love... It captured so many relationships in just a few pages!

Goodbye Stranger was a breath of fresh air for me, and it made me eager to read more Middle Grade fiction. I'm not completely sure I would have read this book when I was that age - or that I would have enjoyed it as much if I did - but who can say for sure? What I do know is that I thoroughly enjoyed it now, and I'm so happy that I read it. Goodbye Stranger gorgeously captures the lovely and the lonely parts of growing up!

So Quotable
“Life is where you sleep and what you see when you wake up in the morning, and who you tell about your weird dream, and what you eat for breakfast and who you eat it with. Life isn't something that happens to you. It's something you make yourself, all the time."
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review consideration. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review.
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