The Bookman's Tale

The Bookman's Tale by Charlie Lovett
Series: no
Publisher: Viking Adult
Date: May 28, 2013
How did I get this book? free Advance Reader's Copy from the publisher via ShelfAwareness for an honest review
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
GoodReads | Author | Publisher

When a review copy of this book arrived on my doorstop, I nearly shrieked in excitement. Bypassing many other books, I placed it on the very top of my To-Read pile and I am happy to say it most definitely earned that coveted spot.

Part literary mystery, part tragic love story, and part ode to the written word, this book was everything I hoped it would be and more. A still grieving Peter Byerly finds a Victorian portrait that looks strikingly like his late wife Amanda and sets off to a find out more about it's origins. Along the way, he ends up on the trail of an even bigger mystery -- the question of whether or not Shakespeare's plays were actually written by Shakespeare of Stratford, or if they were written by another writer under that name.

One of the things I really liked was how the narrative switched between different points in time. A lot of the book is told from the present as Peter is trying to solve the mystery, but other parts go all the way back to Shakespeare's time and trace through the centuries following the historical aspects of the story. Yet another thread of the narrative follows Peter's relationship with Amanda from when they first met. It was heartbreaking to know she would inevitably die, but their relationship was really something special. Peter has social anxiety, but Amanda brings out the best in him and they are truly a perfect match. The bond they share is so touching and beautifully written, I will not soon forget this pair.

In addition to the actual love story, this book is suffused with the love of books. If you are a book lover (as so many of us are), Peter will feel like a kindred spirit. I know this book has found a special place in my heart and I'm sure it will resonate with other lovers of the written word as well. I can't recommend it highly enough.

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This book counts toward my reading goals for:
2013 Books About Books Challenge
2013 ARC Reading Challenge

Weird Things Customers Say in Bookstores

Weird Things Customers Say in Bookstores by Jen Campbell
Series: Not per se, but there is a 2nd volume out in the UK
Publisher: Overlook
Date: Sept. 13, 2012
How did I get this book? borrowed from library
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
GoodReads | Author | Publisher

WARNING: This book will cause uncontrollable laughter. Do not read in public if cracking up in front of strangers is something that embarrasses you. If you are supposed to be doing something else, but want to surreptitiously read a book instead, don't choose this one because you will totally get busted. Don't hide this one inside War & Peace and expect to get away with it. Seriously. You've been warned.

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Words can hardly express my love for this book! I first heard about it when Kay of It's a Book Life shared a link to an excerpt featuring 10 different snippets in one of her bookish news posts. I knew right away I had to read it and immediately put in a request at my library. Two days later I picked it up and had to force myself to not read it in one sitting because I wanted the enjoyment to last just a bit longer. I had been plodding though a bit of a slow book and this was just the break I needed. I brought it with me to my grandmother's house Mother's Day weekend and some of my more bookish relatives were laughing along with me as I read out some of my favorite passages. My aunt took it up to bed with her and finished it that night!

It's a slim volume and anyone who loves books and bookstores will get a kick out of it. If you've ever worked in a bookstore, other retail establishment, or any job that deals with the public, you will get a kick out of it. If you're amazed by the foolishness that comes out of people's mouths sometimes, you will most definitely get a kick out of it. A few of the anecdotes in the chapter 'Customers Behaving Badly' were more appalling than funny, but all of them will leave you have shaking your head and asking yourself, "How could someone really say that?!" You will appreciate your neighborhood booksellers all the more after reading this one, that's for sure. Read. This. Book. Just do it, because I can't imagine you would possibly regret it. :)

Oh, and the author also has a Tumblr that will make your day if you're a book lover.
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This book counts toward my reading goals for:
2013 Books About Books Challenge