November 2015 Rewind

November was a mixed bag for me. I had a busy time at work, but also got to take some days off during which I played a lot with my parents' new puppy. I was sick for a while and that seriously affected my mood (teaching for eight hours with a sore throat is painful). There were times when I wished I'd joined NaNoWriMo, but looking back, I'm glad I didn't. I'm a little relieved and also apprehensive that we are about to start December, but before we get to that, let's look back on November.

Reviews:


Around the Blog:
  • Makeover! I changed the theme, tinkered with the layout and added social media buttons (add me on Twitter if you haven't!), and added a gorgeous new header courtesy of Bear&Fox from TheDarkArts.net. I'm thinking of tweaking more of the little things, but for now I'm content with this.
  • I wondered how personal is too personal when it comes to talking about ourselves while blogging.
  • These are the seven book adaptations I need in my life ASAP. (I can now cross Mockingjay Part 2 off this list!)
  • Let's discuss how aging changes your perspective of a book. Also, if you no longer enjoy a book after a re-read, was it worth ever reading in the first place?
  • Let's talk quotes. These are my top five from the books I've read in the past year.
  • The Blogger Positivity Campaign has started! We're in Week 3 now and there are still two more weeks to go, so stay tuned for that.


In Life:
  • One of my more difficult classes at work wrapped up this week. I'm SO relieved, especially because - if test scores are anything to go by - most of them seemed to actually have retained what I taught in class. One kid who had previously failed the class managed to pull through this time - by the skin of his teeth, but his relief was quite touching. 
  • Ten million years late, but I finally caught Marvel's Agent Carter on TV (yay morning re-runs) and I'm so hooked.
  • Jess Glynne's Don't Be So Hard on Yourself was my soundtrack of the month. Her voice is just gorgeous, and the lyric of that song is spot-on. I also listened to Justin Bieber's Love Yourself, and it is now stuck in my head. I'm not a Belieber, but I definitely do not mind his current music.
  • I stressed out about grad school applications. It sucks to not have so little control over such a big aspect of my future.
  • I hunted for Winter in three bookshops, gave up and ordered it online, only to find it three days later in the first bookshop that told me I had to order online. -.-
  • I also went around the mall with a colleague to hunt for the Harry Potter adult colouring book. She was planning on giving it as a birthday present, but she so excited when we found it, she ended up buying two. If I had that kind of artistic inclination in me, I would have bought one too!
  • Did anyone else fall in love with this little James Bond expert on Ellen? And Daniel Craig in the process?


Challenges Progress:
There's really not much progress in terms of challenges this month. Hopefully December will be better! For the sake of stats though: 
  • I added locations from Clockwork Princess to my Around the World Challenge. My map is still very much centred on the European and American settings, unfortunately.
  • Posted one discussion for the 2015 Book Blog Discussion Challenge. Or two, if we counted one of the posts I did for BPC.
  • So far, I have read 39 books out of my goal of 25 for the Goodreads reading challenge. It's a small amount compared to what some other readers have, but I'm still quite pleased about it.


What to Expect Next Month:

  • A review of Winter. I finished this recently and just haven't gathered the energy to write a review, choosing to catch up on sleep I lost while reading it. (It was well worth it) 
  • More posts to spread the love with BPC! 
  • Definitely at least one discussion post. 

How has your November been? Are you excited about December?

BPC: Dear J.K. Rowling

Welcome to another installment of the Blogger Positivity Campaign! This campaign is hosted by Jillian @ Jillian's Books. Check out her intro for the other blogs participating to spread some love through the blogosphere! 

Based on today's prompt, I have chosen to write a letter to an author who has helped me as a reader.  I realised it is predictable and actually tried to think of other authors/people/books that I could dedicate this topic too. However, this is the letter I've been thinking of writing for years but never got around to, so bear with me!

3-in-1 Review, or, That Time I Became Obsessed with Agatha Christie Audiobooks


A couple of weeks ago, I discovered that I could borrow e-books and audiobooks from one of the Melbourne libraries I am a member of. Cue joy and excitement, and about an hour spent browsing the catalogue. I stumbled upon several Agatha Christie's full cast dramatisation in the audiobook section. Curious, I decided to borrow one, and that kind of resulted in an obsession. I didn't stop to write down my thoughts between books, so I've decided to post them all in one!


Title: One, Two, Buckle My Shoe
Author: Agatha Christie
Publisher: BBC Audio
Source: Borrowed from the library
Synopsis: What reason would an amiable dentist like Dr. Morely have for committing suicide? He didn't have emotional difficulties, money problems, or love trouble. What he did have was an appointment with Hercule Poirot, who is not persuaded by the suicide story and has therefore taken it upon himself to questions the good doctor's patients, partners, and friends. All he's come up with is the numbing fear that Dr. Morely wasn't an unlikely victim at all. Nor the first.


Review: ⋆⋆⋆

One, Two, Buckle My Shoe was only my second audiobook experience, and my first with a full-cast dramatisation, so I really wasn't sure what to expect. I ended up loving the production. The sound effects did a great job at setting up the mood and surroundings, and the actors are excellent. That's probably not surprising to anyone since it is BBC, but still.

As for the story itself, I kept losing track of who's who, but that's partly because I'd listened to a portion of the story in a dentist's waiting room where I kept getting sidetracked. I love the way the story followed the nursery rhyme though. Overall, It was a fun read, particularly since the format was so new to me, but for me it didn't quite blow my mind.


Title: A Pocket Full of Rye
Author: Agatha Christie
Publisher: BBC Audio
Source: Borrowed from the library
Synopsis: A handful of grain is found in the pocket of a murdered businessman! Rex Fortescue, king of a financial empire, was sipping tea in his 'counting house' when he suffered an agonising and sudden death. On later inspection, the pockets of the deceased were found to contain traces of cereals. Yet, it was the incident in the parlour which confirmed Jane Marple's suspicion that here she was looking at a case of crime by rhyme!


Review: ⋆⋆⋆

I enjoyed A Pocket Full of Rye more than I did One, Two, Buckle My Shoes, but I confess I'm quite partial to Miss Marple. Has anyone else noticed the way she praised whichever policeman she was working with and downplayed her own intelligence so the man kind of felt like he arrived at the solution himself? Poirot never did that. He never had to.

Other than that, I love that this one opens up with the full rhyme; not having been brought up with Western nursery rhymes, I was totally unfamiliar with this one and would not have seen the brilliance of the story. This one is a little more predictable for me though; the revelation of the murderer didn't shock me.


 Title: And Then There Were None
Author: Agatha Christie
Publisher: BBC Audio
Source: Borrowed from the library
Synopsis: First, there were ten - a curious assortment of strangers summoned as weekend guests to a private island off the coast of Devon. Their host, an eccentric millionaire unknown to all of them, is nowhere to be found. All that the guests have in common is a wicked past they're unwilling to reveal - and a secret that will seal their fate. For each has been marked for murder. One by one they fall prey. Before the weekend is out, there will be none. And only the dead are above suspicion


Review: ⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆

And Then There Were None is on a whole other level. I see now why this is Christie's most popular work! It's clever in the puzzle-building of the story, and chilling in the way the murders unfolded. The audiobook really highlighted the madness of the whole thing. We follow Vera Claythorne for the most part of the story, a woman haunted by a decision she's made in the past. We get flashbacks and hear her talking to herself, and that adds to the creepiness and suspense. I really tried to guess who the murderer was, but I couldn't at all!

This is my favourite Christie story so far, and the audiobook does such a good job at bringing it to life. If you're easily creeped out like I am though, do not listen to this at night with your lights off.


Have you read an Agatha Christie Novel? If yes, what's your favourite? 
And what is your thought on audiobooks?

Things I Have Learned From The Book Blogging Community


Welcome to my first post - or second really, with the introduction - of the Blogger Positivity Campaign! I started out thinking I'd write things that I have learned about the community. Then I realised that I have picked up quite a bit of new knowledge about blogging itself in the short time I've been here. So I'm going to run with that idea now. :D

Here are some of the things I have learned from the book blogging community:

How to make things look pretty

I'll be the first to admit that I don't have a natural talent for aesthetics. I know when something is unpleasant to my eyes, but I won't ever be able to come up with a gorgeous layout and theme all on my own. So when I gave this blog its' first makeover, I read a lot of tips about what a well-designed blog should have. I didn't take all of the advice, because not everything works for me, but still they all really helped. I like to think the current theme is an improvement on the previous one, even if it is still not perfect!

What those mysterious words mean

 DNF, NA, ARC, pub date, link-ups - these are some of the phrases I had never heard of until I started reading book blogs. The first time I read the phrase 'pub date', I thought that person was talking about an actual date in a pub.

How to talk to strangers online

That sounds kind of dodgy, but it isn't really when it's applied to book bloggers. I'm pretty shy, and talking to people I don't know - even when it's just a matter of leaving a comment on someone's post - doesn't come naturally to me. Most bloggers are so lovely when they respond though. Plus, there are plenty of discussions about the importance of meaningful comments around and how bloggers love getting those (I'm starting to experience that myself). Now, I don't feel like what I'm saying would be seen as superfluous, and I do try to talk to other bloggers more!

The tricks to managing social media

I'd had Twitter, Instagram, and Goodreads long before I started blogging, but I had only known the basics. I had never heard of Tweetdeck, for example, let alone the fact that you can schedule tweets! (I still don't schedule tweets, but that has more to do with my organisation skills.) So I keep saving blog posts related to social media for reference, and I find that I learn something new every time.

How to be an organised blogger

I like to think I'm a fairly organised person in life, but I've been struggling to get my blogging schedule in order. Thankfully, there are dozens of organisation posts out there by book bloggers. I have gotten myself a Google calendar and a blogging notebook, and started planning my posts weekly. I'm still not quite on top of things, but I'm learning!

Now I kind of feel like an intern running around eagerly, hoping to learn the masters' ways to greatness. I like the learning process though. Thank you to every book blogger who has taken the time to write a tutorial or share tips on tackling a certain aspect of blogging!


What skills have you picked up from the book blogging community?

Blogger Positivity Campaign: Introduction Post



I couldn't resist signing up for this campaign when I came across it. Jillian at Jillian's Books came up with this idea to spread love and confidence among the blogging community. I haven't been blogging for long, but I wanted to be a part of something so positive and hopefully help uplift other bloggers out there!

Anyway, to kick things off, let's start with an intro!

The Bookworm and The Blog

I am Cilla, a Pisces, Potterhead, writer, and book hoarder. Paved With Books was born about six months ago, when I looked up at my family's ridiculous amount of owned books and thought that perhaps reading the books they love is one way to understanding them - and myself - better. While the reading is all about my family, I hope this blog will help me connect with other bookish people around the world. Plus, I love reading, I love writing, so it makes sense to start writing about reading!

I'm making an effort to pick through my unread pile rather than buying new books, so I end up with a little bit of everything. When I get books for myself, I gravitate toward YA and fantasy, but I also like a good mystery and contemporary.

Fun fact about that picture above: the author of the book is a professor of mine, and I got him to sign it for me. It's all about the psychological benefits of the seven deadly sins, backed up by dozens of research - a pretty cool read all around, though it did get me some weird looks when I was reading it at the airport!



The Location



At the moment, I blog from Surabaya, Indonesia. It is not the touristy part of Indonesia with the beaches and gorgeous views; it is the metropolitan part where it is too hot and there are too many motorbikes. That said, I get to complain about it because it's my home. A visitor does it and I tend to go 'rawr' on them. xD

Who/What Made Me The Reader I Am

My parents are my biggest influence when it comes to reading. When I was a toddler, my parents read me fairytales and fables. They say the first story I loved - to the point that I knew when to turn the page of the book even though I couldn't read for myself - was Sleeping Beauty. I like to think this is why, to this day, I love fantasy as a genre. More than that though, the fact that my parents keep a library in our house is the biggest reason I'm such an avid reader.

Who/What Made Me Decide to Create a Book Blog 

A friend on Goodreads, Cam, started posting her reviews, and I loved reading them. That was the first lure. By following her link, I started reading her blog, and the term 'ARC' popped up somewhere there. I asked her about it, and she told me about NetGalley. The idea that you could get free books in exchange for giving it your honest opinion was the second lure. I couldn't shake the idea after that, but it took me about six months before I actually took the leap.
What are your thoughts on the blogosphere today? 


I'm still a baby to the blogosphere, but everyone I've interacted with has been really kind.

5 random facts about you?

  • Disney animated movies make me happy, especially the classics. Beauty and the Beast is my favourite, but I also have a soft spot for Tangled and Tarzan.
  • I currently teach English as a Second Language. It's challenging, but it also makes me more protective of people who struggle with English. You don't realise how difficult a language is until you see people trying to learn it from scratch.
  • I have been a member of a play-by-post Harry Potter RPG site for six years.
  • Hugh Jackman is my ultimate celebrity crush. 
  • I love Nancy Drew video games. I'm absolutely terrible at them and always need help, but I LOVE them. 

5 favorite books you’ve read and loved?




5 favorite book bloggers!


And we're off!

With this post, the campaign has officially started! Every Friday, from November 20th until sometime in December, there will be a post on this blog contributing to the campaign. Also, check out the links on this post for the other 26 bloggers participating. I look forward to writing my part and reading everyone else's too! 

Top Five Quotes I Loved From Books I Read In The Past Year Or So

Top Ten Tuesday is an original meme hosted by The Broke and The Bookish. Click here for information.
I absolutely love quotes, so I was excited when I saw the topic for this week's TTT. Unfortunately I have been pretty slack with noting down quotes lately, and I can only think up five. I really love these five though, and hopefully you will enjoy them too!

1. "What is infinite? The universe and the greed of men." - Leigh Bardugo

 If you haven't heard (and if you don't live around here, chances are you haven't), Indonesia has recently had a terrible bout of forest fires that led to terrible haze in the region. The sad thing is, this is an annual activity. People slash and burn forests to open up fields so they can plant, regardless of the damage to other human beings and nature. Every. Year. This quote keeps ringing in my head every time I read a news article about the fire.

 2. “Beliefs are the roads we take to our dreams. Believe you can do something-or believe you can't-and you'll be right everytime.” - Jodi Picoult, Sing You Home

 This quote reflects something I've been working hard at for a long time - positive thinking. I have a tendency to worry and talk myself out of doing things, and it's cost me opportunities in the past. So I'm trying to believe in myself more these days, and hope it will lead me the right way.

 3. "Power isn't about doing something terrible to someone who's weaker than you, Reiner. It's having the strength to do something terrible, and choosing not to." - Jodi Picoult, The Storyteller

 I don't have much to say about this except that I agree with this 100%.

 4. “Maybe there isn’t such a thing as fate. Maybe it’s just the opportunities we’re given, and what we do with them. I’m beginning to think that maybe great, epic romances don’t just happen. We have to make them ourselves.” - Marissa Meyer, Cress

 I love this quote in context of the novel, with the skittish dreamer of a heroine who grew to find her strength. I also love this as a reminder to seize opportunities that come my way. The romantic part of me still believes in fate, but I also believe in making things happen for myself.

 5. "You do it because the doing of it is the thing. The doing is the thing. The talking and worrying and thinking is not the thing." - Amy Poehler, Yes Please

 There are so many quotes I love from Yes Please, but this struck me the most. As mentioned above, I am a worrier. I worry and think and talk about it, but I don't do it. I like to keep this quote in mind to push myself and just do.

Tell me, what quotes have you found and loved this year?

Book Talk: Too Old (or Too Young) For That Stuff


No book is really worth reading at the age of ten which is not equally – and often far more – worth reading at the age of fifty and beyond. - C.S. Lewis.

I first read the Princess Diaries series when I was eleven. Now at twenty four, I'm revisiting the series to prepare myself for its latest installment, Royal Wedding. The further I get in the series, the more aware I am of how different my feelings are about them to the way my eleven-year-old self responded to Mia's adventures. For instance, I grew impatient with her obsession about whether her boyfriend is in love with her or loves her as a friend, whereas before it had never bothered me. You can read my thoughts of each book so far here+, but basically I now struggle to fully connect with Mia. I don't want to say it now since there's the new book where she's about my age, but it is entirely possible - at this stage of my re-read - that I've outgrown this series.

The opposite happened with my re-read of Animorphs. When I read it the first time, it was just a fun, big adventure with aliens and cool powers. The second time around, I noticed the psychological issues the heroes were battling with. Here, my being older actually makes the reading experience better.

These got me wondering if Mr. Lewis is right with what he said above. I suppose it depends on what he meant by 'worth reading'. For me, a book is worth reading when it can make me feel something (other than boredom, that is). If it makes me cry, laugh, or think about something, it's not a waste of my time. In that sense, Princess Diaries is still worth reading, for it makes me reflect on my own teenage years. I still root for Mia to reach this level of confidence:



Also, just because I love a book less when I'm older, does it mean it wasn't that good of a book to begin with? I'm not sure. I have had friends whom I loved while we were close, but we parted ways anyway as life takes us in different directions. Sure, in hindsight, one or two of those friends might have been less-than-stellar people and I am better off without them, but most of them were perfectly nice. We just don't fit together anymore. Books are kind of like that. I change as a person, so my interests and tastes change too. I'm a Psychology graduate, of course I notice the morality and emotional aspects of Animorphs now. I no longer agonise over boys and my body the way I did at fourteen (thank goodness), so I don't share Mia's angst any more. It's not them, it's me.

I can only think of a handful of books I read at ten years old that I'm sure will always strike a chord with me, no matter how old I get. Harry Potter is not a story I'd ever outgrow, nor is Little House. For everything else, ask me again when I'm fifty.

Have you ever felt like you've outgrown a book? Or, have you ever grown into a book and loved it more upon a re-read?
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