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We are just about to the end of September! Which means we are one month closer to the end of the year which is a major plus. But that also means we are entering October, the month of Halloween and spooky, atmospheric reads. This is our very first TBR Tuesday post! TBR Tuesday will be the last Tuesday of every month and gives us a chance to show you what we are thinking of reading the following month. The number of books will vary and the books might not make it to the Reading Wraps at the end of the month, but it gives you a peak inside our bookshelves. I will be including short summary of the plot and will have them on our bookshop page if you guys are interested in any of them. Now on to the books!  Dream fall by Amy Plum When a group of teens all enter into a drug-trial to help with their crippling insomnia they were hoping for some help with their problem. Unfortunately for them they are thrown into a dream world with no memory of the experiment itself. They are thrown into this world and now have to face their worst nightmares or risk not waking up. This is a Book Club book for October!  172 Hours on the Moon by Johan Harstad This follows the story of 3 young people who want an escape to their normal life. And NASA has just the solution when they host an international worldwide lottery to send kids to the moon! But once they get there the trip may end a little more sinister than they expected. Maybe there was a reason we never went back.  Hotel for the Lost by Suzanne Young Her family only planned on staying one night at the Hotel Ruby but they keep extending their stay. The hotel is strange and beautiful but it may also have a past darker than any of them could expect. She is pulled between the past, the present, and the future all in a place that is more than it seems. This description reminded me so much of the song Hotel California so it got my attention.  The Breathless by Tara Goedjen Mae has spent the last year thinking of her sister and the boy who took off after her death. Exactly a year after her death the boy shows up at her door step with no memory of the last 12 months or what happened to her sister. Mae knows that something just doesn’t seem to add up but the more she digs the more she finds out about her family and her sister. Some secrets are so dark they shouldn’t see the light of day.  Fragments of the Lost by Megan Miranda “ The room is full of you, Jessa” Jessa is asked by her dead boyfriends bedroom after his death by his mother, who blames her for the accident. As Jessa goes through and packs up his room memories begin coming back to her that make her question her relationship and the events that took place on that day. Each clue propels her forward into the truth of what happened on that day.  Neverworld Wake by Marisha Pessl One year after graduation a group of friends are reunited in a place that was filed with found memories except now one of them is dead and the rest have so many questions. When night fades to morning and a thunderstorm blows in along with a mystery man, he announces that they are stuck in time and they will be forced to make the harshest decisions to get out. I am hoping that October will be a really good reading month and with most of these titles I am hoping there is enough intriguing that it just keeps the pages turning. I may have to pull a few more lighthearted reads in since these are all more spooky reads and thrillers. Let me know if any of these sound good to you guys!
Happy Reading! Marissa
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 “What does ‘I Read Banned Books’ mean?” This question is asked so often when they see this sticker on the counter. The idea of banned books is lost on me and makes me little confused. I think if you want to read a certain book, read it and if you do not agree with a certain book, do not read it. It should be as simple as that but to some people that is not the case. Today is the first day of Banned Books week. Banned Books week is the book community’s response to the increase of banned books and censorship that it brought on. Banned Books week started in 1982 and was the response to the growing list of banned books that schools, communities, and other organizations were putting in place to prohibit the reading of certain titles in schools and libraries. Banning books is a form of censorship which is harmful. Most cases of “banning” books, luckily, do not make it past the challenges that are placed on certain titles. The American Librarian Association (ALA) has created the Office of Intellectual Freedom (OIF) which helps to compile list of challenged books and provide resources for libraries and individuals learn of their freedoms. For more information please visit: http://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/banned The ALA has complied list over the years of the most challenged books of that year and why they were challenged. Luckily they have also provided very useful infographics of this information so that this information can be shared with everyone. We have included the 2019 list of most challenged books in this post. we have also put together a collection of past books that have been banned in store for you guys! We will be sharing more this week about banned books and can't wait to see your thoughts! Happy Reading! Marissa   Welcome!
AGAIN! We know it has been a crazy 2020 for everyone, us included. With all the uncertainty that this year has brought we are hoping to provide a little bit of regularity for all of us. We want to take the rest of 2020 to reconnect with everyone and give you guys a peak behind the scene. We love interacting with our community and want to let you into our little corner of the book world. We have a lot of exciting things and changes happening that we cannot wait to share with you. We will be to sharing our big updates here as well as what we are reading, what we are wanting to read, and what we are looking forward to reading. One of the first updates that we want to give you is that there are now 2 of us in the store! If you have been in the store lately you would have seen Beth, your favorite local bookseller, and me! My name is Marissa! I can usually be seen shuffling around the store putting books away and organizing all the chaos of the store. (We have been getting A LOT of new books in). I have been around the bookstore since it opened and hope to help make it better for all of you! I love reading and buying books, which are two vastly different things. Sometimes I am better at buying books than reading them though but that is a whole different conversation. My favorite genres are: Romance, Young Adult, Historical Romance, and Mystery. I cannot wait to meet everyone and share my favorite novels with everyone! We also wanted to let you guys know that Springer, our resident cat, is now officially retired! He is enjoying his retirement and is really taken to the pillow life. Beth and I are excited for some of the changes that we are doing around the store. We are working on new ways to interact both in the store and online. This blog will evolve over time and hope it will grow with us! Make sure to let us know what kind of stuff that you want to see! As always, Happy Reading! Marissa We are excited to be on Day 2 of the R & B Read-A-Thon! This is the first major Read-A-Thon that we are hosting and are still trying to figure out how it all works but we hope you all have been able to get some reading in! Yesterday was a GORGEOUS day, I (Marissa) spent most of the day outside reading and enjoying the sunshine. I was luckily able to read one of my readathon books and it was a pretty good start to this challenge.
Since we are still early in the Read-A-Thon I will add the reading challenges below if you wanted to join us!
Two years ago today...I was giving an interview to a reporter from ABC12 who had heard of our struggles and took it upon herself to pitch the story to her station. I had spoken with a business professional about the next step in my business. I didn't know it at the time, but he was an investor and he thought I wanted money from him. I didn't. I just wanted guidance. What I got was a wake up call. Basically my business had gone under and I didn't even know it yet. I left that meeting devastated but by the time I made it back to the book store I was determined. My family had worked way too hard to support me and my dreams for me to go back and tell them I'd failed in the end. I came up with the idea to turn my end of year Thank You sale into an SOS sale and launched project Save our Store with a goal to sell 20,000 books for $1.00 and get out from under our accumulated debt. The community pulled together and bought a ton of books. We didn't sell the 20,000 books but we did sell enough to keep digging. Last year, we posted another 20,000 book goal and brought out aaaaallllll the books at once. We wanted to finally put in the coffee shop to honor my mom who had put so much work and effort into the bookstore and had wanted to see the coffee shop come to life so badly because that was my dad's original dream. It turned out to be the worst Christmas sale we had ever had. The store was messy. I was depressed facing the first Christmas without my mother and quite frankly I was overwhelmed. I asked for feedback and man did I get it. The good, the bad, and the ugly. Thank you all for the Good. It overwhelmed the Bad and the Ugly. It sustained me and made me more determined than ever to do this thing. Thank you for the bad. It made me take a good look at things and make some significant changes. The ugly I just let go of. Needless to say, taking significant time off to be with my mom and then having a horrible December put us behind again. Not as bad as before but bad enough to have me sweating. This year has been about reinventing as a single owner business, digging deep, and preserving the family legacy we started with. I set a 20,000 book goal this year and took a leap of faith by taking a large family for Christmas. Black Friday was awesome, but from then on it was looking pretty bleak. Our numbers were on pace to match or barely exceed last year and our donations for our family were trickling in rather slowly. It was beginning to look like this would be our last dollar sale and I was hoping we could survive two bad Christmas's in a row. Then this weekend happened. Donations poured in, books flew out. I was pretty much busy open to close Friday through Sunday and even got out late a couple times because there were still shoppers at closing time. So thank you. Thank you for believing in me when we struggled through the expansion. Thank you for saving me when we struggled after the expansion. Thank you for holding me up when I struggled after losing my mom. If it stays like it was this weekend than this is the year we make it. We can finally close the chapter on all of our struggles and take a deep breath. I'm honored to be a part of this community and look forward to the future and being able to continue to give back and support my community as much as you all have given to and supported me. YOU are R&B Used Books.  Beth DumityOwner, R&B Used Books  As most of you know I’m pretty uncomfortable taking credit for the amazing things that have been able to be done for our community and even for the world through R&B Used Books. Without all of you R&B never would have been able to donate inventory to give Paperback Exchange in Lancaster, Ohio a bunch of books to fill their shelves after they had a fire. Without you we wouldn’t have been able to donate 350 cases (yes-that number is accurate and somewhere I have the receipt to prove it) to the Montrose Historical Preservation Society to help put a new roof on their museum. Without you we wouldn’t have been able to send books with people who were traveling to Tennessee to donate to their impoverished schools. Books also headed to Louisiana after Katrina and Texas as well.
You stepped up huge in December of 2016 when our expansion nearly took us out. And when we lost the cornerstone of our business in August you waited until the dust settled to step up and support us once more. So THANK YOU. Thank you for a record March. You have no idea how much that means to all of us here at R&B Used Books as we find a new normal and build the business in a way that would make our parents proud and will be sustainable for our children to step into when we are gone. We are here for the long term and great things are happening. Because of you. Beth DumityOwner, R&B Used Books Some people make ‘getting in shape’ their resolution, other people just want to get a better job, car, refrigerator... Maybe some more sleep. These are great plans and all, but, if you’re like me, you just want to read more books than you did last year (if the book is good enough the ‘more sleep’ goal never works out anyways, trust me). Finding time to discover a book you’d actually like to read and then sitting down to read it might take more time than you have to spend with your busy schedule, though. So, I’ve taken it upon myself to make a list consisting of a book per month - a book calendar, if you will - for you to consider. If this doesn’t have quite what you’re looking for, R&B Used Books has a ‘Book of the Month Club’ every month to give you EVEN MORE options! Stay tuned for possible future blogs about those books too! January - the fresh month; the month of new things and hopeful expectation. (Fun fact: named after the god Janus, who was the god of doors… which is kinda funny but, hey, he had the ability to see the past and future so not too bad of a gig) For the first month of the year, I’ve chosen the book A Man Called Ove; a New York Times Bestseller, written by a Swedish author named Fredrik Backman. The protagonist is an elderly man named Ove. He is the quintessential crotchety old man. A good representative of me by the end of the year each year before I become “new” with the turn of the year. He has a better excuse for being that way than I do since he fairly recently lost the love of his long life and, thus, no longer feels there’s any point to his life. The turn of the year (his life up to that point) comes with the appearance of some new neighbors who break all his rules but also attach themselves into his life in all the right (and, for him, initially unwanted) ways. For a heartwarming, comic, and stubborn start to the year, try this novel on for size! (Btw, I spotted it in R&B at one point!) February - the ‘it’s still cold outside’ month; there’s a romantic holiday in there. (February itself is named after Februa, which was the ‘feast of purification,’ cleanliness and all that jazz) Personally, I can take or leave the Valentine’s holiday. It’s a beloved national holiday for a reason, though, so I’ll do what I can to please the people. If you can stomach that theme, a good classic is always Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. Elizabeth (Lizzy) is witty and stubborn in her unwillingness to acknowledge Mr. Darcy, while the rest of her sisters swoon over other eligible men their mother puts in their sights. Some relationships end well, others… not so much. Lizzy, though, has the clearness of conscience to know what she wants and to not settle for anything less. For this reason, Ms. Elizabeth Bennett’s tale is the one I recommend. March - somehow the illegitimate owner of the first day of spring (we all know there’s still snow happening in Michigan); Also, named after Mars, the Roman god of war. Fierce. Deception is used as a weapon in war, so this writer feels that the name suits the month. For a tale of war, here’s ‘classic piece of literature’ round 2! King Lear is a play written by William Shakespeare. Though there is a military leader involved, the main war involved in this plot is an internal one. A man struggles with his own identity once he has lost some of his men’s loyalty and finds himself in the midst of a storm in the woods. Other characters even disguise their true identities in order to deceive, but occasionally to aid, their fellow man. Overall, King Lear is a play which reminds us of the power we have through knowing our identities, and the storms we can face in search of one. How’s that for a deep, soul-searching theme for the 3rd month of 2018? April - showers… lots and lots of rain showers, all for those May flowers. There are 3 theories as to where April got its name, which means it truly is the month of variety. Rain, some snow still, a sprinkling of sunny days… Such a chaotic month needs a book with some major plot action to keep up with it! The most intense book I can remember reading recently is Inferno by Dan Brown. It even has an appropriate title for this category! This book is a continuation of The Da Vinci Code stories with Harvard professor of symbology, Robert Langdon, yet again at the forefront of a potentially deadly mystery. Langdon and his companion are forced to balance being chased through Florence’s streets with trying to crack codes in order to save...everyone. Your heart will be in your throat but you’ll never lose interest while reading this thrilling novel! May - Here are the flowers! named after Maia, earth goddess of growing plants NATURALLYYYY. So much potential for nature puns… But I digress! Flowers grow, but so do people. The former require water, the latter require challenging life moments. The New York Times Bestseller and recipient of the National Book Award, The Round House by Louise Erdrich, is a novel which entails heartbreak and tests of unimaginable difficulty for a young boy named Joe. Where most children are expected to remain innocent and carefree, Joe and his friends set out to obtain justice for unspeakable crimes which have occurred too close to home. If you choose to read this, get ready to feel allllllll the emotions! June - summer; time for visiting one of the many lakes around here; Named after Juno, queen of the gods & goddess of marriage, weddings, & such - So this is the month to be out and about and planning things. Coincidentally, much of the literature that I most enjoy involves some research and planning. Sepulchre by Kate Mosse could not have been possible without Mosse’s willingness to study and dig up the past. This novel involves a double narrative, one in modern day America but eventually France; while the other is entirely set in 19th century France. Culture, history, murder, superstition, mystery, and more make this novel one to look for! July - freedom and fireworks!; Named after Julius Caesar… doesn’t quite fit what July means for Americans but hey, lets roll with it! What I have pulled from this strange combination is that this is a month of BIG things/people. Important, that’s the word. So what would be better than to read about one of the most important people in America? Ellen Degeneres. She’s funny, personable, likes to dance, and LOVES animals, which are all the things which designate an important person by my definition. I personally have not yet had a chance to read her book Seriously… I’m Kidding, but I’ve heard a lot of good things AND it has 3.72/5 stars on Goodreads. I like to round up. It has 4/5 stars. I think it’s fair to say, though, that if you like watching her on TV you’ll have just as good of a time reading her thoughts. If you don’t get to it first, I will!! August - Summer. Is. Ending; the Romans named this month after their first emperor, Augustus. Speaking of things ending and the ability to become a Roman emperor….. A book I have not read yet is The Captain’s Daughter by Meg Mitchell Moore. It actually has nothing to do with an emperor BUT there is a lobsterman. Close enough… Daughter of widowed lobsterman, Eliza Barnes, tried to leave the boat life behind and move to the suburbs. Due to some unforeseen circumstances, the life that Eliza thought she had left behind comes back to her in a summer of choices and revelations. Just like the end of summer, this book seems a little sad but it may have enough beautiful moments to make it worth it! September - Football; back to school; thanks to the Romans its name comes from the Latin word ‘septem’ as the 7th month of their year! Everything starts beginning to look a lot less like summer and a lot more like fall during this month, too. When I think of trees and nature, my mind always goes to Walden by Henry D. Thoreau. Can you imagine living out by a pond for months, or even just a few weeks? Thoreau did it. He studied Walden Pond, a real pond, for two years, two months, and two days and then he wrote about it (I’d certainly hope he’d have something to write about after spending that much time studying one area). He talks about the people in town, too, but for the most part Thoreau just reflects on his surroundings and self-reliance. Gorgeous descriptions of nature that make you feel like you’ve been outside recently, even if you haven’t. Definitely give it a try! October - spooky, harvesty, and full of hayrides; Named because ‘octo’ .. it’s the 8th month on the Roman calendar. Basically, the people who named the months were running low on creativity.. BUT, for this month of fall fun and fear, I recommend reading The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova. This is no sparkly vampire novel. It is a novel of ancient letters and darkness. Heard of Vlad the Impaler? I hope you’ve heard of Dracula. Dive into this book to see how their bloody and merciless stories connect to the modern world. Mwuahaha! November - turkey or if you’re a vegetarian, tofurkey - or if you like to live life on the edge, turducken; Veteran’s day; it’s the 9th month soooo the name comes from Novem, which is Latin for (you guessed it) ‘nine.’ *Sigh* It’s the month when feasting truly begins and continues from here for another month or two. This means that you might want something a little lighter to read. A lot of people are deterred by the word ‘poetry’ but trust me for a second! The World’s Wife is a collection of poetry written by Carol Ann Duffy, but it’s not just any normal collection of poems. Duffy uses myth and other recognizable stories to craft her writing. You’ll recognize which story each piece is inspired by on Duffy’s quest to highlight the wives of famous male characters using their, often satirical, perspectives on their husbands. Laugh the food away this month! December - holiday spirit; money thrown out of the window for our loved ones; fruitcake; & I’ve given up on the Romans, but I’m sure you can guess how December got its name. How people celebrate the holidays, and what gifts they choose to purchase or make, often says something about their values. Hard Times by Charles Dickens incorporates characters from a variety of backgrounds and just as many different perspectives on life. This somewhat complicated story-line is set in the unpleasantly named Coketown and involves people who are more... practically minded, and those who… well, grew up in the circus (one example). Uncover the mystery alongside these unique characters and see which side of the spectrum of perspectives you fall on! If anything, you’ll walk away from this book with some quirky new name ideas for your pets. Lyndsie HosangGuest blogger for R&B Used Books. It's that time of year again. Holiday shopping begins Black Friday, which is only a week from today. Are you prepared? Perhaps you've already made your list, but why not round out each gift with a book? This is an easy, affordable way to show someone you really put thought into their gift. Here are our a few of our favorite ideas for this holiday season! 1. A Slow Cooker + Cookbook  For the millennial who just moved into his or her first apartment or the working parent, a Crock Pot is an essential time-saver. Help them out even more by getting them a cookbook to go with it! 2. Writing Essentials + Writer's Help Books  Whether it be blogging, poetry, or novels, odds are you have a writer in your life. A portable journal, reliable pens, a sturdy mug, a candle, and inspiring books are the key to a writer's heart. BONUS: The candle and WAFF Journal can be bought at R&B Used Books. 3. Star Wars Shirt and Lightsaber + Star Wars Books  The next movie is coming out in December, so prep your favorite Star Wars fan with some fan materials! 4. Dog Essentials + Training Books  Did your friend recently adopt a dog? Perfect! Since "Dog Showers" haven't quite caught on yet, help spoil their dog with treats, toys, or essentials like leashes, harnesses, or beds. Pair that with a training book to help them begin a great relationship. 5. Wine Accessory Set + Wine Books  While wine may seem like the obvious gift for a wine enthusiast, it's a daunting task for someone who doesn't have the same taste. (Red or white? Dry or sweet? How cheap is "cheap wine"?) Grab them some awesome accessories and a couple books and worry no more! 6. Fitness Essentials + Fitness Books  Maybe they hit the gym every day, maybe it's a new sparked interest. Books with workout tips and some workout essentials (yoga mat, dumbbells, a good pair of shoes, etc.) make for a great gift for the fitness master or aspiring fitness guru in your life. 7. Garden Supplies + Garden Books  Winter is a sad time for gardeners, but it doesn't have to be anymore! We may be dreaming of warmer times, but we can keep up the garden-spiration with these Michigan/Midwest Garden Guides. Pair that with a couple house plants, and the gardener will be smiling again in no time! 8. Cookie Cutter + Baking Book  The holiday season: The season of never-ending parties and boredom over hosting gifts. If they invited you to a party, it's a safe guess that they relish all things associated with entertaining. A small but thoughtful gift would be a clever cookie cutter or a wine cork paired with a cookbook, baking book, or party planning book. 9. Craft Brewery Swag + Beer Books  We've covered the wine enthusiast, but Michigan is also sprinkled with craft beer lovers. If you don't know their favorite beer, how about some swag from the local brewery and a beer-themed book? 10. Art Supplies + Art Books  Replenish the paint and canvas and snag a resourceful art history book for the seasoned artist. Or how about the basics and a how-to book for a novice/beginner? 11. Golf Accessories + Golf Books  Golf can be an expensive hobby, and the accessories are so small! Bulk up your gift with a book. 12. Tools + Home Improvement Books  This is the perfect gift for new home owners or DIYers. Some shiny tools or a nice toolbox to go with home improvement books. 13. Museum Souvenir + History Books  Ah, the historians. You could easily get away with getting a historian nothing but books this Christmas. But to keep with the theme, consider a small souvenir from their favorite museum to display proudly on the shelf beside the many books you're getting them. If they don't have room on the shelves, try a sweater or a shirt. (Hmm, perhaps a bookshelf would be a good pairing too!) 14. Crafts + Craft Idea Books  Craft books are a crafter's best friend. It's the favorite go-to for ideas without being sucked into the abyss of the Web. While the Internet is great for ideas, it's terrible for the crafter. They'll thank you for fresh craft supplies and idea books. 15. Luggage + Travel Books  Is a family member studying abroad next semester? Don't let them go unprepared! Stuff some luggage with travel books and language books to prep before leaving. 16. Mason Jars + Lunch Recipe Book  This is a great idea for a coworker or a health-conscious friend with a long commute. Lunches can be a pain to plan, so they'll be thankful for the inspiration! 17. Instrument Accessories + Music Biography  Replace the broken drumsticks or used reeds and pair it with a biography of their favorite musician to read before practice. Grand Blanc Music is just down the row from us, so there's less running around for you too! 18. Cat Toys + Cat Books  A post from R&B Used Books wouldn't be complete without a Springer cameo. Cat toys, cat condos, cat books, oh my! Let the cat lover in your life know you support their cat obsession with all things cats this Christmas! Remember your local bookstore while gift shopping this holiday season! Stock up on favorites for the avid reader in your life or add a book to another gift to be sure it goes to good use. Get creative and have fun this year! We'd love to hear from you. Let us know your favorite gift-book pairing in the comments! Carly SchlinkertGuest Blogger for R&B Used Books
There were three observances that threw me for a loop. The first one was a posting that pointed out that we basically all had the exact same point of view. Some of our reasoning varied, but in a nutshell we all said the same thing so the question was posed that if the majority (we got 100 responses on that post and other than one troll and one that was for banning some books we literally all said pretty much the same thing) of the population felt as we felt then who were the people successfully getting these books banned and this language changed? Good question. Anyone want to tackle that one?
The second post that gave me pause was one positing that we should only ban the books that lied about things or gave a false history. That begs the question of whose viewpoint is considered to be the truth since opinions vary and facts can be interpreted different ways by different people. Extreme example-Atheists could then ban The Bible (which already has a long history of being on the banned books list anyway). The third thing that stuck out for me was that the responses on my page were predominantly (as in almost 100%) white. Ironically what prompted my question other than the article about TKMB was a black mother who came in with her children looking for copies of Huck Finn. She wanted her children to read and be aware of the original language. She had the same concerns regarding sanitizing history as I did, and for the same reasons. I do want to thank everyone who participated for kind, thoughtful and non-judgmental answers that pretty much went straight to the point. I enjoyed reading every response and it gave me ideas for future Q&A’s so watch for more compelling, deep thinker type questions in the future. And as always…KEEP READING!!! Author - Beth DumityOwner of R&B Used Books in Grand Blanc, Michigan   We’re gearing up for NaNoWriMo here at R&B Used Books, and honestly, we couldn’t be any more psyched for the imagination and writers’ energy we’re anticipating at the store. The store has plenty of outlets to plug into and coffee pots for your caffeine needs. Feel free to bring your favorite snack, tea, or cocoa. We have some chairs here, but you are welcome to bring a pillow or bean bag of your own to let the words flow.  Every writer is unique: We have the marathon writers, the plotters, the outliners, the white-board drawers, the napkin writers, and countless others! Whether you have your story ready to go or you’re still unsure of some aspects, we’re cheering you on along the way! We had fun putting together some writing prompts for inspiration. We hope you swing by throughout November to get your write on. As soon as you’re published, we’ll set up a book signing. Once upon a time...
Be sure to comment your favorite writing prompt to inspire others! To sign up for NaNoWriMo and get your novel started, visit https://cloc.al/NaNoWriMo Carly SchlinkertGuest Blogger for R&B Used Books. |
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