Meet The Coven: Cat - Beyond Books

Cat, founder of Beyond Books

Why I blog about books: Honestly, my book blogging is just an offshoot of my personal blog (beyondelsewhere.ca). I've been blogging since the end of 2003, on various free blogs, until I decided to host my own. I used to post mini book reviews on my personal blog when I wanted my readers (all five of them - ha!) to know about a great book. A close friend of mine started a book blog and I thought it would be a nifty idea to try out so I could keep track of my book posts separately. Thus, Beyond Books was born! More about Cat: Favorite classic: Strangely, I've never liked any classic I have ever read. Nor do I like the "classic" movies. In my college film courses, my teacher always used to start class with, "Today we're going to watch another film that everyone except Cat will love. And we will proceed to mock her at the end." I always loved the films that everyone else hated. Favorite comfort food: Mashed potatoes with sweet potato mixed in. My parents do this and it's so comforting! Jane Austen or Emily Brontë?: Have not read either of them. Favorite season: AUTUMN! Something about the colours and the temperature and the way the sunlight makes everything softer. Favorite color: Purple! Why? I don't know, but a random Cat Fact: I have written in purple pen since grade 6 (11-12 years old) and to this day (many, many moons later) I still do! Visit Cat at Beyond Books Browse more bios View tour stops

Meet The Coven: Charity Lynn - Keep On Booking

Charity Lynn, founder of Keep On Booking

Why I blog about books: Ever since I was little, I've always loved to read. I started reading when I was about two years old, sitting on my dad's lap pointing out words in his newspaper and telling him what they were. From then on it just snowballed, so when I chose to create a new blog, books just seemed like the obvious choice. I spend a lot of time reading and I figured someone might like my opinions on the books. I spend a lot of time blogging, reading, and sleeping. I also do a lot of graphics-making and web designing on the computer as well, and have two fur-kids; a solid black cat named Spooky and a black and white Shih Tzu named Panda. :) More about Charity Lynn: Favorite classic: Probably selected works by Charles Dickens...he's the only classics author I can think of that I've read anything by. Favorite comfort food: Ramen noodles, of all things -- beef flavor, preferably. ;) Jane Austen or Emily Brontë?: Sadly, I've never read anything by either of them. Favorite season: Winter, because I was born during winter and because, although I dislike snow, I can warm up more easily than I can cool down. LOL. Favorite color: Purple, and honestly, I don't really know why. But I try to get everything I can in purple. Sunrise or sunset?: Sunset Coffee or tea: Tea What's the one book you read over and over and over again as a kid/teenager?: My Nancy Drew collection. Not just one of them, all of them. Out of all the books you've all read, which one sticks out in your mind the most and why?: A book I read a while ago -- a romance novel my mom gave me that I can't remember the name of; all I remember was the storyline of a "brother and sister" who weren't brother and sister at all, who fell in love years after they'd met. What is/are your favorite genre(s)?: YA, horror, romance, thriller Do you have a favorite young adult (YA) series?: Right now my favorite YA series would have to be the Vampire Academy series. If you could only read one book for an entire month, which book would it be?: Right now, probably Karin Slaughter's Beyond Reach, since I've been wanting to read it for over a year! Where do you like to read?: I like to read anywhere I can get comfortable! Bed, couch, doctor's waiting room, it's all good! (Nicole's question - to be added) (Allison's question - to be added) (Aimee's question - Which is the most dangerous - a vampire, a unicorn or a lion, and why?) Do you have any favorite television shows?: House MD, CSI (any), NCIS, WWE and TNA wrestling shows, NASCAR races, Warehouse 13, Eureka, and there are more but I can't think of them right now. Which is the most dangerous -- a vampire, a unicorn or a lion, and why?: I would have to say the lion. After all, after the vampire gets you, you'll probably still be alive because he'll think you're gorgeous enough to spend the rest of his life with, and unicorns are gentle creatures that wouldn't hurt anyone. What would your dream job be?: Owning my own bookstore. :) I used to work in a bookstore (small indie store) and I'd love to own one myself. What's your favorite quote for today?: To be perfectly honest, I'm not a big quote person. I've just never gotten into them. LOL. Visit Charity Lynn at Keep On Booking Browse more bios View tour stops

Meet The Coven: Michelle - Michelle's Book Blog

Michelle, founder of Michelle's Book Blog

Why I blog about books: I have loved books for as long as I can remember.

My mother and grandfather, father and grandmother all read and I remember seeing them read - so it was natural to pick up a book. :)

I love the look, feel and even the smell of books.

I enjoy finding new authors and exploring new genres and sharing my finds with other book lovers. Book blogs are a book junkie's best friend. :)

Shown above: Meanwhile, back in Michelle's library...

Image provided by Michelle.

More about Michelle: Favorite classic: I am not a fan of the classics. I've often wondered just who gets to choose what is and is not a classic - I have several suggestions, but so far, no one has asked my opinion. LOL :)

Favorite comfort food: Anything cooked by my mother or grandmother. :) Jane Austen or Emily Brontë?: Neither Favorite season: Autumn - the crisp, cool air, the turning leaves and homemade soup. Favorite color: Purple - it is mysterious.

Visit Michelle at Michelle's Book Blog Browse more bios View tour stops

Meet The Coven: Elie - Ellz Readz

Elie, founder of Ellz Readz

Why I blog about books: You know that feeling when you're reading a really good book, that sort of rush? When you can't stop reading, even though it's two in the morning and you know you should just stop, but you can't... I LOVE that feeling, it's addictive and contagious. Blogging lets me share that with others. More about Elie: Favorite classic: Huckleberry Finn Favorite comfort food: Pizza Jane Austen or Emily Brontë?: Emily Brontë Favorite season: Ahhh, fall. Cooler temperatures, crunchy leaves and cozy sweaters. Favorite color: Purple - it's calming, mysterious and is associated with spirituality. Sunrise or sunset?: Sunset (not a morning person) Visit Elie at: Ellz Readz Browse more bios View tour stops

Meet The Coven: Tina - Tina's Book Reviews

Tina, founder of Tina's Book Reviews

Shown above: Willow tree. Provided by Tina (via Wikipedia)

Why I blog about books: I started blogging about books to help me with my writing skills. I'm an avid reader, as are most bloggers, and I love talking about a book after I read it -- what better way to do that than on my blog!

My blog name (Tina's Book Reviews) is simple; it's just me, writing reviews. My URL is willowdust, because willow trees are my favorite -- I love the way they bend in the wind -- and dust, because I love magic and faeries and the world of make believe. More about Tina: Favorite classic: Jane Eyre

Favorite comfort food: Brownies...yummy.

Jane Austen or Emily Brontë?: Brontë, she had much more of an edge to her writing!

Favorite season: Fall, because of the cool air and changing colors.

Favorite color: Plum purple, it reminds me of fall and royalty.

Visit Tina at: Tina's Book Reviews and Blogs With Bite

Browse more bios

View tour stops

Meet The Coven: Jenny - Take Me Away

Jenny, founder of Take Me Away

Why I blog about books: I blog about books because recording my thoughts helps me remember the book later. But more than that, I really enjoy sharing my thoughts on everything I read and being able to talk with other people about the books, too! More about Jenny: Favorite comfort food: I love Korean food (I'm half-Korean). Otherwise, comfort food is typical things like macaroni and cheese... Jane Austen or Emily Brontë?: I do like Austen, but Wuthering Heights is one of my favorite books, so I have to go with Emily Brontë. Favorite season: Spring -- everything is so pretty and blooming. It also starts getting warm and we get to start dressing in cute spring clothes and go to the beach! Favorite color: Purple -- it's passionate, mysterious, and soft. And, well, I just like it. =) Favorite classics: Wuthering Heights and The Count of Monte Cristo Visit Jenny at Take Me Away Browse more bios View tour stops

Meet The Coven: Andrea - The Little Bookworm

Andrea, founder of The Little Bookworm

Why I blog about books: I'm a librarian, so I read a lot of books. Or maybe I read a lot of books so I became a librarian, and discovered there's less time for reading than I thought -- something like that. But one day I figured a blog would be a cool way to start to review and keep track of the books I'm reading. I just sort of fell into the world of the book bloggers and I've met so many nice people and I'm having a good time with it. More about Andrea: Favorite classic: Pride and Prejudice Favorite comfort food: French fries -- salty, crispy french fries Jane Austen or Emily Brontë?: Jane Austen Favorite season: Spring, because it's warming up but it's not too hot, yet. Favorite color: Purple, because it's pretty and soft. Coffee or tea: Definitely coffee Visit Andrea at The Little Bookworm Browse more bios View tour stops

|| Schedule || Video Week: Random Magic || July 21-30, 2012 ||

********SCHEDULE ********

Video Week: Random Magic

July 21-30, 2012
******************************
About: You are cordially invited to join us for an entertaining week of cool reviews and creative features from vloggers around the world. 

The book: Random Magic, by Sasha Soren
Print | Kindle | Twitter | YouTube

Plus: Win some cool stuff! Browse prizes

||||| July 21 |||||


Shown above: Video review, Random Magic

Books Unbound (Ariel Bissett)
Channel ID: BooksUnbound
Visit channel: BooksUnbound
Twitter: @ArielBissett
Browse comments / Open playlist


// Commentary //


* Enjoyed the plot the most, that was favorite part of the book, even more than the characters
* Crazy and exciting plot was really good
* Appreciated the inventiveness (and randomness)
* Setting was really exciting
* Lots of ideas, scene changes, variety, interesting characters
* A million different quests and adventures
* Some familiar mythology characters - but a lot of new, invented ones
* Hero (Henry) was a fun character, ordinary people could relate to his situation
* Heroine (Winnie) was crazy and super eccentric, she had weird, quirky answers to all problems
* Reader might need a thesaurus
* Advanced language/vocabulary sometimes confusing
* Was confused by some things
* Occasionally bizarre and strange
* Some narrative elements seemed to be unnecessary
* Distracted by offbeat, unusual writing style

// Reader experience // 
NEG. (Had difficulty with vocab.)

// Vlogger quotes //
'Exciting and like nothing I've read before.'

||||| July 22 |||||



Shown above: Video review, Random Magic

Joanie Fontana (Jennie)
Channel ID: JoanieFontana
Visit channel: JoanieFontana
Twitter: @JoanieFontana
Browse comments / Open playlist

// Commentary //

* Some mad, crazy adventures along the way on the search to find Alice.

* So many different, amazing characters, that you wonder how the author thought of them all.

* Written in quite a random way - yes, [just like the title], Random Magic.

* The adventures that Henry and Winnie go on are so amazingly thought out, that I absolutely loved them.

* Henry is such a cute character, he's so lost and confused after he book-jumps, before he meets Winnie. He ends up being a great adventurer.

* Henry's life is kind of boring and this ends up being his one true adventure - and, boy, does he have one!

* Henry is an endearing character, and I really liked him.

* Winnie is the stand-out character, for me. She's so funny, and sarcastic, and really strong. She's a go-getter, she finds solutions to things in the craziest of ways. 

* I loved Winnie. I loved how sarcastic and funny she was. She was a really brilliant character.

* Definitely pick up this book. I, myself, loved it. I really enjoyed it. I've waited a long time to read this book, and I'm so glad I did.

* I loved how crazy everything was, and the detail the author went into was great. It's so all over the place, in a good way, that I loved it.

* But, my reservation is this - I don't think this book is going to be for everyone. Some people might not like the writing style, because it does go off on tangents. 

I don't mean that in a bad way, but I just feel that some people might not like that, because they aren't going to be able to follow what's going on, and will want to just to stick to the point and move along in the story. 

* The tangents might put off some people [who think in a more ordinary, linear fashion]. But I know the way the author writes, herself [on Twitter, etc.] , and the way the author thinks, and it's so like the book that I just fell in love with the story! 

* Even so, if you just want a really good adventure, the story is basically Henry and Winnie on adventures and if you want to see how their adventures pan out, definitely pick up this book. I, myself, loved it.

* I enjoyed the adventures, but in a way there are so many adventures, that the story goes off on a lot of tangents. I enjoyed them, just that maybe the story didn't necessarily need as many adventures, there were some bits that could probably have been cut out.

// Reader experience //
LIKED/LOVED

// Vlogger quotes // 
'If you just want a really good adventure, definitely pick up this book.'

'I know the way the author writes, herself [on Twitter, etc.] , and the way the author thinks is so like the book that I just fell in love with the story.'

'Winnie was the stand-out character. I loved how sarcastic, funny and strong she was. She was really a brilliant character.'



Shown above: Jennie's (@JoanieFontana) mystery feature
What is it?: Exclusive interview with Alice, from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland


||||| July 23 |||||


Shown above: Video review, Random Magic

Snowdrop Dreams of Books (Chrystal)
Channel ID: SnowdropDreamsCM
Visit channel: SnowdropDreamsCM
Blog: Snowdrop Dreams of Books
Twitter: @SnowdropDreams
Browse comments / Open playlist

Note: This vlogger did her review in a creative, unexpected review format. Instead of doing a standard review, she's reviewed the book in an A-to-Z style, with commentary about the book matching every letter of the alphabet.

// Commentary //

A - Alice in Wonderland
* The whole reason the story starts. Henry helps Professor Random, because the professor has accidentally sneezed Alice right out of the book, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

B - Bravery
*  I'm defining bravery as a willingness to try, even though you're terrified, absolutely terrified, of what you're doing. It's about the effort you make, not the fact that you've accomplished something in particular after the fact, but the fact that you were willing to try, in the first place.

C - Callie (Calliope)
* Calliope is the first of the Nine Muses, in the Garden of the Muses. She writes a lot. That's her thing. She writes and writes. She knows every writer who has ever lived, or ever will.

D - The De Morgues
* The De Morgue family. They're gloomy and melancholy; they're dark characters. They live in a haunted house, they're vampires. So, gloomy is their middle name.

E - Extra
* There's an extra bonus scene at the back of the book. It's a huge chapter, actually. It's all about the De Morgue family. 

It's a deleted chapter, only because it's a lot darker than the rest of the book, so they decided that it wasn't quite a great fit with the rest of  story, so they pulled it out. 

But it's actually a lot of fun, I liked the De Morgues a lot, so it was fun to learn more about their family. Especially Hypatia. She's my favorite.

F - Feather
* I received this feather inside my copy of the book. I had no idea what the feather was for, at first. But it explains itself once you start reading the story. 

The feather makes an appearance a few times. What you need to know about the feather is that an ordinary feather, used with extraordinary skill, can actually save the day.

G - Giveaway 
* (See: Secrets of Random Magic)

H - Hypatia
* Her full name is so much fun, it's Hypatia Mandragora Lilith Dementia De Morgue. How weird. But I love it. She's described as a young girl with silver hair.

In her first appearance in the book, she bursts through a door, excitedly, wearing a hot-orange t-shirt and lime green skort, which are a bit startling compared to the gloomy background of the haunted house she lives in. 

She bounces along on purple sneakers that light up as she walks, so there are little bursts of brightness as she's walking around. 

She's kind of the opposite of her parents; she's excitable and wants to be surrounded by colors. Her room is full of bright colors. 

She's very into science and math, and all the things that her parents could care less about. She's my favorite De Morgue, because she's a vampire, but she's not all gloom and doom. 

I - The Immortal Game
* This one is really fun. 'I' is for the Immortal Game. The Immortal Game is a gigantic chessboard, and it's trapped inside a big snow globe. And Henry stumbles into this, and gets them stuck in this game of chess. 

The reason it's immortal is the fact that there's only one rule. And the rule is: One game, and the losers' lives are forfeit. They're pretty much playing chess - to the death.

J - Jaga Baba
* Jaga Baba, or Baba Yaga. She's a witch, in Slavic folklore. In the book, she's known as Baba Yaga. She's quite a mean old witch. She only agrees to help Winnie and Henry, when they need her help the most. 

She's quite a powerful witch, so they need her really badly. But they won't get her help, unless they help find her lucky rabbit foot. And that's only because she's going to the casino and needs her little trinket, for extra luck. This is a fun scene, as well.

K - Knitting Needles
* This is another random item that Winnie has with her, and she uses them, with her magic, to save the day. 

It's unusual, it's not something I would think of that a witch would use in a magic spell, but Winnie is quite spontaneous, she's able to do anything with anything. So, I love it.

L - Love
* Love, it's the most powerful magic of all. And, in this book, it starts to grow, in little ways. It's kind of hidden. But, in the end, you'll see that Winnie and Henry have developed a friendship, they care for each other. 

Love is powerful for almost everybody in the story. It's just such a great theme in the book.

M - Magic
* Magic is everywhere, even in your everyday life, you only have to know where to look for it. Even the back cover of the book asks if you believe in magic. It's another major theme in the book.

N - The Garden of the Nine Muses
* The Garden of the Nine Muses is probably one of the most colorful and elaborate places, inspiration is everywhere.

O - Opening Scene
* The opening scene confused me somewhat, there was so much going on and characters I didn't understand. Especially since I knew the story was about traveling through a book to find Alice, and I didn't really understand why the prologue was the way it was. But once past the prologue, then you'll really get into the book, because that's when Henry makes his trip into a book.



Shown above: Cheeky sing-a-long profile of infamous pirate captain Blackbeard, courtesy of the brainy - and funny - writers of 'Horrible Histories.'

P - Pirates
* The biggest question I have about pirates is - are you able to out-pirate a pirate!

Q - Quirky
* Random Magic, and a lot of its characters, are quite quirky, and they're so out there. Some of it actually confuzzled me - that's a word I use, confused and puzzled, put together to make 'confuzzled.' 

A lot of times, I was lost, with certain sections. But, really, once you get past occasional questions like, 'Where am I? What are they doing?,' you'll actually see how fun the book really is. 

And how exciting it is. You'll meet so many different characters, and, on the journey, they go from one thing to another. It's like a giant merry-go-round. 

R - References
* This story includes many references to mythology, folklore, fairy tales, and pop culture. So, think of things like Hades, from Greek mythology. Ancient Egyptian women. 

For writers, think of Poe and Baudelaire. For music, think of Beethoven. There's even a reference to the Beatles. 

For fairy tales, there's Rapunzel. And a reference to the Cheshire Cat, of course. The references are something to look forward to, everyone should be able to find something they like in this book.

S - Seriously Random
* The entire book is random - the references, the people, the places. Some things made sense to me, and some, I had no idea, it just went over my head. And that might just be because I hadn't read about that certain topic, or that certain person. 

But there was a lot that I actually got. So, keep in mind that you might actually understand some references that I didn't, and vice versa. 

T - Titles
* Here are some of my favorite titles/chapter headers from the book. They all start with: In Which...

My first favorite: In Which Henry and Winnie Spend an Awkward Evening with Some Ineffably Stylish, but Very Strange Persons. (That's the De Morgues. Really fun.)

The other one that I really liked: In Which Henry Learns About the Unusual Physical Properties of Enchanted Cities, And Discovers that Life is Not, In Fact, Fair, If You Take It Solely on Scientific Principles.

U - Unexpected
* The only thing I can tell you about this book with certainty is that you should always expect the unexpected. You'll never know what's going to happen.

V - Vivid
* A lot of the places that Winnie and Henry visit, they're colorful, amazingly vivid and bright, things that you could just imagine being part of a movie. 

So, the flora and fauna are just described in such a way that you can totally imagine and picture what every little detail would be like. 

I actually wish I could go to some of these places. For example, there's a forest of gemstones, where the trees are made out of jewels. And then there's a spot where there's a field of clockwork strawberries. Everything's just so creative and imaginative. I really enjoyed that part of the story.

W - Winnie Flapjack
* Winnie Flapjack. She... (laughing). She was fun. Green eyes. And green eyes are the mark of the highly unusual.

X - 'X' Marks the Spot
* 'X' marks the spot. There's a spot at a crossroad in the Black Forest, and there is an actual 'X' that marks a spot on the crossroad. And something crazy-exciting happens there, so you have to watch out for that.

Y - Youthful
* This book, I think, would be more for older teens, just because the vocabulary is really advanced, and some teens might not get all the references. So, I would say this book would be more for older teens or adults. 

But, that being said, it has a youthful feel, it brings you back to all the mythology that you learned as a kid, or the fairy tales and folklore, and all of the fun stuff - even pop culture, like the Beatles. That's fun for everybody. 

Younger teens might not actually understand some of the references. But I'd still say that the energy is youthful, because it brings you back to that feeling.

Z - Zany
* In the dictionary, the word 'zany' is listed as 'whimsically comical.' And this book is filled with whimsy and so much comedy - everywhere you look, it has both.

So, I hope that you'll actually pick up a copy of Random Magic and check it out for yourself. It's just absolutely crazy how much stuff is in here.  But I loved it.

// Reader experience //
LOVED

// Vlogger quotes //
'A lot of the places that Winnie and Henry visit, they're colorful, amazingly vivid and bright, things that you could just imagine being part of a movie...I actually wish I could go to some of these places.'

'Hypatia's full name is so much fun, it's Hypatia Mandragora Lilith Dementia De Morgue. How weird. But I love it. She's my favorite De Morgue.'

'Love is powerful for almost everybody in the story. It's just such a great theme in the book.'

'This book is filled with whimsy and comedy - everywhere you look, it has both.'

'Winnie is quite spontaneous, she's able to do anything with anything. I love it.'

'The only thing I can tell you about this book with certainty is that you should always expect the unexpected. You'll never know what's going to happen.' 




BONUS: Shown above: Chrystal's (@SnowdropDreams) cozy mystery feature
What is it?: Gather 'round for a spooky campfire story, as Chrystal reads to you from the book (Ch. 7 - The Grey Forest).

||||| July 24 |||||


Shown above: Video review, Random Magic

Sable Caught (Stevie Finegan)
Channel ID: SableCaught
Visit channel: SableCaught 
Twitter: @Shinabu
Browse comments / Open playlist

// Commentary //

* There's nothing I enjoy quite like a book about books. All books do it to a certain extent, build upon what's come before, or in simile or subversion, but there's nothing quite like a book that simply throws all caution to the wind, and decides to take canons as its very setting...

* Now, such titles can be joined on their shelf of awesome story-exploring adventures, by Random Magic, by Sasha Soren.

* Also featuring Norse gods, cross-dressing whatwolves, and inordinate numbers of blue llamas.

* This book was extraordinary in a number of ways. The style in which it's written is very witty, and very clever. She makes really good use of words, sort of like Stephen Fry or Oscar Wilde, almost.

* Throughout the book, there are references to everything you could possibly imagine, from Beethoven compositions, to German childrens' stories. If you watch out for the references, for the anagrams, it's amazing how widely rooted this story is.

* I would recommend this book really highly.

* Ultimately, this book is fun. From the secret messages found in backwards mirror writing, hidden inside the book jacket, to the lavish Briticisms sprinkled throughout the book, as the characters go to play croquet for the umpteenth time, or the author urges you to wait before reading this chapter and to go brew yourself a pot of tea. 

Or in the scrapes and stories that Winnie and Henry constantly get themselves into, and out of, and then back into, again.

* This book is unabashedly an adventure. If you want to spend your summer escaping from pitchfork-wielding villagers, or chasing after the Easter Bunny, or wandering through the Garden of the Muses, then go out and obtain yourself a copy of Random Magic, by Sasha Soren.

// Reader experience // 
LOVED

// Vlogger quotes //
'This book is unabashedly an adventure. If you want to spend your summer escaping from pitchfork-wielding villagers, or chasing after the Easter Bunny, or wandering through the Garden of the Muses, then go out and obtain yourself a copy of Random Magic, by Sasha Soren.'

'This book was extraordinary in a number of ways. The style in which it's written is very witty, and very clever. She makes really good use of words, sort of like Stephen Fry or Oscar Wilde, almost.'

'Ultimately, this book is fun.'



||||| July 25 ||||| 



Ophelia Dagger
Channel ID: OpheliaDagger
Visit channel: OpheliaDagger
Twitter @OpheliaDagger
Browse comments / Open playlist

Update: Vlogger just experiencing some technical difficulties with YouTube, vlog likely to post up soon as tech issue resolved. ETA: Prob. by end of event. 

Update: Tech issues resolved, going live. 

// Commentary //
Transcript TBA

// Reader exp. //
NEG (TBA)

// Vlogger quotes //
TBA

||||| July 26 |||||


Shown above: Video review, Random Magic

Filmable Jam (Allan Leeson)
Channel ID: FilmableJAM
Visit channel: FilmableJAM
Twitter @Allanbag
Browse comments / Open playlist

// Commentary //

* Soren sometimes seems to verge on the almost Terry Pratchett style of humor - which is really great, but sometimes just goes over the edge when it comes to being random and silly and bizarre, to the point where it gets hard to follow certain parts of the plot - but I did really like the kind of weirdness she included in the story.

* My first impressions of Winnie (heroine) - manic pixie dream girl, amped up to 11. Actually, a magic pixie dream girl!

* The story jumps settings very quickly, from Gothic horror to heavenly paradises, often within a few pages or scenes. But somehow it works.

* The subplots and adventures does get a little distracting, but I still enjoyed it. I feel like I'm putting down the sheer variety in this book as something bad - some people might not like it. But most of the time, it just works.

* Soren has a unique writing style. The best way I can describe it is 'informal.' Give me a second, I'll give you an example of this by reading a part of the prologue.
(Watch vlog at 2:45 for a reading from the book.)
I found this quite nice to read, it was like one big conversation in the book.

* Even though most of the book is conversational, as described above, occasionally, Soren seems to lapse into this really beautiful way of writing about stuff. I'm going to read another paragraph to you, because it's the best way to describe it to you. She was describing the sea.
(Watch vlog at 4:29 for a reading from the book.)
That was just an extract from a much longer paragraph, but damn, is it good!

* Henry, the protagonist, is your bumbling kind of protagonist, thrown into a world that he has absolutely no idea about, and kind of forced to go on a quest. If I think about it, the story does kind of follow the hero's journey, mostly. If you don't know about the hero's journey, here's a link.



Shown above: Video clip briefly describing 'hero's journey' story architecture.

* Winnie Flapjack (heroine), as I've said before, is a manic pixie dream girl amped up to 11.  I mean, I liked her as a character. She was witty, eccentric, good at heart. 

* But Winnie can also be, occasionally, just a little bit, you know...insane. Verging on psychotic. I mean, there's a scene in which she kills a shipful of people. 

The way she does it is hilarious. But she just does that! Okay, they may have been threatened, at the time, but - she just kills a shipful of people. (Winks at viewer) I liked Winnie overall, trust me.

* In short, this is a strange book. It's not quite like anything I've ever read before. It is random, and yes, at times, it is quite magical. I do suggest that if you're into, say, Terry Pratchett or light fantasy, that you do give the accidental adventures of Winnie Flapjack and Henry a go.

// Reader experience //
LOVED

// Vlogger quotes //

'Winnie Flapjack (heroine), as I've said before, is a manic pixie dream girl - amped up to 11.  I liked her as a character. She was witty, eccentric, good at heart. 

But Winnie can also be, occasionally, just a little bit, you know...insane. Verging on psychotic. I mean, there's a scene in which she kills a shipful of people. The way she does it is hilarious. But she just does that! 

Okay, they may have been threatened, at the time, but - she just kills a shipful of people! (Winks at viewer) I liked Winnie overall, trust me.'

'Soren has this really beautiful way of writing about stuff. I'm going to read another paragraph to you, because it's the best way to describe it to you. She was describing the sea.
(Watch vlog at 4:29 for a reading from the book.)
That was just an extract from a much longer paragraph, but damn, is it good!'

' In short, this is a strange book. It's not quite like anything I've ever read before. It is random, and yes, at times, it is quite magical. I do suggest that if you're into, say, Terry Pratchett or light fantasy, that you do give the accidental adventures of Winnie Flapjack and Henry a go.'



Shown above: Allan Leeson's (@Allanbag) mystery feature. 
What is it?: Comedy sketch, Leeson helpfully illustrates how a mad scientist might use Random Magic around the lab.

||||| July 27 |||||


Shown above: Video review, Random Magic

I Love Books (Christina)
Channel ID: ChristinaVlog622
Visit channel: ChristinaVlog622
Twitter: @Booklover_622
Browse comments / Open playlist

// Commentary //
* Transcript TBA

// Reader experience //
MIXED (Had difficulty with vocab.)

// Vlogger quotes //
TBA



Shown above: Christina's mystery feature, Defining Magic.
What is it?: Christina (@Booklover_622) discusses her definition of magic.

||||| July 28 |||||


Shown above: Video review, Random Magic

Doodle (Emily Rencich)
Channel ID: ScooterDoodle31
Visit channel: ScooterDoodle31
Blog: Doodle's Book Blog 
Twitter: @erencich 
Browse comments / Open playlist

// Commentary //

* Sasha Soren contacted me a few months ago and asked me if I might like to be part of the vlog tour. I'm really happy I accepted the invitation, because her book is amazing.

* So, what is Random Magic? It's an adventure in which Winnie Flapjack and Henry Witherspoon go on an adventure to find Alice - of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland -  and bring her back before tea time so the world doesn't come to an end, because Professor Random has misplaced her.

* It was really interesting, and I really loved it.

* If you look at the beginning of each chapter, you'll find a chapter header that always starts, 'In Which...' and then find a sentence or two, or a short conversation between two characters, that happens at some point in the chapter. This was a great introduction for each chapter, thought that was an awesome idea.

* I loved that I was able to laugh a lot in this book. Silly things would happen. Objects would move or have feelings, and get upset if you did something to them, which I thought was really funny and kind of random. Really, really cool.

* I also loved that there were so many references throughout the book. Just to name a few, there was a reference to Titanic, that was really funny, and the Beatles; pop culture stuff that I wouldn't have expected to be tossed into the story. It was really cool.

* The cover art - I loved this cover. It's gorgeous. It was awesome to have some idea of what a character looks like, because it helps build a scene. If you can picture one thing, you can picture the rest of it. I'd read a funny comment, and be able to flip to the cover.

* Winnie (heroine) reminds me of me, a little bit. I really liked her, too.

* Then we have Henry (hero) - he's a little goofy, he's definitely a trip. He's always getting hurt or doing something he shouldn't, and Winnie's always trying to save him from himself.

* We get a sense of closure, with the ending. I won't be wondering what happened to all the characters in the book, because Sasha (author) went through and, in the last chapter, pretty much gave us a nice little look at many of the characters that were mentioned.

* The best part about Random Magic is that it made me think outside the box.

* There are riddles and puzzles that I've actually had in math or logic classes, and I couldn't figure them out, then. Then I'd read through the book and think, 'So, that's how you figure that out!'

* I'd just be sitting here, reading through a page three or four times, that's the only reason it took me so long to read - I would read a paragraph or a page four or five times, like, 'How the hell did Sasha come up with this?' (Laughing)

* It was definitely something I really enjoyed, and that I'd highly recommend if you want something witty and completely out there. 

* This book is also something that might challenge you a little. That's part of this book, too. There's a higher vocabulary at work in this story than I have, in this book. 

So, sometimes I had to have a dictionary or thesaurus sitting next to me, to be able to look up a word, to see what it means. 

At the same time - isn't that the reason we read, to learn or to acquire higher knowledge? So, overall, that added element was a good thing for this book, and it definitely challenged me. 

* Most of the books out there don't challenge me, I just sit there and read the story. In this one, I was thinking and engaged in the storyline and the things they were doing. So, I really, really liked that.

* The one thing I didn't enjoy as much was the prologue, the opening. I was really lost and confused, but then chapter one kind of picked it up, and I was like, 'Oh! Okay, I  understand where we're going, now.' 

But Sasha did a wonderful job setting up the book, finishing the book, and definitely keeping me entertained throughout the book, there were so many adventures that they went on.

* I actually have a favorite passage. It definitely struck a chord with me. I'm just going to read it to you, really quickly. This is right after the Floating City, it's about two thirds of the way through the book.
(Watch vlog at 5:36 for a reading from the book.)

// Reader experience //
LOVED

// Vlogger quotes //

'I loved that I was able to laugh a lot in this book. Silly things would happen. Objects would move or have feelings, and get upset if you did something to them, which I thought was really funny and kind of random. Really, really cool.'

'I'd just be sitting here, reading through a page three or four times, that's the only reason it took me so long to read - I would read a paragraph or a page four or five times, like, "How the hell did Sasha come up with this?" (Laughing)'
 


Shown above: Doodle's (@Erencich) adorable mystery feature
What is it?: In Wearable Art, Doodle creates an original work of art that'd transform an ordinary day into something much more whimsical. Video covers process, from idea through final product. Wearable Art is cool and quirky, with a sparkling touch of magic.

||||| July 29 |||||


Shown above: Video review, Random Magic

Cows with Words (Della)
Channel ID: CowsWithWords
Visit channel: CowsWithWords
Twitter: @cowswithtweets
Browse comments / Open playlist

// Commentary //

* Unique writing style, like nothing I've read before.
 
* I have a short attention span, so sometimes it distracted me, I'd put the book down and then not know later what was going on.

* Favorite character was definitely Winnie, she brought a lot of life to the story, and she was very lively and witty and just fun, in general.

* Can I just mention that [Norse mythology figures] Thor and Loki are mentioned in this book? Fan moment. (Screams) Yep. 



Shown above: Discussion about the Norse mythological figure, Thor. This clip is provided mainly for entertainment, as it does not contain a great deal of solid research. The following title might be more helpful: Thor: Myth to Marvel.  Here are two useful links to offset misinformation at 5:36-5:59 in clip above - click for more accurate depictions of Viking longhouses: Image | Video 

About this video clip: Video extract shown above is from a series, 'Clash of the Gods' (A&E History). This episode in its entirety is available for purchase as an instant download at Amazon or at History.com. 

* Even though I'm enjoying the book so far, it wouldn't necessarily be for everyone.

*The book so far is very fun and crazy.

* If you're looking for a light read, then you should definitely check this out, if you're looking for something really different from anything else out there. I'd be interested to see where the story goes from here.

// Reader exp. //
N/A

// Vlogger quotes //
'Can I just mention that Thor and Loki are mentioned in this book?'

'Favorite character was definitely Winnie, she brought a lot of life to the story, and she was very lively and witty and just fun, in general.'

||||| July 30 |||||


Shown above: Jools' review of Random Magic

Inky Pages (Jools)
Channel ID: InkyPages
Visit channel: InkyPages
Twitter: @InkyPages

Browse comments / Open playlist

// Commentary //
Hi, everyone, I'm back with a review of Random Magic, by Sasha Soren. I was sent this book for review by the very lovely Sasha, and my review will make up part of a series of reviews that will be online shortly...

Reviewing the book of someone you know a little bit (from Twitter, etc.) is kind of strange, because your knowledge of their personality could kind of color your review...but I've tried to come to this review as neutrally as possible.

Sasha Soren has created a world in this book that goes off like a firework when you pick it up. It appeals to all your senses at once, which I think is kind of rare in a book, and it's very welcome.

The main narrative of Winnie and Henry, our two protagonists searching for a certain missing Ms. Wonderland, is very engaging, and, for me, is the best part of the book.

Winnie is a really unconventional female protagonist. She's tough, and she's clever, and I really liked that, that was something that I really engaged with. Henry, on the other hand, he's a little bit irritating to start off with, but he does grow into a quite sympathetic character.

I also loved Soren's turns of phrase - there were loads of instances where I found myself having a chuckle to myself about how she'd chosen to phrase a certain sentence, the construction of it, and that was something else that I really enjoyed.

The book often lapses into vignettes, one of which includes Baron Samedi. He guards the gates of the cemetery, he's a voodoo entity, and he's privy to all the secrets of the dead. Some of these vignettes felt very random, and they caused the narrative, which was a real shame, because it didn't need to, I felt there was enough packed into this novel that, actually, it could have been teased out into two.

Would I recommend this book? Yes, I would, with the caveat that if you're looking for something conventional, then it's not for you. However, if you're looking for something that's experimental, and funny, and magical, then possibly it is for you.
(Jools' rating of Random Magic is 5/5 stars.)

// Reader exp. //
LOVED

// Vlogger quotes //

'Would I recommend this book? Yes, I would, with the caveat that if you're looking for something conventional, then it's not for you. However, if you're looking for something that's experimental, and funny, and magical, then possibly it is for you.'

'Winnie is a really unconventional female protagonist. She's tough, and she's clever, and I really liked that.'


Shown above: Jools' mellow mystery feature

What is it?: Shut off the TV and the phone, and grab a comfy chair, while Jools reads to you from the book. This would be the latest reading in an occasional feature she includes on her channel, Favorite Pages.

*****TOUR GOODIES*****

Prize bundle, including some fab, quirky stuff. Like absinthe gumballs. Yes, it's in the book...
Here's what you can win on this tour: Prize bundle
UPDATE: Contest has wrapped (Aug. 15, 2012)