Poll

Book Polygamist is back baby!

Long time no see my illustrious, invigorating Bookbaggers!

This is just a quickie to say sorry for being incommunicado since early December and to let you know that I’m still here and Book Polygamist hasn’t joined the Island of Lost Blogs.

I won’t go into why I’ve been absent as it’s a terribly boring combination of a relaxing holiday break, an old zombie-like laptop too frustrating for words, a lack of funds for Internet beyond my smart phone, and as always, a dash of laziness.

Regular blogging won’t really start-up again straight away, as there is normal start of year busyness to contend with at my work, plus I have moved to a different campus so that will take some adjustment, but I thought I would at least let you know my plans for upcoming posts

Coming in February

  1. I will of course be doing my Awards for last year, but with a bit of a twist! Since I read so many comics/graphic novels in 2013 I thought it only fair that they get their own Top 10, so before the end of Feb expect a Top 10 Books I Read in 2013, a Top 10 Comics I Read in 2013, and some new comic-related awards in my 2013 Book Polygamist Awards
  2. Since I haven’t stopped reading over the holidays (quite the opposite!) I have a few Notable Quotables which I’ll post in Feb
  3. Lastly I have made some changes for 2014 that I will tell you about (may include the introduction of a new challenge 😉 ) plus I’ll update you on some of my book-related news, i.e. what I finished and started over my holiday, books I got gifted for Xmas etc.

Coming sometime soon

  1. I will hopefully do a new Collective Nounitude and an Adventures in Etymology in the near future, time permitting
  2. I hope to catch up on the Micro Reviews from Planet Procrastination in my spare time, since they’re the only reviews I really do anymore (bad book blogger!) and I enjoy writing some fiction again 🙂
  3. Maybe I’ll sort out a format for reviews I can be bothered with and start doing them again – even if it’s just a copy and paste job from my Shelfari reviews with a bit of book info 😛

Lastly, before I disappear again I have been indecisive about Book Polygamist’s theme of late. Some of you may have noticed that I changed from the one I’ve had for ages – Matala – to Shine On, a seasonal theme designed for Xmas (how could I resist the owl!) and now I have become interested in another theme (seems I’m a polygamist for things other than books!) Sorbet, and I can’t decide which I like more.

So, I thought I’d put it to a vote, since I haven’t done a poll for a while and you’re the ones looking at it anyway:

The poll will expire in a month so you have all of Feb to vote and whichever one wins will become the theme, at least for now 😛

That’s in for now, in my possible absence pop over to the Facebook page or my Pinterest if you want some Book Polygamist Lite, and I’ll leave you with a little something that made me giggle:

What I wish I could do when someone is talking while I'm reading :P

What I wish I could do when someone is talking while I’m reading 😛

The Micro Reviews from Planet Procrastination go to Uranus!!!!

It comes to the point in every tragic saga of movies/books/TV shows etc. when the creators have obviously run out of ideas and flog one last installment with a truly terrible pun title which could’ve been brainstormed by a 10-year-old….. *cough*….

The Micro Reviews from Planet Procrastination go to Uranus!!!!

Code Noir by Marianne De Pierres

Even more exciting, engaging and confusing then the first Parrish Plessis book which together made it more addictive. This series is a unique Australian Sci Fi, with a strong, vaguely terrifying heroine, that’s worth a read, even if at times it does your head in.

Raisins and Almonds by Kerry Greenwood

A very entertaining an informative Phryne Fisher book. Explores Judaism in 1920s Melbourne, Zionism, and alchemy and has a very ingenious ‘murder weapon’. I’m a fan of all the Phryne books that I’ve read so far and would recommend them to anyone who likes a sassy, stylish female detective, and mysteries with a ton of class :).

City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare

Another fun, exciting and intense book in the Mortal Instruments series. Further plot and character development drew me in and the action made be keep reading well after I should have put it down to get some shut-eye. It’s easy to see why this series is so popular, especially with teens/young adults and I wouldn’t be surprised if it was turned into the next big blockbuster movie franchise. I for one would welcome it more than I did the Twilight saga!

The Raven’s Heart by Jesse Blackadder

An amazing historical epic, especially for the author’s debut. Historical and fictional elements blended seamlessly into a very engaging story which twisted and turned like a raging river. The characters, especially Alison/Robert were intriguing, raw and deeply flawed which made them very believable. A tale of family secrets, power, betrayal and secret love but also a frank exploration of blood-soaked Scotland during the rule of the beautiful Mary, Queen of Scots.

American Gods by Neil Gaiman

Amazing. The epitome of the rambling epic but also a book that transcends the genre – part mythic fantasy, part road trip story, part murder mystery, part thoughtful examination of America and humankind’s changing values, plus a bunch of other elements twisted together to make a Frankenstein patchwork quilt of awesomeness. A book that I had to digest in small bites over time (16 weeks in fact) because it was like a big nourishing meal for the mind that you don’t want to end. Recommended for lovers of mythology, coin tricks, con jobs, the addictive voice of Neil Gaiman or anyone who wants a unique and insightful read.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

An insightful and important classic. Some of the language and themes are hard to stomach in this day and age but ultimately that makes the novel even more poignant. Even though there has been a lot of controversy regarding the use of the N word and so it has been removed from some schools, I think all kids should read it so they can see the prejudice and bigotry that was so prominent in the past and how in some ways society has grown but in others these evils still exist.

City of Glass by Cassandra Clare

A very exciting end to a fun trilogy…except the trilogy is now 5 books long O.o Not sure where it will go because City of Glass was so final and climatic, but as long as there’s still demon hunting, interesting looking faerie folk and funny dialogue I’ll be happy 🙂

So that was my final set of Forgotten Reviews, however in the meantime I have amassed a few more reviews, mainly ones which don’t really warrant a full-size one, plus I have really enjoyed writing these Micro Review posts and you, my clever and beautiful Bookbaggers seem to like them (in fact thanks to the first three posts I’ve received a couple of extra likes and followers which is always nice :)) so I have a question to pose to you all:

Should I continue writing Micro Reviews from Planet Procrastination posts on a semi-regular basis (i.e. once a month or after I’ve amassed a list of 5 or so)?

My current idea (which I decided upon with advice from my best friend, Sarah :)) Is that I will do Micro Reviews for some of my reads that don’t really require a full review, and then do a full one for books that I think need expanding upon. For example I currently have a backlog of around 10 reviews, but since a lot of them are shorter books only about 4 or 5 of those really need the space of a large review and the others would be perfectly content sharing a Micro Reviews post.

As I like to get the opinion of my readers (coz its you that I write for after all) I thought I’d put it to you in a little poll:

The poll closes in a month so you have plenty of time to vote – and I’ll probably remind (*cough* pester *cough*) you all a few times before then.

I hope all my beloved Bookbaggers had a lovely holiday season, whatever you happen to celebrate (or not celebrate as the case may be) and as always:

Happy Reading! 😀

Bookbaggers Top 10 vote number 3

Welcome to the final vote for Top 10 themes! 🙂

As I said in my last post this does not mean the demise of Top 10s – I know you guys like ’em because they are the most viewed posts the majority of the time and I enjoy doing them so they definitely won’t be stopping yet! However, this will be the last poll I’m going to do for Top 10 themes and the posts will go back to being chosen by me and will spring up out of nowhere (well, actually at the beginning of every month so not really out of nowhere) to delight you with their increasingly imaginative themes (until I run out of ideas and start recycling ones :P)

This one is pretty easy because there is only two choices left so hopefully there will be a clear winner which I will post at the beginning of February, and then the loser (aw :() will be posted at the end of March and surprise Top 10 themes will resume in April.

As with the other polls I will be closing this one a few days before the end of the month so I can start working on the winner.

May the last vote commence! 😀

Bookbaggers Top 10 vote number 2

Hey all! Welcome to the second poll where you can vote for my next Top 10 theme 🙂 Even ‘tho I didn’t get a huge number of votes last time I was still really stoked to see your responses and to do two themes (Laugh/Cry and Book-to-Screen-Adaptations) that you wanted. Because it was so great I’m going to do polls with the remaining themes until they’re all done, which should take us into next year! And just like the last poll, if you have any other suggestions for future themes feel welcome to share in the comments 🙂

Bookbaggers, have your say!

Hey everyone! My second Top 10 of the month is taking a little longer than I planned, mostly because I’ve been so tuckered after two days of prac that I can barely keep my eyes open in front of the computer screen, but I promise it will be up at some point over the next week 🙂

In the meantime I have another poll to gather my loyal readers oppinions on something. The other night I had a huge brainstorm of Top 10 ideas and I thought – why not allow the bookbaggers to decide on which theme i’ll do next!

So below I have made a poll with all my future Top 10 ideas and I welcome all of you to vote for the one you’d like to read first, and at the end of September I will close the poll and post the Top 10 theme with the most votes 🙂 Also If you have any suggestions of a Top 10 you’d like me to do, let me know in the comments.