Teaser Tuesday is hosted by Should be Reading:

• Grab your current read.
• Open to a random page.
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page.
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!

From Lowboy by John Wray, page 30:

He’d already taken in breath to speak, already composed his reply, so that now as he sat back in his chair the air slid out superfluously through his teeth. The room was silent for an instant, suspended in a perfect vaccuum; then the everyday noises resumed.

If you are a fan of Richard Russo’s Empire Falls or Bridge of Sighs, I predict you will be a little disappointed in his latest novel, That Old Cape Magic. As this was my first time reading a Russo book, I was fairly impressed with the writing style, but the Benny Hill-invoking hijinks near the end of the book (chapter 9) left me feeling cheated out of a solid work of fiction.

The story revolves around Griffin, a man who’s marriage and career are falling apart, but can’t or chooses not to pick up the pieces of his life. There are humorous moments with his parents both in flashbacks to summers on the Cape and with his Mother nagging at him (on the phone and in his head). It’s difficult to read this book and not reflect on how much we are like our parents no matter how hard we try not to be. Maybe that’s not such a bad thing after all.

Teaser Tuesday is hosted by Should be Reading:

• Grab your current read.
• Open to a random page.
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page.
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!

From That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo, page 9:

While he roamed the beach unattended, full of youthful energy and freedom, his parents spent sunny afternoons lying on the sand with their “guilty pleasures,” books they’d have been embarrassed to admit to their colleagues they’d ever heard of. They were on vacation, they claimed, not just from the Mid-fucking-west but also from the literary canon they’d sworn to uphold.

Fizzy Thoughts is hosting the New York reading challenge and this is the first mini-challenge. For February, we need to “start spreading the news” by compiling lists of ten things about NYC. Here’s my list of tea houses I love or want to visit.

My Favorites
1. Teany – currently closed due to a fire, but set to reopen very soon; this is currently my favorite tea house that has an amazing brunch menu, too.
2. Saint’s Alp Teahouse – lots of bubble tea (aka tapioca tea). My favorite is the iced Taro tea.
3. Sanctuary T – great hot as well as iced tea; nice place to hang out with a book or a friend.
4. T Salon in Chelsea Market – this is where I get an amazing tea called Spa. However, the owner is quite rude, so I usually purchase in bulk and head out.
5. The Tea Box at Takashimaya – amazing tea house, so much fun.

Want to Visit
6. Cha-An – this is on the top of my “to try” list.
7. Lady Mendl’s Tea Salon
8. Franchia Teahouse
9. Podunk – no website, located at 231 E 5th St in the East Village
10. Radiance Tea House and Books – tea and books? Perfect!

Previously posted my ten favorite independent bookstores in NYC.

Short story collections aren’t my cup of tea. So I was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed a few of the stories in Everything Ravaged, Everything Burned by Wells Tower. The highlight for me was “Retreat”, with it’s basic love/hate relationship between two brothers, this story reflects on their childhood battles that progress into adulthood. This collection is dark – inappropriate sexual relationships, loss, and drug use. Tower weaves gritty stories that will either haunt you or bore you.

David Sedaris is one of the few authors I prefer to listen to than read. His audio book When You Are Engulfed in Flames was no exception. Not only are the autobiographical adventures funny, but his voice just makes them all the better.

Fizzy Thoughts is hosting the New York reading challenge and this is the first mini-challenge. For February, we need to “start spreading the news” by compiling a list of ten things about NYC. My friend John suggested ten misconceptions about NYC, but I could only come up with four. I’ll have to do a separate post on that at a later date. For the mini-challenge, I’m picking my ten favorite independent bookstores in NYC.

1. McNally Jackson Books and Cafe
2. Housing Works Bookstore (used books; all proceeds assist AIDS patients)
3. Strand Bookstore
4. St. Mark’s Bookshop
5. Spoonbill & Sugartown
6. Idlewild Books (travel books and world lit)
7. Posman Books (I prefer the Chelsea Market location)
8. Three Lives & Co.
9. Forbidden Planet (comic books and graphic novels)
10. Bluestockings Books

1. Teeth ::
2. Sweeten ::
3. Demons ::
4. Pizza ::
5. Protector ::
6. Smooth ::
7. Coat ::
8. Pebbles ::
9. Pregnant ::
10. Sing ::

Read my responses in the comments section. Feel free to leave your responses, too!

Courtesy of Unconscious Mutterings.

Fizzy Thoughts is hosting the New York reading challenge to coincide with BEA and Book Bloggers Convention. There will also be mini-challenges, but the focus is to read one book set in New York City before May 15. I’m going to read Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann.

I’m attending the Book Blogger Convention and couldn’t be more excited! According to the site Ann Kingman of Books on the Nightstand (my favorite podcast) will be there as well! I hope I have an opportunity to meet her.

The Book Blogger Convention is taking place at the Jacob Javits Center one day after BookExpo America (BEA) in May (wish it was sooner!). It should be an exciting week of books, reading, and more books!