by Agnes Manalo, Allana Luta and Mikki Shiu Dark chocolate: not too sweet and not too melty, so you’re less likely to smear it all over your book or device A gift card for a coffee shop: for a bit of quiet time to make a dent in that book you’re having trouble getting into, or to finish that last chapter, or for you to live out your coffee shop AU dreams~ Coffee beans: for the more introverted reader, or for when you need a bit of ritual before diving into your book A tote bag: for keeping your books…
Tag: agnes manalo
12 Days of Bookbed Recs: ‘A Song of Fire and Ice’, ‘Outlander’
by Agnes Manalo At Christmas, I have time off from school, and enough time to immerse myself in a new fictional world. One year, I decided to binge-read the entire A Song of Fire and Ice series, after watching the first season. I also binge-read the entire Outlander series, after watching the TV pilot. Something about the period setting seems to fit with Christmas season and all the traditions we’ve kept alive or invented. This year, I might go on a nonfiction binge with No Time to Spare by Ursula K. Le Guin and The Givenness of Things by Marilynne Robinson. ☁️…
Bookbed reviews: ‘To the Sun, Moon, and Stars’ by Cariza Opana
by Agnes Manalo THE STORY To the Sun, Moon, and Stars, written by Cariza Opana and illustrated by Ellé Om, is a collection of poetry and prose that reads as letters meant to be sent to the skies and diary entries stored and locked in cages we all keep in our hearts. This book talks about holding on and letting go, of becoming and unbecoming, of struggling, yet still going, and finally, of one’s self journey on the road towards healing. Get a copy: Amazon (ebook), author’s website (print) / Read reviews: Goodreads WHAT I LIKED I liked this part of the…
12 Readers Share Their Favorite Books from Childhood
by KB Meniado We all remember our first loves. Here are 12 more readers and the books they adored as a kid! (Related: “8 Books from My Childhood You’ve Also Probably Read and Loved“) “Skinnybones by Barbara Park—witty, underdog story, hilarious; The Three Investigators by Robert Arthur—something like the Hardy Boys, but smarter; and Many Moons by James Thurber—whimsical children’s fantasy. Funny too.” —Reev Robledo “Haroun and the Sea of Stories by Salman Rushdie and Superfudge by Judy Blume!” —Glorypearl Dy “The Goosebumps series by R.L. Stine and the Sweet Valley series by Francine Pascal when I was in grade school. Soon after, I…
8 Things to Put in Your Reading Journal
by Agnes Manalo Reading is always An Experience, and sometimes you want to record (and maybe share) it. Some people blog, some people Booktube, some people Bookstagram, some people keep a book journal. Like me. So if you’re into that books-on-paper thing (and want to do something about all those wrapping papers, scrapbook papers, and a dragon’s hoard of notebooks of yours), then this might be for you. Here are some things to put in your reading diary: 1. Your year-end wrap up, or your TBR 2. Book-related ephemera This sketch was the cover of my book from a #BookbedBlindDates. The…
Bookbed turns 8: 8 Ways to Encourage More People to Read (plus 8 giveaways!)
by Agnes Manalo, Allana Luta and KB Meniado When it comes to reading, it’s never about less is more. The more people who read, the merrier! Here are eight ways to encourage non-readers to get into the habit: Suggest books related to their personalities and interests. Pretty self-explanatory. Find out what the person is into, and try to link them a few titles you think they would enjoy. If that doesn’t work, Put a bookish twist into their hobbies. Your gym friends want to get into reading? Use books as weights! Your cool down activity can be a book discussion *wink* Never…
Shelfwalking: Minimalism On My Mind (or What To Do With My Books)
by Agnes Manalo There are books by favorite authors, books I’ve been meaning to read since their appearance on some list or another, irresistible bargain books, books with pretty covers, etc. They sit, unread, on my shelves for years. Once I’ve read them, I have to figure out what to do with them. A favorite book is an easy decision—back to the shelf, between spines of similar color and height. A terrible book bought cheaply is another easy decision—the Little Free Library. Less easy decisions: a book that appears masculine, literary—my uncle, to his towers of cobwebbed books beside his…
