Things I Like

Popsugar Reading Challenge: 2018 Edition.

~ Ann Benjamin ~ 3 Comments

I love these lists and like to see where my books fit in every year. 2017 & 2016 for example.Anyway, with above, consider the following:

  • A book about death or grief.  Consider, Life After Joe (as that’s what the entire book is about).
  • A book set in a country that fascinates you.  If you are an Anglophile, I would suggest The Queen of England: Coronation.
  • A book with characters who are twins.  Major Pain has a protagonist with a twin (and I’m considering adding a twin to a current novel as well).
  • A book that’s published in 2018.  I don’t have a specific date yet, but The Queen of England: Grand Tour will definitely be available at some point during the year.
  • A book by an author with the same first name or last name as you.  Where are my Courtneys, Anns, Brandts and Benjamins?

FYI: All of these books are available for Kindle Unlimited!

Author Challenge, Day 9: Favorite Book by Another Author

~ Ann Benjamin ~ Leave a comment

This is actually a very difficult question!  There are so many authors that I admire.  A series of novels that have recently stuck with me and someone who’s writing style I very much admire is Sarah Maas.  Of her novels, I think my current favorite is Heir of Fire, but I reserve judgment as she has more books coming out this year.  I particularly enjoy Ms. Maas’s complex characters and outstanding world building.  HOF-NYT-Cover

What’s your favorite book?

That song you forgot you loved and find years later and still know all the words to…

~ Ann Benjamin ~ Leave a comment

When our Friday brunch turned into a 12+ hour day, we ended up back at our villa, singing along to songs from the early aughts (doesn’t everyone do this?).  As one song led to another, we ended up on Saves the Day’s Freakish, a song I vividly remembered the lyrics to.  As though it were yesterday (and not 2002 when this was on heavy rotation), I instantly recalled the exact moment this song represented in my life.  New to town, Hubs and I driving around Los Angeles…when Trader Joe’s was expensive, when we lived in Northridge, when we didn’t have a clue, that we had no idea in a few short years we would move overseas…  We were just two engaged kids trying to figure out who they were post college.

Where do songs go when they are lost to us?  How do we get them back?  What was your song?

Easy listening.

~ Ann Benjamin ~ Leave a comment

A few recommendations.  While I have a pretty eclectic taste in podcasts, I’ve recently added two new ones into the mix, which I’ve been enjoying.

  • Dear Bitches, Smart Authors (as an author, I’ve always enjoyed the blog, and the podcast is equally as fun. It’s a goal to start listening to more author/reading type podcasts and this seems like a good place to start).
  • Conde Nast Traveler Travelogue (my only note would be that they seem to focus heavily on the US, but I’m hoping they go for more exotic locations in upcoming episodes)

Additionally, I would be remiss if I did not share an amazing radio station we’ve pretty much been listening to nonstop since having it recommended to us:

  • OFFradio – do you need chillout music?  Of course you do.  Do you need music to be the diagetic soundtrack in your life?  Yes!  Do you care if the announcers speak soft spoken Greek?  You shouldn’t!  My 70 year old father even approves.

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Do you have any recommendations to add?