The Bookish Pearl – A Place for Bibliophiles

I’m Back!

March 13, 2019 , Wed | Uncategorized | 3 or add your thoughts!

Hello, readers!

I’ve been missing on here for quite some time! While I have maintained my Instagram, busyness and a desire to rebrand this platform has kept me from doing much with it since around this time last year.

But I’m super excited to be back, and with a new identity! Greta Alison Reads is now The Bookish Pearl! I’ve actually wanted to have a name for my online bookish presence, that wasn’t just my own name, from the beginning. I just hadn’t thought of a good one until this popped into my head! My name (Greta) means pearl, and I think this name is so much more fun! 🙂

I have a few posts planned, including some reviews and gushing about author events, so be sure to visit again soon!

WRAP-UP | April 2018

April 30, 2018 , Mon | Wrap-Ups | 1 or add your thoughts!

Hello, bookish friends! Today is the last day of April, and you know what that means! Wrap-up time! I had a wonderful reading month, so let’s just dive right in! 🙂

“Trees, shrubs, and plants had an important place in Celtic spirituality. They provided shelter and protection, tools and weapons, food and fuel. They were therefore crucial to survival in everyday life, and this was in turn integrated with spiritual life.”

Shortly after becoming interested in tarot reading (thanks to The Raven Cycle), I found this in Half Price Books for just over $7, and it still has the full deck! I was super excited about this at the time, but it still took me a year to pick up this book and fully read through it. The content surprised me in the best way! I expected this to be a gimmicky sort of thing where the true value lie in having the cards. Not so! The book was fascinating and informative. It touched on an array of topics related to Celtic mythology and spirituality, not just the cards, and the section that was on the cards was detailed and beautiful illustrated. Additionally, the system of reading in Celtic tradition is a bit different from the tarot I had learned, so that was an exciting new element to practice. All in all, this was an unexpected gem of a read!

“I believe that I’m stronger than most girls—that I’m not so easily fooled by the sisters’ ethereal voices. My mother used to say that we are like the Swan sisters—she and I. Misunderstood. Different. Outcasts living alone on the island, reading fortunes in the cosmos of tea leaves. But I wonder if it’s even possible to be normal in a place like Sparrow. Perhaps we all have some oddity, some strangeness we keep hidden along our edges, things we see that we can’t explain, things we wish for, things we run from.”

Ohhhh my goodness you guys. THIS. BOOK. I’ve seen very mixed reviews on it, so I’m definitely not saying it’s an absolute must-read for everyone, but I LOOOOOOVED this book. It’s one of those ones that sucked me back in for a good chapter while I was just looking for the quote I wanted to use. When I was first reading this I couldn’t put it down, and I already want to pick it up again. I think a big part of my obsession with it was that it includes so many of the atmospheric elements I adore. Dark, seaside town. Witches. A somewhat psychic, outcast mother and daughter. Magic that is a huge part of the story, but remains abstract throughout. A mysterious, beautiful boy. UGH. Please excuse me while I return to my impromptu reread …

“It is possible to be heroic without ever wielding a sword, slaying a dragon, or dying for a noble cause. While heroism always involves the fight for something, the battle can take place within oneself as commonly as it can without. The battle within is the spiritual battle and requires making a choice about what is most important in one’s life. That done, then comes the challenge to protect it.” read more

WRAP-UP | March 2018

March 31, 2018 , Sat | Wrap-Ups | or add your thoughts!

Can you believe it’s going to be April tomorrow?! I really can’t! I don’t often feel that time passes very quickly, but this month does seem like it flew by in some respects. It was an overall good month for me, including in regard to reading! I didn’t read as much as I sometimes do in a month, but that’s because I read The Hobbit and The Cruel Prince, two books I really took my time with and LOVED. So of course I’m happy to read any amount when it has been reading I’ve so greatly enjoyed. I was also very busy with work this month, as we are on deadline and I was simultaneously working on an extra project, so really this was a fantastic reading month, all things considered!

“‘First of all, Harry, I want to thank you,’ said Dumbledore, eyes twinkling again. ‘You must have shown me real loyalty down in the Chamber. Nothing but that could have called Fawkes to you.'”

I finally finished my reread of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets! I read this one quite slowly, just a few chapters a day, but I enjoyed that! I’ve read this many times before, but this was my first experience with the illustrated edition. I loved it so much! It’s incredible how I can still discover something new in these stories. Ahhhhh Harry Potter …

“Tired as he was, Bilbo would have liked to stay a while. Elvish singing is not a thing to miss, in June under the stars, not if you care for such things.”

Oh how I adored this book! After having many of his books on my shelves for years and years, I have finally taken the dive into Tolkien’s incredible universe, and I’m so glad. I’d been reading this along with some bookish friends over on Bookstagram, and it has been such a joy! We’re continuing with The Fellowship of the Ring, and I’m loving this world dearly. I really gave this all of my attention, and that, along with being on deadline and working on a special project simultaneously at work, contributed to a smaller amount of books read for me this month. And I’m so grateful to this epic story and its legendary author for helping me to slow down and savor reading.

“Sing a song of Larch trees

Love by fairy-folk;

Dark stands the pinewood,

Bare stands the oak,

But the Larch is dressed and trimmed

Fit for fairy-folk!”

Since the spring equinox took place this month, I celebrated by rereading Cicely Mary Barker’s darling little book of art and poems and fairies themed around the season. I’ve been rereading these every season, and it’s such a delight.

“I focus my attention on the cloth until I can breathe evenly again, until the panic dissipates. There’s a velvet blue-green, reminding me of the lake at dusk. I find an amazing, fantastical fabric embroidered with moths and butterflies and ferns and flowers. I lift it up, and underneath is a bolt of beautiful fog-gray cloth that ripples like smoke. They’re so very pretty. The kind of fabrics that princesses in fairy tales wear.” read more

WRAP-UP | February 2018

February 28, 2018 , Wed | Wrap-Ups | or add your thoughts!

Well book lovers, February is over, and you know what that means! It’s time for a wrap-up! I didn’t end up diving into as many love stories as I’d thought I might, but overall my reading month was wonderful!

“I stand for a moment, staring at it, remembering.

The faint squeal of the baby swing, the biting chill of the early-morning air, the crispness of white chalk on black tarmac. Another message. But this one was different. Not a chalk man . . . something else.

I turn abruptly. Not now. Not again. I won’t be drawn back in.”

The first book I finished this month was The Chalk Man by C.J. Tudor! This had me drawn in from the first line, and it succeeded in keeping me there throughout. I have trouble with these types of books sometimes, because if I’m able to guess what’s coming, it ruins it for me. I enjoy the atmosphere, but not so much that I can love a predictable thriller. But this one intrigued me because I’d heard people say it was perfect for Stranger Things fans, and it did sound fascinating. Well, it was a total success! I was in suspense until the very end, and I thought Tudor did a wonderful job of rounding everything out.

“Tom and Jessica are English

They met in a French class.

It was love at first sight.

They moved together to Paris

to fulfill their dreams and to eat baguettes.

They found Paris as lovely as they expected.

They are thinking of getting married.”

Oh what a delightful read for Valentine’s Day! I actually won this in a giveaway from Penguin, which was fantastically exciting, because I don’t have a tendency to win such things, and I very much wanted this! I read it from cover to cover on Cupid’s day, and it was the perfect way to enjoy the holiday.

“How to Procrastinate

Step 1: Ignore your work

Step 2: Have a snack

Step 3: Take a nap

Step 4: Forget what you were doing”

PUSHEEN!! Sorry. I just had to get that all-caps celebration of this furry friend out of my system. The beauty of this book is really the art, but I’ve included a quote anyway. It’s not as funny without the visual though. I bought this for my sister’s birthday, which is February 17th. She and I both adore Pusheen, and Pusheen’s birthday is the 18th, so they practically share it! It was too perfect.

“The ground was strewn with dense patches of flowers. From pink roses to bluebells to lilies, spring’s fleeting treasure was heaped about like piles of rubies, sapphires, and opals. Their intoxicating aromas attracted hordes of bumblebees. To the right, a stream chuckled behind a row of bushes, while a pair of squirrels chased each other around a rock.” read more

Concluding Book Couples Countdown

February 14, 2018 , Wed | Book Couples Countdown | or add your thoughts!

Happy Valentine’s Day, book lovers! And thank you for joining me as I counted down my favorite book couples! I wanted to do this last post to wrap up my list of couples and close out the series! I had such a blast with this, and I think I may try to think up fun series more often.

So in case you missed it, these were my picks!

Day 1: Beauty & the Beast

Day 2: Inej & Kaz

Day 3: Penelope & Odysseus

Day 4: Rachel & Gabriel

Day 5: Annabeth & Percy

Day 6: Agnieszka & Sarkan

Day 7: Nesta & Cassian

Writing the posts for this series added such a lovely dimension to this time of the year. It was difficult to choose them all, and even more difficult to put them in some kind of order, but I’ve ended up loving what I settled on! I had so much fun, and I hope you enjoyed reading about these duos and viewing all that magnificent fan art!

If you’ve stumbled across my blog without having heard about it through Instagram, I also posted a photo with a quote for each couple!

Of all the lovely pairs I featured, which was your favorite?

BOOK COUPLES COUNTDOWN | Day 7: Nesta & Cassian

February 13, 2018 , Tue | Book Couples Countdown | or add your thoughts!

Welcome to Day 7 of Book Couples Countdown!! I chose Nesta and Cassian for this illustrious final spot, because I can never stop obsessing over them. Also, since I love basically every single romance Sarah J. Maas has created, it felt right for one of hers to be my ultimate pick!

Art by Monolime.

Okay, so I’m just going to start by saying that I can never get enough of these two. I read fan fiction, I’ve got fan art framed on my wall, and I am unreasonably excited for their story to continue in the next part of this series. Is it May yet?!

They hit every note for me when it comes to my personal preferences for a great romance. I love a good slow burn. I love witty banter. I love tough, sometimes unkind, exteriors masking a depth of emotion. I love badass characters who are also reserved and have a strength of presence. I think you can see how I’m a total Nessian fangirl!

Art by Salome Totladze.

That said, one thing I’m excited for is their softening of each other. I feel like this might have to happen a little bit, because they both carry some emotional baggage and deal with it through behaviors that can be damaging at times, especially in regard to how they relate to each other. Cassian leans on physical dominance and humor, while Nesta is oh so cold and distant. I think that as they try (hopefully) to define their relationship, they’ll help each other to grow past these crutches.

And I think they’re able to do that because they have a connection that doesn’t have to be talked through. We’ve repeatedly seen that Cassian just knows what Nesta is thinking or feeling, even though Nesta is the last person to reveal anything of the like. I adore this! It’s so angsty and, for me, is the core of their relationship as it stands. Nesta keeps everyone at arm’s length, but she can’t seem to do that to Cassian, no matter how hard she tries!

Art by Charlie Bowater.

I also think Nesta and Cassian’s tense, closed-off interactions make for an interesting contrast to Feyre and Rhysand, who are totally open with each other. I also love them, by the way. I love all the Maas couples. For the month of love next year, I may just do a post about every Maas pair!

Artist Links:

Monolime

Salome Totladze

Charlie Bowater

Which SJM couple is your favorite?

BOOK COUPLES COUNTDOWN | Day 6: Agnieszka & Sarkan

February 12, 2018 , Mon | Book Couples Countdown | or add your thoughts!

Day 6 of Book Couples Countdown has arrived, and my chosen pair for today are new, but absolute, favorites. If you haven’t read Uprooted by Naomi Novik, I recommend it with my whole heart! Seriously I love this book so much that I could start raving about all its beautiful themes and dynamic characters and stunning prose, but I’ve already written a full review on it, and today, we’re talking about the main couple within it: Agnieszka and Sarkan!

Art by Gabriela Aguilar Ortega.

A characteristic I think distinguishes this from most book romances is how slowly, and believably, the love builds. I don’t know if you can tell from the fact that I’m writing a weeklong series dedicated to the topic, but I live for a good love story. So naturally, I’m always on the lookout for a budding romance. I’d also heard that this was a Beauty and the Beast retelling, so I was fully expecting an epic love story. What I got was better than what I expected. After they spent some time together, it really seemed to me that Sarkan and Agnieszka wouldn’t end up together. I adored them each as individual characters and enjoyed the unspoken connection they were building through magic. Then—oh wait—that is the romance. The magic. Novik begins to tell the love story through their magic wielding. It’s subtle and exquisite, and I’m obsessed with it.

Art by LiberLibelula.

Sarkan and Agnieszka are so different, not only in the way they approach magic, but in personality, communication styles, and really anything you can think of. Sarkan needs order and Agnieszka is presented as an embodiment of nature’s chaos. This clash of traits makes for hilarious arguments and genuinely fascinating conversations.

This brings me to another point: they don’t change each other as they fall in love! I don’t necessarily think that characters changing because of a new love is a bad thing. I mean we do often experience this in real life, no? However, I can think of instances where it felt like their status as a couple existed to help each individual character evolve, which in turn portrays a character who becomes a whole different person seemingly for the other individual in the relationship. And that, I don’t love! Novik’s pair is refreshingly different. Sarkan and Agnieszka are who they are from beginning to end, and any growth they experience is influenced by the new points of view they glean from the events of the novel or their experiences with each other, not just from observing, and mirroring or aiming to complement the other person.

Art by Leasana.

I could ramble about these two, and this book, for the rest of my life! But I’ll end this post by saying: Agnieszka and Sarkan charmed me at every turn, and I think I need to go reread now.

Artist Links:

Gabriela Aguilar Ortega

LiberLibelula

Leasana

What is a book relationship you’ve found quite unique?

BOOK COUPLES COUNTDOWN | Day 5: Annabeth & Percy

February 11, 2018 , Sun | Book Couples Countdown | or add your thoughts!

For Day 5 of Book Couples Countdown, I’ll be gushing about Seaweed Brain and Wise Girl! I actually didn’t read these books until I was in college, and I ADORED them. Although I love a few of the couples from Riordan’s world (Leo and Calypso are another of my fav pairs), Percy and Annabeth got me from the very beginning!

Art by Viria.

Their loyalty to each other, at a young age, is one of the things I love about “Percabeth.” I don’t want to spoil much, just in case, but there are two particular scenes I can never get over. One at the end of The Last Olympian, and one at the end of The Mark of Athena. Also all of The House of Hades. If you’ve read them, you’ll know exactly which ones I’m referring to! I love these moments for a variety of reasons, but they all demonstrate Percy and Annabeth’s undying (literally) dedication to each other.

Their story spans multiple series, and even still we’re getting little tidbits through the newest books! And I’m so glad, because this is one of those book couples I just can’t get enough of!

Art by burdge.

In regard to personality, I think they complement each other beautifully, and I found their growth, both as individuals and as a pair, fun to read. Every time one of them is flagging, the other knows what to say and do to get them back in the game. And when you’re fighting mythological monsters, this is crucial!

I also like that they are friends for a while before they become romantically involved. It’s the perfect way to handle a romance that evolves over the course of two middle grade series.

Art by Viria.

Percy and Annabeth think the world of each other, but can still joke around. Each would die for the other, but is still their own person, too. I adore this pair because they are endearing and made for a fangirl like myself, but also because they are a wonderful example of a romantic relationship and that’s especially important in a book that is marketed towards people who are just learning how to navigate that part of their lives.

Artist Links:

Viria

burdge

What is your favorite couple from Rick Riordan’s books?

BOOK COUPLES COUNTDOWN | Day 4: Rachel & Gabriel

February 10, 2018 , Sat | Book Couples Countdown | or add your thoughts!

Today is Day 4 of Book Couples Countdown, and I’ll be writing about one of my newer favorite couples: Rachel and Gabriel from Archangel by Sharon Shinn! Really I could have talked about all of the couples from this series. Equal parts romance, science fiction, and fantasy, Shinn’s Samaria is fantastic! So far I’ve also read Angelica, and I’m currently reading Jovah’s Angel. While existing in the same universe, they skip around in time and each book can stand on its own. Each one also includes a central romance, and on that note, let’s get back to my favorite of them!

Art by Weelcheetza on DeviantArt.

A key element in the evolution of Rachel and Gabriel’s relationship is their conflicting natures. They want different things, and they possess colliding perspectives and opinions. Yet there’s an undeniable attraction, and factors outside of their control have made their union nonnegotiable. They engage in wonderfully biting banter, and their love grows slowly, which I tend to love. And Shinn is skilled at striking the right level of drama, so we get all of this angst with none of the overdone feel romance novels often succumb to!

As with so many of my favorite couples, I also love how they better each other. I think Gabriel, and the new life his circumstances place Rachel in, end up helping her to heal from the hardships she’s endured. She learns to let others in again. Meanwhile, Rachel forces Gabriel to reevaluate his own perspective on the world, his habits of leadership and personal connection, and more. They challenge each other in the best way!

Art by John Jude Palencar. This is from the book’s cover.

Full of tension and unexpected compatibility, Rachel and Gabriel’s relationship builds slowly, one interaction upon the next, with each individual’s thoughts about the other sprinkled in between. It’s definitely high in my most beloved book romances!

Artist Links:

Weelcheetza

John Jude Palencar

Do you have a favorite element of book romances? Tell me about it in the comments!

BOOK COUPLES COUNTDOWN | Day 3: Penelope & Odysseus

February 9, 2018 , Fri | Book Couples Countdown | or add your thoughts!

Day 3 of Book Couples Countdown is here, and our pair for today is classic, in every sense of the word! Mythology, especially that of the ancient Greeks and Romans, is something I’m passionate about. I still hope to someday return to school, earn a doctorate, and teach classical studies at the college level. But we’ll see if that ever happens! For now, I can just continue to obsess over it in my spare time, and by now I hope you’ve realized that a beautiful romance tends to fuel my love for a work like little else! There are many love stories within classical mythology, but Penelope and Odysseus are my favorite by far.

Art by Soni Alcorn-Hender.

After the events of The Iliad, Odysseus becomes lost at sea, and his epic journey home presents a variety of temptations, from immortal life to beautiful women. He declines them all, refusing to accept several offers of a comfortable life. Instead, he continues on in his strenuous attempts to get home. Why? Because he has every intention of returning to his true love, Penelope.

Art by Alan Lee. This is a portion of the cover for The Wanderings of Odysseus by Rosemary Sutcliff.

Penelope, for her part, is remaining entirely faithful. Despite Odysseus’ 20-year absence and her community’s insistence that she can and should remarry, Penelope fends off countless suitors to wait with hope in her heart for her Odysseus. Although she’s had to raise their son, Telemachus, without her husband, and surely imagined what he may have been doing while away from her, she remains confident in his fidelity, love, and loyalty.

Art by Julia Deanne Harrison.

As a champion of Athena, known for his intellect and guile, Odysseus is my favorite Greek hero. He found an ideal match in Penelope, who holds her own in these departments. In a world where the refusal of eligible suitors can be the utmost insult, Penelope uses her cunning to devise a plan that keeps them at bay while maintaining her diplomatic reputation. She tells the suitors she must finish weaving a shroud for the eventual death of Odysseus’ father, Laertes, before she remarries. Then, she unweaves bits of it every evening, thus carrying on the ruse for years.

All of the work pays off when Odysseus returns, and the lovers are reunited. It’s a beautiful story of faith and dedication, and I’ve adored it since the moment I first read it!