The Reading Book Post, November 16th

Hello, everybody! It's been a pretty busy week for me, but I'm very content with the results of my efforts. I've settled down in my new apartment and I've found a job that I'm very interested in. Anyway, as every Monday, let's see what happened in the literary world the previous week.

• So, Amazon has released the list of the 100 Best Books of 2015, according to its editors. Number 1 is Lauren Groff's Fates and Furies. Is your favourite book of the year (so far) in the list? Which one would you add?

• An unpublished short story AND a poem by Charlotte Brontë? Yes, please! The Brontë Society has discovered the manuscripts inside a much-treasured book by Charlotte's mother.

• You can now see the cover of the upcoming novel of John Corey Whaley, Illogical Behavior, which is stunning! You can also read an exclusive excerpt from the novel, which is due on May 10, 2016.

• Author Josh Spero has an amazing concept for his upcoming book, Second-Hand Stories. He tracks down the previous owners of books he got at second-hand bookshops. Second-Hand Stories will be released on November 25, 2015 and I can't wait! 

• Any Quentin Tarantino fan? Well, I've got news for you. The director has collaborated with Playboy and the artist Zach Meyer, in order to create a comic set in the same world of his upcoming film The Hateful Eight. The comic is only 8 pages long and it's supposed to work as a sneak peak of the film. You can read it online, right now!

• Which Famous Author Should Write Your Biography? Take the quiz to find out! I got Johnathan Safran Foer, which one did you get?

The Reading Book Post, November 9th

Hello, everyone! So, I've finally moved to another city and everything is so new to me! I got a cold, though, as soon as I got here. Anyway, last week The Reading Armchair officially got a Facebook page, so you can like it. In the meantime, let's see what happened in the literary world the previous week.

• So, this week a lot of prizes were announced. First of all, Kerry Hudson has won the French Prix Femina for translated fiction, for her second novel Thirst. Also, Jacqueline Wilson was awarded the JM Barrie award for a lifetime of unforgettable writing for children. The Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-fiction 2015 was given to Steve Silberman for his book Neurotribes: The Legacy of Autism and how to Think Smarter About People who Think Differently. Another French Award, the Prix Goncourt, was given to Matthias Énard for his novel Zone. Roxane Gay won the PEN freedom to write award. Lastly, the 2015 World Fantasy Awards were announced. Among the winners is David Mitchell for his novel The Bone Clocks.  

• Read an excerpt from Tommy Wallach's upcoming novel Thanks for the Trouble. The novel is due on February 23, 2016. You can also read an excerpt from Supernova the new novel by C.A. Higgins. Supernova will be a prequel to Lightless and it will be published on July 26, 2016.

• There is a Harry Potter colouring book and it's completely amazing! Just take a look! It's been published tomorrow, so grab your pens everybody!

• The word of the year 2015, according to Collin's dictionary is binge-watch, which is essentially defined as "to watch a large number of television programs in succession". I bet we all know the meaning of this word (especially when it comes to anime, for me).

• I think I've found the next destination I want to travel to! Where? Tokyo, Japan. Conveniently, this amazing hostel opens this month and I'm impressed. What a wonderful environment!

• Samandal, a Lebanese satirical comic, has started a crowdfunding campaign in order to save itself after three of its editors were convicted and fined of crimes against religion. You can support the campaign in its Indiegogo page.

• Eoin Colfer has made a deal with Marvel to write a new Iron Man novel. The young adult novel is due on the autumn of 2016.

• Amazon has opened its first actual bookstore. It's located in Seattle, Washington. The prices of the books will be the same as they can be found online and also customers will be able to try out products like Amazon Kindle etc.

• Remember a while back that I shared with a link for a vending machine which would give random used books? Well, it turns out that there is another vending machine, but in this one you can get short stories. Why isn't something like that here?

• Which Fictional City Should You Live In? Take the quiz to find out! I got Pawnee, Indiana. Which one did you get?  

The Reading Book Post, October 26th

Hello, everyone! I'm back! It took me longer than I expected but due to technical problems, I couldn't really help it. But I've prepared many exciting things for the following week, so wait for them. With a few weeks' absent. let's see what happened in the literary world the previous week.

• A map of Middle Earth annotated by Tolkien himself was found inside a copy of The Lord of the Rings. The copy belongs to the illustrator Pauline Baynes. Through this map we learn, for example, that Hobbiton is at the same latitude as Oxford. 

• The cover of the upcoming Stephen King novel was revealed last week. The novel will be called End of Watch and it is due on June 7th, 2016. I have to admit that this cover has left an impression on me!

• On October 20 we celebrated the National Day on Writing. On this day, many authors used the hashtag #WhyIWrite on twitter. Very interesting thought! 

• We also have some Mark Millar news this week (Yay!). The creator announced that sequels for his well-known works are under their way. So we should expect Chrononauts 2: Futureshock on July 2016, Jupiter's Legacy in the spring and Hit-Girl, although this will be written by a new author.

• Until now, we thought that a sketch by Charlotte Bronte that was found on her school atlas was the picture of a classmate. Now experts say that it might be a portrait of the author herself, years before she wrote Jane Eyre. There is indeed a similar scene in the novel.

• The hotel that inspired The Shining will be turned into the world's first horror museum. Until now, it hosted the Stanley Film Festival. Now that's a thing I'd like to see!

• The Girl in the Spider's Web was published last September. But fans of the Millenium series rejoice: David Lagercrantz has just revealed that there will be at least two more sequels. I'm curious!

• Tomorrow the long-awaited new novel by David Mitchell will be published. The novel will be called The Slade House and it's a ghost story. But read this interview of the writer talking about it.

• Just for fun! This is a random plot generator. You just insert some random facts and it generates a plot. I chose a horror story and the result was really funny (we're talking about a killer pot here!). Try it out and let me know the result! 

• How Would You Die in a Stephen King Horror? Take this creepy quiz to find out! I got that I would be sacrificed by the religiously fanatic kids from Children of the Corn. What did you get?

The Reading Book Post, October 5th

Hello, everyone! October is here at last! This month will be the one that will bring a lot of changes in my life. I might be a little absent lately, but I promise that I'll try to write as much as I can. Anyway, let's see what happened in the literary world the previous week.

• Kirkus has announced the finalists for the literary prizes. The winners will become known on October 15, in a ceremony which will take place in Austin, Texas. Also, the shortlist of the Goldsmiths Prize 2015 has been announced. The winner will be announced on November 11, 2015.

• Exciting news for writers/comic book artists! Mark Millar is funding a competition, in which the writers and artists are called to write scripts with his characters. The winners will get paid Marvel and DC starter rates.

• Sad news for the literary world. The Swedish author and playwright Henning Mankell passed away at the age of 67. He was well known for the creation of the Inspector Kurt Wallander. Some books of the series include Faceless Killers and The Fifth Woman.

• Tor Books is celebrating its 35th anniversary. For this reason, they revealed their new logo design.

• Famous in Love by Rebecca Serle is getting a sequel. It's called Truly, Madly Famous and it will be published on October 13, 2015. For those of you who can't wait, you can read right now an excerpt from the upcoming novel.

• The Martian (one of the most anticipated films for me in 2015) is out in the theaters. Gearge R. R. Martin has written about our long obsession with Mars. Amazing!

• Another fantasy writer has big news this week! Patrick Rothfuss has announced on his blog that he has sold the rights for a TV series based on The Kingkiller Chronicles. What awesome news! I can't wait!

• Can you guess the reason these books were banned? Take this quiz to find out, some of the reasons are really shocking! Which Literary Monster Are You? Take the quiz and let me know of the results. I got Medusa. That's interesting.. 

The Reading Book Post, September 21st

Hello, everyone! How was your week? I'm in the mood for fall, hot tea and lots of books and finally it's started to get chillier. Anyway, let's see what happened in the literary world the previous week.

• It's Stephen King's birthday today! To celebrate let's take a look to 20 things we probably didn't know about the famous author. I sure didn't know some of them and I really really with that Danny Boyle would make a remake of Pet Sematary.

• But today, I have some more Stephen King to share with you. In this video, the writer is talking with Lee Child about the latter's very successful (and I have to admit favourite) series of books, Jack Reacher. Hurray!

• The seventh novel of Kate DiCamillo will be published on April 12, 2016. The novel will be called Raymie Nightingale and you can read an exclusive excerpt. Plus the cover is so beautiful! 

• Another exclusive excerpt you can read right now is from the upcoming novel of Ruta Sepetys, which is call Salt to the Sea. The book will be published on February 2, 2016.

• Sad news this week. Jackie Collins has passed away at the age of 77. Some of her most popular novels are Lucky, Hollywood Wives and  Rock Star.

• More than 40 authors have signed a letter addressed to Xi Jinping concerning the freedom of expression in China. Among the authors are Neil Gaiman, Jonathan Franzen and Ian McEwan.

• Any John Green fans? You can watch his TED talk on Paper Towns and Why Learning is Awesome. Very interesting talk.

• My favourite article this week is about folklore (as you may know I love folklore). English Magic: how folklore haunts the British landscape. Check it out!

• A vending machine that delivers random used books? Yes, please! Biblio-mat is such a great idea...

• This week's quiz is a little tricky! Is it a Twilight quote or a Fifty Shades of Grey quote? I have to admit that I had trouble with some of these.

The Reading Book Post, September 15th

Hello, everyone! I've been silent the previous week, but now I'll make it up to you. From the next week, The Reading Book Post will return on Monday and I hope that I'll post some interesting stuff until then (reviews and the infamous new feature I've been talking to you about). But let's see what happened in the literary world the previous week.

• Joy Harjo has been awarded the Wallace Stevens Award for her mastery of poetry. Also, the longlist for the National Book Awards is made public these days. Yesterday, the longlist for the category of Young People's Literature and today those for the category of Poetry. Lastly, the shortlist for the Man Booker Prize 2015 was announced.

• Into the River by Ted Dawe, a coming-of-age novel, was banned in New Zealand. In protest to this, many silent readings of this novel are planned all around the country. 

• Marvel has just announced a new superhero! It will be the first Native American superhero and he will be called Red Wolf. The series is due on December. 

• This year Twilight celebrates its 10th anniversary. For this reason, a new edition of the famous series will be published on October 6th with bonus material. There is not yet a word as to what this bonus material will be, though. 

• Going on a road trip? Author Leila Sales has made the ultimate road trip playlist. The cause? Her new novel, Tonight the Streets are Ours, is centered around one. Enjoy!

• Which Jane Eyre Character Are You? Take the quiz to find out! I got Blanche Ingram, a character I never quiet liked. Which one did you get?

The Reading Book Post, September 8th

Hello, everyone! It's been a pretty busy week, but I just couldn't miss The Reading Book Post. So, although it's not Monday, here it is! Let's see what happened in the literary world the previous week.

• Two authors, Stephen King and Tobias Wolff, will receive the 2014 National Medal of Arts. Also, the 2014 National Humanities Medal will be awarded to four authors, Annie Dillard, Rebecca Newberger Goldstein, Larry McMurphy, and Jhumpa Lahiri.

• But this week there are more award news. The Bratislava Children's Books Illustration Award 2015 was given to Laura Carlin. What lovely illustrations! The National Book Foundation will honour Don DeLillo for lifetime achievement in a ceremony, which will take place in November.

• Any Jeff VanderMeer fans? You can read his short story The Goat Variations. The story is included in the anthology In the Shadow of the Towers: Speculative Fiction in the Post-9/11 World.

• Watch exclusively the beautiful book trailer for Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate. Crenshaw will be published on September 22, 2015. You can also read a small excerpt.

• Time for something completely adorable! Watch this video of a baby that loves literature so much that he starts crying every time a book ends.

• Who Would Be Your Literary Nemesis? Take the quiz to find out! I got   Isabella Thorpe, who did you get?

The Reading Book Post, August 31st

Hello, everyone! Are you ready to welcome the fall? I am and I can't wait for the weather to become chillier. Anyway, tomorrow I'll be travelling all day long. But, as every Monday, let's see what happened in the literary world the previous week.

• Sad news. Oliver Sacks, the neurologist and author of books such as Awakenings and The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat has passed away last week at the age of 82. Many people from the literary world paid him tribute.

• Have you read The Shepherd's Crown yet? Author Neil Gaiman has revealed that Terry Pratchett had a different ending planned for this novel, but he died before he could get it down on paper.

• The Japanese book company Kinokuniya has bought 90% of the first print of Haruki Murakami's upcoming collection of essays. The reason for this is to rival online book retailers. Novelist as a Vocation will be published on September 10, 2015.

•  Warm Bodies has a prequel novella! It's called The New Hunger, it was originally self-published in 2013 and it will be officially released on October 6. You can now read an excerpt.

• Scarlett Johannson went to court, in order to block the translation in English of a French novel, that is about the relationship between a man and the star's look-alike. The novel The First Thing You See will be eventually be published in the UK in September. 

• Freedom of speech is one of the issues that concern me. Who better to speak about controversial books, censorship threats to graphic novels than Neil Gaiman? This was one of the most interesting interviews I've read so far. 

• Last week, I told you that Morrissey will release his first novel at the end of September. Now, we can see the cover. List of the Lost will be published on September 24 by Penguin.

• Guess the Book by Food Quotes. This quiz is for the hungry ones!

The Reading Book Post, August 24th

Hello, everyone! The lucky number for the Classics Club Spin is 5. So, from my list, I'll have to read Daniel Deronda by George Eliot until October 23. I'll better start reading it soon. Also, the next themed read will be (most probably) books adapted to/from video games. If you have any suggestions please let me know. But, let's see what happened in the literary world the previous week.

• The Hugo Award Winners 2015 were announced. Among the winner is the Chinese Author Cixin Liu for the novel The Three Body Problem. Note: why so many No Award this year?

• Are you as excited as I am about The Girl in the Spider's Web, the new installment of the Millenium series? If yes, you can now read an exclusive excerpt from the upcoming novel.

• We are only two months away from the publication of The Slade House, the now David Mitchell novel. The UK cover was revealed and it's absolutely stunning. Also, if you're a twitter user look out because the author will begin a new twitter story from one of the characters of the new novel, which will lead to The Slade House.

• The University of Texas has acquired the archives of the novelist Kazuo Ishiguro. The archives cost the university a little over a million dollars and they include a discarded first chapter of the novel The Remains of the Day.

• Morrissey has decided to write a novel. Its title is List of the Lost and it will be published at the end of September. The exact date of publication will be made public later this week. 

• Can you Guess Which Numbers are Missing from These Book Titles? Take the quiz to test yourself! Also, Which Coming-of-Age Novel Should you Read This Fall? Find out from this quiz. I should read The Vacant Swing by B.N. Henry. What did you get?

The Reading Book Post, August 17th

Hello, everyone! We're in the middle of August and I'm eager to welcome the fall. The funny books themed read is coming to an end (review for Funny Girl will be posted soon), so if you have any suggestions for the next themed read please let me know. Moreover, a new feature will be posted on Wednesday. You will learn more in two days. For now, let's see what happened in the literary world the previous week.

• Written in 1914 The Story of Kullervo, a novel by J.R.R. Tolkien will be published on August 27, 2015. The novel is based on the Finnish poem Kalevala and it was originally published in an academic journal.

• George R.R. Martin revealed that the ending of A Song of Ice and Fire series will be bittersweet. More precisely, he said that he was influenced by the ending of The Lord of the Rings trilogy and aims for this kind of tone. Hopefully, The Winds of Winter will be released next year.

• Judith Kerr, the author and illustrator of children's novels such as The Tiger Who Came to Tea, will publish her first novel since 1978. The 92-year-old writer delivered the manuscript earlier this year and Mister Cleghorn's Seal will be released on September 10, 2015.  

• 473 answers from Haruki Murakami's online advice service were gathered by the Japanese publisher Shinchosa in a new hardcover book. The author insisted on the digital publication of all the 3,716 answers, which if printed would number a total of eight volumes. Both of those editions are, for the time being, only in Japanese.

• Wink Poppy Midnight, the YA mystery is the third novel by April Genevieve Tucholke. But it is due for release next year. Now, you can see the cover and read an exclusive excerpt. I have to admit that it got me pretty interested!

• Marvel has announced the new series Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, in which Jack Kirby's 1978 Devil Dinosaur will team up with Lunella Lafayett or Moon Girl. The series will be written by Amy Reeder and Brandon Montclare and it will be illustrated by Natacha Bustos.

• Which Austen Heroine Are You? You can find out in this quiz. I got Elinor Dashwood and I have to admit that she's the one I've always felt closer to! Who did you get? 

The Reading Book Post, August 10th

Hello, everyone! I know, I was the one that told you that my vacations were officially over and then I just ran to a music festival for the weekend. Anyway, now I'm back for good and I have many ideas. First of all, I think I'll finally start writing something of my own, but this is something to wait for the future. Also, I'm thinking about launching another weekly feature on the blog, so wait for it in the next few days. But, as every Monday, let's see what happened in the literary world the previous week.

• The David Gemmell Awards for Fantasy 2015 were announced. Among the winners is Brandon Sanderson with his novel Words of Radiance. Also, the Royal Society has announced the Royal Society Winton Prize for Science Books 2015 shortlist. The winner will become known on September 24, 2015. 

• A long forgotten F. Scott Fitzgerlad short story has just been published in The Strand Magazine in its summer issue. The story is called Temperature and it was unpublished until now.

• I love colouring books. I found it a very relaxing, yet creative activity to do. But the thing about them is that they're gradually becoming more and more complex. This is a very interesting article on this fact. What do you believe? 

• What Pet Should I get? the new book (or recently discovered work, to be precise) by Dr. Seuss was published on July 28, 2015. It has already sold 200,000 copies in just a week and so it has become the publisher's fastest-selling picture book. 

• Brazenhead Books, the secret bookstore of New York, closed last month. It was illegal that's why it was strictly introduced only by word of mouth. Here's a goodbye to this unique bookshop.

• It's Snoopy's birthday today! The fact is based on a 1968 Peanuts storyline. The producers of the new film The Peanuts Movie have released a video with instructions on how to draw this famous character. Grab your pens!

• Hilary Liftin has been ghostwriting for people like Miley Cyrus and Mackenzie Phillips. Now, she published a novel under her own name. The novel is called Movie Star by Lizzie Pepper. 

• The Shepherd's Crown, the last Discworld novel, will be launched with a midnight reading on August 26, 2015. The tickets for the event were sold out after a few minutes they became available. 

• The audiobook version of White Man's Problems by Kevin Morris is read by a lot of stars, like Matthew McConaughey and Minni Driver. You can listen to two exclusive clips from the stories The Plot to Hold Hands with Elizabeth Tremblay, read by Trey Parker, and Mulligan's Travels, read by Matt Stone. 

• Taylor Swift and Harry Potter in this parody mash-up! Isn't it amazing?

• Which Nostalgic 90's Book Are You? Take the quiz to find out! I got The Picture of Dorian Gray (what? 1890's??). Which book did you get?

The Reading Book Post, July 27th

Hello, everyone! The end of July is approaching and I can't believe we've already passed the middle of summer. I have to admit that this week I was the most distracted, a sign that perhaps I need some days off. At least, I hope that I'll get something close to vacations when my boyfriend visits at the end of the week. But, as every Monday, let's see what happened in the literary world the previous week.

• The Not the Booker Prize longlist has just been announced. The list contains 70 titles in total and you can vote the two novels of your choice all the following week. From these 70 novels, only six will reach the shortlist. So, if you're interested follow the link in order to vote. 

• So, the European Quidditch Championship (EQC) 2015 has been completed with France being the champion. In the final, which took place in Sarteano, Italy, France beat England with the score 90-50. 

• The second issue of Archie's re-imagining is coming on August 19. The classic comic series was relaunched by Mark Waid and Fiona Staples. Take a look at a couple of pages from the new issue.

• Sad news for the literary world this week. Author E.L. Doctorow passed away at the age of 84. Some of his most popular and celebrated works are Ragtime, Billy Bathgate and The March. 

• Have you read the Craft Sequence series? I haven't, but when I watched this fan-made book trailer of the second book of the series Two Serpents Rise I was really interested in doing so.

• What do teachers what the children to read? The National Association for the Teaching of English and the Times Educational Supplement made a list which answers this question, based in the choices of 500 teachers. The list, for the most part, includes classic books and I'm glad that there are some of my own childhood's books there. Which were the books of your childhood?

• Which YA novel would you be in? Take the quiz to find out! I got Looking for Alaska by John Green. What did you get?

The Reading Book Post, July 20th

Hello, everyone! Summer has really got to me and my mind is constantly thinking about the sea, the beach and the sun. But, as every Monday, let's take a look on what happened in the literary world the previous week.

• The Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year 2015 was awarded to Sarah Hilary for her novel Someone Else's Skin. This was the author debut crime novel.

• So, a new Sherlock Holmes novel will be published. Written by Bonnie MacBird, Art in the Blood is due on October 6, 2015. But, you can read right now an exclusive excerpt. Another novel to expect in the fall! 

• Not only Sherlock Holmes returns but the Star Wars franchise has a new book. Aftermath is written by Chuck Wendig and will be published on September 4, 2015. The story will take place after the events of The Return of the Jedi and will connect the original trilogy with the forthcoming A Force Awakens. There is also a small passage available. 

• London's Young Adult Literature Convention is taking place these days. Watch Patrick Ness read an extract from his new novel. The Rest of Us Just Live Here is coming on August 27, 2015.

• As the voting period for the Hugo Awards is approaching, George R. R. Martin urges all the science fiction fans to participate. He underlines that this year's is one of the most controversial processes in the award's history. The deadline for the voting is on July 31, 2015.

• The 2015 London Literature Festival will highlight Herman Melville and his classic novel Moby Dick.  A live reading of the well-known novel will be held in 160 ten-minute readings by actors, writers, and comedians.

• Just for fun: this great illustration for a special Keyboard Shortcuts for Novelists.

• If Your life Were A Western Novel, What Would Your Story Be? Take the quiz to find out! I got Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder. What did you get?

The Reading Book Post, July 13th

Hello, everyone! This has been a rough week for Greece, but I'm trying to remain optimistic. But, let's see what happened in the literary world the previous days. 

• The 2014 Shirley Jackson Awards were announced a few days ago. Among the winners are Jeff VanderMeer for his novel Annihilation and Daryl Gregory for his novella We Are All Completely Fine.

• Tomorrow is the day! The publication of Go Set A Watchman is only a day away and in Harper Lee's hometown they are already celebrating. But there are also many concerns about the book since Atticus Finch is portrayed a racist. I won't hide that this comes as a shock for me! Finally, Harper Lee's lawyer Tonja Carter has hinted that there might be another unpublished manuscript of the famous author. 

•  Joss Whedon's next project will be a comic series called Twist. The series will be a Victorian thriller and will be published by Dark Horse Comics. It is to be expected in six issues, but there isn't yet a release date.

• So, John Green has given some advice on love and life to the readers of Seventeen magazine. The Q&A is featured in August's issue, which was released on July 7th.

• Dark Horse Comics has announced that The Legend of Korra will continue as a new comic series. The comic will be created by Michael Dante DiMartino and it will pick up from where the show left off.

• In Charles Dickens's literary magazine All Year Round were published many anonymous poems and short stories. But a recently discovered collection of the author's magazine, includes Dickens's own notes. In these notes, we learn that some anonymous pieces belong to authors such as Elizabeth Gaskell, Lewis Carroll and Wilkie Collins.

• What genre would your romance take place in? Take the quiz to find out and let me know! I got mystery :) 

The Reading Book Post, July 6th

Hello, everyone! I'm so happy that you liked Confession Saturday and I hope that next week our group will be bigger. But, let's take a look on what happened in the literary world the previous week.

• The Desmond Elliot Prize 2015 was awarded to Claire Fuller for her novel Our Endless Numbered Days. Meanwhile, the shortlist for the Stanford Dolman Travel Book of the Year was annonced. Among the nominees are The Land Where Lemons Grow, A Journey to Russia and  Indonesia Etc: Exploring the Improbable Nation.

• Stephen King has released an exclusive audiobook edition of his short story Drunken Fireworks. He narrates the story himself. Drunken Fireworks will be included in the collection The Bazzar of  Bad Dreams which is due out in November.

• The publication of Go Set A Watchman is only a few days away. But last week was made public that the manuscript was discovered in 2011 and not in 2014 that was the official story.

• Parent by Day. Hero by Night. This is the new direction that Jessica Drew has taken. She appears in the cover for Spider-Womam #1 pregnant. The new issues will be available in October.

• Scribd announced that it cuts down the number of romance and erotica titles available. Caused by the high demand of these genres the online service is facing an unsustainable cost. 

• Summer is here and many of us take our reading to the beach. Learn how to protect your e-reader from the sun, surf and sand. Also, seven authors reveal what book will they read this summer.

• You know my love for folklore, so this week's quiz is all about it. Which monster from folklore are you? I got the Troll. Which one did you get?    

The Reading Book Post, June 29th

Hello, everyone! I'm back from the mini-break I had, in order to attend my cousin's wedding. I'm still tired since I arrived late last night. I'm also very preoccupied with the situation in Greece these days. But let's take a look at the literary news of the previous week.

• The 2015 Locus Awards Winners were announced last Saturday. Among the winners were Ann Leckie with her novel Ancillary Sword and Katherine Addison for her novel The Goblin Emperor. Also, The Betty Trask Award was given to Ben Fergusson for his debut novel The Spring of Kasper Meier. Finally, the Miles Franklin Literary Award was bestowed upon Sophia Laguna for her novel The Eye of the Sheep.

• The Secret Loves of Geek Girls is a project that includes true stories about love, sex, and dating. For this project, there are more than 40 female contributors, among those is Margaret Atwood. The Kickstarter campaign has already gathered $52,624 CAD, which is more than the original goal and 25 more days remain for its completion. 

• Fight Club for kids? The author, Chuck Palahniuk, reads it on camera. Too bad, that this book it's not actually true. 

• Columbia University Press will make new translations of several Russian modern literature novels, as well as classics. The first publications are estimated to be made in 2017.

• Some Harry Potter news! Look how the illustrations came to be as we all know and love them. Also, J.K. Rowling has revealed on Pottermore why the Dursleys dislike Harry so much. 

• An alternative ending was discovered by scholars at Cambridge University for the novella that inspired the film Eyes Wide Shut. The novella by Arthur Schnitzler is called Traumnovelle or Dream Story was first published on 1925. The alternative ending suggests that the doctor rather than observing the masked orgy, participated in it.

• Since Grey has just been published this week's quiz will have to do about the fictional billionaire. Can you guess who said each quote: Christian Grey or a Disney villain?

The Reading Book Post, June 22nd

Hello, everyone! I'm finally back in my hometown, but I'm still tired from the travelling. But let's take our weekly look at the most interesting literary news of the previous week.

• Can reading make us happier? Bibliotherapy is not a new thing and can take many forms. What do you believe about this science? 

• The next article is ideal for all the authors, as well as the readers who want to dig a little deeper into writing. It contains some very useful tips on how to construct a horror narrative. I found this fascinating and helpful.

• Spiderman embraces diversity, since a mixed-race teenager named Miles Morales will wear the mask of the popular superhero. Morales has been the Spiderman since 2011, but the writer Brian Bendis confirmed that he will become officially the superhero this fall. 

• Another superhero will return changed into the information age. The new Superman will bring a roguishness into the character of Clark Kent. In the new issue, we will learn the story of what led Lois Lane to reveal Superman's secret identity.

• Grey was published this week. As was expected, there were many fans of the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy who were ecstatic about it. But all these years numerous fan-fiction stories have been written about Grey's perspective of the story. In some cases, the readers prefer these versions than the E.L. James one.  

• Knopf has confirmed that the author James Salter has died at the age of 90. Salter published his first novel The Hunters in 1957, but he gained his reputation as a novelist in 1967 with the book A Sport and a Pastime.

• Graphic designer Daniel Britton has created a font that will bring awareness about dyslexia. There is still much miscommunication and misinformation about this learning disorder and this font shows what it is like to read with the condition.

• Amazon has announced that from the beginning of July self-published authors will be paid according to how many pages the readers have actually read. So, if you want to help your favourite authors read as many pages of their books as you can! 

• Artist Michael Mandiberg has created the project Print Wikipedia, for which he will transfer wikipedia into a print reference which will contain 7,600 volumes. 

• There are a lot of quizzes about famous first lines. But this quiz is all about the second lines. Can you guess from which novel they are? 

The Reading Book Post, June 15th

Hello, everyone! I was so happy that this week I was nominated for the Beautiful Bloggers Award. This Thursday The Reading Armchair will also be featured in Melissa's blog, Around the World in Books, so be sure to check it out! But, as usual, let's see what happened in the literary world during the previous week.

• Alice's Adventures in Wonderland has its 150th anniversary this year. To celebrate it, some new translations will be published. Among them, there will be a translation in emoji, Gothic, as well as Scouse (the dialect of Liverpool) and Pashto (Afgan language).

• David Mitchell was selected to be the next author to write and deposit a new novel in Katie Paterson's Future Library. This is a project, in which the selected authors will have one year to write a book without any rules or restrictions, and an anthology will be published with these works in 100 years. The first author to contribute was Margaret Atwood. 

• Rhianna Pratchett confirmed that The Shepherd's Crown will be the last Discworld novel. She said the series was his father's legacy and it was sacred to him. The Shepherd's Crown is due on August 27th.

• John Cleese has written an autobiography, So Anyway. Read an excerpt from it, in which Cleese talks about his father. 

• Corey Pressman has a new project called Poetry for Robots, in which he questions the result of using poetry and metaphors as metadata. This is very interesting and I'd like to see the actual results.

• During the Agatha Christie festival, recipes from the famous author's novels will be recreated. It will be held in Christie's own kitchen, and the guests are advised to taste the samples with extreme caution!

• What character are you like when you're angry? Take the quiz to find out! I got the Wicked Witch of the West, how about you?

The Reading Book Post, June 8th

Hello, everyone! Another Monday is here bringing a new week, I've been reading some interesting news and I enjoy very much the funny books theme. But, for the time being, let's see what happened in the literary world the previous week.

• The 2014 Nebula Awards Winners have been announced by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. Among the winners are Jeff VanderMeer for his novel Annihilation and Nancy Kress for her novella Yesterday's Kin. Also, the Baileys Women's Prize for Fiction was awarded to Ali Smith for her sixth novel How to be Both. You can watch the winner announcement here.

• One of the things that have divided the literary world is the distinction between literary and genre fiction. In this talk, authors Neil Gaiman and Kazuo Ishiguro, try to find the answer why, by talking about the politics of storytelling.

• Ursula K. Le Guin posted recently on Book View Cafe, asking all of the readers to stop buying books from Amazon. She argues that Amazon takes no risks, that's why it's ideal book is a safe commodity. Does Amazon really influence the way the books are written and which books are read?

• A library in Japan, in order to promote the establishment, has planned a book dominoes event, where they will try to break the world record. But this has caused controversy because some believe it is disrespectful towards the books. The event will be held on July 12th.

• The past week the internet was full of the news that a fourth Fifty Shades of Grey book will be published from the point of view of Christian Grey. The book is due on June 18th, Christian's birthday.

• A first edition of The Hobbit with a Tolkien's elvish inscription was sold for the record price of £137,000. The first estimate was only £50,000-£70,000.

• Georgette Heyer has been honoured with an English Heritage blue plaque at her birthplace, in Wimbledon. Famous fans and family gathered to honour the queen of Regency romances. 

• A group of scientists, drawn to The Lord of the Rings, make thorough scientific studies about the conditions and races in Middle Earth. Some of the studies include if there is higher Oxygen content and the mental illness of Gollum. 

• Readers and experts have voted the most evil child book characters of all time. The list was compiled by the online bookshop Abebooks. 

• This week's Reading Book Post has two quizzes. With the first you can find out in which dystopian world you would survive. I got Panem. The second informs you of your age depending on your literary tastes. According to this quiz, I'm a teen.

The Reading Book Post, June 1st

Happy first day of June everyone! The summer is officially here and I can't wait to go to the beach. I've started the funny books themed read and it couldn't be a better theme for the season. But, as every Monday, let's see what happened in the literary world the previous week.

• Get to read the new exclusive excerpt from Purity by Jonathan Frazen. The author's long-awaited novel will by published on September 1st. Also, read an exclusive extract from Something to Hide by Deborah Moggach. The author's new novel will be published on July, 2nd.

• David Mitchell talked at the Hay Festival. In his talk, he compared the Harry Potter series, the Twilight series and The Fault in Our Stars to crack cocaine, but in a good way. More specifically, he argued that novels such as these help the young audience get addicted to reading. For this reason, he is also very optimistic towards the future for books. Another great idea from one of my favourite authors!

• A new graphic novel adaptation of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thomson will be released in October 2015. The adaptation will be made from Troy Little and the graphic novel will be published by Top Shelf Productions.

• Marian Keyes, the author of Watermelon, Sushi for Beginners and Saved by Cake, posed her objection about the tag "chic-lit", in her recent talk at the Hay Festival. She claimed that this term mocks women and maintain the gender gap. This is a very interesting and thought-provoking point. What do you think?

• A new James Bond novel will be coming on September 8th. Along with the famous spy, Pussy Galore will return, after 50 years. The story will take place in 1957, after the Ian Fleming's original novel Goldfinger. Trigger Mortis will be written by Anthony Horowitz, who has used an unused Flaming storyline called Murder on Wheels.

• The British Library will be re-issuing the crime novel The Incredible Crime by Lois Austen-Leigh, a relative of Jane Austen's. The novel was first published in 1931 and at the time was critically acclaimed. The edition is due to appear in early 2017.

• A rare proof of the novel The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath will go up for an auction. The proof bears the pseudonym of the author, Victoria Lucas, and includes about 70 textual changes. The auction will take place on June 24. .

• This week's quiz is a little challenging. Can you guess these two-word novel titles?