ALA Annual Conference Update

Hello my fellow bookworms!

This month has come and gone in a flash. Anything that I thought was going to happen did, but not the way I expected. In short, I wish I had more time for things, but you take what you can get. 

As mentioned in my last post, I was able to visit the ALA Annual Conference this past week in Washington, D.C. Due to a family emergency, I did not stay the entire time I expected to, but, my short excursion was an informative and fun experience overall. I was able to meet some authors, receive free books, see different publishers, learn what was happening in the publishing and library world, and much more. If you are able to attend the conference next year, do so! 

Here are some photos from my trip, including the Walter E. Washington Convention Center and some of the exhibitions from above: 

(c) 2022 A.P., Once Upon A Book Blog(ger)

(c) 2022 A.P., Once Upon A Book Blog(ger)

(c) 2022 A.P., Once Upon A Book Blog(ger)

A few authors and illustrators signed books for me during the conference. I would like to feature them this year, but have not yet had time to appreciate and read their works yet. Look out for more posts after I catch up on my homework for my summer class! I'm hoping to have a book binge fest this week to celebrate Independence Day here in the states. What are you guys up to this summer? Let me know in the comments! Happy Independence Day to those who celebrate!

Until next time - Happy Reading! :)

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays!

Merry Christmas to all those who celebrate and a very Happy Holidays to those who celebrate otherwise! Best wishes for you and your family for a happy and healthy holiday season.

Alice in Wonderland Zoolights, (c) Once Upon A Book Blog(ger)

'Tis the season for grabbing your favorite coffee or tea and picking up a good book and just relaaaaaaax. The best part of the season is when all is said and done, and you have a few moments to yourself to just unwind.

The Last Bookstore, Photo by V.P.

That said, I hope to have one or two reviews done after the holidays are finished with this week. In the meantime, please enjoy the photos from a friend of mine who recently visited The Last Bookstore, a really cool book and record store out in Los Angeles!

Tunnel of Books, The Last Bookstore, Photo by V.P.

Home to the most artistic book displays, back-to-back events, and a great selection of books, The Last Bookstore is a must if you are ever in the LA area. They buy, sell, and trade, so you will always find something new in stock. They also have a yarn shop and art gallery above the store that will add to your visit experience. If you are interested in learning more, please visit this independent bookstore online at their website here.

Books and books, The Last Bookstore, Photo by V.P.

Happy reading! Let me know what's on your holiday reading list in the comments. :)

New Year, New Goals

Happy New Year 2018!

I hope everyone's year ahead will be filled with many great books, unless you are a writer, then both great books and plot lines!

If you do not know yet, my little blog has been published to the "Book Blogger List," a nifty website that allows authors and bloggers to come together via a blog directory. It has many great blogs listed and I am honored to be a part of the team! I can only hope that my posts are entertaining enough to help you find something you may be interested in reading. If you ever have any suggestions or questions, please do not hesitate to ask--comments are always greatly appreciated.

That said, a new year calls for new resolutions. Last year, my goal was to read 100 books. I tried to not count any manga or short stories, but it was tricky since Goodreads counts these towards your overall book count! From my own summarization, I read a total of 50 books, but according to Goodreads, the count came to a total of....*drumroll please* 79 books!


I never thought Goodreads could be as addictive and fun as it has come to be this past year. If you are interested in signing up for an account, you can do so here. You can even keep a private profile if you do not want to share statistics or use the account as a social media outlet. I like that Goodreads counts your books for you--with the option of showing how long you read each book/by rating/by year/etc. (so many statistics!). It also allows you to read and post reviews, join online book discussions and communities, sign up for chances to win Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) books, provide inspirational quotes, give book suggestions based on past books read, provides author biographies, and even allows you to "follow" authors to see when they release new material (or even see what they like to read)!

Anyway...as you can see I am quite the fan! But, even if you do not join in the fun, I implore you to set a goal of your own this year, whether it be in books, learning a new language, visiting some place you have never been before, or trying something new. Life is an adventure, and you only learn by doing! Even if sometimes, it is through the eyes of another person. :)

Let me know one of your New Year's resolutions below in the comments!