TTWIBRAT: 5 Favorite Reading Spots in Amsterdam

Happy Friday y'all! I'm writing a quick post from my hubby's laptop because we are in Milan this weekend celebrating his birthday, he is here for work-Milan Games Week-so the teenager and I came with him to celebrate! We've been having a great time and are about to race out to see The Last Supper and grab a traditionally late Italian dinner. 

Today, I am over at Savvy Working Gal blogging about my five favorite reading spots in Amsterdam! 

This post is a guest post as part of the Travel the World in Books Read-a-thon with Mom's Small Victories and several other great bloggers. I really love these read a thons and now that our fall break is over I can get started on mine!

I've included such places at the cafe at the Oude Kerk, which is where Rembrandt met his wife, it also has an enchanting garden, much like you'd find in one of my favorite books, The Forgotten Garden, which I have a review of scheduled up for next week. Another is 't Hooischip, which has some of the best Gluhwein you'll find in Amsterdam!

So, make sure you click on over to Savvy's blog and check out my 5 favorite reading spots in Amsterdam, they are all must visit places when you come to Amsterdam, or must visit if you currently live here!

Travel the World in Books Read-a-thon Wrap-Up

As many of you know I've been participating in a Travel the World in books reading challenge. Well, the last two weeks has been a read-a-thon. There have been author interviews, book reviews, mini-challenges, and chats! Sadly, since I am a solid 6-9 hours ahead of everyone I do not get to participate in the chats, but I could participate in everything else!

Book I Read

For the read-a-thon I was concentrating on reading one book: Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson

It is a non-fiction piece that takes place in a few different areas, one most notably Iceland. I only have gotten through the first three chapters, not my normal speed but it is heavy. In the very beginning the main character is in an accident and he is burned very badly. The author describes this in full detail and burning is something I cannot handle, but it is integral to the book so I knew I had to read it, but I could only handle it in small doses. I am past that point, but as he talks about the doctors caring for him there is a little more that is hard to handle. He is now at the point where he is explaining in detail how he will commit suicide so once again, I am having to take it slow.  Davidson's writing is very good and I am hooked because I want to know what happens once this possibly schizophrenic woman comes in to his life and changes everything! So, I am hoping to get there sooner rather than later because so far the main setting is a hospital and well, I know what those look like....

Mini-Challenges

There were three mini-challenges during the read-a-thon.

The first was to create a map to record your "journey". I did mine quite a while ago on Pinterest.

Follow Kate Norris's board Around the World in Books on Pinterest.

(I swear there is a map there ;))

Second challenge was to make some book spine poetry!

Wonder

My First Month

The house of Velvet and Glass

Happier at Home

This was based on the fact that we are so new to Holland that you always wonder in that first month what things will be like, but now that we are settled in to our own home, we are so happy and really enjoying our time here. Making great use of all there is to do and see!

The final challenge was a scavenger hunt!

1. Your TBR of books from around the world.
2. A book cover with a flag, map or people dressed in their culture’s traditional clothes.-I didn't have one
3. Book cover from one of your favorite books from around the world.
4. Your favorite reading spot.-My couch ;)
5. Book cover of a nonfiction book from around the world you would like to read.
6. Book cover of a fiction book from around the world you would like to read.
7. Book cover with a foreign country name or city in the title.
8. Book cover with food from another country in the title or on the cover.
9. Book written by an author from another country than where you live.
10. Book set in a country you’d like to visit or have visited.

This was such a fun event to participate in! Thank you so much to Mom's Small Victories, I'm Lost in books, and Savvy Working Gal  for putting this together, thinking of challenges, and having some great giveaways for those who participated! I am so happy to continue this journey of reading and learning about new places.

What have you read lately, I'd love to hear about it in the comments...make my reading list grow! ;)

Happy Sunday y'all!