And the next book up for grabs is...

Hello lovely readers! I will have a new blog design in the near future, and I have some great post ideas to go with the changes. In the meantime, here's a giveaway to help you bear with me. 

Up for grabs is a used copy of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon. It's in great condition, and looks almost brand new except for the price sticker on the upper-right corner. I know a lot of you would enjoy this book. It's a quick read, and it's quite unique. 

Please use the clever widget from Rafflecopter below to enter the giveaway. You must be a follower of The Kindled Scholar here on Blogger for your entry to be counted. You can earn extra entries by following on Twitter and tweeting about the giveaway! 

Winner of The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie

And the winner of The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie is...

Source: etsy.com via Flight on Pinterest

A Non-Fiction Read for the Fiction Lover

I'm a reader of both fiction and non-fiction, and I usually have one of each going at the same time. However, I know that not everyone enjoys reading non-fiction, and understandably so. The purpose and delivery are often so different from that of fiction, that it's hard to appreciate when you're not used to it. It's hard enough going between different genres of fiction, and it's an even greater leap to cross the fiction/non-fiction barrier.

If you're the fiction lover that's apprehensive about non-fiction books, I highly suggest you start with The Poisoner's Handbook by Deborah Blum. The various components in the writing and content work smoothly together to produce a piece of work that a wide variety of readers can enjoy. Like a science book, it lectures and informs about the properties and dangers of different poisons. Like a reverent biography, it follows the careers of two men who forged and shaped the path of forensic medicine and toxicology in this country, Charles Norris and Alexander Gettler. Like a thoughtful piece of sociopolitical commentary, it criticizes the choices of the American government during the Prohibition years, from the ratification of the 18th amendment to its undoing in the 21st amendment. Like an unputdownable thriller, this book takes you on a journey filled with poisoners, suspicious deaths, and dramatic courtroom scenes, and like a properly-written whodunnit it keeps you guessing until the very last minute.

This book reads just like a novel, but another reason I think it's a good first step towards non fiction is its great potential for pointing you in a new direction of interest. Part of the reason non-fiction can be so intimidating is the wide array of topics and the diverse levels of detail within those topics that are available to you. After reading The Poisoner's Handbook, you may discover you have an interest in poisons, or ever chemistry in general. You may also be drawn in by the history and find yourself wanting to know more about The Prohibition. The possibilites are endless, but at the very least, you will have walked away with a pleasant first encounter with non-fiction.

I do hope you pick this book up and give it a try. If you do, come back and let me know how it went!

Love and (a book) light,

~Dorothy

A Life Post: What to Wear to the Happiest Place on Earth

Some of you know that I spent a week at Disney World not too long ago. I had the most magical time! One of the things that can help you make the most out of your Disney trip is being comfortable attire wise. Being the girly-girl that I am, I wasn't about to go galavanting around Magic Kingdom in my work-out attire (or, I should say, what I would wear if I actually worked out). Unfortunately, I was not extremely prepared with the most comfortable attire, and after the first day I had to give up wearing my cute jeans. I ended up having to go to Wal-Mart to buy hideous cargo pants.

Hence, I decided to write this post so you don't have to suffer the same fate I did. Here's what you need to be prepared while also looking like the dainty lady you are.

Disney World Attire by thekindledscholar featuring flat heels

• A loose-fitting top is great for the Florida humidity.
• Wear shorts that aren't too short and that won't ride up or chafe your legs after 10 hours of walking and standing in line.
• A flowy romper is also comfortable and chic at the same time.
• Both of the shoes above are Crocs; yes, ladies, it's time to get over the ugly Crocs stigma and accept that they do have some cute shoes in their line-up; plus, they are incredibly comfortable and are exactly what you need when you are going to be walking for hours. You can thank me later.
• Hair ties -if you don't believe me and you insist on leaving the hotel with your hair down, promise me you'll at least bring a hair tie with you. The humidity will turn your head into a ball of cotton candy if sweat and water rides don't ruin it first. 
• Don't forget to protect your eyes! Always bring sunglasses.
• Bring a small bag for essentials like some of the small items listed here. If you can get away with just your pockets, go for it! If you do bring a bag, make sure it sits on both of your shoulders so you don't put too much strain on one side. Pack lightly!

As far as makeup goes, I would go minimal at the most. 

• I would definitely advise against wearing any kind of foundation. It will slide around your face all day. You should always protect your skin, so do wear sunblock even if it's not going to be a sunny day.
• Mascara is ok, but be sure to wear the waterproof or water resistant kind unless you want to look like a raccoon by the end of the day. ;)
• I wouldn't bother with lipstick or lipgloss -who wants to worry about reapplying? However, just like your eyes and skin, your lips should also be protected. Wear a lip balm with SPF. 

I know not wearing any makeup at all may seem like a challenge for some of you already, but I'm going to up the ante: I challenge you to not bring your phone. Oh yes, I went there. 

Listen, I know you want to tweet all those fantastic pictures of you with Princess Jasmine, or the one with you thrusting your arms towards the sky with Cinderella's castle in the backdrop. But having to tweet and text and tweet some more takes some of the fun out of it. Just enjoy your time at Disney and be truly present in the moment. When you get back to the hotel and put your feet up, you can tweet all you want. :)

I hope this will help those of you that are planning a Disney trip in the future, or a trip to any theme park for that matter.

Love and (a book) light,

~Dorothy

Giveaway #3: Win one of my favorite books!

Thanks to everyone that entered my previous giveaways! I'm so excited to announce the latest one. I really enjoyed this book and fell in love with the young sleuth.

Up for grabs is a gently-used copy of The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley. It's a great mystery with an 11-year-old girl as our heroine. Mind you, she's no typical pre-teen either. If you've already read The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, you should still enter! If you win, just pass it along to a friend that you know will enjoy a good book.

As always, the only rule is that you must be a follower of The Kindled Scholar through Blogger. If you're not already a follower, just scroll to the top of the page and click on the "Follow" link. You can earn extra entries for following on Twitter and tweeting about the giveaway. Please use the clever widget below provided by Rafflecopter.

Good luck!

Love and (a book) light,

~Dorothy

Winner of The Art of Racing in the Rain

Congratulations to Micaela from Dolce Vita! You will receive a copy of The Art of Racing in the Rain.

Thanks to everyone that entered my giveaway. Stay tuned for the next one; we're keeping with the theme of my favorite titles. Here's a hint: this book has a pastry in the title, but it has nothing to do with your love of baking and everything to do with your appreciation for a good mystery.

Love and (a book) light,

~Dorothy

NEW GIVEAWAY + Last Week's Winner

UPDATE:

There are only a few entries so far, so your chances of winning a great! Enter now; giveaway ends Saturday. :)

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Hi everyone!

I know I have been MIA lately, but there's always time for giveaways!

The winner of last week's giveaway for a copy of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is Hannah from Culture Connoisseur. Congratulations! Do check out her lovely blog.

Now for the next giveaway:

This is the second of a series of giveaways for gently used copies of my favorite books that I picked up at the used book sale. All these books are in great condition. The next book up for grabs is The Art of Racing in the Rain. This book is dear to my heart; check out my review here.

Go ahead and submit your entry using the form below! It will guide you step-by-step. The only rule is that you must be a follower of The Kindled Scholar here on Blogger. You can earn an extra entry by being a follower on Twitter. Earn up to one extra entry per day by tweeting about the giveaway. Thanks to Rafflecopter for making this giveaway super easy!

Good luck!

Love and (a book) light,

~Dorothy