TGIF / Follow Friday

A weekly Meme by GReads!

Friday, Jan. 13th - 2012 Must Reads: Which books are at the top of your list to be read this year (new or old releases)?

I'll go ahead and do this one as a photo post - just for fun! A mixture of old and new! (And of course, my list could go on all day.) 

   

   

   

   

Follow Friday is brought to you byParajunkee's Review and Allison Can Read! (Check them both out, you won't regret it!) 

Question of the Week: Many readers/bloggers are also big music fans. Tell us about a few of your favorite bands/singers that we should listen to in 2012.

I have eclectic music tastes.

At the heart of it? A few of my favorite songs would be...

Old Crow Medicine Show - Wagon Wheel
Mumford & Sons - Home
Zac Brown Band - Chicken Fried & Colder Weather
The Civil Wars - Dance me to the End of Love

My absolute (all-time) favorite?
The General by Dispatch

TGIF / Follow Friday

A weekly Meme by GReads!

 

 
Friday, Jan. 6th - Reading Resolutions: What are some of your reading goals for the new year?

 

My reading goals for 2012 are pretty simple. I want to read 140 books (that's a lot!) I want to read 2 books per month that are purely for fun. No review, No because my book club is reading it - just something from my wishlist. Beyond that, I don't really have any big goals.

Follow Friday is brought to you byParajunkee's Review and Allison Can Read! (Check them both out, you won't regret it!) 

 

Question of the Week: Go count the number of unread books sitting on your shelf. How many? 

 

Ok, this is broken down by WHERE they are - because I don't have a lot of physical books. Not yet. (I went through a HUGE ebook phase, and I'm slowly trying to build my physical book collection.)

On my shelf?  15

Kindle? 29

Nook? 55*

NetGalley?  8**

Total? 107

*About half were Freebies

** These are all books that come out in January - and I plan on having them all read and reviewed Pre-Release!

TGIF / Follow Friday

A weekly Meme by GReads!

Friday, Dec. 30th - First & Last: What was the first book you read in 2011 and the last you finished in 2011? How do you feel about these books? Would you recommend them to other readers?

First Book? My Horizontal Life by Chelsea Handler - and NO! For the love of all things holy, do NOT read this book. A lot of my book club was going on and on about how fabulous and funny she was, so I read her book. I was disappointed, annoyed and disgusted. (Not easy to do any of those three with me...)

Last Book? It looks like it's going to be Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater. And of course! Although most people I would recommend it to, have definitely already read the series.

Follow Friday is brought to you byParajunkee's Review and Allison Can Read! (Check them both out, you won't regret it!) 

 

Question of the Week: The New Year is here -- and everyone wants to know your New Years Blogging Resolution! What are you going to try to revise, revamp and redo for 2012 on your blog?

 

Well,  as for the aesthetics of my blog? I'm happy for the time being; but eventually I'd love to have a professionally designed layout rather than a freebie I have modified. (So sometime in 2012, I'd LOVE to do that. Maybe for my blogoversary?) 

 

I want to keep writing reviews, keep commenting (lots) on other blogs. I mentioned in the 2011 Wrap-Up survey that I want to write one "Discussion" related post per month. I really just want to grow my presence in the book blogging community.

TGIF / Follow Friday

A weekly Meme by GReads!

Friday, Dec. 16th - Most Popular: What blog post has gotten the most comments/activity on your blog this year?

Non-Meme? It was my review (and giveaway) of Shine by Lauren Myracle with 130 views. But total most views? TGIF / Follow Friday / Book Blogger Hop from October 13. (The TGIF question was where you sit - and I learned that a lot of people think my beloved couch is ugly. I happen to LOVE my green couch! I love the color, I love the style, I love that it's comfy!) That post got 160 views, 13 comments.

(I lost the majority of my blog comments a few months ago when I did away with IntenseDebate -- so I don't have an accurate count. 

Follow Friday is brought to you byParajunkee's Review and Allison Can Read! (Check them both out, you won't regret it!)

Question of the Week: When you've read a book, what do you do with it? (Keep it, give it away, donate it, sell it, swap it..?)

 When I finish a book, it really depends on what it was and how much I loved it. I like to keep the majority on my bookshelf (but I have a really small house and a really small bookshelf to go with it) and so typically I donate them or give them away. (I often take them to my MOPS meetings and just offer them up, unless I have a specific friend who I know would LOVE it. 

 

TGIF / Follow Friday

A weekly Meme by GReads!

Friday, Dec. 9th - Book to Movie: Which book turn movie do you feel did the best adaptation? What about the worst?

This is such a good question! (Aren't they all?)  

   

My immediate Book to Movie that I love? Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. I loved the book, SO MUCH! I also loved the movie - despite the obvious differences. But, you can't fit all of the book into any movie without making it go on for close to 20 hours - can you? 

   

But dislike? That's tough. Mostly because that's a long list... I always try to read the book first. And I am often disappointed by the movie. But in honor of our Christmas viewing? I love the book - How the Grinch Stole Christmas. I love Dr Seuss. (Who doesn't?)  I love the annual tv show! (In fact? My 3 year old is watching it as I type this!) But I hate HATE HATE the movie. Jim Carrey scares me in this one,  and it was WAY too long. Epic Fail. 

Follow Friday is brought to you byParajunkee's Review and Allison Can Read! (Check them both out, you won't regret it!) 

Keeping with the Spirit of Giving this season, what book do you think EVERYONE should read and if you could, you would buy it for all of your family and friends?


This is a tough one, mostly because I know my family and friends are not always into the same books that I am. So I'll just list a few with a few reasons!  (And I'm going strictly on books I've read this year... just to make this slightly easier.)


1. I would give everyone a copy of Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins . It is possibly my favorite contemporary read. Ever. And I think everyone should experience the magic of Anna and St. Clair!!


2. I would give everyone The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern . I think everyone should be exposed to such a beautiful piece of art. I cannot gush enough about how amazing the whole experience of this book was. 


3. I would also give everyone Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead . Because most everyone I know enjoyed Twilight and I think they would all love this one equally. (And I just ADORE Dimitri... Gee, I'm not boy crazy, am I?) 


4. Lastly (but not leastly) Shine by Lauren Myracle . With all of the bullying going on recently (a 14 year old boy in my hometown recently committed suicide) I think this is an incredibly moving and intense book to help everyone think about how they look at the world around them.

TGIF / Follow Friday

A weekly Meme by GReads!

 

 

Friday, Dec. 2nd - Writing Reviews 101: What's your process for writing book reviews? Any tips or suggestions you would recommend to other bloggers?

 

I am looking forward to reading everyone's response to this! 

I have a notebook that I take notes in as I read (although if I'm reading on my iPad I typically just highlight and type) to remember key points that I want to mention.

Really though, I am realizing that need (or rather want) to reevaluate how I review. 

 

Follow Friday is brought to you byParajunkee's Review and Allison Can Read! (Check them both out, you won't regret it!) 

 

Question: What is your biggest pet peeve when it comes to books? Maybe you don't like love triangles or thin plots? Tell us about it!  

*Anticlimactic Endings. I recently finished a series where the villain who we'd spent many MANY books following/running from is pulled out of the plot due to food poisoning. Seriously. SERIOUSLY. (Well, almost) So I hate with the bad guy reaches his demise/boot in the butt due to something stupid. 

*Absent Parents. Sure, I love summer camp and boarding school. But otherwise? What the heck is up with kids being allowed to do WHATEVER they want? So authors, if you aren't going to have parents? SEND THE KIDS TO BOARDING SCHOOL! But please, For the love of Kit-Kats, do not just have lazy, absent parents! 

TGIF / Follow Friday

A weekly Meme by GReads!

 

Friday, Nov. 25th - When You're Not Reading: What occupies your time when your nose isn't stuck in a book?

I could answer a dozen things...

First and foremost? When I'm not reading (and even when I am) I am a mommy to this awesome three year old!  

Her Daddy (my husband) is a truck driver and he's gone for six weeks at a time; so for the most part I am a single parent. Which has it's ups and downs... (Ask me midway through the six weeks and I'll tell you a different story than I will the day before he leaves to hit the road!) 

Really, she keeps me pretty busy. We do preschool at home, we go to story time at the local library and regular playdates. In the summer we're doing something almost every day.

We live in Southern Colorado (in the shadow of Pikes Peak!) and so I love to spend as much time as I can in the moutains. We hike, walk, drive - however I can get time in!! 

And I ALWAYS have my camera with me. I'm kind of a nut that way. And I love taking photos - I have since I got my first SLR (non-digital) for Christmas when I was 15! 

I may live in Colorado now, but I was born and raised in Nebraska. Along with that? It's a requisite that I am a Husker Football fan! 

(I also follow the Red Sox and my kid sisters small state college football team fairly closely.)

Follow Friday is brought to you byParajunkee's Review and Allison Can Read! (Check them both out, you won't regret it!)

Question: It's Thanksgiving Day in the U.S. so we want to know what you are Thankful for - blogging related of course! Who has helped you out along the way? What books are you thankful for reading?

Ooo! Good question!

Bloggers who have helped me? (Or inspired me as it may be...) Since I haven't been around the bookish community for too long; it's not as long as some lists will probably be. 

Cyndi at Dog-Eared and Bookmarked 
Jess at Gone With The Words
Ginger at GReads!

The Baby Sitter's Club by Ann M. Martin .  Dirty little secret time. I read EVERY book that was published up until my Junior year in high school. Yes, I started in grade school; but I kept reading until my Jr year...

The Stand by Stephen King. To be honest this was one of the first ways I really bonded with my husband when we were dating - we'd both been big fans of his movies, and I'd red the book but he hadn't. We spent a LOT of time talking about the book as he read it.

The Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer. Not only have these books given me countless hours of entertainment, but they really taught me that I can shamelessly love a book just because I love it. It doesn't have to be the best book ever written, my friends don't have to love it, I can just love it. Bella reminded me what it was like to be sixteen and falling in love for the very first time.

TGIF / Follow Friday

Be sure to check out my Giveaway that started today!!

A weekly Meme by GReads!

Friday, Nov. 11th - Love-Hate Relationship: Which characters from a book do you love to hate?

Since I'm on a Twilight Kick (anxiously counting down to Breaking Dawn, like everyone else!) I'm going to have to go with a few Twilight Villains!

First and foremost? Who doesn't love Jane?? In the books, she's fabulous. And in the movies? Dakota Fanning plays her perfectly. I think she's the number one character I love to hate. (At least as far as Twilight goes.)

From Eclipse, I feel like I can't go on without mentioning Riley. Between Eclipse and Bree Tanner's Novella? I surely can't be alone in my love to hate him status, right? Please tell me I'm right!

And honorable mentions, from other books than the Twilight Saga?
*Finnick from the Hunger Games Trilogy. (I love him, I adore him. But during the games, I have to hate him. Right?)
*Darcy Rhone from Something Blue. (I hate her in Something Borrowed, there is ZERO love. And I hate her for MOST of Something Blue. But there is something that makes me love her. I can't really describe it.)

Follow Friday is brought to you byParajunkee's Review and Allison Can Read! (Check them both out, you won't regret it!)

Question: In light of 11.11.11 and Veteran's Day tell us about your favorite solider and how he or she is saving the world. Fictional or real life.

This one was a bit tough... I have a few friends on deployment right now - two in Afghanistan, one in Iraq and one home on R&R, preparing to return to Iraq. So I could write about them, but I'll just express my extreme gratitude to all that they sacrifice. 

I'm going with the guys in the Echo Company series by Zack Emerson (Ellen Emerson White) Sure - their war (conflict) was over two generations ago, and the books are meant for kids. But I LOVE them. My husband and I have a collection of all but the rare 4th book. (I would LOVE that book; but it's a rare print edition unfortunately!)

These books were great though - they were well written and helped to paint a very realistic picture of war (at least from what I can gather.)

The final book in the series, The Road Home, deals with amputation, coming home and PTSD in a way that few books I've read (adult or YA) do. So maybe they aren't saving the world today, but they did several generations back! And I would say the main character, Michael is my favorite War Hero in  books.

TGIF / Follow Friday / Book Blogger Hop

A weekly Meme by GReads!

 

 Friday, Nov. 4th - Gateway Books: Which particular books opened you up to a new genre?

 

Every once in awhile I would read a YA book, but usually only if it was popular. I stumbled on Twilight by accident. I read Harry Potter because I worked at a summer camp and wanted to see what all the hype was about. But I just never got into YA, much preferring Romance or Memoirs. Then? This summer I stumbled upon book blogs, saw a picture of Lola and the Boy next door on someones Wishlist and knew I HAD to have it. So, I thought I'd read Anna and the French Kiss first, and I was hooked. I haven't stopped reading YA since; and I don't have any desire.

Follow Friday is brought to you byParajunkee's Review and Allison Can Read! (Check them both out, you won't regret it!)

 

Q: Take a photo of you and your current read:

Sorry  for the grainy photo - my good camera was packed away, my cell phone was charging - so I used my iPad and it's super low mp camera!

My current read? Clockwork Angel on my iPad (Kindle App) so that I can read the egalley of Clockwork Prince ASAP!!

 

Book Blogger Hop

 

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